How do days of thanksgiving fit in with the RPW and a ban on holidays?

Status
Not open for further replies.
If man-instituted days of thanksgiving are permitted, what about them separates them from holidays such that the latter are forbidden to be instituted? And, secondly, are annual days of thanksgiving allowed to be made?

If the second question above is answered in the affirmative, then could not a celebrator of Christmas or Easter argue that such holidays are merely holidays thanking God for the Incarnation or for the atonement and resurrection? What about holidays makes them of a different nature than days of thanksgiving?

I have been convinced for a while that holidays are forbidden by the RPW, but I have been having a bit of trouble understanding how thanksgiving fits in with everything else.

They fit in fine as long as youremeber to only observe them when no one else in your culture might also be feeling thankfull...
 
Something has to determine what the theme or content of worship will be. How is it more fitting with the RPW for the pastor to choose a text and theme upon sheer preference than to choose a text and theme upon something that is culturally significant, such as a holiday?

This is precisely the attitude that gives rise to annual Proverbs 31 sermons...

To follow your advice, Pastors ought to be preaching a sermon each year relevant to golf on the four major tournament championship Sundays, an Indy-500 Sermon, Mothers, Fathers, Grandparents and Childrens' Days, Earth Day, etc., etc.... to pick texts as dictated by "culturally significant events" is irresponsible to say the least.

I never suggested that culturally significant events should be the standard for a text and theme. I asked why using such an event is less in keeping with the RPW than a pastor's preference. It's a question you never answered.
I'm not suggesting each week's sermon and scripture should be based on what's going on in the world, but instead trying to figure out why it's wrong to do so occassionally. Like I said, something has to determine what you do.

Furthermore, to characterize the choices of a pastor who doesn't follow the church calendar (or guide his text-choice by other pagan cultural events), but who has other criteria for choosing has text as "sheer preference" is slanderous, quite frankly. I suggest you avoid it.

Slanderous? That's a reach. My pastor is currently going through the book of I Corinthians. Why is he doing so? Because he picked it. He did. I'm thrilled that we're studying this epistle, but the only reason we are doing so is that our pastor chose it.
Now a couple months ago, our pastor took a one-week break from his study in Corinthians to address a topic that was culturally significant: the economy. A lot of people in our congregation have been affected, so he addressed it.

So back to my question, why is it more in keeping with the RPW for a pastor to choose his own text because he wanted to work through a book, than for a pastor to choose his text because of a culturally significant event?
 
Daniel,

You said "sheer preference". That characterization has connotations that imply a whimsical personal preference, rather than a considered choice, which most faithful pastors certainly make. That is all I was pointing out. You may not have intended that reading, but that's how it came across to me at least - as a disparaging remark.

As for the consistency with the RPW of the practice of having an annual Mothers Day, Easter, Christmas, 4th of July, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, etc., sermon, as is common in some churches I'm familiar with, I'm not necessarily trying to address it. It does seem to me, though, that if annual secular events (like Mother's day, for instance, which is perhaps the most egregious example) are dictating the text, there is a big problem in my opinion. Not as awful a problem as in the case of the churches which refused to hold worship services when Christmas Day fell on the Lord's Day, but a problem nevertheless. Is it a problem with the RPW in particular? That's a good question that I'd have to think about some more.
 
Ordained ministers of the word have authority by virtue of their office to lead worship consisting of the warranted elements prescribed in God’s word. As part of that leadership, they may choose which Psalms are sung, scriptures read, what to say in prayers and what words to preach, provided all these are consistent with the whole of scripture and the ordination vows he took. Of course authority may be misused or badly used. Ruling elders are there to advise and guide. A wise and faithful pastor will diligently read and preach the whole counsel of God, considering the circumstances of the particular congregation and providential events impacting their lives. Experience shows, a systematic and consecutive reading and exposition of the scriptures will assist in these goals. Cultural, traditional and market influences and expectations do not. So called “holy” days give the impression of doing something more pious than on other Lord’s Days, while in reality there is no command or warrant to observe such. Rather, such observance detracts from the simplicity of the gospel. Faithful pastors and elders have authority to determine the circumstantial components of public worship “common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed” (WCF I:6). They may not impose new elements, or allow their decisions to be dictated by non-scriptural traditions.

May one preach on the Incarnation and Resurrection narratives? Certainly. May the preacher do so on the Sundays coming near December 25th or the spring equinox? He may. But, is it wise to deviate from his ordinary systematic and consecutive exposition of the word and risk being caught up in the cultural and market hype called “Christmas” and “Easter,” which helps unbelievers feel sentimental and religious apart from the gospel? Then, one starts adding Advent wreaths, candles, evergreen trees in the place of worship, idolatrous manger scenes, passion plays, and sentimental preaching that sounds more like Dickens than the Bible. Probably will draw a crowd, please the C&E attenders, and make the pious feel warm fuzzies inside. But, is it being faithful to the gospel and worship commanded by God? But, deprive your congregation of these things they’ve come to expect and incur their wrath. Which shows their danger. Most Christians have come to identify such cultural piety with biblical Christianity. For that matter, so have many who regularly post on the Puritan Board, and don’t bother reading what the Westminster Divines and Puritans had to say of such matters.
 
Glenn,
I agree with you that a systematic exposition of the Bible is the best guideline to use when choosing a text and theme for the worship elements. But I don't see how the RPW shows it to be wrong for a pastor to use an event or topic that is on the minds of the congregation (or the culture as a whole) to occassionally take a break from the regular study.
I'm not talking about "holy" days here. I doubt anyone on the PB believes the church has actual "holy" days. You can bring out all types of examples of modern churches that take it too far, but that's not what I'm arguing for. I'm talking about focusing a worship service on the Incarnation during December, the Resurrection during the spring, or the Reformation during late October. I just don't buy that the RPW forbids such.

Then, one starts adding Advent wreaths, candles, evergreen trees in the place of worship, idolatrous manger scenes, passion plays, and sentimental preaching that sounds more like Dickens than the Bible.

I agree that there are problems with passion plays and perhaps manger scenes, but it's not wrong to decorate according to the season.
 
Glenn,
I agree with you that a systematic exposition of the Bible is the best guideline to use when choosing a text and theme for the worship elements. But I don't see how the RPW shows it to be wrong for a pastor to use an event or topic that is on the minds of the congregation (or the culture as a whole) to occassionally take a break from the regular study.
I'm not talking about "holy" days here. I doubt anyone on the PB believes the church has actual "holy" days. You can bring out all types of examples of modern churches that take it too far, but that's not what I'm arguing for. I'm talking about focusing a worship service on the Incarnation during December, the Resurrection during the spring, or the Reformation during late October. I just don't buy that the RPW forbids such.

Then, one starts adding Advent wreaths, candles, evergreen trees in the place of worship, idolatrous manger scenes, passion plays, and sentimental preaching that sounds more like Dickens than the Bible.

I agree that there are problems with passion plays and perhaps manger scenes, but it's not wrong to decorate according to the season.

Why bring anything into the place of worship which detracts from the worship of God and the presentation of the gospel? Is God's word and what he commanded not enough?

I hold the same position regarding flags, civil religion, partisan politics, or bag pipes encroaching on public worship and preaching.

While I agree the RPW does not prohibit a minister from reading and preaching the Incarnation or Resurrection narratives on any Lord’s Day, to do so in close approximation and tied to seasonal & cultural religiosity may tend to encourage superstition and identification of saving faith in Christ with sentimentality and a schmaltzy pseudo-gospel.

As late October and early November are merely times for historical remembrance of significant Reformation events and the recovery of the gospel, this is not quiet the same as overdone papal-pagan “holy” days, no different than acknowledging the birth date of Calvin. I don’t see the culture or department stores gearing up for “Reformation Day” the way they do for Christmas or Easter. A Reformation conference or preaching on the Solas, which is merely remembering how the gospel was preserved in God’s providence, is not the same as candlelight services and Advent wreaths.

Of course, deal with significant providential events on the minds of believers. But, if Christmas or Easter are mentioned in their conventional calendar contexts, seems better to explain why gift giving, good will, yule logs, warm sentiments, pretty clothes, eggs and bunnies do not save or make one a better follower of Christ.

As Calvin says our hearts are “idol factories,” better to guard against man made religious additions to the worship of God, remembering the Larger Catechism, which our officers affirm but often forget:

Q. 108. What are the duties required in the second commandment?
A.
The duties required in the second commandment are, the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his word; particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ; the reading, preaching, and hearing of the word; the administration and receiving of the sacraments; church government and discipline; the ministry and maintenance thereof; religious fasting; swearing by the name of God, and vowing unto him: as also the disapproving, detesting, opposing, all false worship; and, according to each one's place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry.

Q. 109. What sins are forbidden in the second commandment?
A.
The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising, counseling, commanding, using, and any wise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself; the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of image or likeness of any creature whatsoever; all worshipping of it, or God in it or by it; the making of any representation of feigned deities, and all worship of them, or service belonging to them; all superstitious devices, corrupting the worship of God, adding to it, or taking from it, whether invented and taken up of ourselves, or received by tradition from others, though under the title of antiquity, custom, devotion, good intent, or any other pretense whatsoever; simony; sacrilege; all neglect, contempt, hindering, and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.​
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top