Afterthought
Puritan Board Senior
Thoughts on the category of "regulated circumstances?" It sounds a bit odd to me, but I suppose if a circumstance is strictly defined as that which is necessary for worship actions as they are actions, it is forced to pop out? (I heard this way of putting things in this sermon: http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sid=62708105691 see around the 31 minute mark)
Some explanation. We have elements of worship and we have circumstances. Circumstances are the things necessary to perform worship actions or to assemble for a worship meeting. We have time, place, location, dress, etc. These circumstances are mostly left to the church to decide on the basis of Christian prudence, the light of nature, and the general rules of the word. However, God has regulated some circumstances, and we are not free to change those. God has appointed a day on which we must worship. God used to appoint the place of (temple) worship. God regulates clothing insofar as the headcovering goes.
God also used to regulate time by a variety of holy days. The category of pretended holy days today then would fall under a "regulated circumstance." The reason we may not appoint holy days of our own is because although the holy days are not regulated circumstances any more (they have been abolished), even as the place of worship is no longer regulated, throughout the Scriptures God claims the ability to determine holy days to himself.
As a follow up question to thoughts on the category of "regulated circumstances" to those who agree that mechanical instruments ought not to be used in worship, it might also be said that musical instruments were regulated circumstances, since they were not of the essence of worship (singing of psalms, prayer, sacraments, the word)? If so, then God's abolishing of the OT worship only abolished the regulations for the musical instruments, and so just like the temple was abolished and we are now free to meet anywhere, so mechanical instruments might be used?
Some explanation. We have elements of worship and we have circumstances. Circumstances are the things necessary to perform worship actions or to assemble for a worship meeting. We have time, place, location, dress, etc. These circumstances are mostly left to the church to decide on the basis of Christian prudence, the light of nature, and the general rules of the word. However, God has regulated some circumstances, and we are not free to change those. God has appointed a day on which we must worship. God used to appoint the place of (temple) worship. God regulates clothing insofar as the headcovering goes.
God also used to regulate time by a variety of holy days. The category of pretended holy days today then would fall under a "regulated circumstance." The reason we may not appoint holy days of our own is because although the holy days are not regulated circumstances any more (they have been abolished), even as the place of worship is no longer regulated, throughout the Scriptures God claims the ability to determine holy days to himself.
As a follow up question to thoughts on the category of "regulated circumstances" to those who agree that mechanical instruments ought not to be used in worship, it might also be said that musical instruments were regulated circumstances, since they were not of the essence of worship (singing of psalms, prayer, sacraments, the word)? If so, then God's abolishing of the OT worship only abolished the regulations for the musical instruments, and so just like the temple was abolished and we are now free to meet anywhere, so mechanical instruments might be used?
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