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chapter 22 at paragraph 1. The light of nature shows that 
there is a God who hath lordship and sovereignty over all, is 
just, good, and doth good unto all. and is therefore to be feared, 
loved, praised, called upon, trusted in and served with all 
the heart and all the soul and with all the might. But the acceptable 
way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself and 
so limited by his own revealed will that he may not be worshipped 
according to the imaginations and devices of men nor the suggestions 
of Satan under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed 
in the Holy Scriptures. Religious worship is to be given 
to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him alone, not 
to angels, saints, or any other creatures, and since the fall, 
not without a mediator, nor in the mediation of any other but 
Christ alone. Prayer, with thanksgiving, being 
one part of natural worship, is by God required of all men. But that it may be accepted, 
it is to be made in the name of the Son, by the help of the 
Spirit, according to His will, with understanding, reverence, 
humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance, and when with 
others, in a known tongue. Prayer is to be made for things 
lawful and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter, 
but not for the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known 
that they have sinned unto death. the reading of the scriptures, 
preaching and hearing the word of God, teaching and admonishing 
one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing 
with grace in our hearts to the Lord, as also the administration 
of baptism and the Lord's Supper, are all parts of religious worship 
of God. to be performed in obedience 
to him with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear. Moreover, 
solemn humiliation with fastings and thanksgivings upon special 
occasions ought to be used in an holy and religious manner. 
Neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship is 
now under the gospel tied unto or made more acceptable by any 
place in which it is performed or towards which it is directed. 
But God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and in truth. as in 
private families daily, and in secret each one by himself, so 
more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor 
willfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God by His word 
or providence calleth thereto. as it is the law of nature, that 
in general a proportion of time, by God's appointment, be set 
apart for the worship of God, so by His word, in a positive, 
moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, 
He hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath 
to be kept holy unto Him. which from the beginning of the 
world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the 
week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the 
first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day, and 
is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian 
Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished. The Sabbath is then kept holy 
unto the Lord when men, after a due preparing of their hearts 
and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe 
in holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts 
about their worldly employment and recreations, but also are 
taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises 
of his worship and in the duties of necessity and mercy. Well, 
as we consider the confession of faith in this particular section, 
last time we saw chapter 21. Pastor Porter taught us on that 
with reference to Christian liberty. And that's sort of an overarching 
concern for the subsequent chapters. We see Christian liberty applied 
to worship here, lawful oaths in chapter 23, the civil magistrate 
in chapter 24, and then marriage in chapter 25. And as I mentioned 
earlier, the two primary emphases in this particular chapter is 
that we are to worship God according to the will of God, and we are 
to do so on the Christian Sabbath day. So I'll just give you an 
overview of this particular chapter, and then, as I said, we'll focus 
primarily on the first section with reference to religious worship. 
We have what's called the regular principle of worship stated in 
paragraphs 1 and 2. Then we see the specific elements 
involved in worship in paragraphs 3 to 5. We see the appropriate 
location for worship in paragraph 6, and then the appointed day 
for worship in paragraph 7 and 8. Its institution in paragraph 
7, and then its sanctification in paragraph 8. And as I said, 
when we get to that section in two weeks time, we'll do a biblical 
theology of the Sabbath, Instead of just looking specifically 
at the Confession of Faith, we'll kind of start in the book of 
Genesis and move all the way to the book of Revelation, and 
look at all the texts, the pertinent texts, that deal with that doctrine 
of the Christian Sabbath, as it is certainly a controversial 
topic in the church today. There are those who would claim 
that we are legalistic because we are Sabbatarian. There are 
those who would claim that the Sabbath command was done away 
with in our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore every day is a 
Sabbath rest, and we ought not to see anything uniquely special 
about Sunday. Well, the Confession does not 
teach that, and I believe the Bible does not teach that as 
either. It does teach that there is a moral commandment of God 
for perpetual Sabbath-keeping, no matter the covenant that one 
finds him or herself under. Let's look at what's called the 
regulative principle of worship in paragraphs 1 and 2. Note in 
the first place, the confession highlights the light of nature 
shows that there is a God. We know the scripture testifies 
of that. In fact, you can turn to Romans 
chapter 1. Romans chapter 1 indicates that 
there is no such thing as a true atheist. There are professed 
atheists, there are those who claim atheism, but Scripture 
tells us otherwise. Scripture tells us that all men 
everywhere know that God exists. And notice in verse 19 of chapter 
1 of Romans, because what may be known of God is manifest in 
them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation 
of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood 
by the things that are made, even as eternal power and Godhead, 
so that they are without excuse. Because although they knew God, 
they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became 
futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened." 
So what Paul tells us is that there is no such thing as an 
atheist. The fool hath said in his heart, 
there is no God, but the Scriptures testify that he knows. at a certain 
level that there is a God. Psalm 19 tells us as well, the 
created order demonstrates to us that God is. The confession 
goes on to say that God not only is, but He has lordship and sovereignty 
over all. He's just, He's good, He doth 
good unto all. is therefore to be feared, loved, 
praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart 
and all the soul and with all the mind." So the argument is 
simple. God is the Creator. We as creatures owe Him obedience. We as the creatures owe Him worship. We owe Him praise. We owe Him 
honor. We owe Him adoration. But that same general revelation, 
the heavens that declare the glory of God, do not prescribe 
the specific way we are to approach God, and that's what the Confession 
goes on to highlight here in the middle of paragraph 1. It 
says, but the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is 
instituted by Himself. and so limited by his own revealed 
will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations 
and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations 
or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures." Now 
this is a principle that, as I've said, is identified as the 
regulative principle of worship. And it's very unfortunate that 
such a thing would even be questioned, that such a thing would even 
be tinkered with, and that we would see what is going on in 
evangelicalism today, and even in professing Reformed churches, 
in light of so clear a concept. In other words, if we want to 
know what God says about how we're supposed to be husbands 
and fathers, we go to the Scriptures. If we want to know what God says 
about how we're supposed to be mothers and wives, we go to the 
scriptures. If we want to know what God says 
about baptism or the Lord's Supper or the civil magistrate, we go 
to the scriptures. But when it comes to this issue 
of worship, yes, people go to the scriptures, but they add 
a lot of things. They become innovative, they 
become creative, but the Confession highlights what is everywhere 
upheld in the Scripture, is that God determines how He is to be 
worshipped. God has prescribed the acceptable 
way. In fact, it says, the acceptable 
way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and 
then it restricts this even further, not even further, but with another 
statement, and so limited by His own revealed will. In other 
words, God knows what is best with reference to the worship 
of God. And there's a few texts that 
we ought to consider here. First, Deuteronomy chapter 12. 
Deuteronomy chapter 12. Notice at the end of chapter 
12, God the Lord is very clear in verse 32, whatever I command 
you, be careful to observe it. You shall not add to it nor take 
away from it. Again, the principle there is 
clear. It is simple. It is something that everybody 
can grasp, that anybody can get their minds wrapped around. Whatever 
God commands, be careful to observe it. Don't add to what God commands. Don't take away from what God 
commands. In other words, don't be innovative, 
don't be creative, don't substitute for God's revealed will the things 
that may work in a pragmatic society. Don't substitute for 
God's revealed will things that pander to the felt needs of the 
persons that you're trying to reach. Don't substitute for God's 
will anything that is contrary to God's will. And we'll look 
at more of that in just a moment, but several other texts, or at 
least a few other, you can turn to 1 Timothy. Again, this is 
just a sampling of texts. We could go to places like Leviticus 
10 where God kills Nadab and Abihu for offering up strange 
fire, but just looking at a few key texts with reference to the 
fact that God the Lord decrees or determines or has revealed 
by His Word what is acceptable worship. Notice in 1 Timothy 
3.14, these things I write to you, though I hope to come to 
you shortly. But if I am delayed, I write 
so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself. Now 
this ought isn't, you know, one suggestion among many. It's necessity. It's must. It's the way you ought 
to perform. If I am delayed, I write so that 
you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house 
of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and 
ground of the truth." Now, if we were to work backwards in 
this particular context, we would see that Paul means the installation 
of biblically qualified men for the office of deacon, for the 
office of elder. We would see that Paul means 
how women are to conduct themselves in the corporate worship of God, 
how men are to pray in the corporate worship of God. Those things 
are the things that Paul says Timothy must do within the context 
of the church. Now, it's certainly not limited 
to that. I think it also addresses what 
else Paul says elsewhere, but you see the necessity involved. He doesn't say, I write to you 
so that you may indeed reflect upon how you can best reach the 
people in Ephesus." No, there's a marching order, there's a standing 
order, there's a specific revealed will of God with reference to 
how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God. And then 
notice in Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. Verse 25, see to it that you 
do not refuse him who speaks, for if they did not escape, who 
refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape 
if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven, whose voice 
then shook the earth. But now he has promised saying, 
yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. Now, 
this yet once more indicates the removal of those things that 
are being shaken as of things that are made that the things 
which cannot be shaken may remain. Now, I suspect that the primary 
emphasis in this brief section is with reference to the destruction 
of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the utter collapse of 
Old Covenant worship. And so then the author, Paul, 
goes on in verse 28 to say, Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom 
which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve 
God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is 
a consuming fire. So as we move into the New Covenant, 
just in terms of, you know, I think the transition in this particular 
section, what is consistent between the covenants is the reality 
that our God is a consuming fire. So, if our God, who is a consuming 
fire, killed Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus chapter 10, that 
same God is a consuming fire that kills Ananias and Sapphira 
in Acts chapter 5. God has not changed. God is incapable 
of change. God remains the same. Now, in 
terms of public worship, what we call positive law dictates 
the way the old covenant saints approached God, and what we call 
positive law dictates the way new covenant saints approach 
the worship of God. The change isn't with God, the 
change is with us in terms of the particular covenant that 
we find ourselves under. But the reality in both Old and 
New Covenant is that our God is a consuming fire, and therefore 
we are not to tamper with worship. It is very specific. Let us have 
grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and 
godly fear. According to our confession and 
the best theologians throughout the history of the Church, what 
is acceptable is not what is acceptable as far as you and 
I are concerned. What is acceptable is not, well, 
that church, they preach 22-minute sermons, and I quite like it 
that way, so I'm gonna go there. Well, that church has a very 
nice nursery service for their little ones, I'm gonna go, that's 
not what acceptable worship means. Acceptable worship means, does 
it please God? Is it according to His revealed 
will? Is it in obedience to what the Lord God has commanded with 
reference to our approach to Him? The confession goes on to 
delineate some ways that this could be violated. The acceptable 
way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself and 
so limited by His own revealed will that He may not be worshipped 
according to the imaginations and devices of men. Again, I 
think this ought to be very crystal clear. We wouldn't baptize according 
to the imaginations and devices of men, if we were consistent. 
We wouldn't, you know, be husbands and fathers and claim to be Christian 
ones according to the imaginations and devices of men. But when 
it comes to this matter of worship, we somehow think it's okay to 
allow the imaginations and devices of men to intrude into the public 
worship of God. When you see puppets and ponies 
and programs taking the place of preaching and singing and 
praying, this indicates that the imaginations and devices 
of men have run roughshod over the revealed will of God when 
it comes to corporate worship. And so the confession here is 
highlighting this in a very specific manner. It goes on to say, nor 
the suggestions of Satan. And we'd all agree with that. 
We don't listen to Satan on how to be good fathers as Christians. Why would we listen to Satan 
when it comes to how we approach the living God? And then it goes 
on to say, under any visible representations. Ursinus says, 
we know this from the nature of God. God is incorporeal and 
infinite. It is impossible, therefore, 
that he should be expressed or represented by an image which 
is corporeal and finite without detracting from his divine majesty. You can't put on a canvas or 
in a sculpture the glory of God. Again, that should be so easy 
and so commonplace and something that's so simple, and yet we 
see violations of it all over. Turretin says, it is impossible 
and wicked to represent God by an image. So the confession says, 
under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed 
in the Holy Scriptures. We see the emphasis over and 
over again. It's the Scriptures. What should 
we learn when it comes to this matter of worship? We should 
learn to ask, what does the Bible say? When it comes to this matter 
of how do we, as sinful men, come to a holy God, we ought 
to go to the Scriptures to indicate for us that manner of approach. Now notice, with reference to 
the proof text, the last one cited is Exodus chapter 20, verses 
4 to 6. You can turn there. Exodus 20, 
verses 4 to 6. Now, I would never suggest that 
the Ten Commandments, or some of the Ten Commandments, are 
not important. They're all important. They are 
all given by God. They are all commandments for 
the creature of God and the redeemed creature of God to live in obedience 
to Him. But there is a certain structure 
involved in the giving of the Ten Commandments. There is a 
certain priority, dare I say, and God comes first. We see the 
first four commandments contain our duty toward God, and then 
the last six, our duty toward man. I don't think that's accidental, 
any more than I think it's accidental that Jesus taught us in the first 
place to pray, hallowed be thy name. In other words, when you 
go to prayer, certainly you can ask for food, you can ask for 
forgiveness, and you can ask for protection, but the primary 
emphasis ought to be on God's glory, God's kingdom, and God's 
will. There's a priority structure 
that is reflected, I think, in the Lord's Prayer and that is 
reflected here. And I think that experience would 
teach us, and Paul indicates as much in Romans 1.18, the wrath 
of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness 
of men. Paul then highlights the ungodliness. They knew God, but they didn't 
honor God, nor were their hearts thankful. And then he moves into 
all manner of unrighteousness. In other words, what a man thinks 
of God affects how he lives in light of God. And so when sinners 
rebel against God, they hold or suppress the truth of God 
in unrighteousness, then all manner of wickedness follows. 
And the same thing is seen here. When we fail with reference to 
the first four commandments, we cannot expect everything to 
go well with reference to the latter six. You'll see this with 
the prophets as well. They'll come and they'll indict 
the nation of Israel, either the northern kingdom or the southern 
kingdom, and they'll essentially tell them that you are wicked, 
you haven't feared God, you've committed idolatry, you've engaged 
in lawlessness and rebellion against your God, And then it 
deals with all the social problems as a result of that. You see, 
today we want to fix the social problems. We want to address 
the issue of homosexuality, or adultery, or fornication, or 
theft, or lying. But we don't want to address 
the very root issue, which is man's estrangement from God. 
The fact that he's an idolater, the fact that he's a rebel against 
God, the fact that he lives in suppressing the truth and unrighteousness. So that priority is reflected 
here. The commandments, 1st and 2nd, are foundational. If you 
reject the 1st and the 2nd, you're certainly not going to imbibe 
by, you know, 3 to 10. It's not going to make any difference 
to you whatsoever. But notice, Exodus 20, beginning 
in verse 3. You shall have no other gods 
before me. You shall not make for yourself 
a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven 
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water 
under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, 
nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am 
a jealous God. Now, this is speaking in the 
manner of man. It's an improper predication. 
Jealousy would always dictate fluctuations in one's being. As I said, this is in the manner 
of man. It is highlighting something to us concerning God's holiness, 
His justice, and His righteousness. So I, the Lord your God, am a 
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 
to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing 
mercy to thousands to those who love me and keep my commandments. So you see the first and the 
second commandment, you shall have no other gods before me, 
you shall not make for yourself a carved image. Now as we look 
at this, we see specifically that the first commandment forbids 
the worship of other gods. When it says, you shall have 
no other gods before me, remember the specific context here at 
Sinai having come out of the land of Egypt. Egypt was riddled 
with gods. Egypt was littered with gods. was polytheistic. There was a plurality of gods 
in Egypt. So as they come out of Egypt, 
God says you're not supposed to have those other gods. Remember as well, they are moving 
into the land of Canaan, another polytheistic situation. So God 
is telling them not to engage in Yahweh plus Baal plus Molech 
and Asherah worship. You shall have no other gods 
before me. So in essence, the first commandment 
defines the who we are to worship. But notice that the second commandment 
addresses the how we are to worship. You shall not make for yourself 
a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven 
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water 
under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, 
nor serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God. You 
see, God not only defines for us who we are to worship, but 
He defines for us in the second commandment how we are to worship 
Him. You're not supposed to be like 
the Egyptians. You're not supposed to be like 
the Philistines. You're not supposed to have objects 
like Gagon. You're not supposed to have visible 
representations of who the living and the true God is. We see this 
abuse not only in later redemptive history, but already in chapter 
32. You know, Aaron doesn't say, I mean, he ascribes that it was 
Yahweh that brought them out of the land of Egypt. He doesn't 
say, you know, it was Baal, or it was Molech, or it was Asherah, 
or it was the gods of Egypt. He says it was Yahweh, but he 
depicts Yahweh under the image of those calves. So, I mean, 
the giving of the law here at Sinai, we get all the way to 
chapter 32, and they're dancing before an image. It shows us 
the hardness of our hearts and the fact that Calvin is right 
when he says our hearts are like idol factories. You see it in 
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Those of you who are reading 
McShane would have read 1 Kings chapter 11 this morning. Isn't 
it interesting? It was by way of reminder for 
me. It's been a little while since we've been in 1 Kings 11. 
But God tells Jeroboam, son of Nebat, I'm going to deal with 
the house of Judah, but I won't fully extinguish them. There'll 
always be a lamp there. That, based on 2 Samuel 7. But 
he makes the promise to Jeroboam, son of Nebat, that if he toes 
the line, he's faithful and obedient, then God will bless him. That 
was chapter 11. How long does it take for Jeroboam, 
the son of Nebat, to turn from that? Chapter 12. See Jeroboam 
was threatened when the division of the kingdom took place because 
he knew at worship time all of the faithful would want to go 
down to Jerusalem to the temple there to worship Yahweh. So Jeroboam 
with the imaginations and devices of men probably with the suggestions 
of Satan and certainly with visible representations constructed two 
shrines and there he put his calves and there he ascribed 
to those calves the power of having brought them out of the 
land of Egypt. He was not towing the line. He 
was not obedient. He was not faithful. So the first 
commandment defines for us who God is. The second commandment 
defines how we are to worship Him. And so we can conclude that 
idolatry is either worshiping false gods or an attempt to worship 
the true God falsely. I think that second aspect of 
the definition there is probably more appropriate for our own 
generation and time. I don't know of any evangelicals 
or any Reformed churches that are worshipping false gods. I 
don't know of any that have constructed calves and the persons come and 
they tithe and they bow and they confess the calf and his almightiness 
and power and having saved them through his own precious blood. 
I don't think that is the tendency or the temptation among professing 
Christians today or churches, but worshiping the true God falsely, 
I think that's something that we really need to pay attention 
to. And oftentimes it comes under the guise of, but our hearts 
are right. not if they're disobedient to 
God. Our intentions are good, not if it's in disobedience to 
God. You hear this, don't you? I mean, 
have you paid attention to what's happening? You know, ballet dancing 
before God on a stage. I don't know if that happened, 
at least in the particular church I'm thinking about on the Lord's 
Day, but it happens. You know, the sacred dance. Last 
week I mentioned you can't dance in public worship. You know why? 
Because God hasn't authorized it. But David danced. Completely 
different scenario. I mean, completely different 
scenario. If you want to whirl about in 
your living room to the glory of God, you know, have a blessed 
time, brethren, but you will never do it in the church of 
the living God. This is the problem, attempting 
to worship the true God falsely. Imagine if Nadab and Abihu could 
have talked after they were struck dead. They might have said, but 
we were only trying to facilitate the worship of God. We were only 
trying to add a dimension heretofore not investigated. We were only 
trying to supplement what God had so clearly revealed in chapters 
1 to 9 in the book of Leviticus. See, it's not our motivation 
or our intention or our desire, but rather our obedience. Isn't 
the lesson of 1 Samuel 15 important here? You can turn there. 1 Samuel 
15. Actually, go to 1 Samuel 13, 
because I believe this is where Saul's downfall began, and is 
more appropriate, actually, for worship, but we'll look at the 
principle in 1 Samuel 15 in a moment. Notice in 1 Samuel 13, let's 
go to verse 7. As for Saul, he was still in 
Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. Then he waited 
seven days, notice, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, 
and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, bring 
a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me, and he offered the 
burnt offering." We may just be so attuned to disobeying God 
that we read through that and not even think twice. But when 
the prophet of God tells you to wait, guess what you're supposed 
to do? You're supposed to wait. even 
as unromantic or as unhappy that may be. Notice verse 10, Now 
it happened as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt 
offering that Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him, that 
he might greet him. And Samuel said, What have you 
done? Saul said, when I saw that the people were scattered from 
me and that you did not come within the days appointed, and 
that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I 
said, the Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and 
I have not made supplication to the Lord. Therefore, I felt 
compelled and offered a burnt offering. See, that would win 
the day in evangelical circles today. I don't think what you 
did was right, but I felt compelled. It had to be done. Samuel was 
late, the people were restless, the Philistines are going to 
come get us. I felt compelled, and I doubt it was in a sort 
of a way. He's probably excited. He probably 
thinks he's done a good thing here. Therefore, I felt compelled 
and offered a burnt offering. If he was in the evangelical 
world today, Samuel would say, well, good, I'm glad you went 
with your feelings. That was so great of you to go with your 
feelings. Those puppets and ponies and programs that you went for 
with reference to being compelled, and according to your feelings, 
that's just a wonderful thing. But that's not what Samuel says. 
Samuel said to Saul, you have done foolishly. You have not 
kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded 
you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over 
Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not 
continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own 
heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His 
people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded 
you." You know, sometimes I think people look at David and Saul 
and they say, well, David had sin. David committed adultery. 
David committed murder. But David didn't commit idolatry. 
David never departed from the living and true God. David always 
was jealous for the glory of his God, and that is a fundamental 
difference. Now, notice in 1 Samuel 15, Saul 
doesn't learn well. Basically what happens here is 
Saul is told to go out and utterly destroy Agag, the king and all 
of the Amalekites. Go kill everything, kill all 
the livestock. So Saul and his troops go out, 
they spare Agag, they spare the livestock, they come back and 
basically tell, or Saul tells Samuel, yep, we did it, we obeyed 
the Lord. So Samuel says, why am I hearing 
cattle? Why am I hearing sheep? If I 
am hearing sheep and cattle, that means you didn't do what 
you're supposed to do. Those sheep and cattle were preachers 
of righteousness, much like the rooster that crowed when Peter 
denied his Lord. These sheep and cattle testify 
that Saul didn't do his job. Saul then tries to shift the 
blame upon the people. Notice in verse 15, they have 
brought them from the Amalekites. For the people spared the best 
of the sheep and the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, 
and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Samuel said to Saul, 
be quiet, and I will tell you what the Lord said to me last 
night. He goes on to reprove him, and then he underscores 
this lesson. Notice in verse 22. Samuel said, 
has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices. 
Now, that does not mean God does not call us to engage in burnt 
offerings and sacrifices if we are Old Covenant believers. Don't 
ever sort of mistake that idiom. Well, it doesn't matter if I 
bring burnt offerings and sacrifices, I just need to obey God. Well, 
obeying God means bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices. So 
just understand that. It's an idiomatic way of stressing 
the importance of obedience. Has the Lord as great delight 
in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the 
Lord? Behold, to obey is better than 
sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is 
as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and 
idolatry. Because you have rejected the 
word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king. You see, God takes obedience 
to His revealed will seriously, and we need to too. So the first 
commandment defines for us who we are to worship, the second 
defines for us how we are to worship. So, idolatry is committed 
when we worship false gods or when we attempt to worship the 
true God falsely. If we try to worship the true 
God in a manner not prescribed by His will, then we have engaged 
in idolatry. Now, as I've already mentioned, 
historically this has been identified as the regulative principle of 
worship. We do what God commands. We're not free to do anything 
else. That's it. You've seen that bumper 
sticker before. God said it. I believe it. That 
settles it. God said it. That settles it, 
whether you believe it or not. I mean, that's not foundational 
to the maxim. God said it. That settles it. William Cunningham defines or 
explains the principle this way, there are sufficiently plain 
indications in scripture itself that it was Christ's mind and 
will that nothing should be introduced into the government and worship 
of the church unless positive warrant for it could be found 
in scripture. And then our own Benjamin Keech, 
a particular Baptist author, says, "...whatsoever we do in 
the worship of God, we must see we have a command from God to 
warrant our practice. And also we must not add to, 
nor diminish from, nor alter anything. If we do, God will 
not hold us guiltless." I think Albert N. Martin has a very helpful 
way of summarizing the principle. He says, with reference to worship, 
nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else than what God has 
commanded is acceptable. Nothing more, we don't add to 
what the church is called to do. Nothing less, we don't take 
from what the church is called to do. And nothing else, we don't 
try to combine with what the church has been called to do. 
That's what the worship of God ought to involve. Now the historical 
context here was a difference between a Puritan approach to 
the worship of God and the Church of England. Also Lutheranism 
falls into this other sort of Anglican-ish trap. Bannerman 
says, in the case of the Church of England, its doctrine in regard 
to church power and the worship of God is that it has a right 
to decree everything except what is forbidden in the Word of God. 
Now, on the surface, that may sound like a good principle, 
but brethren, that's what's yielded, puppets, ponies, and all sorts 
of programs in the place of the worship of God. Well, God doesn't 
command that we can't have a puppet show for worship. Yeah, but that 
should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't go 
without saying. That is historically connected 
to the Church of England. In the case of the Church of 
England, its doctrine in regard to church power and the worship 
of God is that it has a right to decree everything except what 
is forbidden in the Word of God. In the case of our own church, 
he's talking about Presbyterianism, which is the Westminster Confession, 
which is essentially what we have here in chapter 22 of our 
Confession. In the case of our own church, 
its doctrine and reference to church power in the worship of 
God is that it has a right to decree nothing except what expressly 
or by implication is enjoined by the Word of God. In other 
words, we cannot command anything that is not commanded or by necessary 
consequence deduced from the Word of God. Now, there's a whole 
lot of things that we ought to consider with reference to this 
particular issue. Again, as I mentioned, the difference 
between Old Covenant and New Covenant. There is a covenant 
that regulates via positive law how persons in that covenant 
are to approach the living God. So when the Old Covenant is dissolved, 
or when it is removed, or when it is gone, The church doesn't 
necessarily take those elements of Old Covenant worship and co-opt 
them. Now, there's a lot of similarities. 
The Word of God preached and taught and sung and all that 
sort of thing. But in the Old Covenant, what 
was primary in terms of their approach to God? It was sacrifice. Brethren, we don't do that anymore 
because we have the once-for-all sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. We don't bring goats with us 
to church. We don't bring lambs with us 
to church. We don't bring turtle doves with 
us to church if we happen to be poor. We don't do that. That was an element of Old Covenant 
worship that is done away with. Incense in the presence of God, 
in the house of God, in the Old Covenant was perfectly acceptable 
and legitimate. But New Covenant worship nowhere 
commands us to wave a thing of incense around to make the church 
smell good. We need to understand that within 
the covenant that the persons of God are worshiping in, there 
are certain positive law aspects appended or attached to that 
that dictates how they approach God. When we get to New Covenant 
worship, we take Jesus Christ as the head of the church, and 
we listen to what he has to say in terms of our approach to God, 
which is acceptable, which is not according to the imaginations 
and devisings of men, which is not at the suggestion of Satan. 
So there is continuity. God is a consuming fire, Old 
Covenant, New Covenant. There is continuity. It's to 
be word-based. But there are some discontinuities 
that come about as a change of or a transition from or a move 
from Old Covenant to New Covenant. So just because David whirled 
about in the presence of God Most High in the Old Testament 
does not authorize evangelical dance teams today. But you'll 
hear that sort of thing. Because if there was a church 
that had dance, and I was critical of that, do you know what the 
response would be? But David danced before the Ark 
of the Lord. Now, you may look at me like, 
oh, that would never happen. It does happen. Or, you know, 
we could extend that to some other things, but hopefully that's 
enough for you to understand where I'm coming from. So the 
Puritan view, or we might call it the confessional view, interestingly, 
Gordon Clark in his little book on the Westminster Confession 
calls it the Puritan principle, with reference to worship. I 
quite like that as well. But the Puritan view is only 
what is commanded is acceptable, and anything outside of what 
is commanded is forbidden. In other words, what God says 
we are to do. We're not to do anything else. 
Now, some would say, well, what about lights? What about colors 
of hymn books? What about meeting times? What 
about, you know, carpet in the sanctuary? And all those sorts 
of things. The confession highlights what scripture teaches. There 
is the light of nature that speaks to certain things, and there 
is special revelation that speaks to other certain things. And 
typically the way to discuss the regulative principle is to 
make a distinction between elements and circumstances. A circumstance 
is having lights. A circumstance is having benches. 
A circumstance is having our meeting at 11 o'clock. Light 
of nature sort of things, the light of nature speaks to those 
sorts of things. The elements of worship is where 
we are not to depart. We are to read, we are to pray, 
we are to sing, we are to give, we are to, you know, do those 
things commanded of us with reference to worship. The Anglican said, 
what is commanded is acceptable, plus anything not expressly forbidden 
is acceptable. Only what is expressly condemned 
or forbidden is prohibited. So again, it extends it by a 
big margin. So what we have commanded and 
anything that's not forbidden, Well, brethren, there's a whole 
lot not forbidden in the Bible in terms of how we are to approach 
God and worship on a Sunday. I mean, isn't there? The Bible 
doesn't have detailed legislation on every jot and tittle of what 
you are to do before you come to the house of God. So that 
opens the door to just about anything. Now certainly in the 
Church of England, it legitimized the vestments, it legitimized... 
they use incense, I would imagine... it legitimizes their high church 
liturgy. Certainly, in Roman Catholicism, 
this sort of a principle legitimizes all manner of abominations. So, 
on the one hand, it may seem noble, and that's the sort of 
thing you'll hear today. It won't be developed the way 
it was by the Church of England. It won't be developed the way 
it is in the discussions concerning the regulative principle of worship, 
but it will be a little bit more sort of crude, but it will be 
this. Well, the Bible doesn't say we 
can't. the Bible doesn't say you can't do a lot of things, 
but man, that doesn't mean you do it in the presence of God 
and call it acceptable worship. You see how subtle that is. Well, 
the Bible doesn't forbid us having, you know, ballerinas in the front 
of the church on a Sunday. I grant that. I have yet to see a particular 
command in scripture that says, there shall be no ballerinas 
dancing in the presence of God and his people on Sunday. You're 
right, you got me. There is no express prohibition 
from that. But the principle that we adhere 
to is not What is commanded and what is not forbidden is permissible, 
but we adhere to what is commanded. That's it. That's settled. That's 
what we hold to if we say this is our confession. Now, certainly, 
there's persons out there. And I'm not saying they're all 
going to hell. I'm not saying they're all wicked, terrible people. 
And I'm not saying they're all to be counted with Saul or Nadab 
and Abihu or Uzzah, who put out his hand to steady the ox cart. 
I'm sure Uzzah's motivation was great and grand, but he wasn't 
a Kohathite. You forgot this one basic fundamental 
principle. You are not a Kohathite. You 
are not commanded to touch that. Therefore, don't touch that. 
Well, grab, strike, dead. That's the difference. I like 
the way Terry Johnson, if you want a good little book, and 
I mean a good little book, actually anything by Terry Johnson on 
worship is really, really good. But there's a booklet. I mean, 
it's probably that thick. just over a pamphlet size. So 
no one can say, you know, I've got another one by George Gillespie, 
not Dizzy Gillespie, but George Gillespie. I don't know what's 
the treatise against Popish ceremonies. You know, there's just a, it's 
that much of, you know, polemics against a non-regulated principle 
of worship, a dispute against Popish ceremonies. But this little 
book by Terry Johnson, I loaned mine out and I don't know who 
has it. If you have it, please return it. I also loaned out 
my What is Faith by Machen. I need to write down who I loan 
books out to, and I didn't. So if you happen to come across 
a What is Faith by Machen, it's an older version, so you can't 
mistake it. It's got a big question mark. I'd like that back someday. 
But anyways, this little book by Terry Johnson, it's called 
Reformed Worship. And I cannot commend it highly 
enough. It's just phenomenal. But he 
has a great summary statement with reference to worship. To 
put it simply, in worship we pray the Bible, sing the Bible, 
read the Bible, and preach the Bible, and see the Bible in the 
sacraments. That's it. Great. Beautiful. Handy. Small compass. Great definition. Encapsulates, 
I think, what is at the heart of the confession of faith in 
this particular place. Now, I will grant that when it 
comes to the regulative principle of worship, just about everybody 
that holds it has differences. I know that's an unfortunate 
reality. You think, well, you all hold 
to the regular principle of worship, but in your church, there's no 
music. In your church, it's only Psalms. In your church, it's 
music and it's Psalms and hymns. I would admit there's differences. In the way the regulative principle 
of worship is practiced by, say, Covenanters or Scottish Presbyterians, 
I would admit there's a difference between, say, the way the NRC 
would hold to the regulative principle of worship. And I would 
admit that there's a difference in terms of them and them and 
us with reference to the regulative principle of worship. Well, we 
would all agree on the overarching principle. Some of the exegetical 
fine-tuned points will differ. I'm just going to be honest with 
you and tell you that, but I think that it's important that the 
church gets this overarching principle. I mean, even if she 
does differ in terms of one church thinking it's okay to sing hymns 
along with the Psalms, they're still committed to this reality 
of what has been called the regulative principle of worship. So don't 
let the various differences involved scare you off from the principle. The principle is a safeguard. The principle is a hedge. The 
principle is parameters to keep us from going off the cliff into, 
you know, what Joel Osteen does, or into what Benny Hinn does, 
or into what, you know, ballerinas in the presence of God on the 
Lord's Day do. We need that perimeter set up 
so that we don't fall into the trap of worshiping God according 
to the imaginations or devices of man, or the suggestions of 
Satan, or trying to get God under the picture or under the location 
of a particular image. We need to understand that. As 
well, we need to understand that it's the regulative principle 
of worship. The Bible does regulate all of 
life. I am not here to debate that. 
The Bible speaks to every area of our lives, but when we come 
to the regulative principle of worship, it is the regulative 
principle of worship. Sam Waldron makes a helpful distinction, 
and he summarizes this way. If you go back into the Old Testament, 
specifically into the book of Exodus, God gives Moses directions 
for building the tabernacle. You've all read that, I'm sure. 
You start off there in chapter 25 and say, wow, this is like 
watching a home show renovation. And you get to chapter 29, and 
you're thinking, why am I still reading? You know, why am I continuing 
every little detail, every little jot, every little tittle? What 
is God doing there? He is showing Moses how important 
the worship of God is. He is showing Moses how important 
precision is, how important obedience is. You will search in vain for 
similar instructions from God to Moses on how Moses is to deal 
with his own house. Again, the Bible is to govern 
life in Moses' house, but the Bible governs life in God's house 
under the auspices of the regulative principle of worship. We need 
to understand that. All of Scripture speaks to all 
of life, but when we come to the regulative principle of worship, 
we are dealing with the worship of God on the Lord's day as God 
has commanded us to come. Well, I think we'll stop there, 
and the Lord willing, we'll pick up the rest, if not the rest, 
some more next time. I'll close in prayer, and then 
we actually have a couple of minutes for some questions. Our 
Father, we thank you for what is written here. We thank you 
that it is an accurate reflection of what Scripture declares. Help 
us, Lord God, not to intrude upon the worship of God, those 
things that come from our imagination or our devices or the suggestions 
of Satan, give us grace to see that the acceptable way to worship 
God is revealed by God. Grant us grace to do things in 
this manner, in this church, and may it be that freedom and 
that liberty and that blessing of obedience to God that brings 
the felt presence of Christ. Go with us into this coming worship 
service. Help us as we look to scripture. 
Help us as we look to the living God, as we praise and worship 
you. And we ask in Jesus' name, amen.