Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 21: Of Religious Worship … (Part 1)

Who Must We worship? “You shall have no other gods before me.”

How We Must Worship “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or 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 or serve them, …”

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or 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 or serve them, ” The Regulative Principle of Worship: We must worship God only in the way He instructs us so to do.

The Golden “Christmas Tie” Exodus 32

First, the people worshipped as they pleased, And then they lived as they pleased.

But what did God think? Vs. 7: This is not worship. Vs. 19: What did Moses do?

Who should decide? Calling on His Name Sing Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Covenantal Renewal – – Giving Confession, Claiming Pardon, –Obtaining Assurance) Prayers Hearing His Word proclaimed (Offerings of tithes & gifts) Faithful observance of His ordinances The benediction of His blessing

Family Worship

“It is better to be without bread in your houses than without Bibles, for the words of God’s mouth are and should be to you more than your necessary food. But what will it avail you to have Bibles in your houses, if you do not use them? To have the great things of God’s law and gospel written to you, if you count them as a strange thing? You look daily into your shop-books, and perhaps converse much with the news books, and shall your Bibles be thrown by as an almanac out of date?” (Matthew Henry)

Family Worship “Now I know not anything that will contribute more to the furtherance of this good work thatn the bringing of family-religion more into practice and reputation. Here the reformation must begin. Other methods may check the disease we complain of, but this, if it might universally obtain, would cure it.” (Matthew Henry)

Family Worship Singing Prayer Bible reading & discussion Verse memorization Catechism teaching & Memorization Petitionary Prayer minutes daily