Imagine a basketball game being played on a court, but the court is 100 feet up on the roof of a building. The building’s size is 94x50 feet, which just happens to be the basketball court’s size as well. Two competitive teams are playing ball, when a defender swats it out of the other player’s hand. It’s rolling towards the edge. Do you think the players will dive for the ball, or will they let the ball “go out of bounds” and fall that 100 feet? It’s easy! They’d rather that ball fall than themselves!
God’s law is the wall around the court. People love to hate walls until you’re 100 feet up and playing basketball! When we start to see God’s protection and love in his law and call, we stop complaining about such things and start rejoicing over them. With the walls around us, we can play all out. May we “play” all out for the Lord in worship. Check out chapter 2 of our Directory of Public Worship below.
CHAPTER 2—THE RULE OF WORSHIP
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
“…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, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture.”
“Q.2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
A. The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.”
1. The God who calls us to worship also directs us how to worship. The Word of God given to us in the Holy Scriptures is the only rule to direct us in how we may worship and glorify Him. What He commands us, we must do, neither adding to nor taking away from anything which He commands (see Deut. 12:29-32).
2. The parts (elements) to be included in the worship of God are either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be derived from Scripture (see 2 Tim. 3:15-17).
3. Certain matters or circumstances concerning worship have not been fixed by a definite rule in the Holy Scriptures, such as the order of worship which is to be followed, the appointed time or place for the gathering of God’s people, or the music to be used in singing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In such matters or circumstances, the church must be guided by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed (see 1 Cor. 11:13-16; 14:26, 40).
4. Because there are matters or circumstances concerning worship which have not been fixed by a definite rule in Scripture, and because no precise order of worship has been given to us in Scripture, it is not to be expected that worship which is true to Scripture and acceptable to God will be exactly the same in every place or time.
5. The service of worship shall be under the authority of the minister and the session.