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Listen "Unit 6: Lecture 5 - Corporate Worship | Albert N. Martin"
Episode Synopsis
I. Directives for Ordering the Corporate Worship of God
A. Introductory Perspectives
– Explanation of terminology
– In three of the four introductory perspectives the words “well-grounded conviction” are used.
a. “Well-grounded” – that which rests upon a legitimate biblical foundation and is clearly grasped by the enlightened understanding.
b. “Conviction” – that which has become a felt religious and moral persuasion.
1. You must have a well-grounded conviction concerning the divine institution of the corporate worship of the people of God
James Bannerman, The Church of Christ, vol. 1, (Edmonton, AB: Still Waters Revival Books, 1991), p. 324.
John Owen, The Works of John Owen, vol. 15, (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1968), pp. 448-449.
The London Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 22, Paragraph 7: 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. (Exodus 20:8; 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10)
a. In the Old Covenant community
Exod. 25:8-9; Exod. 29:35; Exod. 31:1-11; 36:1; Lev. 7:37-38; Lev. 8:5, 21, 29, 36; Lev. 10:1-2
NOTE: Whenever the corporate worship of God degenerated into empty formalism or was defiled or abandoned in the old covenant, God ‘s word through the prophets was always a call back to his own institutions joined to a call for renewal of heart in the engagement of the worshiper in those institutions. There never was a call to innovate or to abandon the God-instituted activities and forms of divine worship.
b. In the New Covenant community
Jn. 4:20-24; Mt. 28:18-20
John Owen, The Works of John Owen, vol. 17, (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1968), p. 540.
1 Pet. 2:5-10; Eph. 2:19-22; Phil. 3:3; Lk. 24:50-53; Acts 1:12-15; Acts 2:1, 41-42
1) Its special day for corporate worship
1 Cor. 16:2; Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25
2) Its special activities of corporate worship
1 Cor. 11:17ff; 14; 16:1,2; 1 Tim. 2:1; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Thess. 5:27; Rev. 1:3; Rom. 15:5-6
2. You must have a well-grounded conviction concerning the “regulative principle” as it relates to the corporate worship of God.
a. A definition of the “regulative principle”
See the London Baptist Confession of Faith:
Chapter 1, Paragraph 6; Chapter 21, Paragraph 2; Chapter 22, Paragraph 1; Chapter 26, Paragraphs 5 and 7
James H. Thornwell, The Collected Writings of James Henley Thornwell, vol. 4, (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1986), pp. 248-251.
b. Scriptural support for the “regulative principle”
A. Introductory Perspectives
– Explanation of terminology
– In three of the four introductory perspectives the words “well-grounded conviction” are used.
a. “Well-grounded” – that which rests upon a legitimate biblical foundation and is clearly grasped by the enlightened understanding.
b. “Conviction” – that which has become a felt religious and moral persuasion.
1. You must have a well-grounded conviction concerning the divine institution of the corporate worship of the people of God
James Bannerman, The Church of Christ, vol. 1, (Edmonton, AB: Still Waters Revival Books, 1991), p. 324.
John Owen, The Works of John Owen, vol. 15, (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1968), pp. 448-449.
The London Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 22, Paragraph 7: 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. (Exodus 20:8; 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2; Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10)
a. In the Old Covenant community
Exod. 25:8-9; Exod. 29:35; Exod. 31:1-11; 36:1; Lev. 7:37-38; Lev. 8:5, 21, 29, 36; Lev. 10:1-2
NOTE: Whenever the corporate worship of God degenerated into empty formalism or was defiled or abandoned in the old covenant, God ‘s word through the prophets was always a call back to his own institutions joined to a call for renewal of heart in the engagement of the worshiper in those institutions. There never was a call to innovate or to abandon the God-instituted activities and forms of divine worship.
b. In the New Covenant community
Jn. 4:20-24; Mt. 28:18-20
John Owen, The Works of John Owen, vol. 17, (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1968), p. 540.
1 Pet. 2:5-10; Eph. 2:19-22; Phil. 3:3; Lk. 24:50-53; Acts 1:12-15; Acts 2:1, 41-42
1) Its special day for corporate worship
1 Cor. 16:2; Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25
2) Its special activities of corporate worship
1 Cor. 11:17ff; 14; 16:1,2; 1 Tim. 2:1; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Thess. 5:27; Rev. 1:3; Rom. 15:5-6
2. You must have a well-grounded conviction concerning the “regulative principle” as it relates to the corporate worship of God.
a. A definition of the “regulative principle”
See the London Baptist Confession of Faith:
Chapter 1, Paragraph 6; Chapter 21, Paragraph 2; Chapter 22, Paragraph 1; Chapter 26, Paragraphs 5 and 7
James H. Thornwell, The Collected Writings of James Henley Thornwell, vol. 4, (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1986), pp. 248-251.
b. Scriptural support for the “regulative principle”
In God we trust