Proper Worship of Jehovah
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 8/11/2019 PM |
Text: | Habakkuk 2; Lord's Day 35 |
Psalters: | 17, 307, 415, 374 |
Applicatory to the Lord's Supper |
- The concept.
- The Catechism prohibits images of God from three perspectives.
- One, the use of images of God is an incomplete break from paganism, and almost inevitably leads to outright idolatry.
- Two, what God has revealed of Himself in Scripture is sufficient for a vibrant religious life for His people.
- Three, God’s attribute of spirituality implies that any attempt to portray Him visibly will misrepresent Him.
- However, let us realize that though God is spirit, Scripture gives us the hope of knowing Him because of divine revelation.
- Though even the sanctified human mind is finite and incapable of comprehending God.
- In heaven we will see Him in the face of Jesus: I John 3:2; John 14:9.
- The Catechism prohibits images of God from three perspectives.
- God requires that He be worshiped, loved, and thanked accurately, i.e., as He has revealed Himself.
- God gives a revelation of Himself to all men in creation (Rom. 1:18,20) and He puts the work of the law in them (Rom. 1:19).
- God further reveals Himself in His Word and in the preaching of His Word (I Cor. 1:21) to His Spirit-equipped children.
- This commandment establishes the “regulative principle” of worship, i.e., God tells us how He is to be worshiped, so the manner of worship is regulated by God’s Word (q. 96; Westminster Shorter, q.50) (Deut. 4:2; 12:31,32).
- The characteristics of public worship are: spirituality, simplicity, solemnity, orderliness, and stability (I Cor. 14:33,40).
- The commandment gives powerful motivations and encouragements to obey Him.
- First, God declares Himself to be angry with those who don’t worship Him as He commands, declaring that they hate Him.
- Second, God declares that disobedience to this command bears fruit on our children.
- God promises to show His mercy on those who serve Him as He commands, thus encouraging obedience.
- May our relationship to God be sincere (love), and not mere formality.