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Normative vs. Regulative Principle of Worship

JM

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Well, I'm open to all arguments.

What say ye?

Wiki:

The regulative principle of worship is a Christian doctrine, held by some Calvinists and Anabaptists, that God commands churches to conduct public services of worship using certain distinct elements affirmatively found in Scripture, and conversely, that God prohibits any and all other practices in public worship. The doctrine further determines these affirmed elements to be those set forth in Scripture by express commands or examples, or if not expressed, those which are implied logically by good and necessary consequence. The regulative principle thus provides a governing concept of worship as obedience to God, identifies the set of specific practical elements constituting obedient worship, and identifies and excludes disobedient practices.

The regulative principle of worship is held, practiced, and vigorously maintained by conservative Reformed churches, the Restoration Movement, and other conservative Protestant denominations. Historic confessional standards stating the doctrine include the Westminster Confession of Faith,[1] the Heidelberg Catechism,[2] the Belgic Confession,[3] and the London Baptist Confession of Faith.[4]

The regulative principle contrasts with the normative principle of worship, which teaches that whatever is not prohibited in Scripture is permitted in worship, as long as it is agreeable to the peace and unity of the Church. In short, there must be agreement with the general practice of the Church and no prohibition in Scripture for whatever is done in worship. The normative principle of worship is the generally accepted approach to worship practiced by Anglicans, Lutherans, Evangelicals, and Methodists.[citation needed]

A broader sense of the term "regulative principle" is occasionally cited on matters other than worship, for example, to constrain designs of church government to scriptural elements.[5][6] When applied broadly the term becomes indistinct from the principle of sola scriptura.

Wiki:

The normative principle of worship is a Christian theological principle that teaches that worship in the Church can include those elements that are not prohibited by Scripture.[1] The normative principle teaches that whatever is not prohibited in Scripture is permitted in worship, as long as it is agreeable to the peace and unity of the Church. In short, there must be agreement with the general practice of the Church and no prohibition in Scripture for whatever is done in worship.

The normative principle is often contrasted with the regulative principle of worship, which teaches that only those practices or elements which are specifically commanded or modelled in Scripture are to be permitted in worship services.

An example of the difference between these two principles of worship (normative and regulative) can be illustrated by the example of announcing notices in church (i.e. news, upcoming events, and other information). The normative principle holds that since such activity is not prohibited in the New Testament, and since announcing notices may well be beneficial for the congregation and their involvement in the activities of the church, then this practice should be permitted. On the other hand, the regulative principle would ban such activity from taking place in the church service, because no example of announcing notices at the church gathering can be found in the New Testament.

Historically, the definition of the normative principle concerned replicating scriptural patterns, i.e. norms. Dr. Peter Masters of the Metropolitan Tabernacle wrote an article on this subject [1] and explained that the historic distinction is different to the one above. Historically, regulative meant simply obeying direct instructions, whereas normative meant not just the requirements of the regulative principle, but also replicating patterns established by the scriptures. One example of this concerns congregationalist polity in respect of church government: - proponents of this polity point to the biblical norm of churches being individually autonomous.


Yours in the Lord,

jay
 

OSAS 101

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Thank you for teaching me something new.
I guess normative would be my general choice of worship.
No poll here?
 
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JM

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Is playing Basketball as a part of public worship strictly forbidden in Scripture?

No, it is not forbidden in scripture, therefore we should be able to play basketball as a part of public worship.

Good point.
 
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Tree of Life

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No, it is not forbidden in scripture, therefore we should be able to play basketball as a part of public worship.

Good point.

If you were a church elder, would you permit the playing of basketball in public worship?
 
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JM

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If you were a church elder, would you permit the playing of basketball in public worship?

lol no, I was joking.

I've struggled with RPW for the last year or so, I find it works on a sliding scale. It seems both the RPW and the NPW allow culture, to some extent, to dictate how one worships.

Some RPW congregations allow instruments, others do not. Some allow for non scriptural songs to be sung, others are Psalms only.

Yours in the Lord,

jm
 
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twin1954

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While I hold to a modified RPW I realize that no one can strictly hold to it. When the Scriptures are silent on a matter there is a reason for it. Their silence neither condemns something nor allows it.

Still things such as passing the plate and rock music designed to stir the emotions to a frenzy are wrong. D They are man made additions that have no place in true worship. Sure worship involves the emotions but it isn't about emotions.

I believe the Scriptures are pretty clear that hymn singing, prayer and preaching is to be a major portion of worship with preaching foremost.

All the other stuff is usually man made and we can do without it.

When a "worship" service revolves around man it ceases to be worship. When it is designed for man it is not worship. When it seeks to move man it is not worship.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
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twin1954

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I don't believe any Reformed Church is able to practice the RPW. Culture always creeps in, even "Christian" culture, will creep in.
No one can keep the RPW strictly. It is self deception to think you can. It is also a sign of self-righteousness.
 
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GodsGrace101

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Is playing Basketball as a part of public worship strictly forbidden in Scripture?
How is playing any sport worship other than a person PERSONALLY playing it in a Christianly way??
 
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GodsGrace101

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Looks like you've got a good story to hold on to.
Some services that I see on TV look more like a rock concert.
I hear this is done to get people to go to church...well, is that church?
Hymns, prayer and preaching is what I consider church.
I doubt Rock is a joyful noice unto the Lord...
 
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OSAS 101

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That last statement is a judgment.
It causes separation in the church.
 
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GodsGrace101

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That last statement is a judgment.
It causes separation in the church.
Well, OSAS, we're all just chock full of judgement.
You like rock music in church?
That's a judgement too,,,just different from mine.
Would you agree?
 
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GodsGrace101

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NO, I'm not questioning what God thinks as you do.
I didn't say God doesn't like rock in church.
I said He probably does NOT like it.
The reason I go to church is not to hear music.
I go to concerts for that.
 
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JM

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The fact that no one can agree on what type of music we should rock out to on Sunday morning is telling. Maybe the RPW is the best, at least the ideal is? It seems our worship music often becomes about us, what we feel and not what the words are expressing.

There is a sense of freedom from cultural captivity:

"Simply put, the regulative principle states that “the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself and so limited by his own revealed will” (WCF 21.1). In other words, corporate worship should be comprised of those elements we can show to be appropriate from the Bible. The regulative principles says, “Let’s worship God as he wants to be worshiped.” At its worst, this principle leads to constant friction and suspicion between believers. Christians beat each other up trying to discern exactly where the offering should go in the service or precisely which kinds of instruments have scriptural warrant. When we expect the New Testament to give a levitical lay out of the one liturgy that pleases God, we are asking the Bible a question it didn’t mean to answer. It is possible for the regulative principle to become a religion unto itself."​

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/b...2/14/the-freedom-of-the-regulative-principle/

"As for instrumental music, I fear that it often destroys the singing of the congregation, and detracts from the spirituality and simplicity of worship. If I could crowd a house twenty times as big as this by the fine music which some churches delight in, God forbid that I should touch it; but let us have the best and most orderly harmony we can make—let the saints come with heir hearts in the best humour, and their voices in the best tune, and let them take care that there be no slovenliness and discord in the public worship of the Most High." Spurgeon

Some folks exclude musical instruments in worship giving the following reasons:

- David was given divine revelation to use them (when to use them, how to use them, etc.) which is why we find them listed in the Psalms (in the AV with instructions on what to use)

- The inclusion of musical instruments was not commanded/given by divine revelation in the NT

- Musical instruments were associated with worship in the Temple

- Synagogues did not use musical instruments because they were apart of worship in the Temple

- The early church, following the pattern of the NT, did not use instruments

- The church at large refused to use instruments in worship until the 19th century

- The new covenant deals with the heart, circumcision was of the heart not flesh, worship in the NT is a matter of the heart

- When Protestants, following the lead of Roman Catholicism, wanted to use instruments the argument was made, "to keep our children from leaving the church"​

Yours in the Lord,

jm
 
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