Reading/preaching the Word of God

[BryanW92]

I'm referring to questions 156, 158, and 159 of the WLC here.

In Q 156, it says that "Although all are not permitted to read the Word publicly to the congregation...". Then, in Q 158 and Q 159, it is talking about preaching the Word of God. Is reading publicly different from preaching, or can only Elders even read the Word of God publicly? If so is that only Teaching Elders, or would Ruling Elders be permitted to do so?

This is a new thing to me, since in my prior Methodist experience, we had lay people read the scriptures every Sunday and I was even a Certified Lay Speaker who could (and did) preach.

 

[AMR]

Reading the Scripture "publicly to the congregation" is a part of conducting the public worship of God, and therefore it is to be done only by those who have been properly called to that office in the church. In the absence of an ordained minister or licentiate, the elders of the church may properly appoint sonic person to read the Scripture and conduct a prayer meeting or "fellowship meeting." What the catechism denies is that any private Christian may lawfully take it upon himself to conduct public worship, without being appointed to do so by those whose office it is to rule the house of God.


Deuteronomy 31:9-13 (NKJV)
9 So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
10 And Moses commanded them, saying: "At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles,
11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
12 Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law,
13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess."

Nehemiah 8:2-3 (NKJV)
2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month.
3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Nehemiah 8:3-5 (NKJV)
3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.

See also Volume 4 of Ridgeley's commentary on the WLC:
http://digitalpuritan.net/thomas-ridgley/

 

[BryanW92]

Reading the Scripture "publicly to the congregation" is a part of conducting the public worship of God, and therefore it is to be done only by those who have been properly called to that office in the church. In the absence of an ordained minister or licentiate, the elders of the church may properly appoint sonic person to read the Scripture and conduct a prayer meeting or "fellowship meeting." What the catechism denies is that any private Christian may lawfully take it upon himself to conduct public worship, without being appointed to do so by those whose office it is to rule the house of God.

OK. Thanks. So, I could lead a bible study or fellowship meeting if I was appointed by the Elders to do so?

 

[gord44]

Seems kinda odd that Christians live by old Mosaic rules. Sounds like the same arguments the Pharisees would throw at Jesus if he tried to preach in the temple.

 

[AMR]

OK. Thanks. So, I could lead a bible study or fellowship meeting if I was appointed by the Elders to do so?

In general, yes, but it would depend upon your local session.

 

[BryanW92]

Seems kinda odd that Christians live by old Mosaic rules. Sounds like the same arguments the Pharisees would throw at Jesus if he tried to preach in the temple.

It seems odd when not taken in the context of our present day American culture. We do not live in a place where Christian virtues are celebrated and people do not have a proper Christian education by default. When I was Methodist, anyone could teach and I have been in classes and studies where pure heresy was being taught. I may have taught a few heresies myself, or perhaps just gave out some bad information.

The thing that showed me the correctness of Calvinism is their adherence to a values system that, while all are priests, not all are teachers.

I will prove my qualifications to the Elders of my church and be glad that they have the confidence and authority to rule as they should.

 

[Chris12]

Bryan, It's me again,

As God led you once to me, I need to ask you concerning a matter.

I have scripture in my head, near constant, and this new presence... I thought God spoke to me before... but now this new very overpowering presence, its really the same one, just...

overpowering... encompassing, enveloping... not in a bad way, just cannot think of good words to describe. Perhaps you know this already. He is the Holy Spirit. He came solidly, and very powerfully last night.

Well... He speaks to me, very constantly now. Bible verses and whatnot, and I love and trust this deeply...

I have a difficult time, however, reading the bible. Not that its difficult to do perse, just more that I would rather listen to the Spirit inside me. He gives me verses, and I do look up verses, but to open a book and begin reading is..

well... its difficult when this presence is overpowering to simply sit and read a book. And the presence I understand moreso than the book and my mind..

does any of this make sense?

A preacher, since you said I described reformation theology I am looking into these teachings, and he said we have to trust the bible and read the bible and such... but..

I have a harder time doing that around the Spirit of God... Rather, it seems more natural to learn from HIM, and read what He directs me to..

is that wrong in these teachings? Or does a person get used to this.. in time...

Maybe that's it? Because i cannot seem to manage to concentrate on anything at all but HIM. Is this also normal?

 

[BryanW92]

Chris12,

Some people can read the bible like a novel, from cover to cover, and get nothing from it. Some people read a verse or two in response to urgings for the Holy Spirit, or as the result of some other study, or maybe just because someone said something about it.

If you are just reading a verse, read the entire paragraph or section or even chapter to be sure you understand the context of that verse. Then pray on it for full understanding. You don't have to "read the bible in a year" as some people would do. I remember more of it if I read topically and search for information that if I just sit and read it like novel.

But, do read it. Don't think you can learn from the Spirit alone! The bible is one of the physical means that God uses to communicate with us. Have you tried other translations?

The Larger Catechism says this about reading the bible.

Question 155: How is the Bible made effective to salvation?
Answer: The Spirit of God makes the reading and especially the preaching of the Word, a powerful means of enlightening, convincing, and humbling sinners; it drives them out of themselves and draws them closer to Christ; it conforms them to his image and subdues them to his will; it strengthens them against temptations and corruptions; it builds them up in grace and reassures their hearts in holiness and assures them through faith to salvation.

The discipline of reading the bible is a valuable skill for any Christian, regardless of how much the Holy Spirit speaks to you.

 

[Chris12]

Okay, I will do that.. for now.. just read more, like an entire chapter instead of just that verse.

But I think for now... I am just going to give in and spend this time worshiping God. I cannot stop right now... I cannot concentrate on anything else anyway..

It's unimaginable... I would never have imagined!

 

[BryanW92]

Okay, I will do that.. for now.. just read more, like an entire chapter instead of just that verse.

But I think for now... I am just going to give in and spend this time worshiping God. I cannot stop right now... I cannot concentrate on anything else anyway..

It's unimaginable... I would never have imagined!

Be careful with worshiping in the Spirit and ignoring the word. We can think that its the Spirit when its really our flesh that is doing the talking. I find it easier to read the bible after a period of worship because I'm ready to receive more.

As an extreme example of the dangers of being in the spirit and not the word, I'll use a Methodist pastor named Adam Hamilton (he's a famous figure, so its not libel). He wrote a book last year that explains that we should search the scripture and then put each "difficult" verse in one of three buckets.

In the first bucket, we put the metaphors. This is essentially everything supernatural in the bible.

In the second bucket, we put the things that used to apply, but don't any longer. That's all the things that our culture today doesn't approve of.

In the third bucket, we put the things that "never reflected the heart and character of God". These are the things that you think that "the God you know" would never do.

According to Hamilton, you decide what goes into a bucket and which bucket based on your "Spirit-led perception".

The only way to be able to trust that it is truly the Holy Spirit talking to you is to test what he says with scripture. That takes reading and study of the bible. Hamilton fixes that by throwing out the parts that he disagrees with.

 

[Chris12]

I will be careful and take all of your advices!