In Chapter 20, we learned that God alone is Lord of the conscience, freeing the Christian from the man-made traditions and commandments of church leaders. This powerful principle naturally leads to a crucial question: If we are free from the traditions of men, how then should we worship God?
Can we worship God however we please? If a church decides to introduce a fog machine, a liturgical dance, or a statue of a saint into their Sunday service, is that acceptable as long as they are “sincere”?
In Chapter 21, the Westminster Confession establishes what has historically been called the Regulative Principle of Worship. It teaches that because God is a great King, He alone has the right to dictate how He is approached. True Christian liberty means we are freed from the inventive liturgies of men so that we might joyfully worship God exactly as He has commanded.
The Confession teaches that God is to be worshipped only as He has prescribed in Scripture; that worship is to be directed to the Triune God alone through Christ the Mediator; that it consists of specific biblical elements such as prayer, the Word, singing, and sacraments; and that under the New Covenant, acceptable worship is not tied to any sacred location but is to be offered in private, in families, and in public assemblies.
The Regulative Principle of Worship (WCF 21.1)
The Confession begins by noting that the “light of nature” (creation and human conscience) tells every human being that a sovereign, good God exists and ought to be “feared, loved, praised… and served.” Nature tells us that we must worship.
However, nature does not tell us how to worship. The divines state clearly: “The acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will.”
We may not worship God “according to the imaginations and devices of men” or under “any visible representation” (idols/icons), or in “any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.” This is the Regulative Principle: If God has not commanded it in Scripture, it is forbidden in corporate worship. (This stands in contrast to the “Normative Principle” held by other traditions, which says whatever is not forbidden is permitted). God does not want our creativity in designing worship; He wants our obedience.
The Object and Mediator of Worship (WCF 21.2)
Who do we worship, and how do we get to Him?
- The Object: Worship is reserved for “God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to Him alone.” We do not pray to or venerate “angels, saints, or any other creature.” To do so is idolatry, no matter how pious it looks.
- The Mediator: Because God is holy and we are fallen, we cannot approach Him directly. We must come through a Mediator. But there is only one acceptable Mediator: “Christ alone” (1 Tim. 2:5). We do not need Mary or departed saints to intercede for us; Christ’s mediation is perfectly sufficient.
The Anatomy of Prayer (WCF 21.3–21.4)
Prayer is highlighted as “one special part of religious worship” required of all people. For prayer to be accepted, it must be offered:
- In the name of the Son: Relying on His merit, not ours.
- By the help of His Spirit: Who intercedes for us in our weakness.
- According to His will: For “things lawful.”
- With the right heart: With understanding, reverence, humility, and faith.
- In a known tongue: A direct rejection of the Roman Catholic practice of conducting the Latin Mass among congregants who only spoke English.
Furthermore, we are to pray for “all sorts of men living,” but the Confession explicitly forbids praying for the dead. Their eternal state is fixed at death; prayer cannot move a soul from purgatory to heaven (as purgatory does not exist).
The Elements of Worship (WCF 21.5)
If we are governed by the Regulative Principle, what exactly are we supposed to do when we gather on a Sunday? The Confession provides a comprehensive list of the ordinary elements of worship:
- The Word: “The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear,” along with “sound preaching” and the “conscionable hearing of the Word.”
- Praise: “Singing of psalms with grace in the heart.”
- Sacraments: “The due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ” (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper).
There are also occasional elements of worship reserved for special seasons, such as religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and days of thanksgiving.
The Place of Worship (WCF 21.6)
Under the Old Covenant, acceptable worship was heavily geographical. You had to go to the Temple in Jerusalem. But Jesus told the Samaritan woman that the hour had come when true worshippers would worship the Father “in spirit and truth,” regardless of geography (John 4:21-24).
“Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the Gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed.” A grand cathedral is no holier than a rented school gymnasium. God is to be worshipped everywhere.
The Confession outlines three distinct spheres of worship:
- Private Worship: “In secret, each one by himself.” (Personal devotions).
- Family Worship: “In private families daily.” Fathers and heads of households are responsible for leading their homes in prayer and Scripture reading.
- Public Worship: “More solemnly in the public assemblies.” Private and family worship do not replace the gathering of the saints. These assemblies are “not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected, or forsaken.”
Conclusion
The Regulative Principle of Worship is ultimately a doctrine of profound Christian liberty. When we gather for worship, our consciences cannot be bound by the latest cultural fads, complex man-made liturgies, or theatrical gimmicks. We simply gather to read the Word, preach the Word, pray the Word, sing the Word, and see the Word in the sacraments. By keeping worship simple, biblical, and Christ-centered, we worship God exactly as He desires to be worshipped.
Key Terms
- Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW): The Reformed conviction that corporate worship must be limited to only those elements explicitly commanded or modeled by God in Scripture. (Whatever is not commanded is forbidden).
- Normative Principle of Worship: A differing view (often held by Anglicans and Lutherans) stating that anything is permitted in worship as long as Scripture does not explicitly forbid it.
- Elements of Worship: The specific, biblical parts of a worship service (e.g., prayer, singing, reading the Word, preaching, sacraments).
- Mediator: One who stands between two parties to reconcile them. Christ is the sole mediator between a holy God and sinful humanity, rendering prayers to saints or Mary unnecessary and unbiblical.