Daily Bible Reading

I have seen it argued that the Bible does not command people to read the Bible daily because not everyone would have had their own copy until modern times. It is true that the public reading of Scripture in the congregation was (and still is) important (Deut. 31:11-13, Neh. 8:2-3, 9:3-5, 1 Tim. 4:13). But while reading it cover to cover on your own would have been difficult without a personal copy, you could still recall memorized portions daily - “mentally reading” it you might say. You could recite it to yourself, meditate upon it, sing it, etc.

The Bible teaches that we should remember, meditate, and talk about Scripture every day (Deut. 6:6-9, Ps. 1:2, 119:11, 16, 97). This was done before the days of printing and widespread literacy.

That said, widespread Bible distribution and literacy is a great help to fulfilling this command and should be promoted and pursued. Let us not grow slothful in these days of prosperity, but diligently study Scripture from day to day and keep its teachings on our hearts, for it is the word of God.

"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." 

(Deuteronomy 6:6–9)

The Iconoclast Controversy

The early church was very cautious with images. For example, the regional council of Elvira in Spain in 305 said, “Pictures are not to be placed in churches, so that they do not become objects of worship and adoration.” But over time, images came to be used more and more, and various practices developed. 

Beginning in 725, Byzantine emperors, who felt convicted that the worship of God by images was wrong, began to outlaw religious images of Christ and the saints. They and others who opposed the veneration of images became known as “iconoclasts.” They did not forbid all art (e.g. the emperor’s image), but argued against the use of images in religious worship on the basis of the second commandment (Exodus 20:4-6) and also argued that “the only admissible figure of the humanity of Christ … is the bread and wine in the Holy Supper.” They said the other side was dividing the natures of Christ like Nestorians by portraying only one of his natures. The Council of Hieria (754) affirmed the iconoclast position and claimed to be an ecumenical council, though it failed to gain widespread recognition as such.

Those who defended the veneration of images claimed that the iconoclasts were secret Monophysites who denied the reality of Christ’s humanity. Those who venerated images also argued that the emperor was overreaching into the affairs of the church. They had their chance when emperor Leo IV died and his widow Irene became regent for her infant son. Irene favored the use of icons and a general council was called to resolve the matter. It met in Nicaea in 787, and so is known as Nicaea II. The council approved the veneration of icons, distinguished this worship (προσκύνησις) from the worship due God alone (λατρεία), forbade the appointment of bishops by the civil rulers, and ordered that in each province of the church a regular synod be held at least once a year. While its provisions for church government were good, its position on icons was unbiblical and out of accord with the earlier teachings and practice of the church (in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the second commandment uses these very words, προσκύνησις and λατρεία, and forbids them both with respect to images: “You shall not bow down to them or serve them…”).

Despite the the fact that the bishop of Rome assented to the council, the Frankish clergy in Charlemagne’s kingdom wrote against the image worship affirmed by the council. A council at Frankfort (794) allowed that images may be set up in churches as books of the illiterate but forbade their veneration and denounced Nicaea II. A synod in Paris (825) also denounced Nicaea II and reproved the Pope for assenting to the council. Northern Europe would not recognize Nicaea II as an ecumenical council until the 12th century, and opposition would return during the Reformation of the 16th century. Even in the east, Emperor Leo V revived iconoclasm in 813 and it was another mother regent who favored icons, Theodora, who would restore them in 843. After this, the veneration of icons would become a distinctive emphasis of Eastern Orthodox churches, one of several positions that distinguishes them from Reformed churches.

Sanctifying or Profaning the Sabbath

Q. 61: What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?
Answer: The fourth commandment forbiddeth the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about our worldly employments or recreations.

Q. 62: What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?
Answer: The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God's allowing us six days of the week for our own employments, his challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example, and his blessing the sabbath day. (WSC)

The fourth commandment tells us to observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy. We do this by resting from our normal activities and by using the time for the worship of God, as well as for deeds of mercy and necessity. 

Accordingly, the commandment forbids us from omitting these duties or carelessly performing them. To show contempt for God’s worship is to show contempt for him (Malachi 1:6-7, 13-14). Even though the day is a day of rest, yet this rest should not be taken to the excess of idleness, such that we neglect what should be done on the day. 

The day is also profaned by unnecessary and distracting thoughts, words, or works, as well as by sin, which should be avoided every day. Examine your thoughts, words, and works on the sabbath day and consider whether they are fitting for the day. Do they aid piety, show mercy, or meet necessities that cannot be delayed? Isaiah 58:13 tells us that the sabbath day is honored when you do not go your own way, or seek your own pleasure, or talk idly. Pleasure itself is not forbidden, but we are directed to take pleasure in the observance of the day, calling the Sabbath "a delight." 

God gives several arguments to support this command. This command is reasonable, for he gives us six days for our own callings, for our “worldly employments and recreations.” This command is just, for the day is his day, “the sabbath of the Lord thy God.” To put it to common use is to steal from God. This command is also supported by God’s own example, for he rested one day in seven when he made the world. Furthermore, this command is for our own good, for God blessed the sabbath day, so that we are blessed in the observance of it. Not only is God glorified, but we are refreshed and edified by this holy rest and by the means of grace in the fellowship of the saints.

The Christian Sabbath: The First Day of the Week

Q. 59: Which day of the seven hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath?
Answer: From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly sabbath; and the first day of the week ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian sabbath. (WSC)

The sabbath day is the weekly day of rest and worship (Ex. 20:11, Lev. 23:3). The observance of the sabbath day in the Old Testament on the seventh day was based on God’s works of creation and redemption (Ex. 20:11; Deut. 5:15). But the day of the new creation and redemption in the New Testament is the first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the dead. Thus, our observance of the sabbath and its “holy convocation” (Lev. 23:3) also shifts to the first day. The fourth commandment was not abrogated, but its old covenant form was replaced by its new covenant form, explicitly connected to the work of Christ.

This shift was not a mere invention of the church, but was taught by the example of our Lord and intentionally recorded in Scripture. Jesus met with his gathered disciples on the day of his resurrection and broke bread with some of them (Luke 24, John 20:19-23). A week later, on the first day of the week, they were gathered again and he met with them (John 20:26-29). Seven weeks after his resurrection, on the first day of the week, was the day of Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-16), when the disciples were gathered again in one place and the Spirit descended upon them in the morning (Acts 2:1ff). They spoke in foreign tongues and Peter preached.

After this, we find the apostles following this example and gathering for worship on the first day of the week. In Acts 20:7 we find that “on the first day of the week” they “were gathered together to break bread” and “Paul talked with them…and he prolonged his speech until midnight.” In 1 Corinthians 11 we find that the Corinthian church gathered together as a church to eat the Lord’s Supper (11:18, 20, 33), and in 1 Corinthians 16 we find that the day that they met together was the first day of the week, since Paul tells them to collect supplies for the Jerusalem church on “the first day of every week” (16:2). Finally, we find that the Apostle John received God’s word when he was in the Spirit on “the Lord’s day” in Revelation 1:10, a reference to the first day of the week, the day of the Lord’s resurrection.

The early church continued to gather on this day, as Justin Martyr records in A.D. 155,

“We all make our assembly in common on Sunday, since it is the first day, on which God changed the darkness and matter and made the world, and Jesus Christ our Savior arose from the dead on the same day.” (Justin Martyr, First Apology)

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

Q. 57: Which is the fourth commandment?
Answer: The fourth commandment is, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Q. 58: What is required in the fourth commandment?
Answer: The fourth commandment requireth the keeping holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his Word; expressly one whole day in seven, to be a holy sabbath to himself. (WSC)

It is just and right that a certain amount of time be set aside for the worship of God. It is true that we ought to serve God in everything we do, but part of the service we owe to God is to directly and explicitly praise him, thank him, call upon him, pay homage to him, meditate on his deeds, hear his word, and renew our covenant with him. Thus, the law regarding the sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11) is a moral law at its core, not merely a ceremonial law.

In his word, God has specified that we set aside one day in seven for this purpose, as a holy sabbath. He has taught this pattern to us by the way he made the world, by resting on the seventh day and thereby blessing and sanctifying it. The sabbath is a creation ordinance that predates man's fall as well as the giving of the ceremonial law to Israel. Another catechism question will address the shift from the seventh day to the first day, but the proportion of time is the same from the creation of the world to the present. And in both Old and New Testaments, the day is specified by God’s word and sanctified by his deeds. 

The catechism accurately notes that the fourth commandment does not merely require a cessation from your normal work. The commandment requires us to “keep it holy,” that is, to set it aside from other days and consecrate it to the worship of God. God has made it holy (“hallowed it”), and so we ought to treat it as holy. It is not only a day of rest, but also a day of worship. In Old and New Testaments, the church has assembled for worship on its weekly day of rest (Lev. 23:2, Acts 20:7). Rest and worship complement each other. The rest allows us to direct our attention to the worship of God, and in turn the worship of God refreshes us. God “blessed” the sabbath day, and he makes it a blessing to us as we observe it with faith and gratitude.

The Third Commandment and God's Name

Q. 53: Which is the third commandment?
Answer: The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Q. 54: What is required in the third commandment?
Answer: The third commandment requireth the holy and reverend use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, and works.

Q. 55: What is forbidden in the third commandment?
Answer: The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of anything whereby God maketh himself known.

Q. 56: What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?
Answer: The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment. (WSC)

The first commandment specifies the object of worship and religious allegiance (God alone), the second commandment specifies the means of worship (only as God has prescribed, not by images), and the third commandment specifies the manner of worship, that we worship God with sincerity and holy reverence.

The third commandment forbids taking God’s name in vain, and therefore implies that we must use his name in a holy and reverent manner. Rather than using his name lightly or profanely, we must use it in a weighty manner as a holy thing.

And as the Shorter Catechism notes, the principle here refers to more than the use of a word or phrase, such as “Jehovah,” “the LORD,” “I Am,” or “the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” It also refers to “anything whereby God maketh himself known.” For example, the book of Malachi makes a strong connection between God’s name and his worship, word, and ordinances. The priests and people had despised God's name by treating these holy things with contempt. Jesus rebukes the vain oaths the scribes and Pharisees used by pointing out the connection between God and his altar and temple (Matt. 23:16-22). They had profaned God’s name when they had sworn by his altar and temple in vain.

Therefore, this commandment requires that we speak of God in a reverent manner. It requires us to hear and read his word attentively and reverently. It requires us to partake of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner. It requires us to remember our baptisms and to remember that we bear God’s name and ought not to profane it by living in a manner contrary to it. A false and empty profession of faith is an instance of taking God’s name in vain. This commandment requires us to pray with sincerity and honesty, and to not pray mindlessly or to show off before others (Matt. 6:5-13). It requires us to be careful in our use of oaths and vows, to swear only by God, to do so reverently, and to assert nothing but what we are fully persuaded is the truth and to bind ourselves only to what is good and just and what we are able and resolved to perform. “You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD” (Lev. 19:12).

Images and the Regulative Principle of Worship

Q. 51: What is forbidden in the second commandment?
Answer: The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his Word.

Q. 52: What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?
Answer: The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God's sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath to his own worship. (WSC)

The second commandment does not forbid the making of images in general (e.g. Ex. 26:1), as I explain in more depth in this lesson. It forbids the making of images to worship them or to worship God through them. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing … Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Ex. 20:4-5). We must not direct our worship to images or bow to them. We must not make or set up images for that purpose. This prohibition applies not only to the idol worship we find in pagan religions, but also to those acts of veneration directed towards images which are promoted in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. In part, this prohibition exists because we worship a living God, who is active and who directs us, not a dead image (Ps. 135). God would have us to rise above physical objects, to direct our worship to him directly, to set our minds on things above, and to heed and respond to his word (Deut. 4:15-24, Col. 3:1-4).

Furthermore, God would have us worship him as he has appointed in his word. God decides and reveals what is pleasing to him. For us to decide this on our own is presumption. Nadab and Abihu were consumed by fire for offering “unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them” (Lev. 10:1). God rebuked those who practiced child sacrifice not only because they shed innocent blood, but also because he had not commanded or decreed it (Jer. 19:5). In Colossians 2:18-23, the apostle Paul condemns “self-made religion.” As the Westminster Confession of Faith summarizes,

“the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture” (WCF 21.1)

The second commandment also contains several reasons to obey it. First, God's sovereignty over us, “for I the LORD.” Only he has the authority to appoint his worship. Second, his propriety in us, that is, his right of possession of us, “thy God.” We belong to him and ought not stray from his appointed worship. Third, the zeal which he has for his own worship, “am a jealous God.” He is jealous for the devotion of his people. He is also zealous for his honor and glory and will not allow his name to be despised forever. “For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations” (Mal. 1:14).

Worship by the Book

Q. 49: Which is the second commandment?
Answer: The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thy self to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Q. 50: What is required in the second commandment?
Answer: The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word. (WSC)

The first commandment deals primarily with who we worship. The second commandment deals primarily with how we worship. The two things are certainly connected. Notice in the commandment how the worship of images provokes God to jealousy. God would have us worship him as he truly is, not according to human imaginations.

The second commandment explicitly prohibits us from giving veneration to images. Worship ought not to be done in that manner. What then should we do? The positive duty implied is that we should worship God in the way he has taught us in his word. Both at Mount Sinai and in the apostasy of the northern tribes, the contrast was between God’s appointed ordinances and worship of man’s own devising. At Sinai, the people did not wait for God’s instructions on how to worship but devised golden calves for the worship of the Lord (Exodus 32). Jeroboam did not want the people worshipping according to the Lord’s instructions at Jerusalem and so he came up with his own places, objects, priests, and days of worship (1 Kings 12:25-33). We honor or despise God when we honor or despise his appointed worship and ordinances (Mal. 1:6-7).

As in the old covenant, so in the new covenant God has appointed his worship and ordinances for us to keep and observe. Christ has appointed the ministry of the word, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer and singing, the communion of saints, and the Lord’s Day (Acts 2:41-42, 20:7). The early church set a good example by diligently observing these things (Acts 2:42, 6:4, 1 Tim. 4:13), and the writers of the New Testament exhorted the church to keep them pure and entire (1 Tim. 3:15, 1 Cor. 11:17-34, Col. 2:6-23). 

The Lord's Supper

A Scottish Sacrament, by Henry John Dobson

"The Lord's Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ's appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace." (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q. 96)

The Lord's Supper was instituted by the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed, to be observed by his church until he comes again. I have written before on its place in the church's worship here and here, and against the idea of "livestream communion" here, but here I would like to expand more on the significance of the Lord's Supper.

One of the first things to note is that this supper is not a propitiatory sacrifice that we offer to God. Christ's sacrifice on the cross is not again offered for our sins. "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified" (Heb. 10:14). But in the Lord's Supper his death is showed forth and proclaimed (1 Cor. 11:26). Christ crucified is portrayed and presented to believers in the gospel and in the sacrament, the bread and wine being symbols of his body and blood. We partake of the Lord's Supper in remembrance of the Lord Jesus and his once-for-all sacrifice of himself on the cross. And we do not merely remember that he died, but that he died for us. For this supper is a sign and seal of his promise to believers, his promise that this body and blood was given for them and the remission of their sins (Matt. 26:28). This sacrament is a seal of the covenant of grace in the way that people shake hands to confirm a deal. The physical act confirms the words spoken. Jesus holds out his hand and tells us to shake on it. 

As we respond to this sign and seal with faith, it works as a means of grace by which Christ feeds us with himself. In this supper, he invites us to take and eat of his body and blood. The apostle Paul calls this bread and wine a communion (or "participation") in the body and blood of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16). It is akin, he says, to the sacrificial meals of the Old Testament, in which those who ate of the sacrifice were participants in the sacrifice (1 Cor. 10:18). The sacrifice on the cross happened long ago, but we continue to feed on it and draw strength from it today. As 1 Corinthians 5:7 says, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” The lamb was slain long ago. Yet 1 Corinthians 5:8 goes on to exhort believers: “Therefore let us keep the feast.” We continue to feed on the Lamb that was slain, participating in the benefits of his death. And in our case the Lamb is risen and alive and we abide in him (John 6:56), like branches in a vine (John 15:1-7). This sacrament is one means by which he gives himself to us, bringing us life from heaven.

While we do feed on Christ in this supper, we do not do so with our teeth and stomach. Jesus did not say that the bread and wine become his body and blood, or that his body and blood is inclosed in the bread and wine. His body remains a human body even when glorified. It remains visible and limited to one place. So his flesh is not found in the bread in all churches around the world - his body is in heaven. Nevertheless, Christ's words of institution do indicate that his body and blood is truly offered to believers in this supper and is truly received by them through faith. Those who outwardly partake of the visible elements in a worthy manner do inwardly by faith receive and feed upon Christ’s body and blood, receiving life and strength from him. This is done by the Spirit, who makes us living members of Christ’s body, participants in all the benefits of his death, branches which partake of the life of the vine (1 Cor. 12:12-13, John 6:63). 

Now a covenant not only has promises. It also has obligations. Those who have been redeemed by Christ's blood are bought with a price, to no longer live for themselves, but for him who loved them and gave himself for them. This supper engages us to gratefully serve our Lord. It also engages us to love each other as fellow members of his body. "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor. 10:17). 

In this supper, Jesus holds out his hand to us. By it he testifies to his death, his promise, and our blessings and obligations as his people. But in this supper we also reach out and take his hand. We take and eat. By receiving the bread and wine, we claim Christ's redemptive death on our behalf, expressing our faith in him. We testify and renew our thankfulness, our engagement to God, and our mutual love and fellowship with each other, as members of the same body. It is important to approach the Supper with this intent. To do otherwise is to partake in an unworthy manner, bringing judgment upon oneself (1 Cor. 11:27-31). We must not treat holy things with contempt. We must not cross our fingers behind our back while shaking hands with God. Instead, we should examine ourselves and consider the meaning of the supper as we approach it. Examine your knowledge of Christ, faith in Him, repentance, and love. And not only do we have a responsibility to partake in a worthy manner, but the church also has a duty to guard the holy things (1 Cor. 5, Matt. 7:6, 16:19, 18:15-18). Thus, the Lord's Supper is given to those who have been baptized, have publicly professed faith in Christ, and are members in good standing of a faithful Christian church. 

At the same time, this does not mean we must wait until we feel worthy of Jesus. He came to save sinners and promises remission of sins to those who believe in him. This sacrament is meant to increase our assurance, faith, and spiritual vitality. This supper reminds us that Jesus is our strength, that apart from him we can do nothing, that it is through him that we have peace with God. So come to Jesus and find rest, refreshing, and nourishment for your weak and weary soul. 

The Public Reading of Scripture

Recently in our church, the elders decided that I would read both the Old Testament and New Testament readings in worship. This brings our practice more into conformity with the OPC Directory for Public Worship. While it allows ruling elders and men training for the ministry to read Scripture in worship as the session deems fitting, it also says that the public reading of Scripture is ordinarily to be done by the minister of the Word. 

“Because the hearing of God's Word is a means of grace, the public reading of the Holy Scriptures is an essential element of public worship. He who performs this serves as God's representative voice. Thus, it ordinarily should be performed by a minister of the Word.” (DPW II.A.2.a)

The public reading of Scripture is an essential part of Christian worship and of a minister’s duty. Just as reading the Scripture was a part of weekly Old Testament worship in the synagogue (Acts 13:27, Acts 15:21), so Paul exhorted Timothy concerning New Testament worship, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13). In fact, it is evidence of the fact that the apostles viewed their teachings as on par with the Old Testament when they directed the churches to read their writings in the assembly (1 Thess. 5:27, Col. 4:16). When John wrote the book of Revelation, he wrote it to the seven churches via their “angels,” that is, their preachers (the word can be translated “messengers”; Rev. 2:1, 2:8, etc.), who would “read aloud the words of this prophecy” so that the people of the churches would “hear” it (Rev. 1:3). 

Our OPC Directory for Public Worship builds upon the earlier Directory for Public Worship written by the Westminster Assembly in 1645, which said, 

“Reading of the word in the congregation, being part of the publick worship of God, (wherein we acknowledge our dependence upon him, and subjection to him,) and one mean sanctified by him for the edifying of his people, is to be performed by the pastors and teachers. Howbeit, such as intend the ministry, may occasionally both read the word, and exercise their gift in preaching in the congregation, if allowed by the presbytery thereunto … Beside publick reading of the holy scriptures, every person that can read, is to be exhorted to read the scriptures privately, (and all others that cannot read, if not disabled by age, or otherwise, are likewise to be exhorted to learn to read,) and to have a Bible.” 

The Westminster Assembly also included this distinction between public and private Bible reading in our Larger Catechism (1646), which in answer to question 156 says,

“Although all are not to be permitted to read the word publicly to the congregation, yet all sorts of people are bound to read it apart by themselves, and with their families…” 

The Westminster Assembly defended this position in its Form of Presbyterial Church Government (1646). There it said of pastors that 

“...it belongs to his office … To read the Scriptures publickly; for the proof of which, 1. That the priests and Levites in the Jewish church were trusted with the publick reading of the word is proved (Deut. 31:9-11, Neh. 8:1-3, Neh. 8:13). 2. That the ministers of the gospel have as ample a charge and commission to dispense the word, as well as other ordinances, as the priests and Levites had under the law, proved, where our Saviour entitleth the officers of the New Testament, whom he will send forth, by the same names of the teachers of the Old (Is. 66:21, Matt. 23:34). Which propositions prove, that therefore (the duty being of a moral nature) it followeth by just consequence, that the publick reading of the scriptures belongeth to the pastor’s office.” 

With respect to the Old Testament practice, I might add that later on it seems that public reading and teaching was also done by rabbis under the supervision of the elders, which is why Jesus and Paul were able to read and teach in the synagogue despite not being Levites. Yet I do not think it affects the assembly's argument much, since the public reading was still restricted to approved men who find their New Testament equivalent in the ordained pastors and teachers of the church. I think their argument from the Old Testament is sound, but I also realize that many Christians today might find the argument from New Testament that I mentioned above (1 Tim. 4:13, Rev. 1-3) more convincing. 

You will notice that the Westminster Assembly, unlike the OPC directory, does not make an exception for ruling elders to lead public worship. Presbyterians have differed over the years on where exactly to draw the line between ruling elders and teaching elders. We they have generally agreed that while all elders ought to be able to teach and defend the faith, among the elders of the church there are some elders "who labor in the word and doctrine" (1 Tim. 5:17 NKJV) and that these "teaching elders" or "ministers of the word" are at least primarily responsible for the public reading and preaching of Scripture. 

Why is all this important? Not only as a history lesson, but because Scripture is central to the relationship between God and his people. It is the covenantal document that binds us to him. It seems ironic that many liberal mainline churches and Roman Catholic churches have more Scripture reading in their service than many Bible-believing evangelical and fundamentalist churches. The Bible itself and our Presbyterian heritage would urge us to cherish the public reading of Scripture as an essential part of worship in its own right (in addition to preaching, prayer, etc.). May the messengers of the churches read the word, as well as preach the word, with authority and clarity. May we all listen attentively and receive it with understanding, reverence, and faith. 

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near." (Revelation 1:3) 

A Short Note on Kneeling

One issue that has arisen in recent protests is that of kneeling. Some who object to this way of reacting to the protestors have argued that they only kneel for God. Now there may be good reasons to not kneel during these protests. For one thing, the significance of the act can be a bit unclear - it is a sign of protest, of respect, of contrition, or of submission? But if by saying "I only kneel for God" we mean that the Bible restricts the use of bowing to the worship of God, then it is a poor argument. The attitude of exclusive loyalty to God is commendable, but the Bible does not teach that the physical act of bowing or kneeling must only be given to God.

The Bible does forbid bowing to images (Exod. 20:4-5). It is also wrong to bow to a person when the act intends, or is understood, to ascribe divinity to man (Exod. 20:3). And not everyone has a right to be bowed to. But it can properly serve as a sign of honor, deference, and/or submission to human superiors. Joseph's brothers bowed to the ground before him (Gen. 42:6), as prophesied (Gen. 37:9) and as everyone in Egypt was told to do: "And they called out before him, 'Bow the knee!'" (Gen. 41:43). Ruth bowed to the ground before Boaz (Ruth 2:10). David bowed to King Saul (1 Sam. 24:8). Abigail bowed to the ground before David (1 Sam. 25:23). Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba bowed before King David (1 Kgs. 16, 23). King Solomon bowed before his mother Bathsheba (1 Kgs. 2:19). Jesus told a church that he would make their adversaries bow before their feet (Rev. 3:9, see also Is. 43:23), perhaps metaphorically, but with the same meaning as such an act would have communicated. The list could go on. As with most symbolic acts, you should be aware of how it is understood in your cultural context and careful with what you are communicating. But the Bible does not require us to only kneel to God. 

Communicating with Wisdom: Part One

At this time, with the combination of increased stress, increased time at home, and increased distance from others, many of us may be more tempted to sin in the way we speak to each other. Communication is normally an area of great potential and great danger, and this is even more true in our current situation. The book of Proverbs gives a lot of instruction on this area of life. Building on one of my recent sermons (available here), I want to note a few points from Proverbs 15 on speaking and listening wisely.

This post is the first of three parts: (1) how to communicate with God, (2) how to listen to other people, (3) how to speak to other people. The governing principle in all three cases is humility. As Proverbs 15:33 says, “The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” God exalts the humble. Humility, rooted in the fear of the Lord, is the way of wisdom. Humility should govern our ears and tongues.

1. Humility teaches us to unite prayer with reverent attention to God's words. 

"The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness."
(Proverbs 15:8–9) 

"The LORD is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous."
(Proverbs 15:29)

God does not listen to all prayers. His blessing is not automatic. Prayer without repentance is vain. Prayer without the fear of the Lord is repugnant to the Lord. To expect God to listen to you while refusing to listen to him is a perversion of prayer.

It is hypocritical to honor God with your words, but not with your life. It is disrespectful to expect things from God without listening to his word. It is selfish to pervert this relationship from one of love to one of mere gain. God desires obedience more than sacrifice and prayer (1 Sam. 15:22).

Wisdom warns in Proverbs 1 that those who ignore wisdom will be ignored by wisdom when calamity comes upon them, “Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me” (Proverbs 1:28). God said much the same thing through the prophets to the unrepentant who yet offered sacrifice and prayer. “When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). Several times in his first epistle, the apostle Peter even warned Christians that their prayers could be hindered by sin, such as the sins of reviling others and of mistreating one’s wife (1 Peter 3:7, 9-12; 4:7).

Acceptable prayer is united with the fear of the Lord in the heart. Acceptable prayer is united with careful attention to God’s written word and a pursuit of righteousness. Acceptable prayer is humble, with acknowledge of sin and gratitude for mercy.

Humility comes before honor. The Lord hears those who repent, that is, those who confess their sins, who seek pardon through Jesus Christ, and who pursue righteousness. Repentance does not atone for your sins, but God grants forgiveness for Christ’s sake to those who believe and repent.

So be reconciled with God through Jesus so that you and your prayers may be accepted. These proverbs contain a warning against presumption, but they also contain comfort to those who by God’s grace are the righteous. God looks to the humble and contrite in spirit. He is close to them and hears them. Their sacrifice of praise and prayers are acceptable to him through the intercession of Jesus Christ the righteous. God loves you and hears you!

Even if our whole country called out for God’s protection, if it was done without the fear of God, it would be an abomination to him. We all should call out for God’s protection, personally and corporately, but let us seek it with hearts that are responsive to his word, with humility, repentance, and renewed obedience.

Continued in parts two and three:
Communicating with Wisdom: Part Two
Communicating with Wisdom: Part Three

Singing Hymns in Quarantine

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them..." (Acts 16:25)

Psalm 42 - Genevan Psalter

As many churches have had their normal public worship interrupted due to the coronavirus, it seems that Psalm 42 is a fitting song for this evening. We can be thankful that modern technology allows for us to still participate together to some extent through livestream video (my church's worship service from this morning can be found here), but we can still wistfully remember "how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival" (Psalm 42:4). Here is Psalm 42 sung by the Jubilee Octet from the New Genevan Psalter (which uses a new translation and the original 1551 Genevan tunes and arrangements).

Special Times of Prayer and Fasting

“When great and notable calamities come upon or threaten the church, community, or nation, when judgment is deserved because of sin, when the people seek some special blessing from the Lord, or when a pastor is to be ordained or installed, it is fitting that the people of God engage in times of solemn prayer and fasting.” (OPC Directory for Public Worship)

A biblical practice which used to be a common practice in early America but which has been neglected in the present day is special times of fasting and prayer, sometimes known as "days of humiliation." Fortunately, our president still has called for a day of prayer, and our country has a regular day of prayer, but the note of repentance and fasting is notably absent from these modern proclamations. God calls people to respond to calamity by humbling themselves with fasting and prayer, either privately or together depending on the calamity. We see this especially in Joel 1-2. As disaster came upon the people, God called them to "Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD" (Joel 1:14, see also Joel 2:12–17).

We find this practice exemplified in Scripture. When Nineveh heard Jonah's declaration of impending judgment, its king proclaimed a public fast as they confessed their evil ways and sought His mercy (Jonah 3:5-10). The Jews held a fast for three days for Queen Esther before she went to the king to save them, in view of the threat to her life (Es. 4:16). Ezra proclaimed a public fast when the Jews returned to Israel and danger was impending, that they might humble themselves and seek from him a safe journey (Ezra 8:21-23). The church in Antioch was “worshipping the Lord and fasting” when the Spirit indicated that Barnabas and Paul ought to be set apart for ministry, which they did with more fasting and prayer (Acts 13:2-3).

Private fasting is exemplified by Nehemiah and Daniel, who fasted and prayed when they were distressed with the condition of God’s people and prayed to God, confessing sin and seeking mercy (Neh. 1:4, Dan. 9:3, 10:2-3). Anna regularly worshipped with fasting and prayer (Luke 2:37). Jesus assumes his disciples would fast privately (Matt. 6:18). Paul recognizes that a couple might agree to abstain from sexual relations for a special time of prayer and fasting (1 Cor. 7:5).

Fasting is not an end in itself, but serves other purposes. Drawing from John Calvin's teaching on fasting (here), I would note three main purposes for religious fasting: (1) it keeps you from over-indulging by keeping your senses from being dulled, (2) it prepares you for prayer and meditation, clearing your mind and taking away distraction, and (3) it expresses your sorrow for your sins and for the afflictions you or your family, church, or community experiences. The last two reasons are the relevant ones in times of public fasts.

A religious fast involves abstaining from food, more or less strictly according to the length of the fast and what one can handle. Sometimes a fast might only be from rich foods, like meat and wine, as when Daniel fasted for three weeks (Dan. 10:2-3). It also involves abstaining from other luxuries and entertainments which might be otherwise lawful, as well as other activities that may distract from the engagement to prayer, to the extent that one is able to do so. A public fast involves a shared commitment to private prayer, but usually involves public worship as well (Joel 1:14), with reading, preaching, prayer, and singing. 

In addition to days of fasting and prayer, the church can also call for days of thanksgiving, in response to particular blessings or deliverances. We are more familiar with this concept due to our annual day of Thanksgiving in November. An example of this type of day is found at the end of Esther (Es. 9:22). Psalm 107 speaks of giving thanks for particular deliverances, private and corporate.

The Westminster Confession of Faith describes these days as part of the occasional parts of worship: "religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings upon several occasions; which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner" (WCF 21.5). It also mentions them as times when we are called to worship by providence in addition to the regular day of worship (the Lord's Day) appointed in the word: “God is to be worshipped … more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by his Word or providence, calleth thereunto” (WCF 21.6).

For more information on days of fasting and prayer, you can read the chapter on the subject in our denomination's Directory for Public Worship here, as well as the chapter on the subject in the original 1645 Westminster Directory for Public Worship here (scroll down to "Concerning Solemn Publick Fastings" near the bottom).

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
       and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster. (Joel 2:12–13)

----- 

Written in preparation for a day of fasting and prayer held by Covenant Family Church on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020. 

Praying to "Our Father in Heaven"

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus taught his disciples to pray using a prayer commonly known as "The Lord's Prayer." This prayer begins by addressing God, “Our Father in heaven…” (6:9). These opening words remind us of several truths:

• God is our Father only through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who gives you the right to be called children of God (John 1:12). Jesus makes God your Father through your regeneration and through your adoption. To pray in the name of Jesus is to pray through his mediation, having been reconciled to God through faith in him. In this way, you may know God as your Father and not as a hostile judge. 
• God is our Father, therefore we should give him reverence. We are commanded to honor our earthly fathers and mothers in the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:12). Honor and revere, then, your Father in heaven (Mal. 1:6). 
• God is our Father, therefore we should come with confidence. He cares for his children. "Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ... If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7:9–11)
• God is our Father in heaven, therefore we should distinguish him from the faults of earthly fathers and remember that God is all-powerful, and therefore able to do what we ask. “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Ps. 115:3).  
• God is our Father, therefore we pray with brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. I do not just mean the people that you connect with - I mean the people that God has brought into his family, the church. If you love God, you will love his children (1 John 4:20-5:1). You should pray with God’s children, since Jesus envisions the disciples praying this together. You should pray for God’s children, since you make these requests for "us." You should remember God’s children even when you "go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret" (Matt. 6:6).  

And so to summarize in the words of the Westminster Shorter Catechism:

"The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others."

This is adapted from a portion of my recent sermon on the Lord's Prayer. It is available online at this link. 

John Knox on God's Word in the Home

In 1556 the Reformation was spreading in Scotland, but it remained out of favor with the authorities, and the established church remained under Rome. As reformer John Knox left Scotland to spend a few years as a pastor to English-speaking refugees in Geneva, he wrote a letter to be circulated among the Scottish people, "A Letter of Wholesome Counsel." In the letter, he gave counsel on the importance of God's word and how they might benefit from it, despite living in a country in which Roman Catholicism was still in power. While he goes on to teach the importance of Bible study as a congregation, here he speaks of the importance of the daily use of God's word in the home, a point which remains "wholesome counsel" today as we seek maintain true religion in an increasingly secular society.

"But to you, dear brethren, I write my knowledge, and do speak my conscience, that so necessary as the use of meat and drink are to the preservation of life corporeal, and so necessary as the heat and brightness of the sun are to the quickening of the herbs and to expel darkness, so necessary is also to life everlasting, and to the illumination and light of the soul, the perpetual meditation, exercise, and use of God's holy Word. 

"And therefore, dear brethren, if that ye look for a life to come, of necessity it is that ye exercise yourselves in the Book of the Lord your God. Let no day slip over without some comfort received from the mouth of God. Open your ears, and he will speak, even pleasing things to your heart. Close not your eyes, but diligently let them behold what portion of substance is left to you within your Father's testament. Let your tongue learn to praise the gracious goodness of him who of his mere mercy hath called you from darkness to light, and from death to life. Neither yet may you do this so quietly, that ye will admit no witnesses. Nay, brethren, ye are ordained of God to rule and govern your own houses in God's true fear, and according to his holy Word - within your own houses, I say, in some cases ye are bishops and kings; your wife, children, and family are your bishopric and charge; of you it shall be required how carefully and diligently ye have instructed them in God's true knowledge; how you have studied, in them to plant virtue, and to repress vice. And therefore I say, ye must make them partakers in reading, exhortation, and in making common prayers; which I would, in every house were used once a day at least. But above all things, dear brethren, study to practice in life that which the Lord commands, and then be ye assured, that ye shall never hear nor read the same without fruit." ("A Most Wholesome Counsel," from The Select Practical Writings of John Knox, 2011, p. 126-127; also available online at this link) 

Principles for Singing the Psalms

My church sings Psalms. We do not sing only Psalms - we use the Trinity Hymnal (1990) in addition to the Book of Psalms for Singing (1973) - but on a given Lord's Day usually about half of our songs will be from the Psalms, sometimes more. Singing (or praying) the Psalms can be a bit confusing when someone is unfamiliar with how to interpret and apply them in the new covenant era. So here are a few principles to keep in mind when singing the Psalms today.

1. View the lyrics of the Psalms as formative words. The Psalms are God's word, as well as words intended to be sung by His people. Thus, not only do they teach you truths (about God, Jesus, the church, yourself), but they are designed to shape your affections, your prayers, and your hopes as they teach you how to direct and express them. And so when you come to a Psalm that rubs you the wrong way, seek to understand it properly and then let the Psalm form your sensibilities, rather than let your sensibilities judge the Psalm.

2. Jesus is the Davidic king and the head of Israel. When you sing of David, the king, or the anointed one in the Psalms, think primarily of Jesus Christ. For one thing, Christ is the Greek word for “anointed one.” Psalm 2 is a classic example here - it refers to God's anointed king in Zion, and this is applied to Jesus Christ several times in the New Testament (e.g. Acts 4:23-31). And Jesus, as king, embodies and represents His people and takes up their songs on His lips. Psalm 69, for example, does not talk about the Christ explicitly, but in the New Testament it is applied to Jesus as one who embodied and represented His people (Rom. 15:3, John 2:17, Acts 1:20). So there are various ways the Psalms can be fulfilled in Christ, and sometimes they can apply to him and to us to the extent that we are united with Christ (e.g. his suffering and exaltation is related to our suffering and exaltation).

3. The church of Jesus Christ is the people of God, His dwelling place. So when you sing of Israel, Zion, city of God, temple, take these as references to the church of Jesus Christ. The "us" in the Psalms refers to us who are in covenant with God through Christ. This is a point made several times in the New Testament: those in Christ are the offspring and heirs of Abraham (Gal. 3:29), apostate Jews were taken out of Israel and believing Gentiles are grafted into it (Rom. 11), the church is the temple and dwelling place of God (1 Cor. 3:16-17, 2 Cor. 6:16, Eph. 2:19-22). The New Testament applies the "us" of the Psalms to the church (Rom. 8:36).

4. These are songs for God's people. They were collected in the book of Psalms for their use by God's people, to give expression to shared desires and to shape a common identity. So sing them as a Christian. If you cannot relate to things said in them personally, you can still sing them by identifying with Christ and His body. Perhaps you don't feel like your suffering is like that described in Psalm 22, but you identify with Christ who did suffer in that way, and with the church who suffers in that way as a body and in some of its individual members.

5. Related to this, conflict in the Psalms is covenantal not personal. As a consequences of the other principles above, the enemies referred to in the Psalms are the enemies of Christ and His church. The Psalms are not expressions of personal vengeance and bitterness, but of covenant loyalty. When we sing them, we side with Christ and His church against their enemies and with God's justice against wickedness and tyranny. Just as with God’s proclamations of judgement (e.g. Jonah 3), there is an implicit understanding that these curses are conditioned on a lack of repentance (a condition made explicit in Psalm 7:12). If these enemies repent and turn to Christ, then God’s wrath is satisfied in His Son and the person is forgiven. We desire both that God’s justice be established and that all peoples be saved, and we find both desires expressed in the Psalms (see the desire for the salvation of the nations in Psalm 67).

So with these in mind, sing the Psalms with your voices and with the heart. Sing them so that they begin to dwell within you, shaping your desires and affections and the way you see this world. Sing them from day to day, as well as on the Lord's Day. Sing them on your own, and sing them with others - your family, friends, and church. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

Joel Beeke on Family Worship

In this 7-minute video from the 2013 G3 Conference, Dr. Joel Beeke talks about the importance and practice of daily family worship. The booklet on the topic which he mentions for further study can be found at this link. 

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

God Save the King: Prayer for Governing Authorities

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." (1 Timothy 2:1–2)

This text has supported a long tradition in the church of praying for the civil authorities. Even though the church has had a variety of relations with the civil government, sometimes being oppressed by the authorities and sometimes being supported by them, the church has continued to pray for them. It has recognized the truth that the governing authorities "have been instituted by God" (Rom. 13:1) and that the one in authority "is God's servant for your good" (Rom. 13:4). And so we pray for them, desiring that God would equip them do to their task.

Charles I with M. de St Antoine, 1633

Recently I was looking over the Westminster Directory for Public Worship (1644) and its directions for the main prayer that the pastor was to lead during the service. At one point, it directs the pastor,

"To pray for all in authority, especially for the King’s Majesty; that God would make him rich in blessings, both in his person and government; establish his throne in religion and righteousness, save him from evil counsel, and make him a blessed and glorious instrument for the conservation and propagation of the gospel, for the encouragement and protection of them that do well, the terror of all that do evil, and the great good of the whole church, and of all his kingdoms..."

What makes this especially remarkable is that at the time this was written, the king was waging a war upon the Puritans who produced this directory. In 1644, the English Civil War was raging, with King Charles I leading forces against the forces lead by Parliament, and it was Parliament that had called the Westminster Assembly to reform the English church to be more in line with Scripture and the best reformed churches (namely, Scotland). Producing this directory for public worship was part of the assembly's work. This assembly included the likes of Samuel Rutherford, a commissioner from Scotland who that same year published a book, Lex, Rex, which included a critique of the divine right of kings and defended the type of resistance to tyranny which was being practiced by Parliament (you can get a taste of it here).

Despite their resistance to tyrannical acts that violated God's purposes for civil government, they were still dedicated to honoring the king because of his office, even seeking blessing upon his person. Yet, this prayer did not end there. This prayer for blessing was inseparable from a prayer that God would lead the king to fulfill his role in righteousness and wisdom.

The prayer asks that God would make the king an instrument for several ends. It prays that God would use the king to protect and promote the gospel, to encourage and protect the innocent, to terrorize evildoers, and to serve the common good of the church and the king's domains. When kings and rulers do their job, it is to the end that we might "lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way" (1 Tim. 2:2). Their job is not to serve themselves, but they are God's servants for our good (Rom. 13:4). They do this by approving the one who does good while carrying out God's wrath on the wrongdoer (Rom. 13:3-4). They are also called to submit to Christ (Ps. 2:10-12) and to be foster fathers and nursing mothers to the church, protecting it and looking out for its interests (Is. 49:23). By establishing justice and protecting the innocent, they give us liberty to dedicate ourselves to good works, the service of God and man.

The prayer in the Westminster directory is not made just for the king. All rulers are responsible to God, to judge "not for man but for the Lord" (2 Chron. 19:6-7). The prayer is for "all in authority" and it goes to direct the pastor to pray

"for the conversion of the Queen [Henrietta Maria of France], the religious education of the Prince [the future Charles II], and the rest of the royal seed; for the comforting of the afflicted Queen of Bohemia, sister to our Sovereign [Elizabeth Stuart]; and for the restitution and establishment of the illustrious Prince Charles, Elector Palatine of the Rhine, to all his dominions and dignities [he went on to be restored in a few years]; for a blessing upon the High Court of Parliament, (when sitting in any of these kingdoms respectively,) the nobility, the subordinate judges and magistrates, the gentry, and all the commonality; for all pastors and teachers ... for the universities, and all schools and religious seminaries of church and commonwealth, that they may flourish more and more in learning and piety; for the particular city or congregation, that God would pour out a blessing upon the ministry of the word, sacraments, and discipline, upon the civil government, and all the several families and persons therein..."

The church cares for its community, not only because it desires to be free to serve God and others, but also because it seeks to reflect God's love for the world and for all kinds of people. Just after Paul urges the church to pray for all kinds of people, especially for kings and those in authority, he goes on to say, "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:3-4). May the truth shine brightly throughout our society, bringing all kinds of people to salvation. And as we are saved from the guilt and power of sin, may we return to society, better equipped to serve our God and the common good in our various callings.