Protestantism Still Vital: Worship

The way some tell it, Protestantism and the Reformation have run their course. The cutting edge now is to go back, West or East, Rome or Constantinople. Many internet trolls are telling young people that they are too smart to remain a Protestant.

                If by Protestant, one means the hipster preacher who is not an apologist for the Christian faith but constantly apologizing for it and the satanic attempts to make the church as familiar to the world as possible, one could almost get bitten by the “older is better” bug. Yes, we might forgive those who burned at the stake our fathers and mothers for putting the Bible in our hands, if only to escape the Prosperity—Therapy false gospellers.

                Protestant, Reformed Christianity remains as necessary as ever. Worship in the church has almost reached idolatry-crisis proportions again. The 16^th century Reformation asked a question few today ask – does this glorify God according to his revealed will in Scripture? Only in the Bible do we learn what pleases the Lord in our worship. This is the reason most Reformed confessions begin with the doctrine of the Bible. The Christian faith is a Bible-religion. Jesus Christ came not with a handbook of rituals or picture books. He did not come with an empathy gospel for victims but with the gospel of repentance and faith. The incarnate Word came calling men back to Scripture.

                Romanism and Orthodoxy of all stripes created and multiplied ceremonies and rituals nowhere commanded in the Lord’s word. They do not hold the Bible to be our only authority, but along with it traditions and church authority. Romanism and Orthodoxy have an irresolvable authority crisis: God or man, God or the Bible. For them, it is resolvable only by submission to their religious tyranny, i.e., human tradition codified and enforced by ecclesiastical hierarchies.

                Evangelicalism has fallen into the same pit of man through what the apostle described as “will worship” (Col. 1:23). This is worship that originates in man’s mind, not in God’s. Most Protestant churches, especially what is left of the main lines, opt for feelings rather than Scripture, degenerate social crusades rather than “thus says the Lord.”

                Recovering Bible-worship is the reason that Reformation era worship services became much more streamlined and participatory. All the non-commanded ceremonies, genuflecting, kneeling, incense burning, costume wearing, processions and recessions went away. God is a Spirit, the Reformers all found in Scripture, and his true worship and worshippers reflect his spirituality. We worship not by sight (except Baptism and the Lord’s Supper), but by faith. We worship looking not at crosses and statues, but at Jesus Christ, exalted to heaven, hearing his word through its preaching. The service was in the common language. Professional choirs singing in Latin were replaced with God’s people singing in their own language the Lord’s wonderful works and word!

                The Reformation thus rediscovered the Scriptural truth that worship is not something we come to see but something we come to give. It is not a choreographed show to evoke a response from an audience, but a sacrifice of praise given by faith to serve the Lord (Heb. 13:15).

                We need a revival of true religion, to be sure, a revival of faith and repentance. All true revival begins here – turning to the Lord, away from self and its many addictions, to God in Christ, to be reset with him in the path of obedience. Worship is central to any true movement of God. Worship tests our faith and repentance. Will we worship the Lord according to his word? Will we be governed by our feelings, tastes, and traditions (Protestants included), or will we submit our entire mind and body to the Lord’s guidance in his word? When the Lord truly reveals himself to us by the Spirit, the soul is gripped by the desire to worship him, and to worship him in a way that pleases him.