Christian worship
Worship ordinances versus circumstances
| Ordinances (religious duties) |
Circumstances (incidentals of worship) |
Topics |
|
Meeting on the Sabbath
|
Time of meetings (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:18)
|
Past
|
|
Prayer to God
|
Prayer and praise
|
Future
|
|
Bible reading (Mark 4:16-20; Acts 13:15; 1 Tim.
4:13; Rev. 1:13; Acts 1:13, 16:13; 1 Cor. 11:20)
|
Bible reading (Acts 1:13, 16:13; 1 Cor. 11:20)
|
Present
|
|
Administration of sacraments (the Lord's Supper)
|
Proper clothing (1 Cor. 11:13-15; Deut. 22:5)
|
God
|
|
Hearing the Word of God
|
Seated, standing, kneeling (Luke 4:20; Acts 20:9)
|
Man
|
|
Fellowship (Heb. 10:25)
|
In one accord (confession, forgiveness)
|
Others
|
|
Preaching the Gospel
|
Meeting place (Acts 20:8, 17:10; 1 Cor. 14:28)
|
World
|
References
Ageless issue
If you thought the problem of instruments in the church pertains to
our era alone, think again. Erasmus describes the same problem they
had during the days of the Reformation 500 years ago:
We have brought into our churches a certain operose and theatrical
music; such a confused, disorderly chattering of some words, as I
hardly think was ever heard in any of the Grecian or Roman theatres.
The church rings with the noise of trumpets, pipes and dulcimers;
and human voices strive to bear their part with them.... Men run to
church as to a theatre, to have their ears tickled. And for this end
organ-makers are hired with great salaries, and a company of boys,
who waste all their time in learning these whining tones. —Erasmus
(classical scholar and humanist), In Novum Testamentum...Anno-tationes
(1522).
If Erasmus came to life and saw what was happening in the churches
today, he would roll over in his grave.
|
