MONDAY, DECEMBER 17
1 Corinthians 14:37-40
1 Corinthians 14:33

“… we have the mind of Christ.”

REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE OF WORSHIP
(Adapted from Theology for Every Christian by Tow and Khoo)

God requires us to worship Him in His way. Any worship not instituted by God will not be accepted. For example, Nadab and Abihu were punished by God because they “offered strange fire … which he commanded them not” (Lev 10:1). God does not allow us to worship Him according to our whims and fancies. He requires us to worship Him according to the principles of worship He has set forth in the Scriptures.

The regulative principle involves two vital doctrines of the Christian faith. The first is the doctrine of God’s nature. 1 Corinthians 14:33 and 40 tells us that the God we worship is a God of decency and order, and not confusion. God is not pleased with any form of worship that is chaotic, wild, and uncontrolled.

Spiritual maturity is an important element. The more spiritually-minded we are, the more sensitive we will be to the holiness of God. It is not so much a matter of rules and regulations, but of spirituality. If our hearts and minds are biblically tuned to God and His Word, we would not need anyone to give us a list of “dos and don’ts,” we would automatically know what God wants us to be and what He wants us to do. We would naturally desire what God desires. 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 says, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

The regulative principle also involves the doctrine of separation. This principle is taught in Romans 12:1-2. Although the Church is in the world, she must not be of the world, and that includes her form of worship. Say “no” to Contemporary Christian Music (CCM).

THOUGHT: Memorise 1 Corinthians 14:40.
PRAYER: Father, help me to worship Thee in Spirit and in Truth.