Comments on: Christless Christianity #2 – Which type of Church do you attend?

By: davide

davide — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:13:27 +0000

Actually, I never thought about the Sabbath in relation to the regulative principle, but what you are saying makes sense.

By: Nathan White

Nathan White — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:03:30 +0000

We’ve talked about it before. God commands us in the frequency of our worship. Man does not decide when or how often to publicly worship. If so, we would be free to have it once a month, or even once a year if we like.

The 1689/Westminster bear this out by including the Sabbath in the chapter “Of religious worship and of the sabbath day”.

Sam Waldon comments on it: “Just as every other major element of worship is appointed by God and not by ecclesiastical authority, even so the day of public worship is not left for man to decide. By a positive, moral and perpetual commandment, God appoints the day.”

Waldron goes on from there and explains it further, but you get the gist.

By: davide

davide — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:56:36 +0000

I’m curious as to how you see the Sabbath as an extension of the rpw.

By: Nathan White

Nathan White — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:53:19 +0000

Davide–
I have not heard him specifically defend that aspect. My speculation would be that he would defend it from the Sabbath point of view (remember, the Sabbath is an extension of the Regulative Principle of Worship), but I’m not 100% positive.

By: davide

davide — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:56:55 +0000

“Thus, all of those things you mentioned, exhortations, instructions, etc., are absolutely necessary, without a doubt. But we�re in danger if we confuse the order. The gospel must lay the groundwork or we�ll never get the instruction right.”

I’m absolutely with you on that. As far as Horton suggesting the exclusivity of proclamation on the Lord’s day, I’m just curious as to his basis for that statement. Does he give one?

By: Nathan White

Nathan White — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:42:32 +0000

Davide–
I see and agree with what you’re stating, and I think Horton would too in reading his book. But, understand that there is a distinction between ‘good news’ and ‘instruction’, between teaching and preaching, etc.

In other words, we proclaim the good news when we preach, and we instruct from God’s word, and derive from the already-preached good news, when we teach. Thus, all of those things you mentioned, exhortations, instructions, etc., are absolutely necessary, without a doubt. But we’re in danger if we confuse the order. The gospel must lay the groundwork or we’ll never get the instruction right. Furthermore, though I’m not sure I agree with Horton on this 100%, but he would say that the preaching on the Lord’s Day must be proclamation, and that teaching/instruction must come at other times.

What are your thoughts on that?

By: davide

davide — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:13:32 +0000

I definitely agree Horton is making an astute observation here. I definitely agree with him somewhat.

However, I think we need to be aware of going to the extreme on either side of the spectrum. One tendency I see with reformed church is that we tend to be deathly impractical and irrelevant. By combating the “culture relevancy” philosophy, we tend to go the opposite extreme where everything is so lofty, heavenly, and high, that there is no practicality anymore. Personally, I sometimes like to hear that I need to read my Bible more, and pray more, and serve more:).

If all I hear is about what I need to do in the church, and how I need to act in my life, I will soon be left hungry and famished, desiring more than just milk. Conversely, if all I hear is about God’s nature–who God is, what God has done, How God has worked, etc. I soon become fatigued and lost in all the loftiness, where I’m saying to myself, “What in the world does this mean to me?”

Wasn’t Paul practical, sometimes? At the beginning of his epistles he tended to be very theological, but at the end of his letters, he was practical–”Children, obey your parents!”

Am I missing the boat, here?

By: tiffany flamm

tiffany flamm — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:42:52 +0000

Thanks. Thanks A LOT.
When Josiah sees ‘Amazon.com’ on the bank statement I am going to have him call YOU…since it is all your fault for hooking me into that first chapter

By: Nathan White

Nathan White — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:22:58 +0000

Tiff–
It’s a fairly new book, so you might have to wait for your library’s to get it.

But you’ll definitely want to get it one day soon. I think it will present things in a way you’ve probably never heard before (it did so with me!).

Oh, and remember that you can read the first chapter for free, here:
http://www.christlesschristianity.org/

By: tiffany flamm

tiffany flamm — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:20:52 +0000

nate,
i have searched all my libraries and cannot find this book anywhere. i can typically get Christian books of all sorts there (free!) but not this one.
*sigh*
i am still trying. i REALLY want to read it!!!! keep posting about it…although it may force me to go purchase a copy