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The Westminster Confession of Faith and Larger Catechism
1. Natural understanding reveals that there is a God, who is lord and sovereign over everything, who is good and does good to everyone, and who is therefore to be held in awe, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all our heart, soul, and might.[1] The acceptable way of worshiping the true God is established by God himself. God's revealed will so defines and outlines proper worship that neither the imaginations and devices of men nor the suggestions of Satan are to be followed. God is not to be worshiped under any visible representation or in any other way than that prescribed in Holy Scripture.[2]
[1] Rom 1:19-20, Acts 17:24, Ps 119:68, Jer 10:7, Ps 31:23, 18:3, Rom 10:12, Ps 62:8, Jos 24:14, Mk 12:33, Ps 19:1-6, Acts 14:17.
[2] Dt 12:32, Mt 15:9, Acts 17:24-25, Mt 4:9-10, Dt 4:15-20, Ex 20:4-6, Col 2:20-23, Jn 4:23-24.
2. Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and only to him,[3] not to angels, saints, or any other creature.[4] Since the fall this worship must involve a mediator, and there is no other mediator than Christ alone.[5]
[3] Mt 4:10, Jn 5:23, 2 Cor 13:14, Rv 5:11-14, Mt 28:19.
[4] Col 2:18, Rv 19:10, Rom 1:25.
[5] Jn 14:6, 1 Tm 2:5, Eph 2:18, Col 3:17.
3. Prayer with thanksgiving is one part of religious worship[6] and is required by God from all men.[7] In order for prayer to be accepted, it must be made in the name of Jesus,[8] by the help of his Spirit,[9] according to his will,[10] with understanding, reverence, humility, fervor, faith, love, and perseverance,[11] and, if vocal, in a known tongue.[12]
[6] Phil 4:6, 1 Tm 2:1, Col 4:2.
[7] Ps 65:2, Lk 18:1, 1 Tm 2:8, Ps 67:3, 1 Thes 5:17-18.
[11] Ps 47:7, Eccl 5:1-2, Heb 12:28, Gn 18:27, Jas 5:16, 1:6-7, Mk 11:24, Mt 6:12,14-15, Col 4:2, Eph 6:18.
4. Prayer is to be made for lawful things[13] and for people who are alive or may be born,[14] but not for the dead,[15] nor for those who are known to have committed the sin unto death.[16]
[14] 1 Tm 2:1-2, Jn 17:20, 2 Sm 7:29, Ru 4:12.
[15] 2 Sm 12:21-23, Lk 16:25-26, Rv 14:13; this statement is based on the absence of any command to pray for the dead, and of any example in the Scripture of such prayer, 1 Jn 5:14.
5. The ordinary worship of God includes: the reverent and attentive reading of the Scriptures,[17] the sound preaching[18] and conscientious hearing of the word in obedience to God with understanding and faith;[19] singing of psalms with grace in the heart;[20] and the proper administration and right receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ.[21] Then there are religious oaths[22] and vows,[23] solemn fasting,[24] and thanksgiving on special occasions.[25] Worship should include these at appropriate times, and they should be performed in a holy and religious manner.[26]
[17] Acts 15:21, Rv 1:3, Acts 17:11.
[19] Jas 1:22, Acts 10:33, Mt 13:19, Heb 4:2, Is 66:2.
[20] Col 3:16, Eph 5:19, Jas 5:13, Acts 16:25.
[21] Mt 28:19, 1 Cor 11:23-29, Acts 2:42.
[23] Is 19:21, Eccl 5:4-5, Acts 18:18, Ps 116:14, Neh 10:29.
[24] Jl 2:12, Est 4:16, Mt 9:15, 1 Cor 7:5, Mt 6:17-18.
[25] Ps 107, Est 9:22, Neh 12:31-43.
[26] Heb 12:28, Jn 4:24, Heb 10:22.
6. Under the gospel neither prayer nor any other part of religious worship is tied to or made more acceptable by being performed in any particular place.[27] God is to be worshiped everywhere[28] in spirit and in truth;[29] in private families[30] daily;[31] privately by individuals daily;[32] and regularly in solemn public gatherings, which are not to be carelessly or willfully neglected or forsaken, since God calls us to join other believers in public worship.[33]
[30] Jer 10:25, Dt 6:6-7, Jb 1:5, 2 Sm 6:8-18, 20, 1 Pt 3:7, Acts 10:2.
[31] Mt 6:11, Jos 24:15, Dn 6:10.
[32] Mt 6:6, Eph 6:18, Neh 1:4-11.
[33] Is 56:7, Heb 10:25, Prv 1:20-21, 24, 8:34, Acts 13:42, Lk 4:16, Acts 2:42.
7. It is a law of our natural, earthly life that some appropriate amount of time be set aside for the worship of God. In his word God has similarly commanded all men in every age to keep one day in seven holy unto him as a Sabbath.[34] From the beginning of the world up to the resurrection of Christ, this Sabbath was the last day of the week. Since the resurrection of Christ it has been changed to the first day of the week, called the Lord's day in Scripture, and is to be continued until the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath.[35]
[34] Ex 20:8-11, Is 56:2,4,6-7.
[35] Gn 2:2-3, 1 Cor 16:1-2, Acts 20:7, Rv 1:10, Ex 20:8,10, Mt 5:17-18; these texts are cited in connection with the example of the apostles and the early church.
8. The Sabbath is kept holy unto the Lord when men prepare their hearts for it; arrange for their daily affairs to be taken care of beforehand; rest the whole day from their own works and words, and from thoughts about their worldly activities and recreations;[36] and take up the whole time in public and private worship and in the duties of necessity and mercy.[37]
[36] Ex 20:8, 16:23, 25-26,29-30, 31:15-17, Is 58:13, Neh 13:15-22, Lk 23:56.
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