Foreword:
The following exerpt is taken from The Ten
Commandments by Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
In this blog series I will work through this very
important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style
questions at the end. In our day, when people who identify themselves as
Christians are so sensitive to any accusation of legalism that they tend to
swing all the way out to antinomianism (that is lawlessness), it is perhaps now
more than ever that we ought to prayerfully re-examine the Ten Commandments –
and few do it better than Arthur Pink (1886 - 1952). I found
this article to be very convicting as I first worked through it. And, lest we
think we the church are not in need of this labour, let us be reminded that
those whom Jesus will reject on the last Day even though they did many mighty
works in his name, were accused by our Lord of not just having no intimate
relationship with him (‘I never knew you’), but also that they were accused as
workers of lawlessness by our Lord. The Law of God does not save, nor does it
keep one saved – none the less we are called to obedience to it who are saved –
but enough of me – here is Arthur Pink…
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT PART II
This second Commandment is but the negative way of saying
"God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and
in truth" (John 4:24). If it be asked, what are the duties here required?
The answer is this: "The receiving, observing, and keeping pure and
entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God has instituted in His
Word (Deut. 32:46, 47; Matt. 28:20; Acts 2:42; 1 Tim 6:13, 14); particularly
prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ (Phil. 4:6, Eph. 5:20); the
reading, preaching, and hearing of the Word (Deut. 17:18, 19; Acts 15:21; 2
Tim. 4:2, etc.); the administration and receiving of the sacraments (Matt.
28:19; 1 Cor. 11:21-30); church government and discipline (Matt. 18:15, 17;
16:19; 1 Cor. 5); the ministry and maintenance thereof (Eph. 4:11, 12, etc.);
religious fasting (I Cor. 8:5); swearing by the name of God (Deut. 6:13), and
vowing unto Him (Isa. 19:2 1; Psa. 76:11); as also the disapproving, detesting,
opposing, all false worship (Acts 16:16, 17, etc.); and according to each one's
place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry (Deut. 7:5; Isa.
30:22)"-- Westminster Confession of Faith. To this we would simply add,
there is required of us a diligent preparation before we enter upon any holy
exercise (Eccl. 5:1) and a right disposition of mind in the act itself. For
example, we must not hear or read the Word just to satisfy curiosity, but that
we may learn how better to please God.
1) can you think of an example in Scripture where someone
did not “keep pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God
has instituted in His Word”? And what was God’s reaction to this?
2) Taking each in turn and first from memory before
looking up the listed scripture can you detail any particulars of (in other
words: what must you or your chuch practically do, believe and teach
regarding):
-
prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ (Phil.
4:6, Eph. 5:20);
-
the reading, preaching, and hearing of the Word
(Deut. 17:18, 19; Acts 15:21; 2 Tim. 4:2, etc.);
-
the administration and receiving of the sacraments
(Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:21-30);
-
church government and discipline (Matt. 18:15, 17;
16:19; 1 Cor. 5);
-
the ministry and maintenance thereof (Eph. 4:11, 12,
etc.);
-
religious fasting (I Cor. 8:5);
-
swearing by the name of God (Deut. 6:13);
-
vowing unto Him (Isa. 19:2 1; Psa. 76:11);
-
the disapproving, detesting, opposing, all false
worship (Acts 16:16, 17, etc.); and according to each one's place and calling,
removing it, and all monuments of idolatry (Deut. 7:5; Isa. 30:22)
3) What kind of diligent preparation and getting into a
right disposition of mind is needed before entering into for example: Bible
study, apologetic discussion, evangelism, worship, councelling, taking the
Lord’s supper and baptism? Do you ever pray before praying? By which I mean: do
you ask for God’s help in prayer so that you may pray even deeper? See an
example of this in Luke 22:42-44.
4) Why do you study the Word of God?
No comments:
Post a Comment