Let me be blunt: if you think praying, singing, preaching, Scripture reading, and the ordinances are cold and stale, the problem isn’t with those elements of corporate worship. The problem may be your heart. Now it is certainly possible that leaders and church members can go through the motions of a service’s liturgy and be void of passion and engagement. But our attitude about what we’re doing is very important.

In a previous post, we thought about the Regulative Principle of Worship (RPW). Simply defined, the RPW means this: The word of God should regulate how the people of God conduct their worship of God.

But not everyone embraces the RPW. What objections might they have? Here are seven possible objections to the RPW—and some answers to them.

First, “The RPW Isn’t Taught in Scripture.”

This objection is based on a misguided expectation about certain words. If you’re looking in the Bible for the phrase “Regulative Principle of Worship,” or if you’re looking for a command like, “Worship only the way God has revealed,” then you might think the objection is sound. But the expectation is wrongheaded. Something taught in Scripture can be summarized with a term or phrase, and the phrase “Regulative Principle of Worship” captures what Scripture teaches. Among the many passages considered in the previous post, Deuteronomy 12:32 is especially relevant.

Second, “There Will Be a Temptation to Legalism.”

True, seeking to adhere to the RPW can involve temptations of legalism. But there’s a temptation (and even a guarantee) of recklessness and folly without it. It is a principle to be taken seriously but not without flexibility. It’s not to be used as a bludgeoning tool to go after fellow saints. The RPW helps us conduct corporate worship with wisdom and reverence. The goal of the RPW is to worship corporately according to what God has commanded and not to prioritize man-made activities.

Third, “The RPW Is Too Vague.”

It’s not vague, though. While it doesn’t address all the details about circumstances (see the previous post for more on the distinction between “elements” and “circumstances”), the light of nature and prudence can help leaders on those issues. The RPW is clear enough about what should be present in a church’s corporate worship. The Reformed tradition has highlighted the following five core elements for corporate worship: Scripture reading (1 Tim. 4:13), Prayer (1 Tim. 2:1; Acts 2:42; 4:23–31), Singing (Col. 3:12–17; Eph. 5:19), Preaching (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:1–2), and the Ordinances (Baptism and Lord’s Supper; Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:23–34).

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