When we gather for worship, our consciences cannot be bound by the latest cultural fads, complex man-made liturgies, or theatrical gimmicks. We simply gather to read the Word, preach the Word, pray the Word, sing the Word, and see the Word in the sacraments. By keeping worship simple, biblical, and Christ-centered, we worship God exactly as He desires to be worshipped.

In Chapter 20, we learned that God alone is Lord of the conscience, freeing the Christian from the man-made traditions and commandments of church leaders. This powerful principle naturally leads to a crucial question: If we are free from the traditions of men, how then should we worship God?

Can we worship God however we please? If a church decides to introduce a fog machine, a liturgical dance, or a statue of a saint into their Sunday service, is that acceptable as long as they are “sincere”?

In Chapter 21, the Westminster Confession establishes what has historically been called the Regulative Principle of Worship. It teaches that because God is a great King, He alone has the right to dictate how He is approached. True Christian liberty means we are freed from the inventive liturgies of men so that we might joyfully worship God exactly as He has commanded.

The Confession teaches that God is to be worshipped only as He has prescribed in Scripture; that worship is to be directed to the Triune God alone through Christ the Mediator; that it consists of specific biblical elements such as prayer, the Word, singing, and sacraments; and that under the New Covenant, acceptable worship is not tied to any sacred location but is to be offered in private, in families, and in public assemblies.

The Regulative Principle of Worship (WCF 21.1)

The Confession begins by noting that the “light of nature” (creation and human conscience) tells every human being that a sovereign, good God exists and ought to be “feared, loved, praised… and served.” Nature tells us that we must worship.

However, nature does not tell us how to worship. The divines state clearly: “The acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited by His own revealed will.”

We may not worship God “according to the imaginations and devices of men” or under “any visible representation” (idols/icons), or in “any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture.” This is the Regulative Principle: If God has not commanded it in Scripture, it is forbidden in corporate worship. (This stands in contrast to the “Normative Principle” held by other traditions, which says whatever is not forbidden is permitted). God does not want our creativity in designing worship; He wants our obedience.

The Object and Mediator of Worship (WCF 21.2)

Who do we worship, and how do we get to Him?

1. The Object: Worship is reserved for “God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to Him alone.” We do not pray to or venerate “angels, saints, or any other creature.” To do so is idolatry, no matter how pious it looks.

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