Amazing Grace
Puritan Board Junior
In another thread, Brian Withnell has made some statements, utilizing WCF 21:5 to say that teaching is not part of the worship service. Preaching yes, teaching no. Some statements causing me concern are :
This is not intended as attack, but I would suggest that you have a misconception of what a worship service is. It is not for you, or anyone else in the congregation to "get anything" it is for you and others to give to God what he commands. Worship is given only to God, and it is not what children "get" or what you "get" that matters. Worship is supposed to be centered on God and what we give him.
But teaching is not part of worship. Preaching is part of worship. There is a difference.
The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear, the sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence, singing of psalms with grace in the heart; as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ, are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: beside religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings upon special occasions, which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner.
More often the equating of them comes from those that want to bend the RPW into a wax nose to be bent that allows anything ... if it can be used to teach; then by saying teaching is what a sermon is, allows anything which can teach. It is preaching that is an element of worship, not teaching.
These will suffice to get the ball rolling. I will start off by stating that I disagree completely with this premise. Making preaching and teaching mutually exclusive Is wrong from a linguistic definition standpoint and practical standpoint. I do not believe WCF 21;5 forbids teaching in its statement. And if teaching does occur, which it should, I do not believe this is making the RPW into a nose of wax molding it to allow anything.
Scriptures are legion showing that teaching is present in every presentation of the Word of God in a gathering.
What say ye?
This is not intended as attack, but I would suggest that you have a misconception of what a worship service is. It is not for you, or anyone else in the congregation to "get anything" it is for you and others to give to God what he commands. Worship is given only to God, and it is not what children "get" or what you "get" that matters. Worship is supposed to be centered on God and what we give him.
But teaching is not part of worship. Preaching is part of worship. There is a difference.
The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear, the sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence, singing of psalms with grace in the heart; as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ, are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: beside religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings upon special occasions, which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner.
More often the equating of them comes from those that want to bend the RPW into a wax nose to be bent that allows anything ... if it can be used to teach; then by saying teaching is what a sermon is, allows anything which can teach. It is preaching that is an element of worship, not teaching.
These will suffice to get the ball rolling. I will start off by stating that I disagree completely with this premise. Making preaching and teaching mutually exclusive Is wrong from a linguistic definition standpoint and practical standpoint. I do not believe WCF 21;5 forbids teaching in its statement. And if teaching does occur, which it should, I do not believe this is making the RPW into a nose of wax molding it to allow anything.
Scriptures are legion showing that teaching is present in every presentation of the Word of God in a gathering.
What say ye?
