What is the Reformed Faith
The Reformed Faith as the most Consistent Form of Christianity

Introduction

The Reformed faith is the Christian religion in its most consistent expression. This is not to claim that others, who do not hold to the Reformed confessions, are not Christians. It is simply to insist that there is only one true religion and that the most consistent expression of it is the Reformed faith. Jesus himself said, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matt. 7:13-14). No doubt some see this way more clearly than others. And Jesus does not say that none but the consistent will be able to enter in. But how clear it is that there is only one way!

Furthermore, Jesus plainly insisted that this one way of salvation be taught consistently: "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age' " (Matt. 28:18-20).

Consistent and faithful maintenance of the entire content of the true religion is a matter of no little importance. We are not to judge just how much a particular sinner must know in order to be saved. But there is no doubt as to the church's task in this world: to uphold the whole of Christ's word in faithful and consistent teaching.

 

Reformed Practice

1. The Law of God

According to Time magazine, there is a school district in the United States where teachers are forbidden to tell their students that it is morally wrong to steal. Yes, they may tell them that they will have to suffer consequences if they steal, because our society has so decided. But they may not press the ethical judgment that such behavior is evil. So much for alleged neutrality! The fact is, however, that everybody acts upon one basis or another. Either there is a Creator God who has declared his will for his creature, man, or there is not. Actually, the above-mentioned school district is quite consistent, not with neutrality, but with the view that man is autonomous. Once you rule out God and rule in man as the supreme authority over behavior, then of course you will look very unkindly upon one person pressing his or her individual opinions about what is right and wrong upon others.

The Reformed faith insists upon God's supreme authority. "The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will" (WSC, Q. 39). That revealed will (the moral law) is "summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments" (WSC, Q. 41), which are found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. It is not difficult to relate all of the commands in the Bible to one or more of the Ten Commandments (cf. Matt. 5:17-48). That moral law is binding upon all men for all time. Prior to our conversion, it "was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24). That is, it revealed our sin and need of a Savior. After conversion, it is a rule of gratitude for the covenant people of God in their thankful service to their Deliverer.

Besides this perpetually binding moral law, God gave his church other laws, for a time. The Old Testament ceremonial laws, prefiguring Christ, "are now abrogated, under the new testament" (WCF, XIX:3). Judicial laws, directing national Israel, "expired together with the state of that people; not obliging any other now, further than the general equity thereof may require" (sec. 4).

2. Principles of Conduct

The Reformed faith insists upon the binding authority of the entirety of the moral law:

Commandment 1--Whom to Worship. This commandment teaches that there is only one living and true God, the triune God of the Bible. We are forbidden to worship any god but him.

Commandment 2--How to Worship. We are to worship God using only those specific aspects of worship commanded in his Word. We are not to worship God through things made by men's hands, including images, crucifixes, altars, or any other ways not prescribed in Scripture.

Commandment 3--Reverence. God reveals himself through his name. God's names describe his character. We pervert God's intention for his name when we use it in blasphemy, cursing, and swearing. God forbids using his name lightly.

Commandment 4--Rest [see below].

Commandment 5--The Home. This commandment delegates to Christian parents the authority and the duty to govern their children.

Commandment 6--Life [see below].

Commandment 7--Purity [see below].

Commandment 8--Property. As the ultimate owner of all, God has entrusted us as stewards with his created resources. Therefore, we must gain and use material possessions according to his rules.

Commandment 9--The Tongue. God is a God of truth. He requires his children always to speak the truth. Christians must therefore hate all lies, in whatever form they appear.

Commandment 10--The Heart. We are not to be discontent, envious, or jealous of the reputation or possessions of our neighbor. Covet most of all the riches of God's grace.

(This summary is taken from Confessing Christ, by C. K. Cummings, pp. 46-53.)

Although each commandment merits a fuller treatment, we have elected to treat three more fully:

a. Labor and the Sabbath Ordinance--the Fourth Commandment

The OPC is a confessional church, teaching what some have called a "Puritan" (or even "pharisaical") view of the Sabbath (see Ex. 20:8-11). In Israel it was forbidden even to kindle a fire on the Sabbath (Ex. 35:3). Sabbath work was punishable by death (Ex. 35:2). But similar sanctions were demanded for cursing father or mother (Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9), and for adultery (Lev. 20:10). Civil authorities do not exact such punishment today. How does this diminish what God requires by way of obedience to his law? Christ did not come to lower God's standard (Matt. 5), but to uphold it. Strict observance of this law is no more properly designated "pharisaism" than strict observance of any other law of God.

Our standards teach what could be called an unattainable Sabbath! The "Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men É not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations, but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy" (WCF, XXI:8). Is it not self evident that no one can do this perfectly? But that is also true of the other commandments. God's law was not given to make us feel good, but to show us our need of Christ--not only at the beginning, but all the way through the Christian life. Isn't that what the Bible itself says we ought to learn from the law? "Your commands are boundless" (Ps. 119:96).

b. The Sanctity of Life--the Sixth Commandment

The sixth commandment enjoins us, "You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13). God has life in himself; he himself is the source of all life. Human life reflects him particularly--"So God created man in his own image" (Gen. 1:27). Murder is not only contrary to God's will, but also an attack upon him. This needs to be emphasized, particularly in this day of voluntary abortion, which, if not done to preserve the life of the mother, is nothing short of murder.

In the covenant that God made with Noah (and with "every living creature with" Noah--Gen. 9:12), capital punishment was prescribed for the murderer: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed" (Gen. 9:6). So highly does God value human life that, later, he established cities of refuge in Israel for the protection of the person wrongly accused of murder (Num. 35:6-28).

The faithful imposition of capital punishment for premeditated murder can be expected to deter this horrendous act, but when the civil magistrate fails to obey this command of the living God, violence abounds. The Preacher warned that this would occur: "When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong" (Eccl. 8:11).

c. Marriage--the Seventh Commandment

The seventh commandment requires: "You shall not commit adultery" (Ex. 20:14). This prohibition underlines God's will regarding that most basic of all human relationships, marriage. In the Garden of Eden, the Lord said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" (Gen. 2:18). God's purpose for Adam was not complete until Eve was on the scene. Celibacy, though appropriate for some people, is the exception that proves the rule, as Jesus said: "Not everyone can accept [celibacy], but only those to whom it has been given" (Matt. 19:11). Marriage is to be between one man and one woman; the Bible calls homosexuality sin (Rom. 1:26-27).

There is a divinely imposed structure to marriage. Each partner has a distinctive role: the husband is the head in the marriage unit and the wife is the helper placed under her husband (Eph. 5:22-24). The husband is commanded to love his wife, and the wife is commanded to respect her husband (vs. 33). This relationship predated the Fall (Gen. 2:20b-24), was affected by the Fall (Gen. 3:16), and is blessed by redemption in Christ (Eph. 5:22-33).

3. Evangelism

Jesus' last words to his disciples, before he ascended into heaven, were: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). As someone has rightly said, the duty of the whole church is to proclaim the whole gospel to the whole world. It is a great commission indeed!

By Matthew's account, this proclamation of the gospel is not bare preaching, but includes "mak[ing] disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20). Thus, the church is to: (1) make disciples--identify and gather in all those from every nation under heaven who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, believe and follow Jesus as their Savior and King, (2) baptize--apply the new covenant sign of membership in this covenantal band to both the disciples and their children; and (3) teach--catechize (instruct) them, young and old, in the apostolic faith.

 

Reformed Church Government

1. The Corporate Nature of the Church

Believers belong to their Lord. But, because there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:5-6), believers belong to each other. Consequently, they are called to mutual encouragement and discipline as members together.

It is sometimes said that "it doesn't matter what church you belong to as long as you believe." Like many slogans, this one contains an element of truth, but also considerable error. Personal faith is indeed important, but it is not the only important thing; it also matters what church you belong to. Churches do not just happen to divide into different denominations; they split as a consequence of unfaithfulness.

Consider the history of the divided kingdom in Israel: Solomon contributed to this division by compromising with pagan religions, and, after he died, division came. Ten tribes rebelled against Rehoboam to follow Jeroboam. Rehoboam considered using force to restore unity, but God forbade it (1 Kings 12:22-24). Jeroboam, fearing his people's return to Rehoboam because of the divinely instituted worship in Jerusalem, set up rival worship, appointing non-Levitical priests and setting up golden calves in Dan and Bethel. Believers in Israel faced a momentous crisis, and they rightly left an unfaithful church to join a faithful one. God's declaration confirms this: "He [God] will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit" (1 Kings 14:16). When church leaders change a church's official character, members are affected; they participate in apostasy merely by remaining members.

Did this mean that everyone in Israel was written off? No, but God's prophets called them to separate from false worship. Many did, and migrated to Judah. Seven thousand refused to bow the knee to Baal. No doubt they were criticized for refusing to participate in "community worship services." They probably knew many who participated while claiming to believe in the true God. But the point is that corporate responsibility does not allow the easy way out. Remaining in a false church is a sin which, if unforsaken, raises the question of the believability of one's Christian commitment.

2. The Government of the Church

God creates, owns, and governs the church; it is his (cf. 1 Cor. 1:2, where Paul writes "to the church of God in Corinth"). That church of God really exists in the body of those who are united to Jesus Christ, and yet are found in many places. It is invisible in that it "consists of the whole number of the elect" (WCF, XXV:1), and it is visible in that it "consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children" (sec. 2).

It is also Christ's church, as he prayed: "They were yours; you gave them to me" (John 17:6). He is its king and head (Col. 1:13, 18). As such, and for his church, the Lord Jesus has "appointed a government, in the hand of church officers" (WCF, XXX:1). (All believers hold a general office, by virtue of their union with Christ.) The special officers are presbyters and deacons.

Presbyters (from the Greek word meaning "elder") rule the church for Christ. There are two kinds of presbyters: (1) those who "direct the affairs of the church," and (2) those "whose work is preaching and teaching" in addition to rule (1 Tim. 5:17). The former are usually called elders or ruling elders, and the latter, ministers. Together they constitute the session (the ruling body) of the local church. As shepherds, their task is to feed (Jude 12), guide (1 Pet. 5:2), and guard (Acts 20:28) the church which Christ purchased with his own blood. In so doing, they reflect and mediate the prophetic, priestly, and kingly activity of the church's ascended Lord. For each local church, there will be a plurality of presbyters (Tit. 1:5). The session exercises its task by preaching, administering the sacraments, exercising discipline, instructing the congregation, visiting the members, and spreading the gospel through local, national, and foreign mission work. Elders remember that it is God's flock they tend; the congregation belongs not to them, but to the Lord.

Deacons administer mercy, both to members of the congregation and to other believers (Acts 6:1-6), as well as to those outside the household of faith (Gal. 6:10). They serve in a special office of ministry, but they do not exercise rule over the congregation. All church officers are gifts of King Jesus to his church (Eph. 4:11), and as such must be qualified (1 Tim. 3:1-12; Tit. 1:6-9).

Through higher, or broader, assemblies (presbytery, regional synod, and general assembly) the unity of the church is expressed as administrative and judicial matters are handled corporately.

3. The Discipline of the Church

Because believers still sin, it is necessary that there be discipline in the church. Christ is the righteous King, and it is his will that the church practice righteousness. When church members persist in sin, not only are their immortal souls threatened, but the whole church is tempted thereby. Primarily, however, the honor of the church's Head is assailed. Thus it is clear that discipline is good and necessary. Such discipline takes place (1) informally, as members confront, admonish, and exhort one another, and (2) formally, as official church discipline is administered by the session.

Informal church discipline is regulated by Christ's prescription in Matthew 5:23-24 and 18:15-16, as well as the apostle Paul's in Galatians 6:1-5. It may occur in private and, if repentance is forthcoming, need go no further, since the offender is restored. It is important to stress that informal discipline is discipline indeed, for sometimes it is thought that only formal church discipline is properly called discipline. Through both means, Christ sanctifies and preserves his church.

Formal church discipline is well summarized as follows: "To [church] officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed; by virtue whereof, they have power, respectively, to retain, and remit sins; to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word, and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the gospel; and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require" (WCF, XXX:2).

Presbyterian churches typically have a book of discipline that sets forth procedures by which this task is to be fulfilled both in the local church and on the presbytery (regional) and denominational (whole church) levels.

Discipline is one of the marks of the true church. Without it, even true preaching of the Word and right administration of the sacraments may not be expected to identify and preserve the church. It is necessary to stress this point, particularly since many organizations today attempt to retain the title of "church," while forsaking its power (2 Tim. 3:5).

4. The Ecumenical Calling of the Church

There is more to the church of Christ, purchased with his own precious blood, than our denomination, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. The Bible speaks not only of churches, but also of the church (Eph. 4). And, ideally, there ought to be just one denomination that is faithful to the Word of God in doctrine and practice. There is only one body of Christ, one people of God, one church universal.

However, the church as we encounter it in this world is sadly divided. Some congregations that were once true churches have become synagogues of Satan, as our Confession says (WCF, XXV:5). Other congregations (and denominations) are sadly deformed, even though they are not (yet?) totally degenerate. And there are also true churches that are basically one in faith with us, and yet are divided from us for various reasons. Thus, one of the tasks that we see, as a church, is to strive as much as possible to overcome these sad divisions.

It is the strong conviction of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, however, that this does not mean that we should seek organizational unity where there is no unity in doctrine and practice. This is precisely the reason why we have never wanted to belong to the National or World Council of Churches. Those bodies may have organizational unity, but they do not have unity in the doctrine and practice required in the Bible.

At the same time, it has been the conviction of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church that we may not rest content with a "spiritual unity" that never comes to visible expression. It is for this reason that the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, over its entire denominational history, has sought to build and support organizations on the basis of essential agreement in doctrine and practice. It was for this reason that our church worked hard, for forty years, to keep the Reformed Ecumenical Synod faithful to the Scriptures, and then separated from that organization when it refused to maintain its own basis. This is also the reason why our church now belongs to the International Conference of Reformed Churches.

We will continue to seek visible unity with other churches, but only on the basis of a genuine adherence to the biblical confessions in doctrine and practice.

 

Reformed Worship

1. Private and Family Worship

Private and family worship of God, particularly prayer and the reading of and meditating upon his Word, have been recognized by Reformed people as both proper and necessary. "God is to be worshiped everywhere, in spirit and truth; as, in private families daily, and in secret, each one by himself" (WCF, XXI:6; cf. Matt. 6:6; Deut. 6:6-7).

The private exercise of worship is an activity particularly appropriate on the Sabbath day (WCF, XXI:8). The believer's sanctification is effected "really and personally, through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them" (XIII:1). The exercise of private prayer is so essential to the converted life that a rehearsal of its biblical basis should be required by none. Nevertheless, for our encouragement in obedience, the following should be noted: Pss. 32:5-6; 51:1-14; Matt. 6:6, 11.

Family worship is closely related to catechetical instruction. Psalm 78:1-8 lays a solemn obligation upon parents to teach their children the deeds and commands of their covenant God. The Westminster Assembly produced, along with its Confession of Faith and Catechisms, a Directory for Family Worship, recognizing the essential place of this discipline in covenant life. At the "family altar," believing families not only learn the Word of God in the quiet of their own homes, but also engage in particular and pointed prayer, and raise songs of thankfulness to their Savior.

2. Corporate Worship

a. Regulation

Today there is a sense of uncertainty about worship. What really is pleasing to God, and what should be rejected? When people innovate in worship, how should we react? It is clear, from the great Reformed confessions, that the Reformed churches--in the fervor characterizing them in the beginning--were determined to worship God only as he prescribed, without any additions or subtractions.

Consider this statement of the principle: "The acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture" (WCF, XXI:1).

Not a few today are questioning how we should worship God. Is not the answer already implied when we say the Bible is the only infallible rule of our faith and practice? The principle--taught in both the Old and New Testaments--is summed up in these words of Moses: "Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you" (Deut. 4:2). This applies to all of life, of course, and not only to worship. But nowhere else is it as vital to exclude every human invention as it is in this sphere.

Some churches today are returning to ceremonial worship. They call it liturgical revival. If they were serious in their claim to be biblical, they would go all the way, adopting the whole Old Testament system. They would even advocate rebuilding the Jerusalem temple. And, if they did, we could at least respect them for consistency. But, of course, these "weak and miserable" (Gal. 4:9) elements of Old Testament worship have no legitimate place in the new covenant church. We need no purple robes, candles, incense, dancing, or dramatic performance. Why? Because these shadowy representations only get in the way of the reality: the privilege of going each Lord's Day--in faithful, commanded worship--right into the heavenly places (Heb. 12:18-29).

Are we, then, to do as we please--fashioning our own style of worship (while the Old Testament saints had to be careful)? No, we above all should abhor and shun all human inventions. Is this not what underlies the following warning? "See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused ... how much less will we....? Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire' " (Heb. 12: 25, 28-29).

Worship under the new covenant has been instituted by Jesus. Admittedly, there are few commands regarding, or examples of, corporate worship in the New Testament. The closest thing we have to a formal worship service is found in 1 Corinthians 14, and it focuses on speaking in tongues and prophecy, elements that were appropriate only in the apostolic age (cf. WCF, I:1). Nevertheless, we are able to identify prayer, the reading of the Scriptures, preaching, the singing of praise, the gathering of offerings, and the administration of the sacraments as "all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God" (WCF, XXI:5).

b. Singing of Praise

Worshipers praise their God and Savior in song. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly ... as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God" (Col. 3:16). Our Directory for Worship states (3:6): "Since the metrical versions of the Psalms are based upon the Word of God, they ought to be used frequently in public worship"--but not exclusively. Hymns, both older and contemporary, are properly used in Orthodox Presbyterian congregations, but the session is responsible to select such carefully, for "great care must be taken that all the materials of song are in perfect accord with the teaching of Holy Scripture." Orthodox Presbyterians not only preach, but pray and praise God in song, in the light of the entirety of God's special revelation--both the dispensation of promise (the Old Testament) and that of fulfillment (the New Testament).

c. Preaching of the Word

The Word of God, which (together with the sacraments and prayer) are "the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption" (WSC, Q. 88), is indispensable to corporate worship. It must be read, for through it God

speaks most directly to the congregation. It must be preached, being "an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort, through faith, unto salvation" (Q. 89).

Preaching is the proclamation of the Word of God, and the preacher, ordinarily a minister (teaching elder), is the herald of the gospel (2 Tim. 4:2; 1:11). His task is to proclaim Christ (Col. 1:28). He is concerned not with the approval of men, but with serving the Bread of Life to sinners.

The preaching of the Word of God is a specialized form of discourse, not to be confused with any other. It is, strictly speaking, neither a theological lecture nor a speech that seeks to persuade by moral suggestion, although it resembles both at certain points.

Preaching begins with a "what." It must proclaim Christ in order to be called preaching. "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27) is what to preach. Here preaching is properly third-person discourse--the preacher points his listeners to Christ--who he is, and especially what great transactions of grace God the Father performed in him in order to save sinners.

Preachers are to preach Christ. But which Christ? Sometimes we hear people request "no creed but Christ." Now, that may sound pious and even helpful, but it is not. The apostle continues, "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom" (Col. 1:28). Christ is not a mantra or some other mindless feeling; he is the one who asked the disciples, "Who do you say I am?" (Matt. 16:15). Their answer to that question would be their creed--it is inescapable.

But preaching is more than the "what." It includes a "so what," as well. The apostle says, "I labor, struggling with all his [Christ's] energy, which so powerfully works in me" (Col. 1:29)--to what end? To "present everyone perfect in Christ" (vs. 28). He does that by admonishing--the verb means "to confront with a view to producing obedience"--his hearers. Knowledge of, and even belief in, the preached Word is absolutely indispensable, but a life of obedience to the commands of Christ is also indispensable. Preachers must press a "so what" upon their listeners, or they aren't preaching. And here is where preaching is properly second-person discourse--the preacher calls forth a response to the heralded message: you must do what it says!

The preacher needs to lay both the doctrinal foundation and the ethical structure in every sermon. He is a herald; he has a message. But that message is not a compilation of interesting data; it is the heralding of wonderful, blessed, good news that must be both believed and acted upon.

d. The Lord's Supper

The Reformed view of the Lord's Supper needs to be distinguished from (1) the Roman Catholic Mass and (2) the memorial-only view held by many broadly evangelical churches.

The Lord's Supper is not a Mass. "In this sacrament, Christ is not offered up to his Father; nor any real sacrifice made at all, for remission of sins ...; but only a commemoration of that one offering up of himself, by himself, upon the cross, once for all" (WCF, XXIX:2). The Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, which maintains that the bread and wine of Communion are changed into the substance of Christ's body and blood, is to be rejected entirely. Likewise to be rejected is the Lutheran doctrine of consubstantiation, which teaches the actual presence of Christ's body "in, with, and under" the bread and wine of Communion.

The Lord's Supper is not merely a memorial feast, either. "Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements, in this sacrament, do then also, inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally but spiritually, receive, and feed upon, Christ crucified, and all benefits of his death" (WCF, XXIX:7).

Christ is really present in the administration of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper--not physically, but spiritually. Believers feed upon, commune with, and receive grace from him in the sacrament. That is to say, they would deprive themselves of such blessing if they should absent themselves from the Lord's Supper, even though they should seek him through other means, such as by the Word and prayer.

The Lord's Supper is not for every covenant member, but is to be administered "only to such as are of years and ability to examine themselves" (Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 177; cf. 1 Cor. 11:28). Covenant children are urged to make public profession of faith in Christ, and thus be admitted to the Supper, as soon as they are so able.

The session is charged with maintaining the purity of the sacrament by admitting only worthy participants to it (1 Cor. 11:27-32). Members must not be permitted to commune if their membership privileges have been suspended or they refuse to be reconciled to a brother. Likewise, the Lord's Supper must be fenced so as to exclude notorious sinners or casual visitors who make no profession of faith in Christ.

e. Simplicity

Reformed worship is beautiful, but it does not have the beauty of sensual things. Rather, it has the beauty mentioned in several of the psalms. "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness" (Ps. 29:2).

It is for this reason that Reformed worship has always been marked by what some have called "a stark simplicity." The beauty is found in the faithful preaching of the Word of God, in the simple, unadorned, but faithful administration of the sacraments, and in the maintenance of faithful discipline. Reformed people find their delight in truth and in the spiritual things that Christ spoke of when he said that we must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Abraham Kuyper spoke of "the serious danger with which symbolism menaces the future of our Calvinistic Church life." When "symbolism replaces revelation," he said, it "makes us fall back from conscious to unconscious religion. The Reformed faith always places revelation in the foreground, and tolerates no other performances than such as are able to echo it and remain carefully under its sway." This simplicity is a hallmark of the worship conducted in Reformed churches.

 

Conclusion

 

1. A Faithful Reformed Church

There would be no such thing as a Reformed church today if God had not sent the great Reformation. But the Reformation was not only a mighty work that came from God; it was also effected through men. That it was God's work did not make their work easy. It was the Reformers, therefore, who taught us to understand that the work of reforming the church is not finished. They said, "Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda est": the church that is Reformed is always reforming.

A faithful Reformed church is therefore a church that is constantly striving to think and act, to believe and live, according to the written word of God. "The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error" (WCF, XXV:5). Also, some have degenerated horribly. It follows, then, that there is but one antidote to degeneration, namely, continued diligence. It is for this reason that the vows taken by ministers in the OPC include the promise "to be zealous and faithful in maintaining the truths of the gospel, and the purity, the peace, and the unity of the church, whatever persecution or opposition may arise unto you on that account" (Form of Government, Orthodox Presbyterian Church, XXIII).

2. The Doxologies of Revelation 4 and 5

The apostle John received a vision of the church worshiping God and saying:

· You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they were created and have their being. (Rev. 4:11)

They fall down before the Lamb and sing this new song:

· You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased men for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth. (Rev. 5:9-10)

They are then joined by myriads of angels and the entire creation, singing:

· To him who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever! (Rev. 5:13)

No words of our making could better summarize the heart of the Reformed faith than these divinely inspired doxologies. "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!" (Rom. 11:36).