Does God Want Our Creativity?

Does God want us to be creative in worship? That's the question I've been wrestling with after overhearing an interesting conversation at the coffee shop the other day. Two young women were catching up and sharing about their Christian lives. One began to discuss her involvement in a local megachurch. She was enthusiastically sharing about her artistic pursuits and delighted with how this megachurch had allowed her to grow, expressing her artistic creativity through the outlet of worship.

My study of the Shorter Catechism the last couple weeks has been on the 2nd commandment, so worship was already on my mind. One of the things the catechism writers saw in the 2nd commandment is what we call the Regulative Principle of Worship: the truth that God establishes in His word how we are to worship Him, and we are forbidden from worshipping Him in any ways He has not commanded. 

To many evangelicals today that idea seems very restricting. It feels almost like a straitjacket on our ability to be "authentic". How am I supposed to really worship God if I'm just doing all the things God said to do, and not doing the things He didn't say to do? Where's the outlet for creativity? 

All of this drove me back to God's word, and in particular one of the most interesting places in the Old Testament: Exodus. In the book of Exodus, when you get to the Mount Sinai sections, God gives His people His law through Moses. The law encompasses all sorts of different things, but one thing it deals with is worship. Much of the last portions of Exodus are all about the tabernacle: how it is to be constructed and how worship is to take place within it. At the end of Exodus 35, God gives instruction on who will oversee the tabernacle construction:

30 And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, 32 to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, 33 in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.

34 “And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.

There are Isrealites whom God has specifically gifted, filling them with the Holy Spirit, to make all types of workmanship. These are God's artists, equipped with skill to create beauty which glorifies God. If there was ever a group of people we would want to let run wild with artistic license, it would be these guys! But God doesn't seem inclined to do that. Instead, the very next chapter starts off like this, "And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the LORD has commanded."

In other words, the creativity of these artists isn't expressed like most children play with Legos: "Here's all the pieces, let's see what you come up with!" Rather than that, it's more like putting together models, with detailed instructions telling the creator exactly what to do with all these pieces. 

I think to many in the modern evangelical world, this sounds like God is stifling the creativity of these artisans! They are to paint, but it's a paint-by-numbers kit God has given them. Where's the excitement in that? There are many areas of life that God leaves us to discover, working by the general principles of His word. But when it comes to worship, the stakes are far too high. To come before a holy, holy, holy God in our own fashion or preference always ends in disaster for the worshiper. 

Think of it using the analogy of the fire and a fireplace. There are two ways for that setup to go wrong: you can have a well-constructed fireplace, but a poor fire, barely smoldering. This is sadly where I think many Reformed congregations find themselves. But the other way this can go wrong is to have an inferno of fire, but uncontrolled by the fireplace. The fire's burning great, it's also burning the house down! I sincerely believe this is where most modern evangelicals fall off: all passion, no direction; good intentions, heartfelt expression, but not focused and regulated by God's own word. 

The best thing is always to do what God says. Simple obedience to what He has told us to do is ALWAYS better than the most elaborate, beautiful service we come up with apart from His command. "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice." (1 Samuel 15:22)

So, if we circled back to our original question, "Does God want us to be creative in worship?" I think the answer is a resounding yes! But God wants our creativity to be honed in and focused by the boundaries of His word. If our creativity and passion in worship is like that fire, God wants it red hot! But He wants the fire in the fireplace of His commands. That is why I love the regulative principle! It enables us to burn hot in praise and zeal and to know that our fire is actually accomplishing what we want: the sincere worship and glorifying of our great God!

Let the Little Ones Go!

 It's one of those moments they never train you for in seminary: you're preaching hard, really getting into the text, flourishing the sword of God's word with all your pastoral might!...and then little Johnny decides it's time to start competing with you using all the noises he can muster, great and small. Heads start turning. Focus is lost. You quickly try to regain control of the congregation's attention, but it takes a few moments for everyone to reset. We wait for mom to take Johnny out of the service until he can learn to stop making any noise. After all, the church service, above everything else, should be calm, clean, and serene. Right?

It is this attitude that leads many churches to shuffle the children out of worship for some time in the service, usually during the sermon, if not the entire time. On some level, I think we all get it. Moms and dads need breaks. Kids are going to struggle to just sit still through the service, never mind actually understanding the points of the sermon! Surely it's just better for everyone if junior goes somewhere where a trained teacher can give him something more digestible. And mom and dad can not only catch a break, but actually pay attention to the service and benefit from the preaching.

Let me be clear that I am not universally opposed to these practices. Some churches do them very well, in a way where children at a young age are being trained to participate ASAP in the worship service from start to finish. Many churches just do this for the youngest children in their midst and keep youth in the service as much as possible. All this can be God-honoring and it is not my desire to throw shade at anyone else's practice. 

It was in my Bible reading today that I was especially struck by this issue. Specifically, I am reading through the Old Testament this year and am in the first half of Exodus. As Moses and Aaron are interacting with the Pharaoh this exchange occurs: 

"So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, 'Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?' And Moses said, 'We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.' Then he said to them, 'The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. Not so! God now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired.'" (Exodus 10:8-10)

Moses is adamant that Israel must go and worship the Lord God away from the Egyptians. And when asked specifically about who would go to this feast of Yahweh, he says, "Everyone! Young and old, sons and daughters." He even says that all these must go, "for we must hold a feast to the LORD." A feast to God, with sacrifices offered in worship and then shared in the celebration meal, must have everyone involved. It's not enough that the men of Israel be free to go, the little ones must come, too! 

Every congregation must decide for itself how it's going to approach the inclusion of children. I am not going to sit here and say that the issue is 100% black-and-white. I don't know where we got the impression that church was supposed to be a silent, serene affair; I don't see it in the Bible! But I can say honestly that those moments like I described at the start, those little voices bursting out in the service, give me a lot of joy as a preacher. Little voices remind us that worship is a feast to the LORD! And whoever heard of a silent feast? 

Does junior understand everything in the sermon? Of course not. But if he doesn't understand anything, I would say the answer is for us to be better preachers, not to send him packing! I'm reminded of a quote from Martin Luther that I'll paraphrase, in which he described how he aimed his preaching at the little ones in his church, not the doctors and professors. If he aimed at the children, the old men would get something, too. And if the doctors and professors believed such preaching wasn't sophisticated enough, he'd point them to the door!

God told Pharaoh, "Let My people go." Not just the men. Not just the adults. All the people. So let the little ones go, too! Or, as Jesus put it so well, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14)

A Renewed Call to Thanksgiving

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. 
Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever.

Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever.
And rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever.
Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-3, 23-26)

If you're like me, 2020 has been a crazy year, filled with lots of reasons to be unhappy and bitter. But that spirit comes from forgetting what is most important, which, despite what every Hallmark movie has told you, is not family, community, or small-town living. The most important things to remember, and the reason I will be giving thanks this year with vigor, is because God has not changed. He is still more than worth thanking and praising! That's the lesson we see in Psalm 136. 

Psalm 136 is one of those psalms that totally upends any complaints about the repetitive nature of contemporary worship songs. It is a 26-verse psalm with each verse consisting of two lines. The first line is different, but the second line is the same repetition in each verse: "For His mercy endures forever." It is a psalm that calls on Israel, God's people, to give thanks to God for His greatness. God is praised for His creation (v.4-9), for delivering Israel from her enemies (v.10-22), and for raising her out of a low estate (v.23-26). An overview of God's great works is rehashed and all Israel is meant to respond with gratitude. But the most important that Israel must remember, and the chief reason for them to give thanks to the Lord, is that His mercy endures forever. His steadfast, covenant love, in fulfillment of all His covenant promises, remains the same. 

This is good news for the end of our 2020, friends! God's love for His people has not diminished, changed, or wavered. His mercy still endures and will endure forever. Our Creator is also our Redeemer and Friend. He has saved us, He is saving us, and He will save us. Whether you and your family are able to gather this year, or not; whether your holiday traditions are all kept up, or not; whatever the situation, this one thing remains constant: God is good and His mercy endures forever. Give Him thanks in all things and enjoy the blessings and the trials that He has sent you this year!

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 17.1-3 "Of the Perseverance of the Saints"

Westminster Confession of Faith 17.1-3

1. They, whom God hath accepted in His beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.

2. This perseverance of the saints depends, not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father; upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ; the abiding of the Spirit and of the seed of God within them; and the nature of the covenant of grace; from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof. 

3. Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalancy of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their perseverance, fall into grievous sins; and for a time continue therein: whereby they incur God's displeasure, and grieve His Holy Spirit; come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts, have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others, and bring temporal judgments upon themselves. 

Summary

Can a Christian lose their salvation? That is one of the most debated questions in the history of theology. We certainly know that apostasy, falling away from the faith, is a reality in our world. We all know stories of people who profess faith in Jesus, or grow up in the church as apparently faithful covenant children, and then 20 years down the road, they are painting their hair purple, living in open rebellion against God, and treating the church as just another embarrassing step in the process of "progressing" on into true maturity and enlightened living.

The question before us is whether that person ever had a saving relationship with God, or not. Did they have something real and really lose it? Or did they never have the real thing and only lose the appearance of it, the sham covering?

The Confession echoes the Bible's teaching when it declares that, "They, whom God hath accepted in His beloved, effectually called and sanctified by His Spirit, can neither totally nor finally away from the state of grace." If God has set His hand on a human soul to save them, then they assuredly must be saved. The basis for that truth is that God is the one doing the saving; not the sinner. Two important words come up in relation to this truth: monergism and synergism. Monergism is the reality that salvation is all a work of God. Synergism is the mistaken belief that the sinner must work with God in order to reach salvation. If we were in any way required to contribute to our salvation, we would surely make a mess of it and our perseverance would be thrown into the ether. But because salvation is of the Lord, not of us, we can rest assured that the saints will persevere all the way to eternal life, no matter how much they may struggle on the way there. 

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Walking Through Westminster, WCF 16.5-7 "Of Good Works" Pt. 2

Westminster Confession of Faith 16.5-7

V. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great disproportion that is between them and the glory to come; and the infinite distance that is between us and God, whom, by them, we can neither profit, nor satisfy for the debt of our former sins, but when we have done all we can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable servants: and because, as they are good, they proceed from his Spirit, and as they are wrought by us, they are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment.

VI. Notwithstanding, the persons of believers being accepted through Christ, their good works also are accepted in Him; not as though they were in this life wholly unblamable and unreproveable in God's sight; but that He, looking upon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with many weaknesses and imperfections.

VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands; and of good use both to themselves and others: yet, because they proceed not from an heart purified by faith; nor are done in a right manner, according to the Word; nor to a right end, the glory of God, they are therefore sinful and cannot please God, or make a man meet to receive grace from God: and yet, their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God.

Summary

There's a great standup bit by comedian Norm MacDonald in which he makes the basic point that everyone is a hypocrite. After a great few minute introduction on the topic of hypocrisy and how we don't like it, he delivers a great line about all of us being rightly lumped into that camp. "Can you imagine," he asks, "having a little kid there, 7 or 8 years old, sitting them down...and telling them who you really are? Like, 'Hey, Billy, let me tell you all the evil (stuff) I've ever done.' That doesn't seem like a good idea."  

Essentially, we are all hypocrites on some level or another, because we are full of evil, but don't want anyone else to really know it. The problem we run into is that, while we can hide our evil from each other, God sees right through our hypocritical guise. He knows everything about how evil we really are. That's why the Confession echoes the Biblical teaching that we can never, by our own attempts at goodness, earn heaven. The distance between our sin and God's goodness is so vast that we can never cross it. Even when we have done everything commanded of us (which, if we are honest we never even come close to), Jesus still taught us that we were "unprofitable servants". Even if we did everything God told us to do, we still wouldn't have Him in our debt. He wouldn't owe us anything. Children growing up are often required to do chores (or they should be). When a child has done his chores, he has no right to go to his mother and demand payment. He was only doing what was expected of him. It is the same with God. 

This doesn't mean that God doesn't care about our good work: He does. If you are in Christ, then not only has God accepted you, but He accepts the good works you do, as done in Christ. Christ takes your imperfect good works and purifies them with His own blood so that the Father finds them wholly acceptable and pleasing. But they are only pleasing through Christ, not through you. 

The question then becomes: can unbelievers do "good works"? The Confession in section 7 echoes what Scripture teaches: good works can only be truly done by faith (Heb 11:6). As the unbeliever, by definition, does not have faith, none of their works can truly be called "good" the way that God defines it. This does not mean that their works are not helpful. It is better to live in a society where even unbelievers try not to harm their neighbor. It is better to live in a world where people try to help each other; where even unbelievers strive to live by God's 10 Commandments. However, because their works do not come from a heart that is born-again, thankful to God, and seeking to please God through faith, their works cannot be "good" in the sense that God requires. Yet, the Confession teaches (again, echoing Scripture) that it is still more sinful for the wicked to neglect good works. In other words, it is better that all men do works that are outwardly good; souls who reject God's Law because they don't believe in Him anyway are only making things worse for themselves on Judgment Day, not better. 

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 16.1-4 "Of Good Works" Pt. 1

Westminster Confession of Faith 16.1-4

I. Good works are only such as God has commanded in his holy Word, and not such as, without the warrant thereof, are devised by men, out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intention.

II. These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers manifest their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the Gospel, stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life.

III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ. And that they may be enabled thereunto, beside the graces they have already received, there is required an actual influence of the same Holy Spirit, to work in them to will, and to do, of his good pleasure: yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit; but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them.

IV. They who, in their obedience, attain to the greatest height which is possibly in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, as that they fall short of much which in duty they are bound to do.

Summary

What is it that makes something good? We are often tempted to think that our own positive imaginings, ideas, or feelings about a thing make it "good". We like a particular person and so we call him a "good man". We like a particular idea and so we call it a "good idea". But the Scripture teaches, and the confession summarizes this truth, that the only thing that makes something good or not is what God says about it. God is all-goodness, there is no spot in Him of evil or wrongdoing. So, when He says that a thing is "good", it must be, of necessity. And anything that He declares "not good" is not good, of necessity. 

Based on this, when we come to the question of what makes a work good, the confession teaches that only thing that makes a work good is what God has said about it. Only if God has commanded it in His holy Word is a work defined as "good". We, in our unending efforts to justify ourselves, want our works to become good based on our own zeal or good intentions. This is what leads certain religious sects towards self-flagellation, extreme ascetism, or unneeded suffering. But God never called any of these things "good", and so we cannot call them good works. Many people today may proclaim the goodness of veganism, teetotalling, grain-free diets, childlessness, etc. But they are either self-deceived, or willingly imposing a standard on themselves and others that God has not set. 

Paul saw this in the church in Colosse. He said to them, "you subject yourselves to regulations -- 'Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,' which all concern things which perish with the using...these things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." (Col 2:20-23) Good works are those that God says are good, and no others. 

Only the believer is truly capable of doing good works. While unbelievers may have the appearance of good works, they do not come from a living soul, freed from sin. Sin corrupts the human soul to the core so that no one living apart from Christ can truly do anything good. Yet, believers adorn their faith in Christ with their good works. The good works of the Christian are what stops the mouths of their enemies. The Spirit gives believers the ability to do good works, and continually produces goodness in them as the fruit of His work in their souls. 

When the confession speaks of works that "supererogate", it is speaking of the idea that we could ever meet and go beyond God's standards. Even if we did everything that God commanded of us, Jesus still said that the proper response was to say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do." (Luke 17:10) Even when we have done all that is commanded of us, we have not profited God anything. God has not gained anything when we have only done what we were obligated to do. A child may occasionally be rewarded for good behavior, but that reward is a grace. A child ought to obey their parents simply because of their authority. In the same manner, God expects us to obey Him. He may reward us for our obedience, but that is a grace and we can never surpass His commandments to the point where He is indebted to us for anything. 

God is good. He tells us what is good. His Spirit enables us to do good through faith in Christ. And He is good to graciously reward even the smallest motions of faith and obedience. He loves His children, and He loves even the most childlike acts of godliness.

+ Blessings in Christ +

Walking Through Westminster, WCF 15.1-6 "Of Repentance unto Life"

Westminster Confession of Faith 15.1-6

I. Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the Gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ.

II. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments.

III. Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God's free grace in Christ, yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it. 

IV. As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent.

V. Men ought not to content themselves with general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.

VI. As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof; upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy; so he that scandelizeth his brother, or the Church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended; who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.

Summary

Repentance is a grace of God. It is a gift. What does it mean? The Westminster Divines were a little wordy in section 2, but the gist of repentance is that it is a turning. In repentance, a sinner turns from his sins, and turns to God. Repentance is not true repentance if only done out of a sense and sight of the danger of sin, but also the filthiness and odiousness of sin. In other words, repentance isn't legitimate if you are only scared of hell. True repentance means turning from sin, not just to escape punishment, but because you actually see sin for its true ugliness and are rightly repelled away from it. It's like when a kid gets caught doing something wrong and says "Sorry", and his mom asks, "Are you sorry for what you've done, or are you sorry you got caught?" Repentance is not legitimate if it is only done because you "got caught", but it must be done because you see sin as being truly evil, ugly, and revolting. 

Nathaniel rebukes King David for his sins. David responded with true repentance, seen in Psalm 51.

Repentance also requires true apprehension of God's mercy in Christ. In order to properly repent, you must know that God forgives the penitent. True repentance is not done in fear that God will not forgive you, but in knowing that God will forgive all who come to Him in repentance. Repentance also requires a purposing and endeavoring to walk with God in all His commandments. In other words, if you know that you intend to go right back to your sins, then don't waste your breath repenting for them. True repentance does not require perfect obedience to follow, as perfect obedience has to be provided to you by Christ, but it does require faithful obedience to follow. Those who declare repentance with their mouths, but do not intend to change their ways, are not truly repentant, and do not have God's forgiveness. 

Repentance doesn't earn God's mercy, in the same way that faith doesn't earn justification. But repentance, like faith, is the channel, the instrument whereby we lay hold on something. We use faith to grasp justification. We use repentance to lay hold on God's mercies. And, because God's mercies are deep, wide, and strong, we know that no sin is "unrepentable". The only unforgivable sin, according to Matthew 12:31, is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. If you look at the context of that passage it becomes clear that what this means is a person sees the works of God through the Holy Spirit, but they attribute it to demonic activity. In other words, they see what God is doing, but refuse to repent. The unforgivable sin is portrayed in Revelation 9:20-21, "And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts."

True repentance is radical, life-changing. It means not just admitting that we are sinners, but being real with ourselves and others about the specific ways we sin. One way that we often try to skirt repentance is a cheap, general acknowledgment of our fallen nature. "Of course I make mistakes. Nobody's perfect," we might tell ourselves, or others. But true repentance doesn't just see and acknowledge sin as a general state of affairs; it sees and acknowledges the specific ways that we sin against God and others, and it specifically repents from and hates those sins. We never sin against God and others in vague generalities; we always sin against them in specific ways. We must repent for those specific sins, not simply the fallen state of being a sinner. 

+ Blessings in Christ +