 Thank you, brothers. Thank you for praying. Good evening. Welcome back, everybody. Glad you're here. Turn with me to Colossians chapter three. Colossians chapter three. Last week, if you were with us on the Lord's Day evening service, we began discussing the regulative principle of worship. And so we had a very brief 30,000 foot overview, if you will, of that particular principle. And tonight we're going to flesh that out a bit more and then use a particular application of singing in Lord's church as an example. And so we'll look at that this evening more on the regulative principle and the regulative principle applied to music in our worship. We're going to do that from our text, Colossians chapter three and beginning in verse 12. In title of our sermon this evening, Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, the regulative principle in music in our worship. Colossians chapter three verses 12 through 17. So hear the word of God with me. Verse 12, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. This is the word of God, amen. Let's pray. Father in heaven, I'm very grateful to you Lord for blessing the privilege of coming back together as your people and considering your word together. And in particular this very needful and important subject concerning the regulative principle of worship. And I pray that we would be humble, have humble receptive hearts that we would receive with meekness the implanted word that we would understand what your word says about this very vital subject and that we would worship you as you've called us to worship you in spirit and in truth for your glory. Please Lord protect us from worldly philosophy and empty worldly wisdom that influences and corrupts the worship of many professing churches in our day today and help us Lord to be careful and faithful in regulating our worship according to your word and knowing that when we do that, we are worshiping you in the way that you have ordained that you should be worshiped. And we have great confidence in that Lord. That's the way that we want to worship you. You are worthy of our worship. We want to hollow you in our eyes. As we draw near, we want to consider you as you've called us to consider you as holy and gives us great joy to be able to worship you. Great joy in the Lord Jesus Christ that as former sinners, blasphemers, insolent, proud, arrogant, wayward, selfish human beings, redeemed by the blood of the lamb, we now have access to worship the living God and by your spirit, I pray Lord that it would be spirit wrought, spirit filled, truth informed worship. We pray this for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake of your name and his name we pray, amen. Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, the title of our sermon this evening from Colossians chapter three, be an example text that we'll reference here at the end of our sermon, but this sermon dealing with the regulative principle and in particular as an example, music in our worship. So last Lord's day, if you were with us last Sunday evening, we had the privilege of considering an introduction, a brief introduction to the regulative principle of worship. The regulative principle of worship is best summarized, I think by the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, where in chapter 22, article one, our confession states, the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself. I think that's a staggeringly important phrase to lay hold of. The acceptable way of worshiping God is instituted by himself and then so limited by his own revealed will that he may not be worshiped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed in the holy scriptures. In other words, the only worship that is acceptable to God is that worship of God we find commanded or commended in scripture. It's called the regulative principle of worship. That which is not explicitly commanded by precept or commended by example is implicitly condemned in our worship. I mean, it's very, very important for us to understand this principle. That regulative principle of worship then is to be distinguished from what some have called a normative principle of worship. That normative principle asserting that if it's not expressly forbidden in scripture, then it's acceptable in our worship. And that opens up the worship of God to the imaginations and devices of sinful men. And as we saw last week, if that freedom is left to us, then all we can do is go astray and we don't wanna go astray in the worship of the living God. So then in consideration of this principle last week, we unpack the Lord's conversation with the woman at the well from John chapter four and first discussed the basis for the regulative principle of worship. That the proper and acceptable worship of God is grounded in and is to be founded upon those new covenant realities ushered in by the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ revealed those new covenant realities revealed through the New Testament scriptures. So our worship is to be regulated by the New Covenant, by the New Testament scriptures. We're not to regulate our worship then based upon the types and shadows of Old Testament forms and ceremonies and rituals and circumstances. Then having revealed the basis for the regulative principle of worship, John four helped to explain the purpose or the aim of the regulative principle. Verse 23, the hour is coming and now is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father is seeking such to worship him. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. So God is seeking worshipers. God is seeking worshipers and God is to be worshiped in the way that God has prescribed that he should be worshiped and that includes first worship in spirit. In other words, worship from a principle of life rather than through dead or heartless forms and rituals and types and shadows. Worship is not merely meant to be honoring him with our lips, but worship is to be from hearts that are near to him. Worship in spirit and worship in truth, worship that is informed by and in accord with the revealed will of God. All that makes perfect sense to us, doesn't it? It makes sense. It would seem unthinkable that anyone would actually object to that principle or find that principle objectionable. And besides, we would think, wouldn't we? Isn't all of life to be regulated by the scriptures? Isn't all of our life to be regulated by God's word? In the text that we briefly referenced this morning, Romans chapter 12, verse one, Paul says, "'Therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, "'present your bodies a living sacrifice, "'holy and acceptable to God, "'which is your reasonable letreia, your reasonable worship.'" Our varied lives are to be submitted to and regulated by the word of God. Besides, someone might say, you might hear someone say, there's to be no distinction between the secular and the sacred. You've heard that before, haven't you? There'd be no distinction between the secular and the sacred. You can't divide secular from sacred. Well, that statement isn't true. Is it? It may sound nice. And I understand the meaning or the intent behind that statement. When usually when somebody uses that statement, you can't divide the secular from the sacred. They're generally talking about vocation, what we do at work. When you go to work, you are to serve the Lord Jesus Christ on your job in the same way that when I go to work, I'm to serve the Lord Jesus Christ on my job. You see? In that sense, there may be no distinction between secular and sacred. But listen, the Bible all over the place makes a distinction between secular and sacred, right? Moses, come up here and see me. And when you stand on this ground, take your shoes off because this ground is holy. You see? That was the whole construction of the temple was to make a distinction between that which is common and that which is consecrated. That which is secular, so to speak. That which was sacred. We find examples of this principle all over the Bible. Good illustration of this very principle. And frankly, the regulative principle of worship at work is given to us in the Old Testament record of Nadav and Avihu. You remember that story from Leviticus chapter 10. I think with me for a moment, God had given explicit commands for how he was to be worshiped. God has been explaining in meticulous detail how they are to worship him. Nadav and Avihu didn't violate an explicit command of God concerning his worship. They didn't fail to do something in worship that God had commanded or commended. What did they do that got them in more than hot water? Nadav and Avihu went beyond the word of God and offered worship in a way, Leviticus chapter 10 verse one, which he had not commanded them. They went beyond the word of God in bringing worship to God. The Bible calls it profane. They offered profane fire. And in verse two, fire went out from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord. God takes his worship very seriously, very seriously. We're not to go beyond God's word in our worship of God. And Nadav and Avihu are examples of that in the Old Testament. God stated the lesson for them in verse three of Leviticus 10 there, when he said, by those who come near to me, I must be regarded as holy. And before all the people, I must be glorified. So to regard God as holy and before all the people to glorify him means to worship God in the specific and explicit way in which God has directed to worship the Lord in a way that is acceptable. Genesis chapter four, for example, Cain's offering was not offered in a way that was acceptable to God. It wasn't offered in an acceptable form. In Exodus chapter 20, the first two commandments in the law give positive precepts related to God's worship. Exodus chapter 20, the incident with the golden calf teaches us that we may not worship God according to our own preferences or introduce foreign elements. Exodus chapter 25, the constant refrain regarding the worship of God and establishing worship among the people was that everything must be done according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain, God essentially telling Moses everything you're gonna do, everything that is to be done must be done according to the pattern that I show you, right? The pattern that I showed you on the mountain. First Samuel chapter 15, Saul decides to worship God in his own way without waiting on Samuel. So Saul took it upon himself to offer sacrifice and the kingdom is ripped from Saul and God reminds him to obey is better than sacrifice. Saul, you can imagine, right? Many people today, many people worship God in some misinformed, uninformed sense of zeal and because they believe that they're worshiping God with zeal that somehow that zeal makes that worship acceptable to God. God says no. To obey is better than sacrifice. You may think that you're offering the sacrifice of a heart for God or zeal for God or worship to God. God says to obey is better than sacrifice. The Lord himself rebukes the Pharisees for hypocritical worship that is according to the tradition of the elders. Paul rebukes self-made religion or will worship in Colossians chapter two verse 23. All of these are examples in scripture, just a few of many where God in particular, God regulates his worship. Of course there is a distinction between secular and sacred when it comes to our worship of God. So let me ask you then, considering this principle, is it sinful to participate in a drama club? Not necessarily, it may be, it depends, but not necessarily, it's not inherently sinful to participate in a drama club. But does that make it acceptable then to include drama in the worship services of the church? Why or why not? We'll talk about that. Is it sinful to listen to quote unquote secular music? Not necessarily, it may be. And I would say that, boy some of the music today and I'm sure I've not heard a fraction of it is abhorrently, abominably sinful. I can't think of enough adjectives to talk about how wickedly, disgustingly, deplorably, devastatingly sinful it is. But secular music in and of itself may not be sinful. But does that mean, does that mean then that it's acceptable to include secular quote unquote secular music in the quote unquote sacred assembly of God's people as they worship the Lord? No, no. The Bible makes strong distinctions between worship and the rest of life. The Bible makes strong distinctions between the corporate congregational worship, the assembly of the saints in the worship of God and the rest of life. And if you don't make that biblically informed distinction, then you go astray. And worship is corrupted. You end up then on a spectrum of error between two extremes, a spectrum of error between two extremes. Headed in one direction on that spectrum, someone thinks to themselves, well, anything goes. Anything goes. There's no distinction between secular and sacred. And for example, it's okay. If it's okay for a Christian to do in life, then it's acceptable in the church. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be. And then what you get is a very corrupt and very perverse culture that begins to flood into the worship of the church. And brothers and sisters, that's what we see all over the place today. This wicked and perverse culture has been allowed by many professing so-called churches that don't understand this principle. It's been allowed to flood into the church and corrupt the worship of God. You end up licentious in your worship, lawless, antinomian, and it is an abomination to God, unacceptable to God. Headed in the other direction on the spectrum, someone may think to themselves, well, if it's not acceptable in the church, then it can't be acceptable anywhere. And so you fall into legalism. Hymns sung by the corporate gathered assembly on a Sunday morning. And then if it's not acceptable in the church, it's not acceptable anywhere. You see the spectrum and then any amount of error between the two on that spectrum, the Lord makes a very clear distinction and so must we. So in thinking about that now, that informs again our understanding of the regulative principle of worship. How does then the regulative principle apply? In the time we have remaining, I wanna give you a way in which we should apply the regulative principle and the way to think about it. And then I wanna give you an example of the regulative principle applied, namely in the music employed in the worship of the Lord's church. So first then, consider with me a framework by which we may faithfully apply this principle. This framework I pray will be helpful to you. When we think about applying the regulative principle of worship, it's a great help to think in terms of elements, forms, and circumstances. Elements, forms, and circumstances. Elements are those parts of worship that are commanded by God. They're commanded by God. Forms concern the content of those elements and in circumstances deal with the way in which we employ those elements. Elements, forms, and circumstances. The first concern in the application of the regulative principle of worship is the prescription of the elements of our worship. These are the elements or the parts of our worship that are necessary to that worship which is commanded or commended by God's word. And a good explanation of these elements, again, found in the London Baptist Confession of Faith, chapter 22, article five now. Listen, the reading of the scriptures, preaching and hearing the word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord as also the administration of baptism and the Lord's supper are all parts or elements you could say of religious worship of God to be performed in obedience to him with understanding, faith, reverence, and godly fear. Moreover, here's the heart with which we approach him in worship, solemn humiliation with fastings and thanksgivings upon special occasions ought to be used in a holy and religious manner. So what are those elements then prescribed by the scriptures that are here summarized by the confession of faith? One, the public reading of scriptures. Now you can write these texts down. I wanna give them to you. You can go in your own time. Take a look at these texts. These are representative texts where these required or commanded elements of worship are found. Public reading of scriptures from 1st Timothy, chapter four, verse 13. The preaching of God's word, 2nd Timothy, chapter four, verse two. The careful hearing of the word of God, Luke eight, verse 18. The singing of Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Colossians, chapter three, verse 16. The ordinances of the church, including baptism, Matthew, chapter 28, verse 19, and the Lord's supper. First Corinthians, chapter 11, verse 26. The giving of tithes and offerings. First Corinthians, chapter 16, verses one and two. Corporate prayer, intercession, giving of thanks. 1st Timothy, chapter two, verse one. And we take warrant for an evangelism report from Acts, chapter 14, verse 27. All the elements of our worship are commanded by God through precept or commended by example in the word of God. That's where those elements come from, right? They're commanded by precept or commended by example in the word of God. So then, by way of application, if we think about just the elements then of our worship, do we see plays, skits, or drama as elements of worship? No, it really becomes dramatically clear, doesn't it, at that point? Right, really clear, dramatically clear. I like that little play on words. That was accidental. No, we don't see plays or skits or drama as elements commanded or commended in scripture. No, right? So then, according to the regular principle of worship, any use of such things is implicitly condemned in our worship, why? Because God himself has not prescribed them. And if you add that to worship, you're making the very same mistake, that very costly mistake, that not of an avi who made, right? We are not to worship according to the imaginations or devices of men. Our worship is to be informed by the word of God. Do we see warrant anywhere in the Bible for interpretive dance? No. I don't see warrant for it in the Bible. Frankly, I personally think it's weird. So no, no, no. Interpretive dance is not instituted by God himself in his revealed word. Well, didn't David dance naked before the Lord? Yes, as they were transporting the ark of the covenant up a dirt road into Jerusalem, not during a worship service in the temple. So I tell you what, next time we have a parade bringing the ark up, you can dance naked to your heart's desire. No, no, no, no. What about any other? Listen, what about any other individual performance art? Any other, right? It becomes really clear. Like singing a solo, let's be honest with the text of scripture now. What about singing a solo? What about playing an instrument, a solo instrumental piece of music, performance art? Do we have any warrant from the Bible for solo performance art in the assembled, gathered, corporate worship of God's people? Do you see that anywhere in the Bible? No, not commanded or commended by example. It's just not there. There's simply no warrant for it in the Bible. The singing that takes place is corporate, and it's for the mutual edification of one another. That's Colossians chapter three we'll look at in a moment. So can you see then how, on one sense, intensely practical this is, and how, in another sense, how really clear, really clear and straightforward this is. Only those elements prescribed by God's word may be used in God's worship. Those are elements. What about forms then? Elements and then forms. Forms deals with the content of those elements. The form that the element takes. In other words, what passage are you reading? The element is the public reading of scripture. The form is what passage you're reading. What hymn are you singing? We're to sing to one another in songs, hymns and spiritual songs. What particular hymn are you going to sing this Lord's day? That's a form of the element. Do you see the connection? Right. The required element, for example, is the preaching of God's word. The form that that has taken for us on Sunday mornings is, for example, an exposition of Romans. The required element of worship is the corporate singing of Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. The form that that element takes will be the specific hymns that we've determined to sing on any given Lord's day. Are we allowed, even these forms, have to be regulated by God's word? Do they not? Elements, forms, circumstances must all be regulated by God's word. Are we allowed to sing hymns that contain bad theology? No. Are we allowed to sing hymns that speak a lie about who God is and what God does? No. We have no warrant in scripture to do that. Can I preach politics? No. No. Why? Because forms are regulated by God's word. Forms are regulated by God's word. The required element is the Lord's supper. Think with me. The form that that element takes is the passing of bread and the fruit of the vine. What's gotta be wine? They drank wine. They also didn't have refrigeration. What happens to the fruit of the vine when it's not refrigerated at ferment? Are we really gonna debate on the degree of fermentation that is required for those grapes as the form that the element must take? If you think so, if you think that we have to debate the degree of fermentation, in order for that form to be acceptable, then you and the Pharisees can figure that out. We're gonna be concentrating on what that type points to in the Lord's supper, what it's meant to point to, it is a type, okay? Elements and their forms. The final category by which we apply the regulative principle is circumstances. Circumstances are concerned with the way in which we employ those elements and forms. The way in which we employ elements and forms. Not a part of the worship itself. Circumstances are not the what of worship. Circumstances are the when, where, why, and how of worship, okay? Let me give you an example. The element is the public reading of scripture or the preaching of God's word. The form that that may take is Psalm 145. The circumstance may be the call to worship on Lord's Day services Sunday morning, 10 a.m., 3370 Snow Hill Road, you see? Forms, elements, forms, circumstances. All three of those, elements, forms, and circumstances are to be regulated by the word of God. But notice, notice with me. As we move from elements to forms to circumstances, there is less that is explicitly commanded or commended by scripture, and therefore, more liberty, if you will, in our decision-making. Follow me along with that now. As we move from elements to forms to circumstances, the less that we find in scripture explicitly commanded or commended, and the more liberty that may arise in our decision-making. For example, the required element is preaching. The required form is the word of God. But then we have the freedom, don't we, to choose the next topic or text? We have the freedom to do that. Now, is that just wildly, am I just, no. We don't have the freedom to do that. Everything should be done with wisdom. I gotta lost my place in the Bible now. Everything should be done with wisdom. Everything should be done decently and in order, so we're just not given wild liberty there. It's to be regulated by the word of God, but we do have more freedom than it comes to picking what we're gonna do, or, for example, how long we're going to preach. As long as that freedom is governed by faith, by wisdom, by love, for example, everything done decently and in order, that comes from 1 Corinthians chapter 14, verse 40. Circumstance, for example, would extend to how many hymns that we sing. Circumstance would extend to the order of our service. We don't find a prescribed or commanded liturgy in the New Testament, so circumstance applies to our liturgy. Circumstance would involve or extend to how often we observe the Lord's Supper. The Lord Jesus Christ says as often as you do it. Do this in remembrance of me. There's no prescription for exactly how often that should be. Circumstance, but that's to be done with wisdom, right? There are reasons why you should be very intentional, very intentional about how often you observe the Lord's Supper. Circumstance would also include the use of instruments. What we mean by that in terms of circumstance is that instruments may be used, we believe under the regular principle, to aid or assist the singing of God's people, to aid or assist our corporate singing. Our concern should be that these circumstances in wisdom, in faith, and in love, aid our worship and not obscure, replace, supplant, or hinder our worship, right? That's the purpose of circumstances. For example, circumstance would be that we meet at 10 a.m. on the Lord's Day Sunday morning to worship. And it would be unwise, unwise for us to meet at 10 p.m. on the Lord's Day to worship. It would be against the command of scripture if we met on any other day at 10 a.m. Do you see how these fit together, right? Some things we have liberty with, some things we do not. So, in thinking about that then, elements, forms, and circumstances, let's apply this principle to music, music associated with our worship. Songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. First, singing and specifically congregational singing or corporate singing is an element of worship. An element of worship. Singing and worship is certainly a vital element in worship, very important, a required element, a commanded element, but singing isn't the main element, is it? We gotta be careful about how we prioritize these things. Many people today, when they look for a church, the very most important thing, the priority that they look for is the music, right? I'm going to this church for the music, for the entertainment value, if you will. And the most important factor for them is the music. And you see that in the way that the services are ordered, such in many churches today. There's an hour of singing, an hour of music, all kinds of hype, a lot of money spent on that production, and then 15 minutes of preaching, focused on a topic where the Bible's hardly even opened, and even sometimes that preaching has piano accompaniment. Have you ever been to a church that does that? Where half of what the preacher says behind the pulpit is sung, or has backup? No, it's, yeah, ungodly. Music is simply not the most important factor. It's not the most important element. You can count on eight fingers the number of texts in the New Testament that deal with our corporate singing, right? The most vital part of our worship from the New Testament is obviously the preaching of God's word, preaching of God's word. Paul makes that point in 1 Corinthians, chapter 14. The priority in Corinth wasn't to be tongues, or singing, or prophecy. Paul says, in the church, I would rather speak five words with my understanding that I may teach others also than 10,000 words in a tongue. What Paul is saying there is that the preaching of God's word has priority. So singing, singing though, is a required element in the Lord's church, but we have to put singing in its proper place, its proper perspective, its proper priority. Second then, when we consider singing as an element, congregational singing, consider the form then that that singing should take. One should be congregational. Teaching and admonishing one another. There should be between the members of the congregation, the assembled saints, a corporate nature to our singing, such that while we sing, we are teaching and admonishing, encouraging and edifying one another with our singing, right? If you stood near me when I sing, you may think that it's not very edifying. It's not the quality of my voice that we're talking about, right? What are we talking about? We're talking about the theology, the words, what is communicated. In other words, not particularly the music, although music is a very important aspect, obviously, of singing. You really can't sing without music, right? But we're talking about the theology of those Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Very, very important. So it should be congregational, teaching and admonishing one another, secondly, it should be Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. Now let's think about the first. It should be congregational. It's an interesting thought that applies here. I want us to consider for a moment. If you think about Old Covenant or Old Testament Israel, their worship, think about Old Covenant worship for a moment. Who were those under the Old Covenant who were commissioned as the choir in the worship of Israel? Who was it that was commissioned as the choir or as the musicians in the worship of Old Testament Israel? Was the Levites, the priests. Now think with me for a moment. The priests, as part of their mediatorial priestly role or function the Levites or the priests were commissioned to sing and to play musical instruments. That doesn't mean that in the Old Testament that's all that we see singing, right? That we see the song of Moses, Miriam saying, we see the song of Deborah and Barak and Judges, right? But the ones given a specific function, a specific role of singing as a part of their priestly duties was the Levites. In other words, they were to go to God in worship on behalf of the people and sing praises to God. That's interesting, isn't it? They were to intercede in prayer for the people. They were to offer sacrifices for the people, offer sacrifice of praise for the people. Some were commissioned to do so in song. It was a mediatorial role, a mediatorial function. The priests, the Levites were the ones who were consecrated, set apart to that task. That priesthood then went away at the coming of our great high priest, amen, who made sacrifice of himself once for all for the sins of his people. And now today then, think with me, under the new covenant, who are the priests? We are the believers, living stones, built one upon another into a holy temple, right? To proclaim the praises of him who rescued us out of darkness. We are the priests. We are therefore the ones who sing. You see the connection between the two? It's interesting, isn't it? So we wouldn't then have an appointed praise band, or worship team to do that for us, right? It wouldn't be right to have someone else do that for us. We wouldn't have a choir or soloists to lift up their voices for us or on behalf of us. In the worship of God, we are to be the ones who with access to the Father through Jesus Christ, our Lord, lift our voices in praise to him in the midst of the assembly. Interesting connection there with Old Testament worship. We have to be careful about pressing these old covenant forms into new covenant worship. When, especially when once there was a veil, wasn't there that separated us from the most holy place? Veil separated us. Now, Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19, listen to this text from Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water and let us sing praises as a corporate body to his name. Not merely passively listening to the singing of others. Not passively appreciating the performance of others on behalf of the congregation, right? But the people of God actively singing the praises of God together. That doesn't negate the beauty of music in the worship of God that we can appreciate by listening to. What we're talking about here specifically is the corporate, gathered, assembled worship of God's people, right? We have to be careful in the way that that is ordered with respect to elements, forms, and circumstances. I've heard just absolutely beautiful. I have tons of songs, hymns on my phone downloaded to listen to. They're just absolutely beautiful, beautiful singing, beautiful choirs, beautiful music that is written and performed in praise and worship to God that would not be something that we would just simply listen to and appreciate during the worship, the corporate worship of God's people. First, the form of this element should be the corporate singing of God's people. Second, the form of this element should be Colossians 3 verse 16, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Third, the circumstances, the circumstances. With respect to the circumstances, the emphasis should be on singing and not on those circumstances which aid or assist in the singing. The emphasis should be on singing and not on musical instruments, right? There have been many over the years that in response really to what began with Rome, where in the music or the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, music began to be used as a manipulative tool. And in response to instruments or instrumental music used as a manipulative tool by that false church of Rome, the reformers revolted against all of that and many began to hold a position that there is no place for musical instruments that all in the New Testament and that all singing should be acapella, right? Charles Spurgeon was one who held to that view. You may see that in some of Spurgeon's writings. Instruments, however, can be an aid or can assist in the singing of God's people. It would be considered a circumstance, something that is circumstantial to the what of worship, which is the singing that aids or helps or assists us in our singing as long as that circumstance of instruments does not supplant or replace or hinder the singing of God's people. That's one of the reasons why many of you know that we've chosen piano only in our church. It says that that particular circumstance of assisting instruments does not overwhelm, supplant, replace or hinder the corporate singing of God's people. And we want you to hear the singing of God's people and we want to encourage all of God's people to sing. And one of the things that we quickly found out when we went to piano only is that that was cultivated and encouraged by that, reducing the circumstances that once may have formerly overwhelmed our worship, our singing, right? It's also why the piano is in the back. It's another example of circumstance in our worship. And that's wanting to distance or distinguish from any thought of performance art whatsoever in the worship of God, right? Also, another circumstance associated with our singing circumstance should be the joyful, exuberant, enthusiastic singing of God's people, the energetic singing of God's people and even singing with beauty and excellence is a circumstance that could accompany, should accompany the singing of God's people. All these things are circumstances that we can pursue, circumstances that we should consider. We want to have our singing again, regulated by the word of God but with wisdom, faith and love done with excellence before the Lord. The time of the Reformation, those things were used as manipulative tools. Don't you see the same exact problem today, right? In those churches where the regulative principle is not upheld and not only singing but music or performance art, even movie clips and drama are considered to be elements of worship and put in those positions then what does that freedom do among God's people or those who profess to be God's people? What are we gonna do as fallible men when we have that kind of freedom? Calvin says we go astray. It's exactly what happens today and you see music in particular used as such an abhorrent manipulative tool in the part of what I believe to be false churches and satanic deception. What happens, right? You get false churches, preaching a false gospel, Bethel, we could use for an example, right? We could use that as an example and so they're teaching false theology, a horrible, deplorable, false gospel, terrible theology, they're leading people astray. But what happens? The music is such a draw that the music draws them in and then they sit there influenced by false teaching, right? So even Satan disguising himself as an angel of light draws in the masses through music through the godless entertainment, culture-driven, corrupted music of this world, draws in people, draws in the masses through that means and then places them squarely under false theology, false teaching, a false gospel that is able to damn their souls, you see? And it comes through the music. When we bring in anything into our worship, that is not regulated by the word of God, either elements, forms or circumstances that are contrary to God's word, not commanded or commended by God's word, not informed by God's word, what we're saying is that scripture is not enough. If we apply sola scriptura, we are saying that scripture is sufficient. Scripture is sufficient to regulate our worship. If we try to bring in elements that are not expressly, explicitly commanded or commended in the Bible, we're saying scripture is not sufficient. The scripture is certainly sufficient. The word of God is sufficient to regulate his own worship. And when we do that, when we faithfully apply this principle, we are protecting you, us from binding our consciences to that which is not in the Bible. So when people come in to worship and they're worshiping the Lord here, we don't need to induce or influence people to worship God in a way that is not directly in accord with his revealed word. And we don't need to bind anyone's conscience to worship God in that way that is not expressly, explicitly laid down in God's word. And by introducing elements into our worship of God, elements into the corporate gathered assembly of God's people that aren't regulated or aren't found explicitly in God's word, we're binding someone's conscience to worship God in the way that we've prescribed. And that is not good for anyone. It's sinful and shameful. And we're leading people in that sinful practice. And brothers and sisters, there are many professing churches doing that today. We don't want to. So in one sense, a faithful application of the regulative principle of worship protects the consciences of God's people. Also protects the unity of our body because we have a faithful, Bible driven framework by which we may apply God's word to God's worship. And so it protects our unity around these things. I know you indwelt by the spirit who love the Lord and you love his word. If you're convinced of something from the Bible, you believe it, amen. And that's what we want to do, right? That's what God's people do. And so it protects our unity in the sense that we can clearly and faithfully apply this principle to the way in which we worship and all of us together, even though we may have, there may be 250 different preferences for music, represented here on a Sunday morning or preferences related to any number of things, any number of things. But because the worship of God's people is regulated by the word of God, we can have complete unity on what we do and how we do it for the glory of God, right? Protects the consciences of God's people, protects the unity of our body. Private praise may and will vary. Private praise may and will vary. But when we come together, we gather around those things which God has prescribed in his word, amen. Let's pray. Father in heaven, Lord, we thank you for the very clear, very helpful instruction that your word has provided with respect to your worship. Thank you, Lord, for not leaving that to the imaginations or devices of men because, Lord, you know, certainly we would go astray. And we praise you and thank you that when informed by your word and when done from a heart of love and affection and devotion to you, Lord, we can worship you in spirit and in truth. And through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of our union with him, we have every reason to believe and expect that our worship is acceptable to you and pleasing in your sight. And we are grateful for that blessing because that from the heart, Lord, that's what we want to do. We want to offer you praise that glorifies you and is pleasing to you. Help us, Lord, to continue to do that. Help us to be faithful as we consider these things. Protect us from prideful self-will when it comes to these things. Protect us from those errors of this corrupt culture that the enemy would seek to leech into the body and help us to be faithful about holding those things at bay and help us, Lord, to worship you in the way that you've prescribed. We love you. We thank you, Lord, for the privilege, the pleasure, the blessing of worshiping you. And we look forward, Lord, to the worship of heaven and the worship of the assembled saints glorified singing praises to your name with Jesus Christ, our elder brother singing in our midst. We're very grateful to you for these things, Lord. Help us to live in sight of them in Jesus' name. Amen.