On a gathering of a Sunday Morning worship service there are certain things that churches do. Each church has its own way of doing certain things. The order of the service, as to when you sing, when you give offering, when you have the sermon and when you pray. These things we do are not based on what is called the Regulative Principle. The Regulative Principle means what is done must be warranted in the Bible. The second principle is the Normative Principle. The Normative Principle means that what is done is fine, as long as it is not forbidden in the Bible.
So what should be regulated and what should be normative? The Regulative Principle is important to what and why things are done in a Sunday morning service. I believe strongly that what is regulated must be regulated by the revelation of the Bible. For example, preach the word is regulated in the Bible (2 Timothy 4:2). Giving is regulated in the Bible (2 Corinthians 9:7). Singing is regulated ( Psalm 33:3, Colossians 3:16-17).
The Normative Principle is to when things are done during our Sunday services. When we do sing songs, give offerings and preach the sermons are not explicit in the Bible. The problem is that Christians are not sure what is Regulative and what is Normative. Where the principle is Regulated from the Bible. Conviction! Where the principle is Normative and not in the Bible. Compassion! Above all else, we need Charity!
Where does that leave us? A lot of room to grow in our preferences verses what is truly a Biblical mandate. It does remind us to make sure whatever we do the Gospel is central and the Person of Jesus Christ is our aim! Amen?
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