13/06/2008

  • Thursday Night's Dream about the Regulative Principle of Worship

    Preface

    My parent's church is the United Methodist Church, and the UMC's practice of the Lord's Supper ranges from Open Communion (i.e, anybody can take regardless of salvation) to Latitiudinarian Communion (i.e, Christians of other churches can take).  During the Lord's Supper, they take Communion as they kneel along the Communion Rail in the front near the pulpit.   Currently, the liberal pastor (openly self-admitted liberal) likes Open Communion.   Also, if the pastor is unable to give a service, a supply pastor or a lay person (i.e, Lay Leader) gives the service.  

    My personal position and conviction is Close Communion, but I am amiable to Session-controlled Communion (i.e, Christians of other churches can also take but have to meet with the church's Elders first).

    The Regulative Principle of Worship, which I follow, is (1) only God Himself knows how He is to be worshipped, (2) that acceptable way of worship is revealed in Scripture Alone (i.e, the Bible Alone), and (3) any element of worship must have a warrant (explicitly or necessary inference) from the Bible lest it is idolatry and to be rejected.

    The Dream

    My father as Lay Leader, which he has done in real life in the past, was leading the service as the pastor had to leave town on personal matters.   After consecrating the Wine, he starts carrying the large Common Cup to the back of the sanctuary where the rest of my family was sitting as they usually do in real life.   Well, as the Cup passes the rows, people in the rows genuflected (i.e, bowed) towards the Cup.  (The UMC never does that in real life.)  In the dream, I had a John Knox moment, and I immediately and very boldly started warning the people not to bow, kneel, or genuflect towards the Cup or Bread because that was idolatry and not honoring the Lord.  (Yes, in real life, bowing or kneeling toward the Elements or while receiving the Elements is indeed not honoring to the Lord and, as the Reformers have stated, is a form of idolatry.)   A few people started challenging me, and I started answering their objections.    Then, I awoke.   Being slightly startled, I prayed to God about the dream and asked him to give me strength to declare His Truth boldly even if others may not welcome it.