The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum The importance of going to church

I believe the regulative principle directs us toward the proper act of worship, but true biblical worship is a matter of the heart. A person can follow all the guidelines of the regulative principle and still be a "Cain" in the heart. How often did God reprimand the Israelites because they followed the rules of worship but their hearts were far from Him?

Isa. 29:13-14 NASB Then the Lord said,“Because this people draw near with their words
And honor Me with their lip service,
But they remove their hearts far from Me,
And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous;
And the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
And the discernment of their discerning men shall be concealed.”

Proper worship consists of knowing who we worship and having a proper view of ourselves. I don't disagree that the regulative principle is important, but I disagree that only those who follow a person's interpretation of the regulative principle are really worshipping. God is with all those of a broken and contrite heart or His word is not true. True worship is a matter of the heart, it is not dictated by what we do outwardly. My confidence is based on Jesus Christ, not on my form of worship.


What is Christ honoring? again, it is acknowledging who He is and recognizing who we are, the emergent church has failed to do that and because of that have entered into error and have become apostate.