he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law.
- Deuteronomy 32:46
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
- Matthew 4:10
See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.
- Deuteronomy 12:32
The Larger Catechism’s Scripture Proofs:
1. Deut. 32:46; Matt. 28:20; 1 Tim. 6:13, 14; Acts 2:42.
2. Phil. 4:6; Eph. 5:20.
3. Deut. 17:18, 19; Acts 15:21; II Tim. 4:2; James 1:21; Acts 10:33.
4. Matt. 28:19; I Cor. 11:23–30.
5. Matt. 16:19; Matt. 18:17; I Cor. 5; I Cor. 12:28; John 20:23.
6. Eph. 4:11, 12; I Tim. 5:17, 18; I Cor. 9:1–15.
7. Joel 2:12; I Cor. 7:5.
8. Deut. 6:13.
9. Ps. 76:11; Isa. 19:21; Ps. 116:14, 18.
10. Acts 17:16, 17; Ps. 16:4.
11. Deut. 7:5; Isa. 30:22.
“Q. 45. What is required in the Second Commandment?
“A. The Second Commandment requires the receiving, observing (Deut. 32:46, Matt. 28:20), and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word. (Deut. 12:32).”
- Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism (Scripture proofs in bold above)
“Q. 50. What is required in the Second Commandment?
“A. The Second Commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word.”
- The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)
“Q. 108. What are the duties required in the Second Commandment?
“A. The duties required in the Second Commandment are: the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his Word; particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ; the reading, preaching, and hearing of the Word; the administration and receiving of the sacraments; church government and discipline; the ministry and maintenance thereof; religious fasting; swearing by the name of God; and vowing unto him: as also the disapproving, detesting, opposing all false worship; and, according to each one’s place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry.”
- The Larger Catechism (Westminster Assembly)
The Shorter and Spurgeon catechisms have the same wording, essentially, even in biblical proofs. As usual, the Larger Catechism is larger in detail and biblical proofs. Due to the “largeness” of the Larger Catechism, each point having its on biblical proof, I just listed the Scripture references.
In the largeness of the Larger Catechism, there are a variety of ways in which we can worship God that are mentioned, but I might take exception to taking oaths and swearing by God. These days, hardly anyone expects the other person to honor a promise, so swearing by anything is simply taken as an extra curse word. If we are to take an oath or swear by anything, it should be to God. It angers me greatly that the FDR speech that led to the vote for the USA entering the second World War was modified when placed in the WWII memorial in the Washington, DC Mall. They left off the ending, “So help us God.” Without that ending, FDR would swear by nothing, as most in our government today are doing.
But Jesus taught that it is best not to swear by anything. That provision should have been made here. If you are to give an oath, give it to God only. If you are to swear by anything, only swear by God’s help in the endeavor, but as much as is possible, live by your promises, and let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.”
And more clarification should also be made regarding the Old Testament rules from the middle of Exodus through the end of Deuteronomy. These days, much of the Old Testament rules regarding worship are cast aside. Jesus paid the penalty, once and for all time, so that the blood sacrifices are no longer needed, but what of the other offerings? What of incense burning? We do not have those in our modern worship. Using anointing oil is done, but usually on a one-on-one basis. Without clarification in this regard, we are left with picking and choosing, which gets us into a lot of trouble.
My reason for pointing this out is that two of the Spurgeon / Shorter biblical proofs are from Deuteronomy and one says to not add or take away.
If we only had the Spurgeon and Shorter Catechisms, we might assume what we are doing is proper worship, based on some broad statements. The Larger Catechism goes into detail, that might be too much detail. But as Josiah, at the age of eighteen, discovered, not following God’s initial decrees to the letter can have terrible results (2 Kings 22).
And now let us sing.
The following song is Angels, from the Realms of Glory, sung by the ASMM Singers (American School of Modern Music). It may be a Christmas carol, but the repetition for us to come and worship Jesus is something we need to hear the year round.
“Angels from the
Realms of glory
Wing your flight o’er the Earth
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim the Messiah’s birth
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Worship Christ the Newborn King
Shepherds in the
Fields abiding
Watching o’er the flocks by night
God with man is
Now residing
Yonder shines the infant light
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Worship Christ the Newborn King
Saints before the
Alter bending
Watching long in hope and fear
Suddenly the Lord descending
In his temple shall appear
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Worship Christ the Newborn King
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Come and Worship
Worship Christ… the Newborn King”
- James Montgomery, Angels, from the Realms of Glory
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
We need You. And we need to worship You properly, but most of all worship You. Too many of us make communion with other Christians as being optional, when the weather isn’t so bad, when there isn’t a home game for the local team, and many other excuses. We need to realize that worshipping You is not just on Sunday morning for an hour or an hour and a half. We are to worship You throughout the week. That is what makes those details in the Larger Catechism important. There are forms of worship that we are ignoring. Shall we tear our robes and fall down before You, Lord? We fail you in the one thing that causes Your great pleasure when done properly and Your anger when done in the wrong spirit or done improperly, Basically, I am asking, Lord, help us get it right.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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