Pastor's Corner — Providence Presbyterian Church

The Morning Devotional: WECF 21.8 (Part One)

The Morning Devotional for July 20, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.8
Part One

VIII. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, words, and thoughts, about their worldly employments and recreations;a but also are taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.b

The Morning Devotional: WCF 21.7

The Morning Devotional for July 19, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.7

VII. As it is of the law of nature that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him:a which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week,b which in Scripture is called the Lord’s day,c and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.d

The Morning Devotional: WCF 21.6

The Morning Devotional for July 18, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.6

VI. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed:a but God is to be worshipped everywhereb in spirit and truth;c as in private familiesd daily,e and in secret each one by himself,f so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or willfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by his Word or providence, calleth thereunto.g

The Morning Devotional: WCF 21.5

The Morning Devotional for July 17, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.5

V. The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear;a the sound preaching;b and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God with understanding, faith, and reverence;csinging of psalms with grace in the heart;d as, also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God:e besides religious oaths,f vows,g solemn fastings,h and thanksgivings upon several occasions;i which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner.j

The Morning Devotional: WCF 21.4

The Morning Devotional for July 14, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.4

IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful,a and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter;b but not for the dead,c nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death.d

The Morning Devotional: WCF 21.3

The Morning Devotional for July 13, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.3

III. Prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship,a is by God required of all men;b and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son,c by the help of his Spirit,d according to his will,e with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance;f and, if vocal, in a known tongue.g

The Morning Devotional: WCF 21.2

The Morning Devotional for July 12, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.2

II. Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to him alone:anot to angels, saints, or any other creature:b and since the fall, not without a Mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone.c

The Morning Devotional: WCF 21.1

The Morning Devotional for July 11, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 21.1

I. The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all; is good, and doeth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might.a But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited to his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture.b

The Morning Devotional: WCF 20.4 (Part Two)

The Morning Devotional for July 10, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 20.4
Part Two

IV. And because the power which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God.a And for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation; or to the power of godliness; or such erroneous opinions or practices as, either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the Church; they may lawfully be called to account,b and proceeded against by the censures of the Church, and by the power of the Civil Magistrate.c

The Morning Devotional: WCF 20.4 (Part One)

The Morning Devotional for July 7, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 20.4
Part One

IV. And because the power which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God.a And for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation; or to the power of godliness; or such erroneous opinions or practices as, either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the Church; they may lawfully be called to account,b and proceeded against by the censures of the Church, and by the power of the Civil Magistrate.c

The Morning Devotional: WCF 20.3

The Morning Devotional for July 6, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 20.3

III. They who, upon pretense of Christian liberty, do practice any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.a

The Morning Devotional: WCF 20.2

The Morning Devotional for July 5, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 20.2

II. God alone is Lord of the conscience,a and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in anything contrary to his Word, or beside it, in matters of faith or worship.b So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience;c and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.d

The Pastor’s Corner

The blog of Pastor William F. Hill, Jr.