The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order
Chapter 47 : The Principles and Elements of Public Worship
Paragraph 8 :
47-8. It behooves God’s people not only to come into His presence with a deep sense of awe at the thought of His perfect holiness and their own exceeding sinfulness, but also to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise for the great salvation, which He has so graciously wrought for them through his only begotten Son and applied to them by the Holy Spirit.
[DIGEST: What we have now as chapter 47 was not part of either the Proposed Book of Church Order (1973) or the Book of Church Order as adopted by the first General Assembly later that same year. Rather, this chapter, with its nine paragraphs, dates to 1975 when this text was presented by the Constitutional Documents Committee, as part of its proposed revision of the Directory. [M3GA, 3-15, pp. 55-56] This chapter, originally numbered as chapter 48, presents entirely new text not previously part of any prior Presbyterian Book of Church Order. The chapter was renumbered as chapter 47 when the original chapters 8 and 9 were merged in 1980. No changes to paragraph 47-8 have been made since adoption in 1975.
ANTECEDENT TEXTS:
1975, 48-8, [M14GA, p. 339]
It behooves God’s people not only to come into His presence with a deep sense of awe at the thought of his perfect holiness and their own exceeding sinfulness, but also to enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise for the great salvation, which he has so graciously wrought for them through his only begotten Son and applied to them by the Holy Spirit.
[No comparable text in any of the following editions:]
1. PCA 1973, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text
3. PCUS 1933
4. PCUS 1925
5. PCUS 1894
COMMENTARY:
Morton H. Smith, Commentary on the Book of Church Order, 6th edition, 2007, p. 401.
This paragraph speaks of the attitude of heart that one should have as he comes into the presence of God in worship. First, there should be a sense of awe and humility at the very thought of his holiness and our sinfulness. The example of this approach to God is found in the vision that Isaiah had of God, and his immediate response of humility. "And one cried unto another, and said, holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. And the foundations
of the thresholds shook at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone. Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts." (Isaiah 6:3-5).
The approach that we are called to have as we enter into worship is commanded by Psalm 100:
"Make a joyful noise unto Jehovah, all ye lands. Serve Jehovah with gladness. Come before his presence with singing. Know ye that Jehovah, he is God. It is he that hath made us, and we are his. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise. Give thanks unto him, and bless his name. For Jehovah is good. His lovingkindness [endureth] for ever, And his faithfulness unto all generations." |
Reverential awe and thanksgiving are not mutually exclusive. Our coming into the presence of God should always be with a sense of reverence. This reverence may be properly expressed by coming into his presence with joy, singing and thanksgiving for all that he has done for us.
|