As mentioned in the previous post, Calvin ranked reforming worship slightly above recovery of the true gospel. Calvin was by no means minimizing the true gospel, but he emphasized what the chief end of man is, which is according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism "to glorify God and enjoy him forever." Man glorifes God the best when he worships God. According to the word of God, God is pleased with worship that accords with his revealed will regarding worship. In short, this is the scriptural rule of worship.
Returning to Calvin's The Necessity of Reforming the Church, Calvin offers more light upon this understudied and ignored biblical doctrine:
Moreover, the rule which distinguishes between pure and vitiated worship is of universal application, in order that we may not adopt any device which seems fit to ourselves, but look to the injunctions of him who alone is entitled to prescribe.
The scriptural law of worship is a very simple law: the people of God are to worship God according to his prescriptions. We bring nothing of ourselves into the worship. Man-made elements and practices are violations of the second commandment, which negatively teaches against idolatry; but it teaches postively to worship God according to what he has commanded.
We'll get more into this doctrine over the weeks because it is so crucial for the Church. Why do we gather together on the Lord's Day? We come to worship in God's special presence. It is critical that we "get worship right."
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