Regulating candles

Tim Challies has recently written a 2-part series on the Regulative Principle of worship, especially as it pertains to candle-lighting in the church.  He gave a good, brief description of the principle and also provide a short outline of his position on it.

The Regulative Principle of worship states that the only acceptable worship is that which is explicitly taught or modelled in the Bible. By extension then, anything that is not explicitly taught in the Bible is implicitly forbidden. The Regulatory Principle is most often applied to music in the worship service, but can also apply to the use of drama, the administration of the Lord’s Supper (how is it celebrated and how often?) and any other number of situations (including the use of advent candles). Churches that adhere to the Regulative Principle will insist that God, in His wisdom, provided particular ways in which we are to worship Him and these are outlined in Scripture. Means of worship that we may invent will not be acceptable to a perfect and holy God. In the New Testament God has given us certain rules and restrictions just as He gave to the Israelites in the Old Testament. Like the Israelites of old, these rules are given for our protection and within them rules we have great freedom to worship the Lord. Churches that do not hold to the Regulative Principle may take the opposite approach and assume that God desires to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. As long as all of our worship is edifying and does not directly contradict a practice that is forbidden, it will be acceptable in God’s sight. This is the view of worship held by the majority of evangelical churches.

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The Regulative Principle is built upon the following five biblical commands concerning worship:

1. We are to worship God in ways that edify our local church (1 Corinthians 14:26).
2. We are to worship God in a proper and orderly manner (1 Corinthians 14:40).
3. We are to worship God in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
4. We are to worship God in reverence (Hebrews 12:28-29).
5. We are to worship God in awe (Hebrews 12:28-29).

Despite the fact that the Regulative Principle has been utilized by churches for centuries, there is still a great deal of discussion and disagreement about what aspects of the worship service are to be governed by it. To understand what falls under the purvey of the Regulative Principle it is crucial that we make the crucial distinction between elements and circumstances of worship.

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Elements are the “what” of worship and circumstances are the “how.” It seems to me that candles can fall into either grouping. If candles are used for lighting or atmosphere, as at a “Candles and Carols” Christmas Eve service, I believe they are circumstantial and can be left to the discretion of the church leadership. They are not being used as as an element of worship but are merely an alternative to light bulbs (which are also, of course, circumstantial). So there is nothing inherent in candles that make them unsuitable under the Regulative Principles.

However, if candles are to be used as an element within the service, as in the use of advent candles, I believe they fall under the purvey of the Regulative Principle. I will admit that I know little of advent traditions and have only once attended a church that used advent candles. I believe they followed church tradition in lighting a different candle for each of the four Sundays in advent. Each Sunday they would light the previous weeks’ candles and one new one. The final candle was lit on Christmas morning and each candle had a particular meaning and was meant to draw our thoughts to a different person or event. These candles were lit during the worship service and as an element of the service. Assuming this is typical, a church that holds to the Principle would have to reject these candles as being extra-biblical and thus unsuitable for corporate worship services.

So, to answer my friend’s question, yes, observance of advent and the lighting of advent candles violates the Regulative Principle.

Personally, I am a believer of the principle and strive to adhere to it.  Worship of our God should always be mandated by how He desires to be worshipped, not by how we think He should be worshipped.  I have previously written extensively on the issue of authentic worship, and thus, I do not think worship exists outside of what the Lord has commanded in His Word.  Worshipping as we sit fit accomplishes the goal of satisfying our own worshipping desires, and in no way takes into account the explicit, biblical demands of God about what things are to be done in praise of Him.

I agree with Challies’ evaluation that the observance of advent and the lighting of advent candles violates the Regulative Principle.  I recall that in my church last year, my pastor did light advent candles.  Likely in a couple days on Sunday, it will likely happen again I suspect.  It could be a controversial issue if I say anything aloud.

There is a disconnect between the pastorate/church leadership and I on these issues.  In one sense, there is no adherence to Sola Scriptura and biblical sufficiency in corporate worship–what God has called us to do in corporate worship seems not to be enough.  The message sounds like, “we need something more; doing worship God’s way does not cut it for us.”  This unspoken apostasy disgusts me.  I suspect sooner or later, we’ll have dance team presentations during Sunday Worship–another element that is not commanded in Scripture.

I have long struggled with which doctrines are the “main things”, those beliefs I would change churches for, and in the matter of worship ministry, depending on the angle I look at this stuff, the more it looks like one of the main things, instead of the peripheral things.

Recently, Bob Kauflin, whose work I am humbly thankful for, also blogged about candle-lighting in the church:

It also sounds like the questioner has decided what effect candles have. “Candles just give the service a mystical feeling.” That may be true in some instances and for some people. But, candles might intentionally be used to illustrate Jesus coming as the Light of the world, or highlight that the Word of God is a light for our path. They could also be used to emphasize that we are God’s people who have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). The atmosphere that multiple candles produce can also draw attention to the awe we should experience as we encounter the God of the universe. However that should be balanced by the fact that we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ and can enter God’s presence with freedom and boldness (Eph. 3:12).

I think we have more than two choices in response to the use of candles. We don’t need to stand against this as “pagan worship” because that relationship can’t be established. Neither should we simply accept it as part of “changing times.” Change will surely come, but not all change is beneficial. Every generation is responsible to weigh innovation, new methodologies, and new forms against the authority of Scripture.

Although it could have been expressed better, the concern here is a valid one. We don’t want to use multiple candles simply to create an environment of mystery, without being aware of potential downsides. Candles don’t bring God nearer or reveal his character in specific ways. They might be used occasionally for illustration, but should never become a central element in our worship of God. We can’t expect candles, banners, music, or any other aesthetic element to produce what only God can do through the Gospel, His Word, and the Holy Spirit. An over-emphasis on means can result in distracting people from the object of our focus – the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor. 4:6), most clearly proclaimed in the glorious Gospel.

As I understand it, Kauflin sees candles as a circumstance in terms of the Regulative Principle.  I would agree that candles can be used as an illustration to illustrate a biblical point.  (Am I contradicting myself here?  I don’t know LOL)  I also agree, however, that candles, whether just 1 or many, should never be the central element of our worship of God.  Indeed, we must keep in our worship God-centered, word-centered, Christ-centered; there need not be any extra element to keep us focused in this.  What I do disgree with in relation to Kauflin’s comments, is that nowhere in Scripture does it mandate that candles should be used for worship; it’s an element that is for us rather than for God.  Furthermore, I would need to do some heavy researching, but I am sure that the use of candles has non-biblical non-Christian roots; in this area I think John MacArthur or Al Mohler probably has done some research to shed some light on this (a survey of their individual churches would also give us an impression of their beliefs).

Anyways, the Regulative Principle does have a very wide-ranging application in today’s churches, if any at all.  I pray and hope that my church would be drawn to it, rather than push it away.