The Bible says that we must not add to or take away from the word of God.
This important principle also applies to worship. We must worship God according to the Bible, not in ways we make up. This principle is sometimes called the regulative principle of worship.
First, we will look at some Bible verses that speak about this. Next, we will quote from some Reformers who held to this principle.
Bible Verses
Deuteronomy 12:32 Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
Deuteronomy 12:8-32 You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes…. But when you cross over the Jordan… then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand…. Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; but in the place which the Lord chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you…. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
Israel was forbidden from worshiping God according to their own minds, wherever they wanted and however they desired. Israel had to worship God according to his word, in the place he commanded, and in the ways he instructed. God dwells in that place that is according to his word, and he can only be served in ways that are according to his word.
Deuteronomy 4:2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
We must not add to nor take away from the word of God. If a person adds to or takes away from the word of God, they can no longer be obedient to God’s commands, for they have altered his word and replaced God’s commands with their own.
Proverbs 30:6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
When a person adds to the word of God, he will be rebuked by God, and will be proven to be a liar, for he is claiming that God said something that he did not say.
Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
John wrote this prohibition to adding to the words of the book of Revelation, but this prohibition applies to the entire Bible, as this is the last book and the last chapter of the Bible. We have no authority to add to or take away from the word of God.
The Bible says that God must be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth.
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and the Truth is the word of God. The word must is important here. Spirit and Truth is the only way to worship God. All worship outside of the Spirit and the truth is necessarily not the worship of the one true God. If we try to worship God outside of his word, we are no longer worshiping God.
Jesus said that if we worship God according to human traditions, we are engaging in vain worship.
Mark 7:1-8 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
The Pharisees had made up many ways of worshiping God. They washed their hands in a special way, and they washed cups and furniture. They did these things to “worship” God. Jesus said that this is vain worship because it is according to man-made religious traditions.
There is no sign that the Pharisees were doing these religious things to be saved. Rather, the Bible says they were doing this to worship. Jesus made it clear that their man-made forms of worship were unacceptable to God.
Today, when Christians try to worship God using man-made religious traditions, Jesus is not happy. He wants people to follow his word, and not follow man-made religious practices.
Colossians 2:20-23 why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations — “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, falsehumility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Man-made religion is self-imposed worship. It is devoid of divine power, because God operates according to his word, and not according to human ideas.
Quotes from Reformers
Belgic Confession
We believe that those Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and whatsoever man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein. For since the whole manner of worship which God requires of us is written in them at large, it is unlawful for any one, though an apostle, to teach otherwise than we are now taught in the Holy Scriptures: nay, though it were an angel from heaven, as the apostle Paul says. For since it is forbidden to add unto or take away anything from the Word of God, it does thereby evidently appear that the doctrine thereof is most perfect and complete in all respects. Neither may we consider any writings of men, however holy these men may have been, of equal value with those divine Scriptures, nor ought we to consider custom, or the great multitude, or antiquity, or succession of times and persons, or councils or decrees or statutes, as of equal value with the truth of God, since the truth is above all; for all men or of themselves liars, and more vain than vanity itself. Therefore we reject with all our hearts whatever does not agree with this infallible rule, as the apostles have taught us saying, Test the spirits, whether they are of God. Likewise: any one comes to you and brings not this teaching, receive him not into your house (Article 7).
We also believe that although it is useful and good for those who govern the churches to establish and set up a certain order among themselves for maintaining the body of the church, they ought always to guard against deviating from what Christ, our only Master, has ordained for us. Therefore we reject all human innovations and all laws imposed on us, in our worship of God, which bind and force our consciences in any way (Article 32).
Heidelberg Catechism
What does God require in the second Commandment? That we in no wise make any image of God, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded us in His Word (Q/A 96).
Westminster Confession of Faith
God alone is Lord of the conscience, 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. So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also (20:2).
The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all, is good, and doth 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. But the acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture (21.1).
London Confession of Faith
The acceptable way of Worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself; and so limited by 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 Scriptures. (Article 1)
John Calvin
It must be regarded as a fixed principle, that all modes of worship devised by man are detestable. [Institutes I.XI.4]
The Lord cannot forget himself, and it is long since he declared that nothing is so offensive to him as to be worshipped by human inventions. [Institutes IV.X.17]
I know how difficult it is to persuade the world that God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word. The opposite persuasion which cleaves to them, being seated, as it were, in their very bones and marrow, is, that whatever they do, has in itself, a sufficient sanction, provided it exhibits some kind of zeal for the honor of God. (The Necessity of Reforming the Church)
God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by his Word (The Necessity of Reforming the Church).
Too much diligence and care cannot be taken to cleanse ourselves wholly from all sorts of pollutions; for as long as any relics of superstition continue among us, they will ever entangle us…” (Commentaries on Twelve Minor Prophets (Hosea 2:17)
Samuel Rutherford
Not to command is to forbid (1646)
Tertullian
“Whatever is not specifically permitted is forbidden.” (Ante-Nicene Fathers)
Charles Spurgeon
“It is as much our duty to reject the traditions of men, as to observe the ordinances of the Lord. We ask concerning every rite and rubric, “Is this a law of the God of Jacob?” and if it be not clearly so, it is of no authority with us, who walk in Christian liberty.” (Treasury of David on Psalm 81:4)
John Owen
God never allowed the will of the creature to decide how best to worship God. Worshipping [sic] God in ways not appointed by him is severely forbidden. God asks, ‘Who has required these things at your hand?’ And again, ‘In vain do you worship me, teaching for doctrines the traditions of men.’ The principle that the church has the power to institute and appoint any thing or ceremony belonging to the worship of God other than what Christ himself has instituted is the cause of all the horrible superstitions and idolatry, of all the confusion, blood, persecution and wars that have arisen in the Christian world. The purpose of a great part of the book of Revelation is to show this truth. (Communion With God)
John Knox
“All worshiping, honoring, or service invented by the brain of man in the religion of God, without His own express commandment, is idolatry” (Works, Vol. III, pg. 34).
Martin Bucer
“only the worship that God asks of us really serves him.” (quoted in Hughes Oliphant Old Worship: Reformed According to Scripture 3).
John Oecolampadius
“the church should develop services of worship in accordance with whatever specific directions and examples are found in Scripture” (quoted in Hughes Oliphant Old Worship: Reformed According to Scripture 3).
Ulrich Zwingli
Religious practices “not enjoined or taught in the New Testament should be unconditionally rejected” (quoted in Newman, A. H. 1902. A Manual of Church History. Vol. 2. Chicago, IL: The American Baptist Publication Society, 308).
Bethel Cornerstone 