R. C. SPROUL

How THEN SHALL We WORSHIP?

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE US TODAY

HOW THEN SHALL WE WORSHIP?

Published by David C Cook

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David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications

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The website addresses recommended throughout this book are offered as a resource to you. These websites are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement on the part of David C Cook, nor do we vouch for their content.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked esv are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

LCCN 2013932963

ISBN 978-1-4347-0424-5

eISBN 978-1-4347-0556-3

© 2013 R. C. Sproul

Published in association with the literary agency of Wolgemuth & Associates, Inc.

First edition published by Reformation Trust Publishing under the title A Taste of Heaven: Worship in the Light of Eternity in 2006 © R. C. Sproul, ISBN 978-1-56769-076-7

The Team: Alex Field, Nick Lee, Renada Arens, Karen Athen

Cover Design: Amy Konyndyk

Cover Photo: iStockphoto

Second Edition 2013

For Dr. John MacArthur

CONTENTS

Preface

1 The Form of Worship

2 Sacrifices in Faith

3 Living Sacrifices

4 The House of Prayer

5 Symbolism in Worship

6 Baptism, Part 1

7 Baptism, Part 2

8 To You and Your Children

9 The Lord’s Supper

10 The Whole Person

11 The Role of Beauty

12 The Sounds of Worship

13 The Touch of Eternity

Conclusion

Study Guide

PREFACE

We observe the flight of birds with a sense of awe. We watch them soar above the trees, wings arching, reaching up to the clouds. Every person has an inbred wish to be able to mimic the birds. Oh, that we could fly unaided, without the assistance of machinery. But it is not our nature to fly. God gifted the birds with inherent abilities and traits to make flying possible. He constructed them with lightweight bones, feathers, and wings that propel them in flight. Still, birds do not fly from the moment they hatch from their eggs. They must mature for a short period in the nest, learning the rudiments of flight from their parents, until such time as the instincts of the parents push them into the gravity-defying act of flight.

In like manner, the Creator endows fish with all of the necessary traits to be at home in the sea or a lake. Fish receive gills, fins, and scales to make their compatibility with their environment complete. Fish do not have to learn to ...