Learning Obedience
Calvin Van Reken
Calvin Theological Seminary

Summary: Christian worship is vital formation for obedient Christian liviing.

Key Points
• Christians must strive to shape their lives in an obedient response to God’s grace in Christ.
• Christian worship must consistently give instruction and encouragement to Christians for this obedience.
• Various elements in the liturgy can meet this purpose (examples provided).

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Introduction
At the conclusion of Peter’s Pentecost sermon the people asked “Brothers, what shall we do?” The answer was: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” In response to Peter’s altar call several thousand repented and believed. Now consider that first church of Jerusalem. Do you suppose that the next week when they gathered, Peter offered another altar call, and another the next week, and another the next? Is repenting and believing the first and last response to the gospel? Should preachers function only in an evangelistic mode?
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Key Quotes
• Christian worship services should include both the message of the gospel and answers to the question, 'What shall we do?'
• In The Institutes of the Christian Religion, a book intended to cover common themes in Scripture, Calvin simply declares that the decalogue is the sum of human obligations.
• Obedience is in response to God’s gracious salvation in Jesus Christ, it is not a means to that end.
• So what is the purpose of the law? It is directed at non-Christians as a way of uncovering for them their sin and need. The law serves to help see sin, and so the need of a Savior.
• Christians need regular reminders of God’s promises to strengthen their faith and reinforce their
gratitude, with the effect that they will desire to do what God wants.
• The church must consistently give instruction and encouragement to Christians for living in obedience to God. The occasion on which this can best be done is during weekly worship.

Questions for Learning and Discussion
• How are we tempted to, as Van Reken says, "take each commandment too narrowly, so that it only identifies a single kind of action that we must avoid doing or that is required"? In what ways did Christ expand on the meaning of the commandments?
• What is the civic use of the ten commandments, and the principles for displaying or not displaying the ten commandments in government buildings? (p. 14)
• What element of the liturgy, in your experience, is most underutilized as a call to obedience?

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