As I am in the process of looking for a new church, I'm reflecting not only on what Sunshine is doing wrong, but what I want to see done right in a church that I belong to. (This will probably take a while.)

Biblical elements of corporate worship include preaching and teaching the Word of God, prayer, the public reading of Scripture, the singing of Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, and celebrating the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. (Read the whole article)

I'm not advocating for "if it's not in the Bible we can't do it" mindset (that rules out Easter songs, instrumental music and powerpoint.) But I'm thinking that we can apply the "Solas" to worship. Because of my recent experiences, I'm looking again at the basis for the church I end up choosing.

After many conversations, I believe that worship is not a "free for all", with everyone being able to "worship in their own way". God, better than anybody, knows how He wants to be worshiped. I'm reading in the Old Testament and I just got done reading all of the regulations that He placed on Israel - right down to the setup of the camp and the order that they would march in when traveling.

When making the tabernacle, God ordained even the number of "curtain rings" on each side of the curtain and the tiniest detail of the robes the priests were to wear.

God knows how He likes to be worshiped.

To review, the Five Solas are:

Sola Scriptura: the inerrant Scripture is the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. (other sources will say that "Scripture is the only inspired and infallible guide to faith and conduct")

Solus Christus: our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone.

Sola Gratia: in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by His grace alone.

Sola Fide: justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice.

Soli Deo Gloria: because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory.

A commenter asked, "Not sure if this is too big a question to answer using comments, but I would so appreciate a Calvinistic response to this scenario: whilst (I love using that word) in Bible College, there was a great guy that everyone loved. Passionate but not obnoxious in his faith, participated in the classes, faithfully showed up for prayer meetings, confessed his faith in Jesus, etc etc etc.

A few years later, I ran into his wife and she reported that he had had an affair, left her; and renounced his faith!...So, it appears (and I know that appearances can be deceiving!) to me that he had abandoned the faith that he once practiced and proclaimed. What would a "once saved always saved" construct say to that? It just seems to easy to say that he was never saved in the first place. Could it truly be that simple?"

It is a big question. There are folks that can answer/debate it a lot better than I can - and it's a question that has been around for a long time and I doubt we'll settle it here 😉

One of the things that makes it difficult to answer whether or not the person in question was ever saved (did they "fall away", or were they ever saved in the first place?) is that we can't see into their heart.

The Bible says that there will be people who believe that they were saved, but will get to heaven and hear Jesus say, "Depart from me, I never knew you."

These two verses would appear to say that if you are truly saved, you will remain - and that it is God that will carry the good work in us to completion.

1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Was the man you knew truly saved (did he truly love the Lord with all his heart, all his mind and all his strength?). I cannot answer that.

Another thought is that we do not know what God has planned for this man for the rest of his life. Will he return to God? I cannot answer that either.

What I do know is that "in him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..."

I belong to a sovereign God who is in control of the universe. He has chosen, elected, predestined - whatever word you want to use - His people.

John 10:27-29 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

This is a short answer, I know. I hope it helps.

I think that that book of Numbers must have been written by a CPA.

Every year, this is the book that I get "stuck" in - not because it's so interesting or inspiring, but because repetitive. I guess we need to hear all this a "number" of times.