Complete Reform of Worship

The reform of worship is never a mere matter of removing false practices but is only made complete with the joyful, earnest institution of worship that conforms to the Bible. Josiah did what reformers today must do. Instead of gazing around at the practices of the world for popular modes of praise, he turned his gaze to God's Word. He read it and derived conclusions from it about what ought to be done. Then, as now, the issue was not about style or preference, but about a desire to see God obeyed in the life of His people, and especially as they gathered before Him for worship.

In Josiah's case, this meant the reinstitution of the Old Testament feasts, beginning with the Passover. For us it means the reinstatement of the faithful preaching of God's Word, of Scripture reading and prayer, and of the right administration of the sacraments...

Josiah turned back the clock on worship, realizing that what mattered was not keeping up with the times, not incorporating the latest innovations of the idol-praising world, but true worship as revealed by God in the Bible. What Josiah did, we must do today. We must establish our worship not on contemporary trends and worldly appeal but on the changeless principles, commands, and prohibitions that are given by God Himself, to whom alone our worship is to be offered.

—Richard Phillips, 'Turning Back the Darkness: The Biblical Pattern of Reformation', 144–145.