Regulative Principle of Worship:“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 representation or any other way not prescribed in Holy Scripture.”

Cumulative Principle of Worship:”Any way we see worship expressed through Scripture is available to us in our private and public demonstrations of worship.”

Examples of Each:

These are the things I CAN’T do because I don’t see them in the Bible (Regulative Principle)

These are the things I CAN do, because I see them in the Bible. (Cumulative Principle)

The Cumulative Principle allows us to look through the Bible and examples of worship, and get an idea of what God sees as pleasing acceptable worship.

It’s less about what we CANNOT do in worship, and more about what is good, true, pleasing, pure, lovely, and acceptable unto God. (Philippians 4:8)