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Are those who claim to serve Christ bound to observe any sort of pattern in their service? The overwhelming answer of millions of sincere people is “NO.” Most of those who profess any degree of allegiance to Jesus believe that each person has almost unlimited freedom of expression in doctrine and practice. The vast majority of those who profess allegiance to Jesus the Christ are slaves to the satanic heresy that “it makes no difference what you believe [after you initially believe, of course!], as long as you are sincere.”
Faithful preachers of God dating all the way back to Abel in the shadow of Eden’s gate have contended that God has a pattern for His followers in both word and deed:
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh (Heb. 11:4; conf. Gen. 4:1–7; Mat. 23:35).
Faithful heralds of Truth still do so because God still has such a pattern. God gave a pattern to Noah according to which he built the ark (Gen. 6:14–16). He could not have pleased God had he departed from His pattern. God gave Moses a pattern for the tabernacle, including its smallest implements, and He cautioned him to follow that pattern precisely (Exo. 25:40). God also had a pattern of doctrine in the Old Testament. Moses warned ancient Israel:
Ye shall not add unto the Word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the Commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you” (Deu. 4:2).
But Moses’ Law that produced the tabernacle was only typical of, inferior to, and preparatory for the Gospel and the church it produces (Gal. 3:24; Heb. 8:5–6; 9:23). Does it make sense that God would be so strictly concerned that men should follow His pattern regarding the inferior institution, but then be unconcerned regarding the superior (i.e., the church)? Hardly.
Just as certainly as God had a pattern for Noah’s ark and for Moses’ tabernacle, so He has a pattern men must follow for His church. As Moses was strictly charged to build the tabernacle “according to the pattern,” God gave him, so also that glorious, heavenly institution, of which the tabernacle was but typical, must be made according to its builder’s New Testament pattern (Mat. 16:15–18; Heb. 8:5–6). If men should ever see this simple fundamental Truth, it would forever end denominationalism with its perversions of baptism, its addition of unauthorized worship activities such as instrumental music, its organizational corruption of one-pastor rule, and all its other divergences from the pattern.
Yes, God still has a doctrinal pattern for His people: “Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me” (2 Tim. 1:13; conf. Mat. 7:15, 21; Gal. 1:6–10; 2 Tim. 4:1–4; et al.). Doctrine is important! It makes a difference to God what one believes, teaches, and practices! To please God, we must follow His inspired pattern.
[Note: I wrote this article for and it was published in The Edifier, weekly bulletin of Pearl Street Church of Christ, Denton, TX, April 30, 1987, of which I was editor.]
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
