BUILDING ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. The seamstress and the carpenter need a reliable pattern or
blue print to build according to specifications.
1. Without some sort of guide or instructions they would be in
darkness as to what another wanted.
B. This is especially true in the spiritual realm. 1 Cor. 2:11
1. Man cannot direct his own steps in religion. Jer. 10:23;
Prov. 16:25
C. God has always given a perfect pattern and man must build
according to it.
1. If a lady made several dresses according to a pattern
without changes or alterations, they would all be alike.
2. If a carpenter built several houses by the same blue print
without changes, they would be identical.
D. Let us faithfully build according to God's pattern denouncing
all changes and alterations and we will have exactly what God
intended.
I. DIVINE PATTERNS.
A. Moses had to build the tabernacle according to the pattern. Ex.
25:8-9, 40
1. There was much disobedience in following the pattern of the
tabernacle. Lev. 10:1-2; 16:12; 1 Chron. 13:7-10; 15:11-15
B. Solomon had to build the temple according to the pattern. 1
Chron. 28:11-19
1. There was disobedience in following this pattern. 2 Chron.
26:16-20; 33:4-11
C. The church must be built according to the pattern.
1. Heb. 8:4-5 -- The point in context is that when God
instituted the O.T. priesthood as a type of the true, Moses
could not change or alter any of it for he was instructed to
build according to the pattern.
a. The application: Neither should we change or alter the
pattern God ordained for His church in the N.T.
2. There are other principles in the N.T. similar to that of
the pattern.
a. The early Christians continued steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine. Acts 2:42
(1) Churches with variations in name, worship,
organization, etc., from the apostles' doctrine are
not "one" with the apostles.
(2) Those who teach or practice things contrary to the
doctrine or traditions received from the apostles are
to be marked and avoided. Rom. 16:17-18; 2 Thess. 3:6
b. The seed of the kingdom must be planted. Luke 8:11;
Matt. 13:19 All members of the church have been born
of the incorruptible seed. 1 Pet. 1:23
(1) It is God's law that seed must yield after its kind.
Gen. 1:11-12
i) Planting the seed -- the Word of God --
produced the original church, and
planting the same seed today produces
the same church.
ii) When churches differ from the N.T.
church, it means that the seed or doctrine
of man has been planted.
(2) Some claim that a church must be able to
authentically trace its history back to Christ in
order to be the true church.
(a) If one wanted to grow Florida watermelons in
Tennessee, he would not need to go to Florida
and stretch a vine back to Tennessee, but would
need only to obtain the seed and plant it in
Tennessee.
(b) Likewise, in order to have the true church
today, a historical succession is not necessary;
one needs only to plant the same seed which
produced the church in the first century.
II. BUILDING ACCORDING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT PATTERN.
A. Chart for black board, overhead projector, etc.
BUILDING ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN
1. Name -- Acts 11:26; Rom. 16:16
2. Foundation -- 1 Cor. 3:11; Matt. 16:18
3. Law -- 1 Cor. 14:37; 2 Tim. 3:16-17
4. Membership -- Acts 2:38,47; Gal. 3:26-27
5. Organization -- Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1; Eph. 4:11
6. Worship -- Acts 2:42; Eph. 5:19; Acts 20:7
7. Discipline -- Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:4-5; Rev. 2:14-16
8. Love of brethren -- 1 Pet. 1:22; Heb. 13:1; John 13:34-35
III. THINGS NOT ACCORDING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT PATTERN.
A. As there was much disobedience in following the pattern in the
O.T., there is likewise much disobedience in following the
pattern today.
1. We list a few examples:
a. Many religious bodies -- Eph. 4:4; John 17:20-21; 1
Cor. 1:10
b. Instrumental music -- Only singing is mentioned. Eph.
5:19; Col. 3:16
c. "Just call on the name of the Lord" -- Matt. 7:21; we
"call" by obeying. Acts 22:16
d. Church kitchens -- Social and recreational endeavors are
not the work of the church and acting where there is no
pattern is a serious offense. 1 Cor. 4:6; 2 John 9
e. Sponsoring churches -- The pattern for contributions
from church to church is for relief from want. Rom.
15:26 The design was for equality. 2 Cor. 8:13-15 The
pattern is violated when contributions are made to an
able church, and when contributions are made for any
other purpose.
B. The disobedient were punished for violating the pattern in the
O.T. age.
1. Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire. Uzza was struck
dead. Uzziah was smitten with leprosy. Manasseh was
carried into captivity.
C. Those who violate the pattern in the N.T. age will likewise be
punished.
1. Matt. 7:22-23; Gal. 1:6-9
2. Rev. 22:18-19 -- The same is taught in Deut. 4:2; 12:32;
Prov. 30:5-6
a. Most are not rewriting the Scriptures, but are teaching
and practicing things as though they came from the
Scripture. Both those who rewrite and those who add
practices will be punished.
Concl.
A. We must faithfully build according to the pattern as did Moses
and Solomon.
1. When we build according to the pattern, we will have the
same name, foundation, law, requirements for membership,
etc., as the original church.
2. To be the N.T. church, it must be identical to the church of
the N.T.
B. If we have anything other than that revealed in the N.T., we
have not built according to the pattern.
1. Psalm 127:1; Matt. 15:13
2. Thus, though they are working intensely to build, and though
they have constructed a visible organization, it is not
planted of the Father, and will be rooted up in the last
day.
C. If you are not a Christian, carefully heed the pattern of
"requirements for membership" and become member of the Lord's
church.