Category: Authority

A careful reading of Paul’s epistles show that he expected careful obedience to the instructions he gave by the Spirit’s inspiration. In other words, Paul was establishing a pattern for his readers to follow. Their standing with God was dependent upon their following that pattern. Notice the following scriptures which bear this out.

“For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:17).

“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).

“If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:17).

Continue reading “The Patternists: Was Paul a Patternist?” →

Back in the 1970’s, brethren were troubled by the teaching of men, the most famous being Carl Ketcherside, who taught a bifurcation of the gospel of Christ and the doctrine of the church. This has long been a popular view held by many in the denominations. If you have ever heard someone say that unity in doctrine is not important so long as we all accept Jesus as our Savior, you have heard this position taken.

Some say, “You have to believe in the resurrected Jesus, but you don’t have to agree on whether baptism is for believers or it can include infants too.” Or, “You can differ on whether to take the Lord’s Supper every Sunday or twice a year.” Or, “God doesn’t care if you use an mechanical instrument in musical worship or not!”

Continue reading “The Patternists: Is There a Difference Between Gospel and Doctrine?” →

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). He contrasted the “gospel of God” (vs. 2) with error, uncleanness, deceit, flattering words, and a cloak of covetousness. He wrote, “So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (vs. 8).

This careful treatment of the gospel of God is described by the apostle as devout, just and blameless behavior (cf. vs. 10). It must be understood that his work was the work of an apostle, having been given the responsibility to witness Jesus to the world. Paul had been given the gift of inspiration, joining others in writing the scripture which constitutes the new covenant of Christ (cf. 2 Peter 3:16). Peter noted the nature of this work, writing, “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). This work was also contrasted with false apostles. Notice Paul’s words about them:

Continue reading “The Patternists: Entrusted with the Gospel” →

When discussing the topic of baptism, it is necessary to discuss mode, subject and purpose in order to have a scriptural understanding of the matter. Let’s consider the following:

MODE

By mode, we mean how the act of baptism in water is accomplished. It may seem obvious, but traditions of men have clouded the matter.

Continue reading “The Patternists: The Act of Water Baptism” →

In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul gave thanks to God for them. They were “beloved by the Lord”, as He chose them “for salvation” (2:13). He called them by the “gospel” (cf. Romans 1:16), so that they might obtain “the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2:14). In these words their standing as God’s children is well established.

Paul did not stop with commending them for their faith. He did not just give thanks for the standing they enjoyed. He in the remainder of this chapter and beginning of the next exhorted them to faithfulness and industry, working for the Lord. This is similar to what he wrote to the Ephesians in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Continue reading “The Patternists: Faithfulness and Industry” →

We are certainly in the midst of a challenging situation with the current COVID-19 pandemic. It is unique in our lifetimes, and it has brethren scrambling to study their Bibles to determine the proper response to questions regarding assembly, obedience to civil authority, and worship.

There is insufficient room to answer these questions in this short article. Suffice to say that this writer is likewise studying and seeking to make proper applications that will please our Lord. “For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord” (1 Corinthians 4:4).

However, this writer has observed some bad argumentation being used by advocates for a particular position, and accepted seemingly without hesitation or examination by their readers or hearers. This is dangerous. Admonition is needed to be as the noble Bereans, who “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

Continue reading “The Patternists: What NOT to Do in These Unique Times” →

King Nebuchadnezzar had an image of gold made, proclaiming that all nations fall down and worship the image. Refusal to do so would result in death by fire.

At the signal given, “all the people, nations and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up” (Daniel 3:7).

Three Jews did not obey King Nebuchadnezzar. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego would not serve the gods of Babylon or worship the image Nebuchadnezzar had commissioned.

Their refusal came with great consequence. The text reveals that the king, “in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego” (3:13). He demanded obedience from the three.

Continue reading “The Patternists: The Cost of Obedience” →

In the book of Colossians, Paul warns his brethren about turning away from Christ, to embrace something else. He wrote, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).

Paul’s exhortation to “walk in Him” is not without explanation. He clearly emphasizes that walking in Jesus is being established and abounding in the faith that they have been taught. Truly, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Continue reading “The Patternists: So Walk in Him” →

Time and again we hear objections raised to the concept of hell, based on God’s supposed love for man. “If God loves man so much”, some say, “there is no way He would ever send them to eternal torment!” In this, they misunderstand God’s motivation and capabilities.

First, God does love men, and desires everyone to be saved. God desires every single person (who has ever lived, is living now, and ever will live), to go live with Him in heaven for eternity. This truth is evident in scripture. For example, Paul exhorts Timothy to pray for conditions to allow men to live “quiet and peaceable” lives in “all godliness and reverence.” This exhortation is explained, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Continue reading “The Patternists: Why Will God Condemn Men to Hell?” →

There a many synonyms used in scripture for sinful actions. Each of these words has it’s own story to tell. Here are a few of them.

Sin — (hamartia) “to be without a share in; to miss the mark; to err, be mistaken; to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong; to wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin. (Thayer)

The etymology is helpful here. “to miss the mark” as an archer would miss his target with his arrow. If the target is God’s expectations or will, to miss it is to violate that will, whether by commission, or by omitting what is required.

“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

Continue reading “The Patternists: The Names of Sin” →

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul expressed the purpose of his ministry and our work as Christians, given by God. “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (1:27-29). Paul taught men the doctrine of Christ, and established disciples (learners) of Him. It enabled Paul — and enables us as well — to present to the Lord mature, capable saints.

If we denigrate, alter, or substitute for the gospel of our Lord, what will we become? For those who chafe at the idea of adhering to the pattern of the New Covenant of our Lord, what do you offer? Paul addressed that question in chapters two and three in his letter to the Colossians.

Continue reading “The Patternists: To Whom and to What Should We Appeal?” →

The theme of necessary obedience to please God is revisited time and again throughout both the Old and New Testaments. A summary of a time when the ark of the covenant was taken by the Philistines (related in 1 Samuel) is one such example of that theme.

Many will be familiar with the climactic scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when the Nazis had their faces melted off because they opened the ark of the covenant. Perhaps the scene was inspired by what happened to the Philistines in 1 Samuel 5.

Continue reading “The Patternists: The Ark of the Covenant Plagues the Philistines” →

In 1 Corinthians 9, the apostle Paul found it necessary to defend his right, as well as that of his preaching companion Barnabas, to receive material support in the pursuit of preaching the gospel.

This was in response to an “examination” by others, who apparently objected to his taking money and support from congregations. (It is interesting how possessive some brethren can be about money that belongs to the Lord!). His defense begins in verse 4.

“Do we have no right to eat and drink? Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?” (9:4-7).

Continue reading “The Patternists: Support of the Preacher” →

The importance of the Lord’s Supper is beyond dispute. In the first century, the disciples partook of the emblems each first day of the week for the purpose of remembering the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. It is an example that we emulate in our worship as well. It is a solemn and special feast, and we each should rejoice in the opportunity we have in our assembly to observe it.

We might ask, knowing the significance of the supper, why anyone would sully the experience by improper attitudes or actions? And yet, the Corinthians were guilty of that very thing. They took the Lord’s Supper, but they did it in such a way as to bring Paul’s condemnation of their observance. His admonition is found in 1 Corinthians 11, from verse 17 to 33. “Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse” (vs. 17). We should consider their negative example, to learn from and avoid their failures.

Continue reading “The Patternists: Observing the Lord’s Supper” →

The book of Amos begins with a proclamation of God’s judgment against the nations. Jehovah included in these words of condemnation Damascus (Syria), Gaza (Philistia), Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab — in addition to Judah and Israel.

He introduces each pronouncement of judgment with the words, “For three transgressions of [enter nation here], and for four, I will not turn away its punishment” (cf. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6). The phrase is a typical way of expressing a measure of completeness. Three sins were bad enough, but the fourth was cause for God’s judgment, He had reached the end of His longsuffering.

Continue reading “The Patternists: “For Three Transgressions … and for Four”” →