Category: – The Patternists Articles
Articles written for The Patternists Facebook page
The Patternists: The Names of Sin
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).
The Patternists: To Whom and to What Should We Appeal?
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.
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The Patternists: The Ark of the Covenant Plagues the Philistines
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.
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The Patternists: Support of the Preacher
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).
The Patternists: Observing the Lord’s Supper
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.
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The Patternists: “For Three Transgressions … and for Four”
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.
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The Patternists: Great Harlotry
The Hebrew word translated harlotry in the Old Testament (NKJV) is zanah. It is translated whoredom in the KJV of the text. Actually, the entire phrase “has committed great harlotry” is the translation of that single word, as it is found in Hosea 1:2.
The word indicates wantonness. In effect, harlotry is to fornication as gluttony is to eating. Strong, in expressing this, adds to the definition “to commit adultery, usually of the female” words such as continually, great, and go a-whoring.
The Patternists: The Restoration Concept
The second book of Chronicles, in chapter 28 describes the reign of King Ahaz in Judah. He became “increasingly unfaithful to the Lord” (vs. 22). He sacrificed to idols and desecrated the temple. In so doing, he “provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers” (vs. 25).
The Patternists: What is the “therefore” there for?
A question I often ask in Bible class, “What is the ‘therefore’ there for?” When you see the word in the Bible, it typically serves to connect a truth with a proper response. In effect, “This is so, therefore do that.”
Such events in scripture help to flesh out the proper response of a child of God to circumstances, scenarios, provocations and blessings. Let me give you a few examples from scripture.
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The Patternists: The Test of Faithfulness
The Greek word translated “faithful” in the New Testament is defined thus by Thayer:
1) trusty, faithful;
1a) of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties;
1b) one who kept his plighted faith, worthy of trust; 1c) that can be relied on.
Consider definition 1a) related by Thayer. The term is used of persons who show themselves faithful in the execution of commands, or the discharge of duties. This is a significant truth. Throughout scripture, people faithful to God were considered faithful by Him because they obeyed His commands, and did what was required.
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The Patternists: Destructive Heresies
I came across an interesting discussion on Facebook the other day. Someone had posted an article that was critical of Joel Osteen, the charismatic TV preacher from Houston, calling him a false teacher.
In the comments there were efforts on the part of several to defend the man and his teaching. These efforts ranged from characterizing his lack of scripture in preaching as “paraphrasing to make it more understandable”, to decrying those critical because they were “judging him when they have never met him”, to referencing his 20,000 strong Sunday services and prolific TV, radio and podcast messages as evidence of His being anointed by God and blessed by Him.
We are living in a time where our culture has greatly impacted our view of God, grace and judgment. These apologists were not parroting godly principles, but an attitude of tolerance for all that has its genesis in popular culture rather than the Bible.
The Patternists: Profane Fire
“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1-2).
Perhaps this passage is offensive to our modern sensibilities. We ask, does the punishment really fit the crime? Is God acting justly in killing these two priests for their actions? Let us consider the matter.
The Patternists: Fellowship in the Gospel
Paul expressed thanksgiving for the disciples in Philippi, writing, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5).
The word “fellowship” used here describes a wonderful truth that brings blessings to God’s people. While all may not have the same talent, capability and opportunity to share the gospel message, we are able to have fellowship in the work by supporting those who can and do! Fellowship is defined as “joint participation, association, intercourse.” Put simply, if I support a man who preaches the gospel, by extension I am participating in that work!
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The Patternists: The Day of the Lord
A popular religious past time of every generation is discerning “the times and the seasons” in an attempt to ascertain the date of the Lord’s coming.
Hal Lindsey was a big time author in the 1970’s and 1980’s writing books like, “The Late Great Planet Earth”, “There’s a New World Coming”, and “The 1980’s: Countdown to Armageddon”. His reputation was built upon interpreting the socio-political climate of the day, so as to determine when the Lord would come.
Date setters have been common in the last few centuries. The Jehovah Witnesses set dates of 1874, 1914 and 1975 in seeking to predict the second coming of the Lord.
The Patternists: Acceptable Words – Words of Truth
The book of Ecclesiastes is a masterpiece of experiential deduction. The initial words of the preacher, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (1:2), is not a theoretical supposition — it is what he observed.
“And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered. I communed with my heart, saying, ‘Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.’ And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Ecclesiastes 1:13-18).
Through all of his experiences, the preacher remained driven by a desire to know the purpose of life. He did not find it in greatness nor in knowledge, much less in madness and folly. Through it all, he persisted in his efforts, “And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth” (12:9-10).
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