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.