To get the whole effect, please read all four of these in order. Scroll down for parts 1, 2, and 3.
Why do we follow the pattern? The way God set up the church as a spiritual rendition of the Old Temple should make it obvious. If you change any one of those things, it loses its significance. We would no longer fulfill the real meaning behind each carefully planned (from before the beginning) detail. Is that really important? God thought so.
And see that you make them after their pattern, which has been shown you in the mount. Exod 25:40. God made that statement to Moses immediately after giving him the detailed instructions for building the tabernacle and its furnishings. The Hebrew writer sees its importance and repeats it in Heb 8:5: They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” In fact, this is so important that Stephen even included the reference in his sermon, the one that got him killed (Acts 7:44)!
If it was important then, and every part of it has a parallel in the church today, why wouldn’t it still be important? In fact, you find Paul saying several different times something akin to this: That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 1Cor 4:17. We are supposed to be doing the same things in every congregation of God’s people all over the globe. Am I really going to tell God I don’t see the importance of following things He designed so carefully in such intricate detail? The only reason I even have the opportunity to complain is because God was gracious enough to let me in here to start with.
The Greek word for “pattern” is used 15 times in the New Testament. Two of the words it is sometimes translated by are “example” and “ensample,” defined as “a model for imitation.” Everything from “You have us as an example” to “Your baptism is a form (pattern) of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection” (Phil 3:17; 2 Thes 3:9; Rom 6:17). The Bible is full of patterns! To deny their importance is ignorance or obstinacy. And if you have followed this all the way through, ignorance is now no excuse.
Show yourself in all respects to be a model (pattern) of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, Titus 2:7.
Dene Ward
Why do we follow the pattern? The way God set up the church as a spiritual rendition of the Old Temple should make it obvious. If you change any one of those things, it loses its significance. We would no longer fulfill the real meaning behind each carefully planned (from before the beginning) detail. Is that really important? God thought so.
And see that you make them after their pattern, which has been shown you in the mount. Exod 25:40. God made that statement to Moses immediately after giving him the detailed instructions for building the tabernacle and its furnishings. The Hebrew writer sees its importance and repeats it in Heb 8:5: They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” In fact, this is so important that Stephen even included the reference in his sermon, the one that got him killed (Acts 7:44)!
If it was important then, and every part of it has a parallel in the church today, why wouldn’t it still be important? In fact, you find Paul saying several different times something akin to this: That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 1Cor 4:17. We are supposed to be doing the same things in every congregation of God’s people all over the globe. Am I really going to tell God I don’t see the importance of following things He designed so carefully in such intricate detail? The only reason I even have the opportunity to complain is because God was gracious enough to let me in here to start with.
The Greek word for “pattern” is used 15 times in the New Testament. Two of the words it is sometimes translated by are “example” and “ensample,” defined as “a model for imitation.” Everything from “You have us as an example” to “Your baptism is a form (pattern) of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection” (Phil 3:17; 2 Thes 3:9; Rom 6:17). The Bible is full of patterns! To deny their importance is ignorance or obstinacy. And if you have followed this all the way through, ignorance is now no excuse.
Show yourself in all respects to be a model (pattern) of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, Titus 2:7.
Dene Ward
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