GOD DESIGNED THE CHURCH AS HE WANTED:
We are going to have a whole series of devotionals next year on the pattern for the church of Christ as it is revealed in the book of Acts. Acts is the history of the first thirty years of Christian history, church history. As we study the book of Acts next year, we will see what the apostles of Christ told people to do to be saved. We will see how the apostles of Christ told the Christians to organize themselves into a church. The pattern for Christianity is found in the book of Acts and we’ll study it in-depth next year.
Now, let us consider Paul’s words to the Christians in Rome in Romans 6:17: “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.” Please observe the word “form.” That word “form” is translated also as “standard” or “pattern.” Do you see that there is a “form” or “standard” or “pattern” which we are to obey?
A related word is found in 2 Timothy 1:13: “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” The word translated “standard” could also be translated “example,” “pattern,” or “outline.” It is used twice; once here and once in 1 Tim. 1:16.
The original word means a “mark” or “stamp.” It comes from the word that means to “strike” or to “impress” into a mold or pattern. This is the example which Jesus Christ Himself left for us (1 Peter 2:21).
Consider Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 3:6: “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.” Now look at verse 14: “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame.”
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That point needs to sink deep into our hearts and minds: If someone is not obeying Paul’s words in his letters… do not associate with them. There is a pattern to follow. There is a pattern to follow.
The second word I referred to, that is similar, means literally, an “under pattern.” It is a model to follow. We have the picture of a child’s writing notebook which has the pattern above and the child’s effort to follow the pattern.
Paul informs us in Galatians 1:11-12 that what he wrote was guided by the Holy Spirit of God: “For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
The doctrine that Paul taught, the doctrine that is our pattern, our model, our guide in Christianity is that very pattern or model that was given to him by Jesus Christ. We follow Paul and Peter because they were Holy-Spirit-led followers or patterns of Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow, we’ll consider God’s pattern, as it is revealed through Paul, an inspired apostle.
Paul Holland
