Where
In The Bible Will I Find:
The
Pattern In Which Man Is To Follow?
The
Hebrew writer speaks of patterns of things in the heavens (Heb. 9:23), and as
the world was created from God's pattern, and as He has given man a pattern in
which to follow in his obedience to Him, man must follow this pattern in
carrying out God's commandments.
In
the sixth chapter of Genesis we find that man had become so wicked that God
was going to destroy the whole earth, "But Noah found grace in the
eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:8), and God told Noah to build an ark large
enough to save all those who would believe and obey the preaching of Noah. As
a preacher of righteousness, Noah, was evidently an intelligent person but he
would not have any idea what size to build it. God knew and gave him the
pattern, The length was 300 cubits, the width was 50 cubits, and the height
was 30 cubits. It would have three stories with one window and one door. The
material would be golpher wood and sealed within and without with pitch. And
Noah built the arc according to THE pattern.
Now
any God loving, God fearing person knows that this ark would have never been
able to float had Noah varied from the pattern in any way. God gave the
pattern for the tabernacle and all the instruments for Moses to build (Exod.
25:9) and Moses made all things according to the pattern that God had given
him (Num. 8:41; Heb. 8:5). God through his Holy Spirit, gave the pattern for
the temple to David and "Then David gave to Solomon his son the
pattern..." (I Chron. 28:11). This pattern for the house was so
perfect that when the stones were cut and set in place, no hammer was needed, "And
the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it
was brought tither: so there was neither hammer or axe nor any tool of iron
heard in the house, while it was in building" (I Kings 6:7).
When
God's pattern is followed there is no error, or miscalculation for ALL fit
together perfectly. Throughout the ages we see that God has given His pattern
for the things that He instructed man to do . In His gospel plan of salvation
He has given us the pattern and as in the case of Noah, Moses, David and
Solomon and others, we must follow this pattern as God has given it. Christ
taught His apostles and they have taught the people that they must hear the
gospel, and they must believe the gospel to be the Word of God (Rom. 10:17;
John 3:18; Heb. 11: 6). They must repent of all sins or perish (Luke 13:3, 5;
Acts 17:30). They must be immersed in water for the remission of sins (Mark
16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Peter 3:21).
Paul
says of those who have obeyed this form (pattern) of doctrine that they have
become the servants of righteousness (Rom. 6:17-18). Obedience to this pattern
saved then, and it will save now.
