Too many people deny the Lord’s plan of salvation and His church as the one true church because they cannot believe that God has a set pattern. However, salvation would not be possible if there was not a pattern. In fact, for everything in life there is a pattern or a set of directions. For instance, if you are building a house there is a set of blueprints (pattern) for you to follow. If you are cooking supper there are steps you must follow or a recipe (pattern) to follow in order for the food to taste good. Even going somewhere involves steps to take (walk out the door, get in the car, put the key in the ignition, start the car, etc). Thus, why would God not have a pattern for us today?
When Moses was told to build the tabernacle, notice what God said: “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” (Exo. 25:8,9—emphasis mine DC). Surely, it is evident (from this passage and the directions that follow) that God had a pattern for Moses to follow when He ordered him to build the tabernacle. It is strikingly familiar to the pattern that God had for Noah in ordering him to build an ark of specific wood (gopher), of specific size (300 X 50 X 30 cubits), for a specific purpose (to save him from the flood) (Gen. 6). Incidentally, both of these structures were foretastes of the church. It is the “true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man” (Heb. 8:2) and as Noah was saved from the ungodly world by water, so we are saved from the ungodly world by the waters of baptism (1 Pet. 3:20,21).
Therefore, the church is comprised of patterns. There is a pattern for salvation which consists of faith (John 3:36), repentance (Acts 17:30), confession of Jesus (1 John 4:15), and baptism (Acts 2:38). There is a pattern for worship which consists of praying (1 Tim. 2:8), preaching (2 Tim. 4:2), singing (Eph. 5:19), giving (1 Cor. 16:2), and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7). There is a pattern for Godly living which consists of following the footsteps of Jesus and the inspired apostles (1 Pet. 2:21; 1 Cor. 11:1).
~Derrick Coble
When Moses was told to build the tabernacle, notice what God said: “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” (Exo. 25:8,9—emphasis mine DC). Surely, it is evident (from this passage and the directions that follow) that God had a pattern for Moses to follow when He ordered him to build the tabernacle. It is strikingly familiar to the pattern that God had for Noah in ordering him to build an ark of specific wood (gopher), of specific size (300 X 50 X 30 cubits), for a specific purpose (to save him from the flood) (Gen. 6). Incidentally, both of these structures were foretastes of the church. It is the “true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man” (Heb. 8:2) and as Noah was saved from the ungodly world by water, so we are saved from the ungodly world by the waters of baptism (1 Pet. 3:20,21).
Therefore, the church is comprised of patterns. There is a pattern for salvation which consists of faith (John 3:36), repentance (Acts 17:30), confession of Jesus (1 John 4:15), and baptism (Acts 2:38). There is a pattern for worship which consists of praying (1 Tim. 2:8), preaching (2 Tim. 4:2), singing (Eph. 5:19), giving (1 Cor. 16:2), and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7). There is a pattern for Godly living which consists of following the footsteps of Jesus and the inspired apostles (1 Pet. 2:21; 1 Cor. 11:1).
~Derrick Coble