HOLD THE PATTERN, or PATTERNISM

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HOLD THE PATTERN, or PATTERNISM?

• I. God and patterns
• A. What the Scriptures say
• Exod. 258,9, And let them make me a sanctuary,
  that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all
  that I show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle,
  and the pattern of all the furniture thereof,
  even so shall ye make it.
• Acts 744, Our fathers had the tabernacle of the
  testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed
  who spake unto Moses, that he should make it
  ac-cording to the figure that he had seen.
• Heb. 85, who serve that which is a copy and
  shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is
  warned of God when he is about to make the

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tabernacle for, See, saith he, that thou make
all things according to the pattern that was
showed thee in the mount.

• 2 Tim. 113, Hold the pattern of sound words
  which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love
  which is in Christ Jesus.
• Hold -- Gr. have! (echo)
• 1 Cor. 112, hold fast the traditions, even as I
  delivered them to you.
• Hold -- Gr. really hold! (kataecho echo
  intensified) hold fast, keep, dont let go.
• B. The pattern identified
• Sound (Gr., hygienne, healthy, whole) words
• From the apostles source

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2 Thess. 215 36, So then, brethren, stand
fast, and hold the traditions which ye were
taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh disorderly, and
not after the tradition which they received of us.

• II. We are accused of traditionalism
• A. False representation -- labeling, to
  prejudice minds carnal tactic of false
  teachers!
• B. ASV, tradition delivered
• (1 Cor. 112, noun / verb hold fast the
  delivered even as it has been delivered).
• All versions in Mt. 152-6 say tradition, but
  elsewhere NIV says, teachings (same Gr. word!)

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Liberal brethen use the words tradition and
traditionalism with the common connotation of
human arrangements, ideas, orders

• They apply this common meaning of the words to
  points of doctrine of the gospel of Christ, such
  as -- not using instruments of music in
  worship
• -- only men lead in public worship
• -- Lords Supper only on Sunday, weekly
• III. Liberal brethren accuse us of patternism
• A. Why?
• Because they have abandoned the apostolic
  pattern!
• B. Like Judah of old --
• Jer. 213, For my people have committed two

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evils they have forsaken me, the fountain of
living waters, and hewed them out cisterns,
broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

• Jer. 616, Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the
  ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is
  the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find
  rest for your souls but they said, We will not
  walk therein.
• Liberals dont want the OLD paths they want
  the CONTEMPORARY (non-traditional, new, novel)!
• Isa. 661,2,3b, 4, Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven
  is my throne, and the earth is my footstool what
  man-ner of house will ye build unto me? and what
  place shall be my rest? 2 For all these things
  hath my hand made, and so all these things came
  

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to be, saith Jehovah but to this man will I
look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite
spirit, and that trembleth at my word Yea, they
have chosen their own ways, and their soul
delighteth in their abomi-nations 4 I also
will choose their delusions, and will bring their
fears upon them because when I called, none did
answer when I spake, they did not hear but they
did that which was evil in mine eyes, and chose
that wherein I delighted not.

• C. Doing it GODS way, ..
• -- Jer. 2, six times thus saith Jehovah
• -- Exod. 40, 8 times as Jehovah commanded
• -- Gen. 622, Thus did Noah according to all
  that God commanded him, so did he.
• versus proof-texting, and bibliolatry.

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1. Our liberal brethren are just one step away
from classic modernism, which

• Perverts 2 Cor. 36, the letter killeth
• D. Most members of modern denominations do not
  know the doctrines of their denominations
  (creeds, manuals, disciplines, articles of faith)
  
• And, they dont care! Mainly, social clubs to
  which one simply belongs.
• E. Many are influenced by modern culture
• -- Self-esteem (originated by a spoiled
  generation)
• -- Dont criticize (but they criticize us for
  criticizing!)
• -- Agree to disagree (but they will not agree
  with our disagreement of them)

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--Inclusivism (but they will include us who
dont agree with them)

• -- Comfort Zone ( Do it the way they like,
  prefer, choose, and that demands no divine
  pattern)
• -- Brethren, beware of the pressures of
  cul-ture, the politically correct. Fear God,
  not culture!
• IV. The Proper pattern for evangelism
• A. Each church does it own work according to its
  ability, 2 Cor. 811, But now complete the doing
  al-so that as there was the readiness to will,
  so there may be the completion also out of your
  ability, just like the individual must do,
  Mat.2515, And unto one he gave five talents, to
  another two, to another one to each according to
  his several ability.

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B. Sends directly to the preacher

• 2 Cor. 118, I robbed other churches, taking
  wages of them that I might minister unto you.
• Phil. 415,16, in the beginning of the gospel,
  when I departed from Macedonia, no church had
  fellowship with me in the matter of giving and
  receiving but ye only 16 for even in
  Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need.
• 1. No agency between the local church and the
  preacher supported.
• C. The pattern for benevolence is different!
• 1. One church may send to many needy churches,
  Acts. 1129,30, And the disciples, every man
  according to his ability, determined to send
  relief unto the brethren that dwelt in Judea .

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30 which also they did, sending it to the elders
by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

• 2. Many churches may send to one needy church,
  1 Cor. 161, Now concerning the collection for
  the saints, as I gave order to the churches of
  Galatia, so also do ye Rom. 1525,26, I go unto
  Jerusalem, ministering unto the saints. 26 For
  it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and
  Achaia to make a certain contribution for the
  poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem.
• D. Liberals confuse the two patterns, applying
  the pattern of benevolence to that of evangelism.
• 1. Sponsoring church, a fabricated name for
  an unscriptural arrangement ( centralization,
  with feeder churches)

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E. Their argument in defense

• 1. Acts 1225, And Barnabas and Saul returned
  from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their
  minis-tration. (So, Jer. church sponsored the
  distribution)
• No, they delivered to the elders of the
  church-es of Judaea, and then returned from
  Jerusalem.
• 2. Phil. 415,16, in the beginning of the
  gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church
  had fellowship with me in the matter of giving
  and receiving but ye only 16 for even in
  Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need.
  (Philippi church received from feeder churches
  and gave to Paul).
• No, Phillipi gave and Paul received. No other
  church involved in this fellowship!

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V. Erroneous concept of the church activating
the church universal!

• A. The church universal has no organization by
  which to do a brotherhood work!
• B. Examples of this false concept
• 1. Nationalized churches in Latin America
• 2. Sponsoring Church arrangement -- U.S. elders
  over churches, works and preachers of other
  countries and languages.
• How can U.S. shepherds care for a flock
  thousands of miles away and of another language?
• 3. A. C. M. S., 1849 Cincinnati, OH -- first
  Presi-dent, Alexander Campbell.
• 4. R.C.C.s hierarchy -- bishop over a diocese,
  a Pope over all

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5. Apostasy in the first centuries -- 1 Tim.
41, But the Spirit saith expressly, that in
later times some shall fall away from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of
demons.

• VI. It costs to follow the pattern
• A. Theres a war on! (spiritual battle to the
  death)
• Rev. 127, And there was war in heaven Michael
  and his angels going forth to war with the
  dragon and the dragon warred and his angels.
• Rev. 1714, These shall war against the Lamb,
  and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord
  of lords, and King of kings and they also shall
  overcome that are with him, called and chosen
  and faithful.

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B. In every war there are costs / casualties

• Rom. 835,36, Who shall separate us from the
  love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or
  persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril,
  or sword? 36 Even as it is written, For thy
  sake we are killed all the day long We were
  accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
• Acts 1422, through many tribulations we must
  enter into the kingdom of God.
• Rev. 69-11, I saw underneath the altar the
  souls of them that had been slain for the word of
  God, and for the testimony which they held 10
  and they cried with a great voice, saying, How
  long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not
  judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on
  the earth?

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11 And there was given them to each one a white
robe and it was said unto them, that they should
rest yet for a little time, until their
fellow-servants also and their brethren, who
should be killed even as they were, should have
fulfilled their course.

• C. Victory only to overcomers!
• Rom. 837-39, Nay, in all these things we are
  more than conquerors through him that loved us.
  38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor
  life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things
  present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor
  height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall
  be able to se-parate us from the love of God,
  which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Rev. 210, Fear not the things which thou art
about to suffer behold, the devil is about to
cast some of you into prison, that ye may be
tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be
thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee
the crown of life.

• 7 times in Rev. 2 3, to him that overcometh
• Rev. 1211, And they overcame him because of
  the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of
  their testimony and they loved not their life
  even unto death.
• Rev. 217, He that overcometh shall inherit
  these things and I will be his God, and he shall
  be my son.

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VII. Growth (in the truth) is necessary and normal

• 2 Pet. 318, But grow in the grace and knowledge
  of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
• A. Difficulties in making a change
• 1. Culture, family ties, fear of labels (like
  Patternism, legalists), loss of friends..
• B. Fighting discouragement
• 1. Christians have no excuse for
  discourage-ment. Has God not promised? Does he
  lie?
• Jos. 15-7, There shall not any man be able to
  stand before thee all the days of thy life. as I
  was with Moses, so I will be with thee I will
  not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong
  and of good courage for thou shalt cause this
  people to inherit the land

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which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7
On-ly be strong and very courageous, to observe
to do according to all the law, which Moses my
servant commanded thee turn not from it to the
right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have
good success whithersoever thou goest.

• We have each other for encouragement. Acts
  2615, And from thence the brethren, when they
  heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market
  of Appius and The Three Taverns whom when Paul
  saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
• C. Courage comes from taking a stand!
• 1 Cor. 1558, Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
  be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding

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in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know
that your labor is not vain in the Lord.

• 1 Cor. 1613, Watch ye, stand fast in the
  faith, quit you like men, be strong.
• Rev. 227, And behold, I come quickly. Blessed
  is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of
  this book.
• VIII. The Decision submit to divine authority,
  or to human? to the pattern, or to patternism?
• Rev. 1210, And I heard a great voice in heaven,
  saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power,
  and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of
  his Christ.

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Matt. 2818, And Jesus came to them and spake
unto them, saying, All authority hath been given
unto me in heaven and on earth.

• Jn. 666-69, Upon this many of his disciples
  went back, and walked no more with him. 67
  Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye
  also go away? 68 Simon Peter answered him,
  Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of
  eternal life. 69 And we have believed and know
  that thou art the Holy One of God.
• CONCLUSION
• Hold fast the pattern!
• Inform yourself and take a stand.
• As Paul said (Phil. 116), I am set for the
  defense of the gospel.

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