This is an interesting word and one that is used in the religious world today. It is tossed around to make a big impression on folks. I looked it up in the dictionary and was surprised at what I found. Many of the folks that are using this word tell us that we do not have “pattern theology.” What they mean about this is that we can do pretty much what we want because God did not give us a pattern for our work and worship in spiritual matters. These individuals usually want us to use mechanical instruments of music in our worship. They also want women to be in leadership rolls in our worship and Bible classes. They want us to change the way things are done to a more contemporary way of thinking. Are you in suspense about the meaning of the word? Are you in suspense about what the Bible has to say?
The dictionary gives 3 meanings for this word. We are interested in the first and third meanings. The first meaning is: Example, pattern especially an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype. The third meaning is: a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated.” Did you catch that first definition? I also heard a man say that this word is laying two ideas side by side to compare the two; what a salesman would do to get people to buy his product. I can see that in the third definition of this word.
There is another point that needs to be brought out before a conclusion can be drawn. We are all colored by our prejudices. It might be something simple as the way we cook a roast or even more complex as to why we buy a certain kind of automobile. It might be because this is the way it was always done in our house (the roast may have been cut in two because a pot was not big enough long ago, and it is still done that way because that is the way it always has been done.). It might be because Fords were considered a better built automobile with longer warranty than a Chevy. It also could be that the dealer gave better service than another and thus we have always bought that kind of car. The way we were brought up affects the way we do things. It does not matter if it was right or wrong it still affects us. But we truly need to be open to what is the truth to make honest judgments. We do judge a book by its cover, but that does not make it a correct judgment!
Another example is in the scientific world. At one time the world was considered flat. The earth was also considered the center of the universe. When someone challenged these thoughts what happened? Was there ever a scientist killed because of some new idea? (Which was really not new but was the correct idea.)
Now back to spiritual matters. In our Bible there is the matter of pattern. We have a pattern to go by. Moses was given a pattern on the mount and he had to go by that pattern (Hebrews 8:5 cf. Romans 6:17). God has given us what He wants in our worship today. We cannot change worship or God’s law; it is God’s law and God’s worship. We have no right to change worship or the Bible!
In our Bibles this idea of laying two things side by side for comparison is found many different times. One is in Hebrews. If we study the word “better” in that book we will find it used thirteen times. Each time it is used to compare the Old Law with the New and the New is better every time. Which one would you buy? Which one would you obey? Which one is our source of authority in matters of religion? The “better” has to be the answer in every case. Jesus was showing the people of His day a better way and they killed Him because of it.
But we hate to change! We like the way things were done. We need to be very careful with this idea. Change can be the best thing, or it can be the worst thing! There may be a need to change, but there are some things that cannot be changed. For example, we can change the time of our worship. We could meet any time on Sunday we needed to. We could meet Sunday morning for Bible study then worship, have a fellowship meal, and then have our afternoon worship and go home. It is done this way is some place and was done this way years ago. We could change the order of worship. We could have the giving first and then sermon then sing songs and then the Lord’s Supper. There maybe a time when the invitation is given first then worship proceed from there. (I have seen this done.) There maybe a time when the preacher wants to emphases certain things and have songs during his sermons. These changes are good and for a reason. But all the items of worship are carried out, therefore are not wrong.
We need to be open to some things but never change God’s worship. We can compare items side by side, but we always must come up with God’s way not our way! The paradigm in the Bible is right, that is the example is right and needs to be followed!
Love, Keith
