Pattern Theology

by Brock Hartwigsen

Pattern theology is the belief that God has given mankind patterns in the Bible and expects, yea, demands that we follow them. This has been the traditional view of the Scriptures in the church since the restoration. There are some in the church today that are questioning this approach to Scripture. In fact, some have come right out and denied it. The following quote is from a speech delivered by brother Rubel Shelly at the Missouri Street Church of Christ in West Memphis, Arkansas, on April 20-21, 1990.

“Are we really looking for a pattern? We have taken Acts and tried to make it a prison. Acts was not meant to be a pattern. I reject pattern theology. The Scripture is not a book of case law to be cited like a bunch of proof texts. The way to teach people about the Bible is not to quote a series of steps to salvation. I am not looking for a pattern. I am looking for a Person.”

If brother Shelly is right, then why did God give us two detailed descriptions of the qualifications for elders if they are not a pattern to follow? Why did God give instructions about the specific emblems to be used in the communion and what they were to represent if they are not a pattern to follow?

If brother Shelly is right, then what about Jesus and John's teaching about the necessity of doing God's will. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever" (I John 2:17).

If doing God's will does not mean doing what God has determined should be done and how God has determined it should be done, then what does it mean?

If brother Shelly is right, then let's sprinkle babies! To restrict baptism to repentant believers and to insist that it must be full body immersion is to insist that the Bible contains a pattern for candidates and a pattern for the method which must be followed.

A rejection of the concept of binding patterns is a rejection of the plain teaching of Romans 6:17 "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered [them]" (emphasis added). The Roman brethren were no longer "servants of sin" because they had "obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered." Notice they didn't simply believe, nor did they simply obey, but they obeyed the very "form of doctrine which was delivered." The Simple English Bible translation is quite clear as to what Paul meant. It reads "pattern of teaching." If Romans 6:17 isn't an endorsement of pattern theology, then what is it?

Brother Shelly asserted that he wasn't "looking for a pattern," but that he was "looking for a Person." The person we should be looking for is Jesus and Jesus said we must obey God's will. By telling us that we must obey God's will, Jesus is telling us that there is a pattern. We find Christ when we follow the pattern. Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them [pattern theology], he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). And "if a man love me, he will keep my words [pattern theology]: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23). No man can find Jesus unless Jesus is willing to "manifest" himself to him. No man can find Jesus unless Jesus comes to him. Brother Shelly and others can look for Jesus all they want, but without him coming to them and manifesting himself to them, their search will be in vain.

The person we should be looking for is Jesus and the Bible says that Jesus is the "author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Heb. 5:9). Where there is no direction, instruction, pattern (call it what you will), there can be no obedience. If there is no obedience, then there is no salvation. Simply put, no pattern means nothing to obey. Nothing to obey means no obedience. No obedience means no salvation! If that is the case, then why bother to look for Jesus? No pattern theology does more than reject the concept of patterns, it is effectively also a rejection of salvation.  

 

Other Articles
Why No Instruments of Music?
A Word or Two on Behalf of Simplicity
Losing Individualism
 

 Would you like others to read this article?

                    Please share!