[Biblemat] A> Authority Series Lesson 7 I Have Given You an Example

[Mance J. Davis Jr.]

Use as you will to His Glory.

Mance

Authority Series Lesson 7

I Have Given You an Example

Most people who accept the Bible as God’s Word have no trouble agreeing 
that
we should obey the commands both of God the Father and Jesus the Christ. 
Many may
be surprised, however, to learn that Christians are also required to 
follow the example of
Jesus and his Apostles. This is nonetheless true.

Jesus said in John 13:15, “For I have given you an example, that ye 
should do as
I have done to you.” He also said, “This is my commandment, That ye love 
one another,
as I have loved you.” (John 15:12; emphasis mine, MJDJ) Both of these 
passages
indicate to us that Jesus expects us to look at the example that he has 
given and pattern
our own lives after it. To fail to do so is to sin just as surely as we 
sin by breaking a
commandment of our Lord!

We also have the example of the Apostles that Jesus himself chose. Paul 
said,
“Be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you 
that ye remember
me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to
you.”(1Corinthians 11:1-2, ASV) Notice here, Paul says, “…as I also am 
of Christ.”
This indicates to us that for the example of the Apostles to be 
applicable to us, they must
be approved examples; that is, they must not contradict the teaching of 
Christ or the
inspired teaching of the apostles. For instance, Peter refused to eat 
with the Gentiles
when certain Jews were present. This was contradictory to the Gospel he 
himself had
preached, and Paul rebuked him for this sin. Therefore, we must not 
follow Peter’s
example of sin.

Peter also took a wife with him at least some times when he traveled 
preaching (I
Corinthians 9:5). Paul indicates that this is acceptable and it does not 
contradict any
other teaching of the Apostles or Christ, therefore we know that this 
example is approved.
Paul, however, took no wife with him. This also does not contradict any 
other teaching.
This example, then, is also approved. We can learn from this that a 
preacher can be
married or not; the approved example of the Apostles shows this.

In Acts 20:7, we find that Paul preached to the brethren who were 
gathered on the
first day of the week. Did you know that there is no command in the New 
Testament for
Christians to meet on the first day (or any other specific day) of the 
week? Did you know
that there is no command that there be preaching on the first day of the 
week? Yet, for
almost two thousand years Christians have done these things. “Why?” you 
say?
Approved apostolic example! The example of Paul and others who are 
approved of God
is our only way of knowing when God wants us to gather!

These are only a few of the instances of this in the New Testament. When 
you
read your Bible, do so with this in mind. Try to find more examples…of 
Approved
Example! Only by knowing God’s commands, following his examples, and
understanding his will for us can we be pleasing to him. If the Lord is 
willing, next time
we will look at the Bible principle of Necessary Inference or 
Implication, the final way in
which God reveals his will through his Word.

Until next time, let me encourage you to search the scriptures daily, 
whether these
things are so. Acts 17:11

Copyright 2006 Mance J. Davis Jr.