EXAMPLES THAT ESTABLISH BIBLICAL AUTHORITY
by Dave Brown
God’s Authority — Examples
There are three ways that we obtain authority and direction from the bible: Command, Example and Necessary Inference (see the article with this title). This article will consider the second of these, approved apostolic example, and the subject of Necessary Inference is considered in a separate article. There is no direct statement in the bible that prescribes these three methods, so we must be careful to establish that, in making this claim, we are not going beyond (as in 2 John 9) . Let’s take it one step at a time.
Most people agree that God’s direct commands that are recorded in the New Testament are binding on us today. The writings of Paul (and by extension, the other New Testament writers as well) were to be viewed as the commandments of God (1 Cor 14:37): “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.”
Approved apostolic examples are binding, and they are only binding, because God commanded us to follow them. First, the examples of Christ (1 Pet 2:21): “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps...” Then, the examples of the apostles:
· 1 Cor 11:1: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”
· Phil 3:17: “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”
· Phil 4:9: “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.”
The only conclusion that one can draw from these (and the many other passages like them) is that approved apostolic examples have the same binding power as do direct commands, because we are commanded to follow them.
How Do Examples Apply?
Obviously all examples are not binding. Consider the example of Job’s wife: “Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!’” (Job 2:9). Obviously, this is not an example for us to follow today. This is why we qualify the word by talking of “approved apostolic examples.” This limits consideration to only practices approved by the apostles.
Whenever we get into a discussion of such examples, it seems that some want to cast deride the whole process by saying things like: “We do a lot of things without example. What about song books and church buildings?” And, “We don’t follow all the examples. What about meeting in upper rooms?”
Those who make such remarks show little regard for moving the discussion ahead and answering the question posed above: “How do examples apply.” Nor do they seem to have any interest in resolving the issues that they are raising. But in fact, these are legitimate questions, and they should be answered. But first, we must ask: what are you promoting? Are you saying that we should ignore all examples? If so, you are in direct contradiction to the clear scriptural evidence presented above.
We might do some things without example, but we should never do anything in religion without authority. Examples are just one of the three ways for establishing authority. We are not arguing that examples are the only means of establishing authority, and the fact that some things are approved in other ways does not negate the value of examples.
Then there is the fact that many details mentioned in the New Testament are incidental and not intended to be made into doctrine. In such cases there are usually counterexamples which demonstrate that the detail is not there for binding. The meeting in upper rooms is a good example of this principle, since there are many examples of churches meeting in other places. God expects us to use our brains to reason through the various questions that we have and to do our very best to apply his word to doing His will today.
All approved apostolic examples apply to us today. However, some apply only in principle (e.g., Acts 3:1; 4:32), while others contain important details (Acts 20:7). It is up to each one of us to study our bibles and to rightly divide God’s word in this regard (2 Tim. 2:15). The vast majority of issues are easy to resolve, and on these we can and should stand firm. On those which provide a greater challenge, we should continue to study and apply ourselves to doing our best to resolve them in a way that will not offend anyone’s conscience needlessly.
While some might attack this as a subjective process, we respond that nothing is more subjective than disregarding the biblical examples altogether. They are essential to our knowledge of God’s will.