To build a house, or any building for that matter, one needs blueprints. Blueprints are detailed technical drawings that outline the building’s design, show the floor plan and elevations, provide measurements, and list the material specifications for construction. They serve as a central, accurate guide to ensure accuracy, safety, and consistency across all stages of construction. If everyone involved doesn’t use the same set of blueprints, it is highly unlikely that the building will be completed according to its original, intended design. In fact, it will probably result in many problems, conflicts, and inferior quality. Having blueprints is absolutely necessary, and following them precisely is the key to constructing a safe, quality building, as designed.
In the Bible, God gave Moses a set of “blueprints,” if you will, when He said, “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it” (Exodus 25:9). In the Hebrew language, the word translated as “pattern” is the verb bānāh (H1129), meaning “to build,” and refers to the plans of a building or an object. God was very specific about what He wanted in the design, layout, dimensions, and even the materials to be used in constructing the tabernacle and its furnishing. Constructing anything less than exactly what He had designed and mandated to be built would be a direct violation of His will. Fortunately, Moses obeyed and followed the pattern and instructions, as affirmed by Stephen, “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen…” (Acts 7:44).
The fact is, Yahweh is a God of patterns. All throughout Scripture, God lays out specific patterns pertaining to His will. For example, there was order and form in the creation of the universe (Gen 1). Every aspect of His creation operates by a pattern (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There is a pattern to His character, (Malachi 3:6; 2 Peter 3:9), to His dealing with mankind (Acts 17:30; Romans 2:11), and His justice (Psalm 89:14). Above all, there is a pattern to His plan of salvation and it is seen throughout the New Testament.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul mentions God’s pattern, or “blueprint” for salvation, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered” (6:17). The word “form” is a Greek word that means “pattern, model, example.” In other words, they had obeyed a specific pattern in order to be saved (delivered from sin). What was the pattern of teaching, or model doctrine that they obeyed? Back up a few verses to verses 4-5, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, … united together in the likeness of His death, … we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, …” Here, the word “likeness” means “a figure, image, likeness, example, or representation.” They had been baptized as part of the pattern – which was an example, or image of Jesus being buried and raised.
In 1 Peter 4:17, we find the phrase “obey the Gospel.” In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul calls the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, “the Gospel … by which also you are saved …” The way one obeys dying, being buried, and raised up into newness of life is by “obeying from the heart that pattern of teaching.” It involves, hearing the Gospel (Romans 10:14-15), believe the Gospel (Rom 10:16), repent of one’s sins (Rom 2:4), confess that Jesus is the Son of God (Rom 10:9), and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Rom 6:1-6; Acts 2:38, 22:16).
-Troy Spradlin