What’s The Big Deal?

 Warren E. Berkley

 “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil. 4:9)

Look at this rich promise: “…the God of peace will be with you.” So much beauty and power expressed in these few words. And if you heart is where it should be, this is immediately attractive.

But it is not automatic! You do not participate in this simply by reading the words or claiming you have the God of peace with you. Look back into the passage and context. Discover what is necessary to have this peaceful fellowship with God.

One thing you’ll see is that little word, “do.” It says, “these do,” and the God of peace will be with you.

What is to be done? The “things” we learn from the apostles! Through Paul and the other apostles of Christ, a pattern of individual behavior and collective practice was given, and it is expected that Christians follow this pattern. There is a prelude to this in the previous chapter. “Brethren, join in following my example,” and before that, “walk by the same rule,” (3:16,17). It is as Jesus said. The apostles bound on earth what had been bound in heaven and loosed on earth what had been loosed in heaven (Matt. 16:19).

What’s The Big Deal? The authority of apostolic teaching in the New Testament is widely ignored, denied or considered insignificant. This is true in the denominational world, in the “emerging church” movement, in the broader, ecumenical generic kind of “Christianity.” And in some places, among those who claim to be part of the Lord’s church. The apostolic pattern is ignored, denied or slighted. There is no reason for us to give up the word “pattern” or step back from the concept of submitting to apostolic authority. {See this in Matt. 28:18-20; John 16:13; John 17:20; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:1,2; 1 Thess. 4:1-2; 1 Jno. 4:6; 2 Jno. 9.} Jesus wants us to obey the teachings giving by His apostles.