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When Moses was going to make the tabernacle, God warned him, “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.” (Exodus 25:40) He was telling Moses to be sure that he didn’t change things around, making them different than the pattern God gave him. This pattern was somewhat complicated, and God wanted Moses to make sure that no one changed it.

There was certainly a wonderful opportunity to change the pattern when the Israelites donated more material than God’s pattern needed. It might seem that God would surely understand if Moses changed the pattern now, because of the grand opportunity that he would lose if he kept to the pattern, the opportunity to make the tabernacle more magnificent with the extra supplies, thus making it more appealing for worshippers. Could it really be wrong to try to make more people come and worship God? “And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.” God had given the pattern because it was best. Had Moses altered it, it probably would have meant disaster for the congregation, even if Moses’ motives seemed right.

This same principle applies to our work for God today. “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:21-22) God’s church needs to be built according to His pattern. It needs to be fitly framed together, like the tabernacle, and we are making a grave mistake whenever we alter God’s pattern.

Often we seem to have the idea that science can produce faith, that scholarship can produce faith, that logic can produce faith. We are ready to bring out our facts, our studies, our reasoning to help doubters come to salvation. We try to use our intellect to make people believe. Is this according to the pattern God gave us?

Christ said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17) He was specifically addressing this issue: how are people going to know that God’s Word is true? How will they get knowledge of God? He said that whoever would do God’s will would know that Jesus’ doctrine came from God. This is the Bible pattern.

In Romans 1, Paul further clarifies this as he presents a contrasting group of people.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:18-32)

Paul begins this passage by stating that God has made manifest both the fact that He is God and also the fact that He has eternal power. But then Paul proceeds to describe how men, despite God’s revelation, want to do wickedness. Because of this, God allows them to be wicked. He allowed them to worship idols instead of Him and gave them over to wickedness.

So now we see these two contrasting ways: God manifests Himself to those who will obey Him; He allows those who will not obey Him to go their own way. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) God will not turn away those who will follow Him all the way. If someone is unwilling to follow God, we can present all kinds of convincing proof, yet we will not be able to give them faith, because lack of faith is a symptom of a rejection of God’s will. Rather than presenting them with facts, we need to encourage them to do God’s will, because unless they will do it, facts will not help them. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7) People must be willing to fear God, or they cannot attain to even the beginning of knowledge, regardless of how many facts we present to them. If they will fear Him, then they can have knowledge. “A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.” (Proverbs 14:6) If we are following God, the understanding He gives us makes it easy for us to learn the knowledge He desires for us to know.