Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount Heb. 8:5. In a study of bible authority we must always think about the pattern found in the New Testament for any particular practice or teaching Col. 3:17. Sectarian people, liberal minded people who would like to be called brethren, and others refuse to see a pattern, or do not care for the pattern in God’s word for such things as the work or worship of the local church. Other self-willed people, even among brethren seem forever to misapply passages and call them patterns. The New Testament bible pattern for any particular thing is simply all that the entire New Testament has to say about that subject; no more and no less.

What then, is the bible pattern for the local church in benevolent work? It is every passage in the New Testament that speaks of the local church engaging in benevolent work. There are nine passages in the New Testament that speak of local church benevolent work. These passages are: Acts 11:27-30; Rom 15; 2 Cor 8; 2 Cor 9; I Cor 16:1-3; Acts 2:44-45; Acts 4: 34-35; Acts 6:1-4; I Tim 5:6. This constitutes the New Testament pattern for the local church in benevolent work. Notice that all these passages teach that the local church is to care for needy SAINTS. This is the pattern. There is then no authority for local churches to be a general do-good benevolent organization like the good will. The local church must care for its own; this is authorized and general benevolence is not. In these passages we also find a pattern for congregational cooperation in the realm of benevolence for saints in need. Acts 11:27-30 has one local church (Antioch) sending to several local churches (churches or brethren in Judea). I Cor 16, Rom 15, 2 Cor 8, 2 Cor 9 show us an authorized pattern in benevolent work for several local churches to send to one local church. These passages show the pattern for benevolent work by local churches but these passages are not a pattern for edification or evangelism. The pattern for evangelism or edification, are all the New Testament passages on those subjects and not the pattern that is given for benevolent work.

Some brethren have told me for years that Heb 10:25 authorizes church finance. How can this be? Heb 10:25 speaks of not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. This passage authorizes a place; for to assemble we must have a place. Expedients may be to rent or buy a place. It is not authority for, or a pattern for church finance! What is the pattern and authority for church finance? It is all the New Testament has to say about that subject. Only two passages are found on this subject and they both teach that the local church raises its funds to do its work by the free-will offering of saints on the first day of the week. These passages are I Cor 16:2 and 2 Cor 9:6-7.

Friends, Heb 10:25 is not authority for the local church to raise its store (treasury or storehouse) . We cannot take the bible pattern for benevolence and apply it to evangelism. Neither can we twist Heb 10:25 which may authorize a place and try to make it apply to church finance (ie - how to get the place). The only authority or pattern we have for the church to raise its store is I Cor 16:2 and 2 Cor 9:6-7. Heb 10:25 is not a blanket for local churches to do any and everything. The context is the assembling and not to forsake that assembling as some do. Let us not wrest this passage to teach things which it does not teach 2 Pet 3:16.