"For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" .....Romans 15:4

Christianity is built not on precepts alone but on concrete examples. One of God's methods of instruction is through history. It tells us how men knew and did His will, so that by observing their lives we may not only discover that will for ourselves, but learn something also of how we too may do it. His hand on their lives produced His desire in them, and He bids us take note, so that we may better understand what He designs to do in us.

Today in the Church as Christ's body, is it necessary for a child to be told explicitly how to do everything? Must each item be specifically permitted or forbidden? Is there not much he can discover simply by watching and observing his parents or his elders in the Church? We learn more quickly by what we see than by what we hear, and the impression upon us is deeper, because of course precepts are abstract, whereas examples tangibly demonstrate their outworking. In principle, the ways of God are the same today as in the Bible days. He has given us so much history in the old and new testaments, in order that through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures, we too may lay hold of that something here and have great hope! That something is none other than Jesus who is our life and the Lord and Savour of it!