Another way in which God speaks authoritatively to man through His word is by what we've come to call "approved examples." Usually we add the tag "apostolic" to emphasize practices of 1st century saints who lived, worked, and worshiped under the direct guidance of Holy Spirit-led apostles. These examples are "approved" in that these chosen ambassadors for Christ ratified such actions of Christians.

Allow me to put a slightly different slant on this aspect of Biblical authority. Think in terms of a "precedent." A "precedent" is something done or said that serves as a model to authorize a subsequent act of a similar kind. The Scripture provides several ways in which "precedents" or examples touch our lives. God Himself serves as an example (1 Pet. 1:15-16). We can learn a lot by watching the God of the O.T. (cp. Heb. 3:17-19). We observe what God likes and dislikes by seeing how He reacts to the actions of people.

We're also called to notice the actions of God's people. Abraham lived in such a way that he is held up for us as someone to emulate (Rom. 4:1-25). The people of Israel are cited as an example of how not to behave so that we don't incur the wrath of God upon us (1 Cor. 10:1-12). Take special note of vv. 6 & 11.

The ultimate N.T. example is, of course, Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:13; 1 Pet. 2:20-25). We follow His apostles only because they followed Him (1 Cor. 11:1), and their teaching is thus binding because the Lord Himself said it was (Lk. 10:16). All the recorded actions of the 1st century church must tell us something. As the old saying goes, "To be what they were, we must do what they did."

Disapproved examples are equally authoritative. Who would argue that the account of Ananias & Sapphira was not written to teach us the dangers of lying to God (cp. Acts 5:1-11)?

For us to believe, do, or teach anything religiously, we must have "Biblical precedent." If we don't have it, we are simply "out of order" before the great Judge.