I am blessed and honored to be one of the contributing writers for an incredible ministry called She Believes. This post was originally published on January 20, 2017 for a series on 1 Timothy. I encourage you to check out the entire series!
READ: 1 Timothy 3:14-16, ESV
“…if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” {1 Timothy 3:15, ESV}
Let’s focus on that last word first. TRUTH.
Truth, is almost a bad word these days. If you say you believe in absolute truth, people look at you as if you are the most ignorant and archaic person they ever met. This is because we live in a culture where nothing is viewed as absolute; everything is considered fluid and subjective. But, as followers of Christ, we must hold firm to the truth we have been given.
What is truth? Well, that is the same infamous question a skeptical Pontius Pilate asked Jesus. Prior to that, Pilate asked him if he was a king, to which Jesus responded,
“You say that I am a king. For this purpose, I was born and for this purpose, I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” {John 18:37}
This truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It doesn’t change, nor is it changeable. As Christ followers, we not only lay claim of the truth, but the truth lays claim of us. We believe the truth, the gospel. But not only are we to believe it, we are to uphold it. Jesus’ purpose was to ‘bear witness’ to the truth {he is the truth}; ours, as the household of God, is to “hold” it up.
Referring back to our verse above, both a pillar and a buttress hold up and support a building. Imagine the great architecture of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, with its 127 Ionic columns that stood 60 feet high. Just as the foundation and strong, beautiful pillars held up the whole structure, so are we – the Living God’s church – to “hold up” the truth. We are not to dilute it, change it, add to it, or take away from it. We are to stand on it, as well as lift it up for all to see.
For we are the church of the LIVING God, or rather, the Living God’s church (since in the greek there is no definite article (the) in front of “church,”). He is not an idol carved of stone as the gods of the day were so long ago, nor is he like one of the many “gods” of man’s own creation today. I love how Jeremiah describes our LIVING God:
“But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.” { Jeremiah 10:10a }
So how should we handle ourselves as the household/family of God? We should lift up the truth of God, remembering, with fear, trembling, and awe, that we serve the living God. May we be a beacon of truth. May we love in truth. May we point people to our Savior, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
As I Follow 