1 Timothy 3:15 “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”
While on a speaking tour in Brazil I was asked to speak on the subject: IF THE CHURCH WAS NOT HERE WOULD IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE? I believe that the pastor who presented that theme was thinking more of his own church than the universal Body of Christ.
However, I think the theme does involve some serious thinking and refection on the local church or fellowships scattered throughout the world. If I think of the different denominations that we have and if they all disappeared, I do not think it would make much of a difference in this world today. If we go back several hundred years in church history there were denominations then that we do not have today. They have disappeared or ceased to exist. Did they make a difference in their passing away? Not really, unless to evolve into more sophistication.
However, when it comes to what the church really is there IS TO BE an obvious difference given we are a people who have been born-again of the same faith in Jesus Christ, of the same Father in heaven, His Holy Spirit poured into us, having the same heritage and future inheritance; all belonging to God’s eternal family. If the REAL church were to disappear from the earth it would certainly make a difference and people would see the upset immediately.
In our text we see the importance of the real church: “God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” The church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. If I look at the situation in the world today a question that comes to my mind is: Where is truth? What is truth? Who has the truth? There is no anchor of truth, no firm foundation from which to build anything on, no clear solutions for all the disorder and disasters in our world alone. We have no moral absolutes. People decide their own truth based upon what feels good or looks right to them. Those who are in power dictate how to think and live. All this is what comes in and out of a world without the true representation of God in it.
According to our text God has assigned His church as the institution that is to guard His truth by living it out family by family, generation to generation. Yet, here now in the USA as in all parts of the world, the church has compromised: given in, conceded, learned to negotiate in order to be comfortable and accepted by the world. This is what has brought us to the moral chaos that we find today in the churches, as well as in the world.
Paul, in writing to Timothy and Titus gave us what we call the Pastoral Letters. I think this Paul’s letters bring out something very crucial for how the church is important in this world, or not.
The message for the church in 1 Timothy is to “guard the gospel,” or to guard the truth found in God’s Word. Jesus said: “I am the truth.” (John 14:6) He tells us how.
The message of 2 Timothy is to “proclaim the Gospel.” If we, the church and guardians of the gospel entrusted to us, do not proclaim the ‘true’ gospel by word and deed than Satan will certainly get his ‘false’ gospel out to man-kind. Isn’t this what has been happening when the church is compromised and ineffective?
The message of Titus is to “practice the gospel.” Francis of Assis said: “Preach the gospel, and use words if necessary.” The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and the world saw it! We want the world to listen, but they want to look. What do they see about us?
Reformation will bring the church back to their high place of true worship of the Lord; back to what God intended Christ’s church to be in this world.