The pillar and ground of truth
1 Timothy 3:14-15 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Three aspects
The church has been ordained by God to be the primary instrument through which His work on earth is to be accomplished. Jesus founded the church upon His deity and authority (Matt 16:16-18) and declared that the gates of hell could not prevail against it. Paul used three phrases to describe three aspects of the church.
The house of God
In the text Paul uses the phrase house of God to describe an aspect of the church’s function on earth. Jesus used the idea of the tabernacle being a house of prayer (Lu 19:46; Psa 93:5; Isa 56:7) thus indicating that it is the house of God.
When you used the phrase “house” you think of a family and the human family on earth made up of husband, wife and children is a good illustration for God’s house. Paul says the church (body of believers) is the bride of Christ, indicating that our relationship to Him is similar to that of husbands and wives on earth. (Eph 2:19-22). When we think of some place being some one’s house we think of rest, peace, comfort, safety and so when Paul uses the phrase house of God it should mean that the church is a place of safety, welcome, peace and comfort for God. The church should not be a place of discord, fighting and unrest. Peter says that we are the stones that make this house (1 Pet 2:5). The church should be a place where love controls and God is honored.
The church of the living God
The Greek word ekklesia means “called out ones” is what is translated church. We, the called out ones serve a living God not dead bones of a dead prophet. God is not dead, He is forever alive and the life in Him is the life that is transferred to all who believe on Him (Psa 36:9; Jn 5:25, 26; Acts 17:25; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16). The song writer captured it well in his song; We serve a risen Savor, and says, “He Lives”. We know He lives because He lives in our hearts. Jesus chastened the Sadducees when they tried to catch in their trick question about a woman who had been married seven times before death by explaining that those who died physically are still alive spiritually (Mk 12:27) God is a living God and we will always live.
The pillar and ground of truth
The pillar of a building is not its support structure but rather for display by elevating or calling attention to something else. The ground provides the support. The church, therefore, should function to support and display the whole truth of God and Scripture in such a way that all men and women can see and believe it. The church is founded upon the apostles and prophets with Christ being the Chief corner Stone (Eph 2:20-22). The church should declare the truth as well as live it before the world. We have the truth and are to share it with a lost world that it searching for truth.
The church should be a family of believers exhibiting brotherly love, individually and corporately serving the living God out of a pure conscience, defending the truth and displaying it to the lost.