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14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 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. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. ~ 1 Timothy 3:14-16
Having taught on leadership within the church, the Apostle Paul turns our attention to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The church in Ephesus had begun to abandon sound doctrine, so as a result, there was a need to reiterate the essential message of Christianity. This is the emphasis of today's text.
In v.14 we read, "these instructions" which refer to the underlying reason why the Apostle wrote this epistle. Not only that which he had written but also the things he has yet to write. Essentially, the Apostle is teaching Timothy THE essential of the faith.
In v.15 we read, "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."
The word “household,” used in v.15, is oikos which does not speak of a building. Very often people refer to the buildings as the church. This is not biblical. The Apostle is properly referring to the church as the people in relationship with God. The emphasis here is that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are all a part of a family that is in dynamic relationship with the living God of the Bible. The church is not a part of an organization that is to be treated like a business, however, we are a part of an organism that is actually in personal relationship with the living God. As the Apostle points out, if we miss this most essential part of the faith, we miss it all.
During the first century, the number one god in Ephesus was Diana. Those who once worshipped at the Temple dedicated to Diana and had professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ were still learning of God's ways and how His ways were quite to the contrary to those of Diana.
So, at the end of v.15 we read, "the pillar and foundation of the truth." Paul is saying, "The church is the pillar and foundation of the truth." His point was quickly understood by the folks in Ephesus due to the huge pillars and the large foundation that undergirded the Temple of Diana. It had 127 pillars that supported the massive structure. These pillars were made of solid marble, studded with jewels and overlaid with gold. Each of them were gifts from various kings throughout the world and each were tributes to those who gave them. The pillar and foundations held up the huge structure which at that time was one of the seven wonders of the world.
With the Temple of Diana as his backdrop, the Apostle Paul captured the minds of those who were in the church in Ephesus. In the same way that the pillars and foundation supported the temple of Diana, the church is to be the living support system of the truth. The church does not make the truth, we support it, we hold it up. It is a sacred treasure given to us for the glory of God, the good of men and we must hold it as our most precious treasure. The church does not make the truth, it is making us.
In v.16 we read, "Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory."
The Lord Jesus Christ is the mystery and He is the essence of eternal life and godliness. The Christian faith is a faith built on the person and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one at the center of all that we believe. And, in v.16, the Apostle Paul gives us six essentials of our Lord.
"He appeared in the flesh." When the Lord Jesus came to earth, God became the God-man. The Lord Jesus pre-existed, and then He took on visible human form. He made the invisible God visible to man.
"He was vindicated by the Spirit." This means He was declared righteous by the Spirit of God. Along with the Father, the Holy Spirit was the other needed witness proving the diety of the Lord Jesus. In His flesh the Lord Jesus was and is the sinless human and in His Spirit He was and is God. He was declared to be righteous by the Holy Spirit and this is why the Father said on two different occasions, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
The Lord Jesus was declared righteous by God so that He could save sinful man from the wrath of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read, “He who knew no sin became sin for us.” The Lord Jesus Christ never sinned, but when He went to the cross, He absorbed the punishment of God for all sin, so that God could forgive the sin of all who would believe in Him.
"He was seen by angels." Throughout the earthly life of the Lord Jesus, the angels observed Him, watched over Him, visited Him, and attended to His needs. The Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of the scriptures and the angels attested to that at His birth, in the Garden of Gethsemane, at His cross and at His resurrection.
"He was preached among the nations." After His resurrection and His exaltation in the eyes of the holy angels, the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ was preached among the nations because without this most essential message, no man would be saved.
"He was believed on in the world." The preaching of the forgiveness of sin resulted in the salvation of all who have and will believe on Him. The first time the gospel was preached in Jerusalem, after His resurrection, three thousand people believed. Belief in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross is essential to salvation.
"He was taken up in glory." In Acts 1:9 we read, "And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they were looking steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, two men stood by them in white apparel, and they said, 'You men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? The same Jesus taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven.'"
This is the essential teaching that Jesus Christ is God, the Savior of all who have and will believe on Him. As a result, He is most precious to us. So precious, we guard our personal relationship with Him and we, at every opportunity, preach Him crucified, imploring all to believe in His finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of sin and to receive the free gift of salvation through His precious blood. When we lose sight of this one essential, we are all in danger of falling away which is the subject of the verse which follows. And, we will consider those in our next blog and podcast.
