I'm on day 10 of my 40 days in 1 Timothy. Today was 1 Timothy 3.14-15, "I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."
Paul tells us in these verses why he is writing this letter, so that Timothy will be informed about how people are to conduct themselves within the church. It is so Timothy can instruct the church on their responsibility as the church.
Reading again in William Barclay he highlights four words. Household, church (assembly), pillar, and support (buttress).
Household, the first thing we see is that is to be a family, God's family. For the church to be the church God has called it to be, the church that He desires for it to be, there must be this mutual love for each other. As it says in 1 John 4, we cannot love God whom we have not seen if we do not love our brother we have seen. It begins here, with love, uniting us together as the family of God.
Church, Barclay uses his own translation of the scripture at the beginning of each section, and his word is assembly, but the word is Greek, ekklesia, is translated either way. An assembly is called, and everyone is invited. However, not everyone responds to the invitation. God is not selective in who has been invited, people have simply failed to respond. We need to remember this as the church. All are welcome, all may enter in to the house of God. All have been invited into His family, all have been called to assembly. 1 Timothy 2 says that God desires all men to be saved. All have been invited, let us welcome everyone.
Pillar, Timothy was located in Ephesus when Paul is writing to him. At the time one of the seven wonders of the world stood there, the Temple of Artemis or Diana, depending on Greek or Roman worship. In this temple there were 127 marble pillars. Some were covered with gold and jewels, everyone was the gift of a king. Today only one remains, and a stork has built a nest on top. The use of the word here is not a pillar used for support, but for display. It would be a beautiful object, often with a statue on top, that would be clearly seen even from far off. The church is to be a pillar of truth. We must display truth for all to see. We cannot afford to hide it, otherwise we will become a ruin fit for nothing but a birds nest.
Support, again in Barclay's own translation he uses the word buttress. This is the support of a building, it is what holds it up. The text says "a pillar and support of the truth." A pillar displays it for all to see, the support holds it up and stands firm. The church cannot compromise on the truth. We must stand firm and refuse to compromise. The world we live in does not always desire truth, it does not always seek it, but the church must stand firm, the church must live for truth.
This is God's intention and desire for the church that we find in scripture. We are His family, and all have been invited into it. We must display the truth for all to see, and we must stand firm to uphold it. Be the Church.
Peace be with you
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