By David J. Stewart | February 2014
1st Timothy 3:15-16, “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. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
The House of God, that is, THE CHURCH, is the PILLAR and GROUND of
the TRUTH!!! Amen and amen! The words “pillar” and “ground” both mean
“support.” Jesus Christ is the only foundation of Christianity and the
Church...
1st Corinthians 3:9-11, “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Everything in Christianity is built upon the unmovable, unshakable and solid foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the living Word of God, THE TRUTH incarnate...
John 1:1-3 and 14, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Jesus is the incarnate Word of God, that is, as John 1:14 teaches, Jesus is the Word of God that became flesh, as a living man. The Bible declares in John 1:1 that the Word WAS [IS] GOD! Jesus is almighty God! When we behold Christ's person, personality and principles, we are beholding God the Father manifest in the flesh. Literally, the Godhead revealed them self to the world in the man Christ Jesus. Colossians 2:9, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” There is only ONE God (Deuteronomy 6:4), but He exists in three individual Persons; namely, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is Biblically called the “GODHEAD” (commonly referred to theologically as the “Trinity”).
The Bible itself IS THE TRUTH. John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Jesus Christ is THE TRUTH! John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Thus, the Church is built upon the Cornerstone of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1st Peter 2:7). As such the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth, because the Church is built upon THE TRUTH. The Church is not the truth, nor is it the foundation; but rather, it is the pillar and ground built upon the truth. Matthew 16:18, “...UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH...” That “Rock” (Greek: Petra) is Jesus Christ Himself!
Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” When 1st Timothy 3:15 speaks of the Church as being the “pillar” and “ground” of the truth, it means that it is the purpose of the Church to proclaim and propagate THE TRUTH. Jesus is the Rock of truth upon which the Church is built. The Bible is the Final Authority upon which the Church is built. When men are the authority of a religious group, it ceases to be a New Testament church and becomes a demonic religious cult (like Roman Catholicism). Our authority as Christians is the holy Bible! Thank God for the trustworthy King James Bible!
The Bible itself IS THE TRUTH itself. John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” The foundation of the Church is Christ. Jesus Christ is THE TRUTH! John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Thus, the Church is built upon the Cornerstone of Lord Jesus Christ. As such the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth.
Be careful not to view the church as a building or earthly organization. The Church is composed of local, individual, born-again believers. If you are saved and gather together with another believer in Jesus' name, you have formed a church. Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) was given to individuals, because the Church is composed of born-again individuals.
Here is an excellent commentary concerning the Church as the pillar and ground of the truth...
From the Scripture we understand that THE CHURCH IS BUILT UPON THE FOUNDATION – one that cannot be moved - which is Christ. Naturally speaking, pillars are put in a building to support the roof which is above to complete the structure.
It is Christ who is the head of the church and the body, He controls us. He is the foundation that is laid. The church is to uphold the truth for everyone to see. This is the main purpose of the church – to continue to teach the doctrine the apostles were given by Christ. The pillar is not the foundation, nor is it the truth but upholds the truth. This Scripture is not saying it is the church that is the truth, as often used by Roman Catholics. Jesus Christ is the truth (Jn.14, the word is the truth). The Church is not the building or an institution but the people. It is the Ecclesia- the called out ones (from the world) that is to promote and preserve the truth in the world. We are to walk in the truth and share the truth to others. The apostles, the people preached Christ as the way the truth and the life.
Notice what Paul says 1 Cor. 3:9-11 “For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
The Bible says the church; which are people, is the pillar and ground of truth. The people are supposed to declare the word of God, that is our authority, without upholding the Bible a church is no longer the pillar of truth. ...
The Church is not a building, nor a club, nor a 501c3 government licensed business; but rather, a Church is a called out assembly (gathering) of born-again believers. There is NO universal (Catholic) church; but rather, only local New Testament churches. The total sum of all believers (dead and alive) is called the “Body Of Christ,” which has never been assembled, nor will be until the first reunion time at the Rapture. What a glorious day that will be!
Our duty as believers is to draw the lost world into the Church with the unconditional love of Christ, and then attach them to THE TRUTH of God's Word so they'll remain faithful to Christ and not because they feel comfortable or loved by people. If a person merely joins a church for selfish, sociable or secular reasons, then they'll quit when those circumstances change. However, if we attach people to THE TRUTH by preaching and teaching them the inspired, incorruptible, unchanging, infallible and preserved Words of God, then they'll continue LIVING BY FAITH as God wants every believer to do. Jesus is precious!
