I Timothy 3:14 …the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

I love the church. I love the church because my Lord loves the church. Jesus purchased her with His blood and rules as her head. The living God has instructed His living church what He expects of His people. God tells us what He wants us to do and how He wants us to act in His house.

We serve and put our trust in the living God, and our living faith in our living savior. The church is Christ’s institution, and we are called to join and follow Him there, and that is an exciting privilege.

The house of God is the pillar and the ground of the truth and that tells us God desires truth in worship. The church preaches, teaches, expounds, defends, and publishes the truth. It is the will of God that His people be active in His churches. It is the will of God that the church be the means by which truth is taught and published. The church does not decide what the truth is, but expounds God’s revealed truth. As faithful stewards in the house of the Lord, the church declares “thus saith the Lord”. Pillars and foundations hold up a house, but here, a  true church holds up the truth and publishes the truth among the nations. Our task to publish the doctrine and pass it along to the next generation. Generation after generation for 2,000 years, the church of the Lord Christ has faithfully received the truth, defended it, and passed it on. This is the responsibility of the church and should be the highest priority.

The sad reality is much of professed Christianity lacks a desire for the truth and for doctrine. They would rather have a man talk about what is on his heart than expound what is in the Book. How can we worship God if we don’t know Him? How can we take comfort in Christ if we do not know the grounds whereby we might plead to Him? How can we be consoled in trials if we do not know the God of Scripture and what He has promised us? Doctrine is practical. Doctrine makes the child of God to rejoice. The truth is what is sure and steadfast and unwavering. Truth is central in the purpose and mission of the church. It is the job of pastors and churches to uphold the truth. Verse by verse, declaring what God said in His Word. The church is built upon the truth and holds it up as we worship our God, who is Truth. The great need of our time is not for the church to become more like the culture. The task of the church is to faithfully declare God’s truth and then do what God says. A true church of Christ should be a pillar and ground of truth.