(14a) I hope to come to you soon…
Paul has just finished giving Timothy instructions about how to run God’s Church – how to act out the love of Jesus to the people of Jesus for the glory of Jesus.
And here again we see his love for his spiritual son revealed. He has been desiring to visit young Timothy. He expects to see him soon.
And this is the kind of love that Jesus produces between people. Paul used to be a Jew among Jews – a despiser of the Gentiles and a persecutor of Christ. Timothy was a half-breed who would have been spurned by the Jews – and certainly by Paul before Paul met Christ.
But both had been convinced that Christ saves sinners- and both entered into the family of God, in which they were brothers. Paul wanted and planned to see Timothy…
(14b-15a) …but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God…
Yet, Paul doesn’t know if he’ll be able to make it. That’s why he’s writing. So we can thank God for hiding from Paul whether or not he’d see Timothy again – because it caused Paul to write him and to give us God’s authoritative words about his Church.
Paul wrote with a purpose. There are ways that it is necessary to behave in the Church. He uses a strong expression here when he says ‘ought.’ It must be the case. It’s vital that one act this way.
And his purpose is that Timothy, a pastor in God’s Church, know what is necessary for behavior within the local congregation.
And we thank God that he has revealed to us, in this book, what is necessary! That should motivate us to read it. To know it. To practice it.
Paul refers to the Church as the ‘household of God.’ It’s the place in which God dwells. It’s the place in which those who know him dwell. It is God’s family, those loved of God, those destined to eternal life with him forever – with the Lord Jesus as the head of the house.
And just so we know what Paul’s talking about, God had him write ‘which is the church of the living God.’
What is God’s family? Who are those in relationship with him? Those who are in the church – the assembly of those who congregate because of a common confession – a common belief – in the Good News about Jesus the Messiah.
And special concern here is given to the fact that God is the ‘living God.’ He is active. He is reigning. He loves us even now, and we have fellowship with him even now. He is able to and will bring about his purposes. He is active in his Church.
(15b) …a pillar and buttress of the truth.
God here gives a further description of his family, the Church. It’s fitting to review what Paul has said so far! Timothy, a pastor, must teach right doctrine and must guide people to live out the practical implications of that sound doctrine. The result is that the whole Church should be responding to God in holy prayer and worship – and that it should spread throughout the world.
To accomplish that end, God instructs us to ordain Church officers, one group to teach, the other to serve.
And it’s the end here that we should emphasize – the truth. The goal of this whole thing entails the truth from God.
Pillars in the Old Testament refer not only to physical supports – but to bearing witness to God. They existed to remind us of what God has said in the Scriptures and what he has done in history. And so God’s Church is here to give testimony to God’s truth. That’s why falsehood must be corrected – and why pastors are under such a high charge! For us to bear good corporate witness, we must know the truth and live the truth.
Further, God says, the Church is the buttress of the truth. It is to lift it high, as a ceiling, or a high gate. It holds it up into the view of the masses. And ultimately, the Church exists to lift Jesus Christ up – and his message – Christ saves sinners – to the whole world.
And this is a bit of a warning. The Church must hold Christ high. This is a call to action – to duty – to sweat, blood and tears. There was no promise that Timothy’s church in Ephesus would continue to uphold the truth.
Paul wrote for a reason – he was giving Timothy the necessary information for the function of God’s Church – which was holding the truth of God on high.
And so grace is given us in this – that we have been made members of God’s family – and that he has spoken to us in his word, the Scriptures. Now we have the sacred duty of holding them on high for the salvation of the world and the glory of God.
Summary
1) The Gospel brings about loving community.
2) Paul has given us what is necessary, in this letter, for the Church, and a local church, to function according to what God wants.
3) The Church is God’s family, in which God dwells and acts.
4) The Church is to bear witness to the truth of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, revealed in the Scriptures.
Prayer
Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for sending people to preach the Gospel to us – and for truly good news about forgiveness and vindication and a future with you. Thank you for giving us your Son, delivering him up for our sins, and raising him from the dead for our ultimate life. I pray that we would together strive for churches that live to bear witness to Christ – to lift him up. I pray that I as an individual would act properly within that context, for that end. Captivate our minds with sound teaching. Give us grace for fellowship with you, and joyful announcing of your Son, in whom I pray – amen.
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