Commentary on 1 Timothy 3:15- The Church as the Pillar and Ground of the Truth

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1 Timothy 3:15- "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."

Here's one of the verses used to butt out Sola Scriptura which parody Christian groups use to justify to their adding of manmade traditions. Here's the reality of the Christian teachings of what the Church really is in contrast to what man says it is:

  • The Church is NOT referred to the building but rather the collection of believers, divided organizationally but still united spiritually. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
  • The teachings of the Church are in the traditions of the Bible NOT IN MANMADE TRADITION.
  • The foundation of the Church is Jesus Christ NOT MAN (Matthew 16:16-18 is frequently misused). When Jesus told Peter that He will build the church on the Rock, Jesus pointed to Peter the sure foundation of the Church he was destined to become the first pastor of. Peter as the first pastor of the New Testament Church. The Rock is Jesus Christ, the most sure and secure foundation giving Peter a safe and secure foundation to which his pulpit stands (1 Corinthians 10:4).
  • Jesus is the HEAD OF THE CHURCH (Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 4:15-16, Colossians 1:18). To teach that a man can be the head of the Church makes him an antichrist.

The reality is that the Church serves as the pillar of truth because it preaches the truth from the prophets to the Apostles the truth REMAINS the same about God's holiness and morality. Reading through Matthew to Revelation, they all really support each other and the Scriptures. Scriptural truth is what the Church upholds, it does not dictate what is the truth, God Himself dictates the TRUTH. Jesus being the Truth, He establishes the truth, the Church becomes the pillar as it preaches the Gospel of Christ.

The Church is therefore commissioned to preach it. One must also note that if a "church" does not uphold the truths and traditions of the Bible and chooses to go by its own tradition like the Pharisees (Matthew 23, Mark 7:8-13) then it should be considered a parody church. When the Bible speaks of traditions of the apostles (2 Thessalonians 2:15) one has to consider the word "our epistle" and most manmade traditions DO NOT agree with the epistles. Since when did traditions like deleting the second commandment and splitting the tenth or praying to other people besides God ever fit in there? None. The only sure truth that the Church upholds is the WHOLE BIBLE as it is.