On Sunday, June 24, we looked at the church as the pillar and the buttress of truth as Paul described it in 1 Timothy 3:14-16. That symbolism was not be lost on Timothy and the church in Ephesus. The centerpiece of the city was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Temple of Diana. One of the distinguishing features of the temple was the 127 pillars or columns that held up the roof of the Temple. The purpose of the pillars was not just to hold the roof up, but to thrust it high into the air so that it towered above everything else and drew attention to its massive, shining, marble roof.

In a like manner Paul is saying, “This is the role of the church, to lift high, to put on display, to magnify, to show forth the truth of God in Christ, the truth of God’s Word, the truth of God’s glory.” The church’s role is not to advertise itself, and magnify itself, and show itself off, but to advertise and display the truth. Into a world saturated with error, with fantasy, a world that follows irrational ideas that are paraded and exalted as though they were the very zenith of wisdom, the church has the responsibility to believe, teach, propagate, uphold and obey what God has revealed, the Bible and the entire truth of Christianity. John MacArthur writes, “Churches that tamper with, misrepresent, depreciate, relegate to secondary place, or abandon biblical truth destroy their only reason for existing and experience impotence and judgment.”

I gave several reasons why it is vital that we stand on the truth of God and I know some folks missed them (because I talk too fast) so here they are for you again:

1. It is only God’s Word, only God’s truth that gives life. It is the only source of life. Maybe the greatest vision of God’s Word bringing life is found in Ezekiel 37. The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Eze 37:1-10) That is a picture of the greatest revival in history, the same kind of revival that can happen in any people to whom the Word of God is preached and is believed.

2. The Word of God sanctifies us. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (Joh 17:17) Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word. (Eph 5:25-26) Truth sets us apart, it cleans us, it renews our minds and reveals to us God’s will, it corrects our thinking and purges our souls of error.

3. It is indispensable to true worship. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (Joh 4:23-24) Truth is the fuel of worship. It is only as we go deep in the Word that we will go up in worship. Notice what fuels the emotional responses of worship in the word of God. It is the revelation of God to His people, the display of His character and person that drives people to glorify and magnify Him. Worship minus truth is just so much emotionalism.

4. Truth alone gives true freedom. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Joh 8:31-32)

5. It is the substance of true, God-honoring ministry. Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (2Co 4:1-5)

6. The truth is the source of true love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth. (1Jo 3:16-19)

7. It is through faith and obedience to the truth that true fellowship in the church is found. Writing to the Galatians, Paul wrote: For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Gal 3:26-29)

8. The Word of God cuts through all pretensions, all appearances, all defenses and reveals everything about us clearly: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:12-13)

It is the entirety of the truth, not just what we like, not just what might be acceptable in our society, it is the fullness of the truth, not a caricature of it that brings life, not an emphasis on the appealing parts, but the truth in its entity that brings and sustains and shapes true life. It is not going to be readily received by everyone in the world, not even by all professing Christians which is exactly why Paul warned Timothy, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2Ti 4:1-5)

Building a church on the whole truth of God is not easy. There will be detractors, there will be naysayers, there will be critics, there will be those who throw accusation and who walk away. I pray for those peopel and ask God to open their hearts. But if we will build on the bedrock of Jesus Christ, if we will build upon the foundation of the Holy Word of God, if we will give ourselves to the Truth, to be the pillar and the buttress of God’s Truth, God will bless our faithfulness, He will bless His Word, He will do a great work in His church. He will give life to dry bones, He will raise up an army by His Spirit, He will do it for the sake of His name and for the glory of His Christ.

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