The Confession of the Church – 1 Timothy 3:14-16

INTRODUCTION:

That’s the most glorious thing you have ever seen?

IN this passage, Paul says the most glorious thing we’ll ever see in this earthly life, is the church.

BRIDGE THE GAP/CONTEXT:

1 Timothy 3:14-16

This is the purpose of the entire book. Why does Paul care so much about church order? Why should we care so much about church order? 

Because of:

What the church is.

What the church does.

Who the church proclaims.

READ THE PASSAGE:

¹⁴ I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, ¹⁵ if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. ¹⁶ Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: 

He was manifested in the flesh, 

vindicated by the Spirit, 

seen by angels, 

proclaimed among the nations, 

believed on in the world, 

taken up in glory. 

1. WHAT THE CHURCH IS

Paul tells us that the church is the temple of God.

¹⁵ if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God

·      Oikos: Family/House?

·      House: 75X in OT “House of God” = Temple

·      If you go back to Nehemiah 13…

o   Nehemiah/Ezra were charged with rebuilding the temple and walls of Jerusalem.

o   Read Greek Trans. OT – both terms are there: house of God appears 4x – and it’s the only place in the OT that refers to the Temple in Jerusalem as the assembly – or church – of the living God.

·      Paul is saying that the church is now the temple of God. 

·      Now – that should stun everyone of us more than it does. Here’s why:

Story of the Temple goes all the way back to: Eden. The garden of God.

·      Eden was a sanctuary, a set-apart place on the earth for God to come and dwell with Adam and Eve. It was the place of his presence. It was the place of absolute joy and flourishing.

·      But when the first human beings built their lives on other things besides God—when they began to look to other things for their ultimate meaning – paradise was lost. They were banished from the garden—banished from God’s presence and as they looked back on the garden God had placed a flaming sword to guard the entrance. It was the flaming sword of justice. In other words, no one can get back into the presence of God without going under the sword—they have to pay for the wrong that has been done.

Fast forward in the OT: The story of the temple picks up as God gives Israel the tabernacle and the temple of Solomon.

·      We can’t spend much time here… 

·      Both the tabernacle and the temple accomplished the same purposes.

o   First, they located God’s presence and glory within the midst of his people. They were signs to the nations that the God of Israel was the only true and living God. So, they located God’s presence and glory.

o   But, second, they also separated God even from his own people. In both the tabernacle and the temple—the Holy of Holies—the place of God’s presence was perpetually shut off and only one person could go in, and that only once a year, and that only with the blood of a perfect sacrifice.

·      What does that mean? It means the sword of justice was still there barring the people from the presence of God. God was in the midst of his people, and the only way to go in, was to go under the sword.

Fast forward one more time: and the story of the temple picks up again in the life of Christ. During the Passover week, Jesus cleanses the temple in Jerusalem—he drives out the money changers and the people selling sacrifices and here’s what John says:

¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

And the gospel writers tell us that when Jesus Christ breathed his last on the cross – what happened? The veil of the temple was torn in two – from the top to the bottom.

Here’s what that means: on the cross, Jesus Christ went under the flaming sword of justice. As one author put it, when Jesus went under the sword, it broke his body, but it also broke itself. That’s why, at the moment of his death, the veil was torn in two. 

At that moment—the physical temple in Jerusalem was made obsolete. Listen – the sword in the garden – the sacrificial system of Leviticus – they were shadows pointing forward to the cross of Christ.

So, what does all that have to do with 1 Timothy? Everything.

Because Christ has gone under the sword for his people – and because he now dwells with his people through his Spirit – there is no need for a physical structure to contain the glory and presence of God.

Paul says—his people are that structure. We now are the temple of the living God.

2. WHAT THE CHURCH DOES

I am writing these things to you so that, ¹⁵ if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, … a pillar and buttress of the truth.

Two words: pillar, buttress.

·      Buttress – lit. foundation – that which provides a firm foundation for something to rest on.

·      Pillar – lit. column. That which hold up a roof so it can be seen.

And what is it that the church gives a foundation for and displays? Truth. Truth.

Paul is saying that the ministry and preaching of the truth in robust worshipping communities provides a kind of architectural structure for the foundation and display of truth in the world. (REPEAT)

·      Going back to Nehemiah – just as the rebuilt temple was at the center of reforming the culture after the exile – the church must be the center of any attempts to reform our culture today.

·      If you want a foundation for truth. If you want truth to be displayed—plant a church. Center your life in the church. 

·      Join yourself to a church where:

o   The gospel is preached and real application is made to life.

o   The historic creeds of the church are believed and affirmed.

o   And join yourself to a church that preaches the authority of Christ over everything. 

This means, you need to be in a church that believes the Bible has something to say about:

·      Who God is.

·      What human being is.

·      What a man is and what a woman is.

·      What a child in the womb is.

The Bible has something to say about the federal reserve and foreign policy. The Bible has something to say about business contracts and markets. The Bible orders and structures how we educate our children and how we write music. How we design a set of pliers for manufacture and how we buy Christmas presents.

There is no part of life that is exempt from the authority of Christ and his Word over us. And when the church is unafraid to declare that truth—she’s acting as a foundation and a pillar. When the church declares these truths without apology, she is giving the members of the church a sure foundation upon which to build institutions for human flourishing. It’s not the church’s job to start banks and schools – but it is the church’s job to teach and disciples bankers and teachers. 

ELABORATE

All week long, the members of the church live in a world that says they are crazy. You believe there’s a God? You believe there’s only one way to that God? You believe that God has set boundaries for humans? You’re crazy.

And every week, the members of the church come together to hear God’s Word remind them:

You are not crazy. The world is crazy. Christ is risen, and he is Lord overall.

3. WHO THE CHURCH PROCLAIMS

¹⁶ Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: 

He was manifested in the flesh, 

vindicated by the Spirit, 

seen by angels, 

proclaimed among the nations, 

believed on in the world, 

taken up in glory. 

Notice, this is a poem or hymn.

·      First three lines speak of his earthly life.

·      Last three speak to his risen life.

The hymn is full of contrasts:

·      Contrast between flesh and spirit.

·      Contrast between the unseen angels and the visible nations

·      Contrast between the physical world, and the spiritual realm of God’s glory.

What’s going on? The author 

This is the center of our confession—the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

·      We proclaim a man – for Christ was manifested in the flesh.

·      We proclaim a perfectly holy man – for his righteous life was vindicated y the Spirit.

·      We proclaim a king – who was attended to by angels.

·      We proclaim a coming king – who comes to judge the nations.

·      We proclaim a saving king—for he was believed on in the world and has ransomed a people for himself.

·      And we proclaim a reigning king—for he stands at the right hand of God the Father.

He’s infinitely low—because he came in the flesh.

He’s infinitely high—because he now dwells in glory.

He’s infinitely just because he demands the death of sinners.

He’s infinitely loving because he dies for his people.

In Christ we find ultimate majesty paired with ultimate humility. Sovereignty and submission. All-sufficiency yet dependence upon his heavenly Father.

The king who comes on a donkey. The one who conquers by dying. The one who brings life through death.

As one pastor said:

He is both the rest and the storm. But the victim and the wielder of the flaming sword. And you ust either kill him or crown him. And the one thing you cannot do is say, “What an interesting guy.”

This is our Christ, our savior, the one who was welcomed with palms before being tortured with nails. The one who brings us safely past the flaming sword because it falls on him.

You cannot keep him at the periphery of your life. Give yourself to him.