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. 1 Timothy 3:15
What an interesting expression: the pillar and ground of the truth! Let’s look at it. The Greek word that is translated pillar is stulos, which means a post, something that is strong enough to support a building or other object. The Greek word that is translated ground is hedraioma, which means a supporting base. Between the two, you have a solid, well grounded support. And this solid support is holding up the truth. And our text declares what this pillar and ground is: the Assembly of God. What a great privilege, and what a great responsibility!
In order for an Assembly to be the upholder of the truth, it must itself be based on truth. This disqualifies those gatherings and organizations that conduct themselves contrary to the Word of God. For example, a so-called church that employs a full-time minister, or that allows women to engage in public teaching, or that conducts the Lord’s Supper on any schedule other than weekly, or that practices charismatic behaviour that is no longer part of God’s purpose for His people, cannot be such a pillar and ground of the truth. Neither can a gathering whose doctrine is contrary to the Scriptures, such as those who would deny the deity of Christ, those that reject the necessity of baptism for obedient believers, or those who fail to preach the Gospel message of repentance and faith. We can uphold truth only if we have and follow the truth.
In the Old Testament, people could point to the tabernacle, and later to the temple, as the location of God’s presence among His people. We have neither edifice today. Instead, we have God’s declaration in Matthew 18:20: ‘For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them’. Those who have been gathered unto His Name are an Assembly. We are responsible to meet to remember Him, to proclaim the Gospel, to edify the Lord’s people, to maintain discipline and teach the Scriptures, and to function in good testimony for Christ before the world in good works and honest living. A vital part of our function is to uphold the truth. This we can do, as long as we follow and teach the truth. When we stop doing that, we stop being the pillar and ground of the truth. And we stop being an Assembly. – Jim MacIntosh