1 Timothy 3:15
in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
But if I am delayed
The phrase "But if I am delayed" suggests a sense of urgency and contingency in Paul's writing. The Greek word for "delayed" (βραδύνω, bradynō) implies a postponement or slowness. Paul anticipates potential obstacles in his journey, reflecting the unpredictable nature of travel in the ancient world. This highlights the importance of the instructions he is about to give, as they are meant to guide Timothy and the church in his possible absence.

I write so that you will know
Paul's purpose in writing is instructional. The Greek word for "know" (εἰδῇς, eidēs) conveys a deep, experiential understanding. Paul desires that Timothy not only have knowledge but also the wisdom to apply it. This reflects the broader biblical theme of knowledge leading to righteous action, emphasizing the transformative power of Scripture.

how to conduct yourself
The phrase "how to conduct yourself" refers to behavior and lifestyle. The Greek word for "conduct" (ἀναστρέφεσθαι, anastrephesthai) means to live or behave in a certain way. Paul is concerned with the practical outworking of faith in daily life, underscoring the importance of integrity and godliness in the Christian community.

in the household of God
The "household of God" is a metaphor for the church, emphasizing familial relationships among believers. The Greek word for "household" (οἶκος, oikos) can mean both a physical house and a family unit. This imagery reflects the intimate, interconnected nature of the church, where believers are brothers and sisters in Christ, called to love and support one another.

which is the church of the living God
The "church of the living God" distinguishes the Christian community from pagan temples dedicated to lifeless idols. The Greek word for "church" (ἐκκλησία, ekklēsia) means an assembly or gathering, originally used for civic gatherings. Here, it signifies the called-out community of believers. The phrase "living God" emphasizes God's active presence and power, contrasting with the dead idols of the surrounding culture.

the pillar and foundation of the truth
The church is described as "the pillar and foundation of the truth," highlighting its role in upholding and proclaiming God's truth. The Greek word for "pillar" (στῦλος, stylos) suggests support and stability, while "foundation" (ἑδραίωμα, hedraiōma) implies a firm base. This architectural imagery underscores the church's responsibility to maintain doctrinal purity and moral integrity, serving as a beacon of truth in a world often characterized by falsehood and moral relativism.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul
The apostle who authored the letter to Timothy, providing guidance on church leadership and conduct.

2. Timothy
A young pastor and protégé of Paul, stationed in Ephesus to oversee the church and ensure sound doctrine.

3. Ephesus
The city where Timothy was ministering, known for its diverse culture and challenges to Christian teaching.

4. God’s Household
Refers to the community of believers, emphasizing the familial nature of the church.

5. The Church of the Living God
Highlights the church as a living, active body under the authority of God, contrasting with lifeless idols.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Conduct in the Church
Believers are called to live in a manner worthy of their calling, reflecting the character of Christ in their interactions within the church.

The Church as the Pillar and Foundation of Truth
The church is tasked with upholding and proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, serving as a beacon of light in a world of darkness.

Living as Part of God’s Household
Christians are part of a spiritual family, called to support, love, and hold each other accountable in their walk with God.

The Church’s Role in Society
As the living body of Christ, the church should engage with the world, demonstrating God’s love and truth through action and word.

Guarding the Truth
Believers must be vigilant in preserving the integrity of the Gospel, resisting false teachings and remaining grounded in Scripture.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the church as "God’s household" influence your view of your role within your local church community?

2. In what ways can the church today serve as the "pillar and foundation of the truth" in a society that often rejects absolute truth?

3. Reflect on a time when the church acted as a family for you. How can you contribute to fostering that sense of community for others?

4. Considering the church's role in upholding truth, what practical steps can you take to ensure you are grounded in sound doctrine?

5. How can the teachings of 1 Timothy 3:15 inspire you to engage with the world while maintaining the integrity of your faith?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Paul describes the church as God's temple, emphasizing holiness and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22
Paul speaks of believers as members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone.

Matthew 16:18
Jesus declares that He will build His church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it, underscoring the church's divine foundation.

Hebrews 3:6
The author describes Christ as faithful over God’s house, which we are, if we hold fast our confidence and hope.
Behavior in ChurchW.M. Statham 1 Timothy 3:15
In the House of GodP. Carter.1 Timothy 3:15
Proper Behaviour in God's HouseJ. H. Norton.1 Timothy 3:15
Security of the ChurchC. H. Spurgeon.1 Timothy 3:15
The Christian Church, the House of GodR. P. Buddicom , M. A.1 Timothy 3:15
The Church and Soul-LifeT. Armitage, D. D.1 Timothy 3:15
The Church of the Living GodE. H. Chapin.1 Timothy 3:15
The Church of the Living GodJ. Vaughan, M. A.1 Timothy 3:15
The Church the House of GodC. Bradley, M. A.1 Timothy 3:15
The Church: its Nature and FunctionsWilliam Sparrow.1 Timothy 3:15
The House of GodA. Rowland, LL. B.1 Timothy 3:15
The Pillar and Ground of the TruthD. Rees, M. A.1 Timothy 3:15
The Pillar and Ground of TruthT. Bradbury.1 Timothy 3:15
What Church MeansW.M. Statham 1 Timothy 3:15
What the Church Should BeC. H. Spurgeon.1 Timothy 3:15
The Importance of a Due Regulation of Church OrderT. Croskery 1 Timothy 3:14, 15
Upholder of the Truth, and Grandeur of Truth UpheldR. Finlayson 1 Timothy 3:14-16
People
Paul, Timothy, Titus
Places
Ephesus
Topics
Assembly, Base, Behave, Behaviour, Behoveth, Bulwark, Case, Church, Clear, Conduct, Dealing, Delay, Delayed, Ever-living, Fear, Foundation, Foundation-stone, God's, Ground, Guide, Hindered, Household, Letter, Mayest, Oneself, Order, Ought, Oughtest, Paul's, Pillar, Rules, Support, Tarry, Themselves, Thyself, Titus, Truth, Wait
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Timothy 3:15

     1080   God, living
     5409   metaphor
     7024   church, nature of
     7120   Christians

1 Timothy 3:14-15

     4926   delay, human

1 Timothy 3:15-16

     8028   faith, body of beliefs

Library
Christ's Humiliation in his Incarnation
'Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.' I Tim 3:16. Q-xxvii: WHEREIN DID CHRIST'S HUMILIATION CONSIST? A: In his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross. Christ's humiliation consisted in his incarnation, his taking flesh, and being born. It was real flesh that Christ took; not the image of a body (as the Manichees erroneously held), but a true body; therefore he
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

St. John Chrysostom (Ad 347-407)
PART I At this time lived St. John Chrysostom, whose name is known to us all from the prayer in our service which is called "A Prayer of St. Chrysostom." He was born at Antioch about the year 347. While he was still a little child, he lost his father; but his mother, Anthusa, who was left a widow at the age of twenty, remained unmarried, and devoted herself to the training of her son. During his early years, she brought him up with religious care, and he was afterwards sent to finish his education
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

He Severely Reproves Abaelard for Scrutinizing Rashly and Impiously, and Extenuating the Power Of, the Secret Things of God.
He severely reproves Abaelard for scrutinizing rashly and impiously, and extenuating the power of, the secret things of God. 17. This is the righteousness of man in the blood of the Redeemer: which this son of perdition, by his scoffs and insinuations, is attempting to render vain; so much so, that he thinks and argues that the whole fact that the Lord of Glory emptied Himself, that He was made lower than the angels, that He was born of a woman, that He lived in the world, that He made trial of our
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Since Our Pious and Christian Emperor Has Addressed this Holy and Ecumenical Council...
Since our pious and Christian Emperor has addressed this holy and ecumenical council, in order that it might provide for the purity of those who are in the list of the clergy, and who transmit divine things to others, and that they may be blameless ministrants, and worthy of the sacrifice of the great God, who is both Offering and High Priest, a sacrifice apprehended by the intelligence: and that it might cleanse away the pollutions wherewith these have been branded by unlawful marriages: now whereas
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Of those who Covet Pre-Eminence, and Seize on the Language of the Apostle to Serve the Purpose of their Own Cupidity.
But for the most part those who covet pre-eminence seize on the language of the Apostle to serve the purpose of their own cupidity, where he says, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work (1 Tim. iii. 1). But, while praising the desire, he forthwith turns what he has praised to fear when at once he adds, but a bishop must be blameless (1 Tim. iii. 2). And, when he subsequently enumerates the necessary virtues, he makes manifest what this blamelessness consists in. And so,
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The Unity of the Church.
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."--Matt. xvi. 18. Too many persons at this day,--in spite of what they see before them, in spite of what they read in history,--too many persons forget, or deny, or do not know, that Christ has set up a kingdom in the world. In spite of the prophecies, in spite of the Gospels and Epistles, in spite of their eyes and their ears,--whether it be their sin or
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

The Unity of the Divine Essence, and the Trinity of Persons.
Deut. vi. 4.--"Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord."--1 John v. 7. "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." "Great is the mystery of godliness," 1 Tim. iii. 16. Religion and true godliness is a bundle of excellent mysteries--of things hid from the world, yea, from the wise men of the world, (1 Cor. ii. 6.) and not only so, but secrets in their own nature, the distinct knowledge whereof is not given to saints in this estate
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Of Matrimony.
It is not only without any warrant of Scripture that matrimony is considered a sacrament, but it has been turned into a mere mockery by the very same traditions which vaunt it as a sacrament. Let us look a little into this. I have said that in every sacrament there is contained a word of divine promise, which must be believed in by him who receives the sign; and that the sign alone cannot constitute a sacrament. Now we nowhere read that he who marries a wife will receive any grace from God; neither
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Sundry Exhortations.
HEBREWS xiii. Let love of the brethren continue. Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves also in the body. Let marriage be had in honour among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for Himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee,
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Servant's Triumph
'He is near that justifieth Me; who will contend with Me? let us stand together: who is Mine adversary? let him come near to Me. 9. Behold, the Lord God will help Me; who is he that shall condemn Me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.'--ISAIAH l. 8, 9. We have reached the final words of this prophecy, and we hear in them a tone of lofty confidence and triumph. While the former ones sounded plaintive like soft flute music, this rings out clear like the note of a
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Note F. Note from Bengel on Rom. I. 4.
According to the Spirit of Holiness. The word hagios, holy, when God is spoken of, not only denotes the blameless rectitude in action, but the very Godhead, or to speak more properly, the divinity, or excellence of the Divine nature. Hence hagiosune (the word here used) has a kind of middle sense between hagiotes, holiness, and hagiasmos, sanctification. Comp. Heb. xii. 10 (hagiotes or holiness), v. 14 (hagiasmos or sanctification). So that there are, as it were, three degrees: sanctification,
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Of the Unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of Persons
Deut. vi. 4.--"Hear, O Israel The Lord our God is one Lord."--1 John v. 7 "There are three that bear record in heaven the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost and these three are one." "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," 2 Tim. iii. 16. There is no refuse in it, no simple and plain history, but it tends to some edification, no profound or deep mystery, but it is profitable for salvation. Whatsoever
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Of the Practice of Piety in Fasting.
There are divers kinds of fasting--First, A constrained fast, as when men either have not food to eat, as in the famine of Samaria (2 Kings vi. 25;) or, having food, cannot eat it for heaviness or sickness, as it befel them who were in the ship with St. Paul (Acts xxvii. 33.) This is rather famine than fasting. Secondly, A natural fast, which we undertake physically, for the health of our body. Thirdly, A civil fast, which the magistrate enjoins for the better maintenance of the commonwealth. Fourthly,
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

He Division of the Land.
T The Jewish writers divide the whole world into "The land of Israel," and "Without the land": that is, the countries of the heathen. Both which phrases the book of the gospel owns: "The land of Israel," Matthew 2:20: and it calls the heathens, "those that are without," 1 Corinthians 5:13; 1 Timothy 3:7, &c. And sometimes the unbelieving Jews themselves, as Mark 4:11. They distinguish all the people of the world into "Israelites," and "the nations of the world." The book of the gospel owns that phrase
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Therefore as Many Women as There are Now...
19. Therefore as many women as there are now, unto whom it is said, "if they contain not, let them be married, [1986] ^" are not to be compared to the holy women then, even when they married. Marriage itself indeed in all nations is for the same cause of begetting sons, and of what character soever these may be afterward, yet was marriage for this purpose instituted, that they may be born in due and honest order. But men, who contain not, as it were ascend unto marriage by a step of honesty: but
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage

Brief Outline of Ancient Jewish Theological Literature
The arrangements of the synagogue, as hitherto described, combined in a remarkable manner fixedness of order with liberty of the individual. Alike the seasons and the time of public services, their order, the prayers to be offered, and the portions of the law to be read were fixed. On the other hand, between the eighteen "benedictions" said on ordinary days, and the seven repeated on the Sabbaths, free prayer might be inserted; the selection from the prophets, with which the public reading concluded--the
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Its Meaning
Deliverance from the condemning sentence of the Divine Law is the fundamental blessing in Divine salvation: so long as we continue under the curse, we can neither be holy nor happy. But as to the precise nature of that deliverance, as to exactly what it consists of, as to the ground on which it is obtained, and as to the means whereby it is secured, much confusion now obtains. Most of the errors which have been prevalent on this subject arose from the lack of a clear view of the thing itself, and
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

The Disciple, -- Master, Some People Say that the Comfort and Joy that Believers Experience...
The Disciple,--Master, some people say that the comfort and joy that believers experience are simply the outcome of their own thoughts and ideas. Is this true? The Master,--1. That comfort and abiding peace which believers have within themselves is due to My presence in their hearts, and to the life-giving influence of the fullness of the Holy Spirit. As for those who say that this spiritual joy is the result only of the thoughts of the heart, they are like a foolish man who was blind from his birth,
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

Epistle Cvi. To Syagrius, Ætherius, virgilius, and Desiderius, Bishops .
To Syagrius, Ætherius, Virgilius, and Desiderius, Bishops [65] . Gregory to Syagrius of Augustodunum (Autun), Etherius of Lugdunum (Lyons), Virgilius of Aretale (Arles), and Desiderius of Vienna (Vienne), bishops of Gaul. A paribus. Our Head, which is Christ, has to this end willed us to be His members, that through the bond of charity and faith He might make us one body in Himself. And to Him it befits us so to adhere in heart, that, since without Him we can be nothing, through Him we may
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Lord of Glory.
1 Cor. ii:8. OUR ever blessed Lord, who died for us, to whom we belong, with whom we shall be forever, is the Lord of Glory. Thus He is called in 1 Cor. ii:8, "for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory." Eternally He is this because He is "the express image of God, the brightness of His Glory" (Heb. i:3). He possessed Glory with the Father before the world was (John xvii:5). This Glory was beheld by the prophets, for we read that Isaiah "saw His Glory and spake of Him"
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The Holy Spirit in the Glorified Christ.
"Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."--Rom. i. 4. From the foregoing studies it appears that the Holy Spirit performed a work in the human nature of Christ as He descended the several steps of His humiliation to the death of the cross. The question now arises, whether He had also a work in the several steps of Christ's exaltation to the excellent glory, i.e., in His resurrection, ascension, royal dignity, and second coming.
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

A Description of Heart-Purity
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 The holy God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity' calls here for heart-purity, and to such as are adorned with this jewel, he promises a glorious and beatifical vision of himself: they shall see God'. Two things are to be explained the nature of purity; the subject of purity. 1 The nature of purity. Purity is a sacred refined thing. It stands diametrically opposed to whatsoever defiles. We must distinguish the various kinds
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Concerning the Ministry.
Concerning the Ministry. As by the light or gift of God all true knowledge in things spiritual is received and revealed, so by the same, as it is manifested and received in the heart, by the strength and power thereof, every true minister of the gospel is ordained, prepared, and supplied in the work of the ministry; and by the leading, moving, and drawing hereof ought every evangelist and Christian pastor to be led and ordered in his labour and work of the gospel, both as to the place where, as to
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

The Christian Church
Scriptures references: 1 Corinthians 3:11; 3:6-9; Colossians 1:18; Acts 2:47; Ephesians 5:23-27; Matthew 16:16,18; 18:17; Acts 5:11,12; 13:1,2; 14:23; 16:5; 1 Corinthians 11:18-34; 12:28-31; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:14; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 12:22,23; Revelation 1:4,11,20; 2:7,11; 22:16; 22:12-15,17. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH What is the Christian Church?--One of the best definitions is as follows: "The church consists of all who acknowledge the Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, the blessed Saviour
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

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