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We might start this study with a question: What is the pillar and ground of the truth? Some might say that it is the Word of Yahweh, the Scriptures, which must be the foundation for every true and spiritual principle. They would be correct in the answer that they give. Others might say that it is Yahshua, the Word of Yahweh made flesh, who walked among us, and gave Himself for our salvation. Surely, Christ is the pillar and ground on which all of truth rests. Those who would give this answer would again be correct, and can find Scriptures that support their view.
There is an answer given directly by the Scriptures, however, that I’d like to discuss today, and it is found here, in a letter that Paul wrote to his student Timothy: “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly, but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of Yahweh, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1Tim 3:14, 15)
Now, let us be clear. Paul is writing about the Church. It is neither the Father nor the Son that is the Subject of Paul’s statement, but Their earthly House, Their dwelling place, which is the Church among men. As we read that entire chapter, 1 Timothy 3, we see Paul giving advice to Timothy about how to manage the Church, and how to appoint effective elders, deacons, and so on. Paul is identifying the Church, the single, visible, Church, as the Pillar and Ground of the Truth. We know that it is possible to under-value this statement, because it is done every day among those who call themselves Christians, and we know that it is possible to over-state the case for it, as seen in cults and sects that seek to control their members’ consciences. But the statement is there, and inspired by Yahweh. There is a balanced view that the Saints of the Most High know concerning this matter. Like the Sabbath, they see it as a blessing from which they benefit. Like the Sabbath, the Church exists to serve its people, not to be its master. The Church was “made for man, and not man for the [Church].” (cf. Mark 2:27) And yet, without this servant, we shall not be served, and we shall not be served with that which we need in order to be prepared for everlasting life.
In a way, this study represents the end of a series of three closely connected presentations. Two weeks ago, I shared a teaching called “Giving Up Sin.” This was very closely associated with the First Angels’ Message of Revelation 14, the first third of the Everlasting Gospel, because it spoke of victory over sin, the born-again experience, and the gift of the life of Christ, which enables us to stand, living, in the judgment that this first angel announces without guilt or fear of failure.
Last week, I gave a follow-up, which was called “Experimental Faith.” It discusses the impact of the born-again experience on one’s life. With the Faith of Yahshua, a faith that we are invited to test for ourselves, we see the life set right. We see a purity of purpose, a clarity of understanding, and an end to the confusion that the world embraces. This was very closely associated with the Second Angel’s Message, which declares the fall of Babylon, the end of the world’s system of chaos, and a restoration of Spiritual understanding for the believer.
In the very first of these three studies, I mentioned Church membership. I will quote the paragraph, because it is at the core of what I want to discuss in this third part: “Creation Seventh Day Adventists, unlike many Churches today, do talk about the importance of Church membership. This is because baptism is not only into Christ, the divine Person, but also into His Body. (1Cor 12:13) It is an acknowledgement of this new life that has begun, this Gospel-life that is as different from the one we had before as if one who was mentally ill were to be suddenly and completely and miraculously healed. It is that different. It is that powerful a change.”
In the second part last week, I quoted Paul in Galatians 2:9, calling the elders of the Church those that “seemed to be pillars.” This is an important use of symbolism, because it points out that while pillars are important, they are not on the top of the building. They are at the sides, serving the structure by ensuring that it stands strong. It is Christ that is at the head of the organization. It is Christ that guides our way, and we who are given gifts are not thereby blessed in order to be praised or exalted, but in order to be the more effective servants of our brethren. At best, we are at the sides, ensuring that the walls of character are solid.
This leads up to our current examination, of the Church itself as a pillar of the truth, as the ground of the truth. Church membership is not a side-issue when it comes to the Gospel, so those statements in the previous two studies were not just out of the blue. We cannot separate the experience of the Gospel from Church membership. We cannot separate experimental faith from what the Bible says it leads to: baptism into a united and committed Body of believers that are designed to support us on the way to our destiny.
This was the way that the Apostles understood it, as instructed by Christ through His direct teachings, and through His Spirit following His resurrection. We read this passage, following Peter’s inspired preaching at Pentecost, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And [here is the result!] they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising Yah, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:41-47)
How rarely is this scene held up before modern Christians in its true light? How scarcely are these issues given their due consideration? Baptism results in a steadfast unity, where there is agreement on doctrine, and shared, enthusiastic fellowship. It is in this environment that miracles occur, the sick healed and sinners converted. It is in this atmosphere that the Father and Son are pleased with human worship, and because the environment is holy, He adds to the Church “such as should be saved.” He knows that seekers of truth will be safe, educated, and protected from the Enemy among a people and in an environment such as this.
But this scene cannot be examined too closely, you see, because it exposes the cracks in the Christianity of the world, the modern theology, which is content with separating into little groups, independent ministries, and supportive of contradictory, diverse teachings.
People are free to believe, and teach, what they want, of course. When the apostles warned the congregation of “grievous wolves,” (Acts 20:29) false teachers seeking to draw disciples after themselves, they did not resort to any human force to stop them. They did not go the courts and try to get injunctions and restraining orders against the apostates. No, Yahweh guards those who are His, but those who wish to deceive, or those who wish to be deceived, He cannot protect. He loves us too much to deprive us of our freedom, even when that freedom is terribly misused.
So today we are speaking of the Church, the Pillar, or the support of the Truth. It is the ground of the Truth, the thing on which it rests, and from which it can be built up.
“But,” people may ask, “Isn’t Christ the Pillar? Isn’t the Word the foundation?” This is the very point – the very point. As I said in the beginning, those who would identify Christ, or the Scriptures, as the answer to the question of what this is would not be wrong. The issue is this: they are not separate. Christ the Person is not separate from the Bible; both are the Word of Yahweh. The Church, the true, actual Bride of Christ, is not separate from Christ, or from the Scriptures that testify of Him.
We read, “And [Yahshua] said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh […] wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’” (Mat 19:5, 6)
They are “no more twain.” They are no longer two, but one. They cannot be separated, for God has joined them together according to His perfect will. Any who seek to separate a man from his wife, to interfere with their bond of intimacy, or the roles of headship and partnership, do so contrary to Yahweh, and will answer for their attempt in the judgment – make no mistake about this.
And then we read, among several similar verses, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the Body.” (Eph 5:23) There is a direct parallel here.
We must be consistent, and apply the same principles to the same relationship. Christ and His Church cannot be separated, for God has joined them together according to His perfect will. Any who seek to separate the Man from His Wife, to interfere with their bond of intimacy, or the roles of headship and partnership, do so contrary to Yahweh, and will answer for their attempt in the judgment – make no mistake about this.
And yet, we hear daily from religious leaders, “I love Christ, but Churches aren’t that important.” I have even heard some say, “I love God, but I hate religion,” as if that very word was not in the Bible as a description of the bond between Yahweh and His people. They say, “Oh, you are a Baptist? Oh, you are an Anglican? Oh, you are a Seventh-day Adventist? Well, all that matters is that you love the Lord.”
It used to be, “All that matters is that you love the Lord and follow His will,” but if you’ve been paying attention, you will have noted that obedience has fallen out of favor over the past few decades, and so they no longer even say that.
What they are doing is separating Christ from His Church. They are saying Christ is here, and His bride is here, and over there, and everywhere.
When Eve was separated from Adam, the Serpent wasted no time in seducing her away from her holiness. Remember that – it’s important. So invested is our Father in the connection between husband and wife that not one, but two, commandments speak to its preservation. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exo 20:14) says one, and “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife” (Exo 20:17) reads a portion of the other.
Those who think of the Church as a people separate from Christ, or indiscriminately associated with Him in any kind of arbitrary, careless manner, are already on the Enemy’s ground. These are the things that the saints must teach the world.
People say, “The Church is people, not an organization or building.”
It is true that the Church is composed of people, but people who are organized are called an “organization.” That is what the word means, and we read, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. […] Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1Cor 14:33, 40)
The pastors and teachers of today are putting their “hand to the ark.” (1Chron 13:10) They are playing with spiritual forces that they do not understand when they parrot the theology that they have learned under equally compromised mentors. They do not know the holiness of Him with which they are carelessly associating themselves. Yahweh is love, and that love destroys all sin; let our lives therefore be love, and love only, so that we separate ourselves from evil and the errors that it has inspired.
Here is an example of one such error: When we have explained the Trademark lawsuits, and the suppression of religious liberty that they threaten to Creation Seventh Day Adventists and other Christian groups, some have responded by saying, “Why don’t you just change your name? You can avoid all difficulties if you just cease to call yourselves Seventh-day Adventists.”
These responses reveal individuals who, while perhaps otherwise well educated, are ignorant about the definition and nature of a “Church.” They do not know that the people of Yahweh are subject to His will, and that Christ is the Head and Guide of the Body. It is He who has given His people a purpose, a commission, and a name, just as He received a significant name from His Father. (Mat 1:21, Phil 2:9) A Church that believes it has the right to name itself is disconnected from Heaven, and not under the authority of any supposed Husband. This kind of thinking arises only due to spiritual separation from Christ.
Still others say, “But the churches are all so corrupt. Nobody has all the truth. Why should we all gather in one? How would we even know which is the true Church?”
To this we reply, “The Bible tells you. The Bible reveals to you the work and character of the Church, so that you will never mistake it for another.”
We may read a couple of verses well-familiar to this little flock: “And God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” (1Cor 12:28) We then read why: “And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.” (Eph 4:11, 12)
If you aren’t where this is held up as the people, and the work, and the present truth – for the perfecting of the saints, run for your life. I know that sounds dramatic; these Scriptures are 2000 years old, and people have been sleeping through their Sunday Schools and Sabbath sermons for years. What’s the great urgency now to find the Church, to find the truth?
This is a very unpopular statement in today’s spiritual climate, but the will of God is an organized religion. The very phrase “organized religion” gets modern Christianity up in arms, but I challenge anyone to read the Bible, read the Book of Acts and the letters that follow, and come away with any other description than this. There were people appointed specifically for ensuring that the poor were fed, that the widows and orphans were safe, that the money was spent properly. This is not some loose association, but a tightly connected system that the apostles compared to the human body, with eyes, hands, feet, and so on. It is a single organism, with its various members working in harmony. Yes, they met in homes until they built dedicated buildings. They worshipped in the Temple among the Hebrews until they were persecuted by Rome. They taught the same Christ, the same doctrines. They prayed, and gave thanks for their food and clothing, and they prepared themselves from Yahshua’s return. When they had disagreements, they pressed together, they did not split apart. The Scriptures tell us that variance and sedition, which mean “contentions” and “disunity” respectively, are works of the flesh. (Gal 5:20) These are tools of Satan, not by any means the will of our Father, for He has appointed only one Bride for His Son.
The doctrine called “ecumenism” teaches that there is only one Church, but it is separated into different denominations, all equally valid. The Scriptures say that there is “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (Eph 4:5) Do all Churches have “One Lord?” They may all call Him by similar names, but different Churches have very different conceptions of what they call “God.” Do all Churches have “one faith?” You see the problem here, and I’m not even talking about doctrines; I mean, some churches teach a different kind of faith. Creation Seventh Day Adventists teach “the faith of Jesus,” a faith that keeps one from falling into deliberate sin by the grace of the Father and Son. That is a very different understanding of “faith” than any other Church, fellowship, congregation, or ecclesiastical body. The first part of this three-part study went over this in some detail. Do all Churches have “one baptism?” Not only are the methods different, but most Churches teach baptism into Christ as a separate thing entirely from joining their particular Church. Here again, they separate the Husband from the Wife, and they are accountable for this grave error.
Christ is the Head of the Church; He is its Chief Cornerstone. His Church, His Bride, receives from Him authority, grace, and power, thus becoming the Pillar and Ground of the Truth. It is not because the people are divine of themselves, but because the One who dwells in them, and through them, He is divine. It is because Christ speaks through His Spirit, through His servants… this is why the truth dwells with the Church. I am not praising any organization, or any individuals, I am glorifying the Savior, who is present here, where we are gathered in His name – but He is present here, among those with whom He is One, not merely honoring our sincere ignorance, but responding to our sure knowledge of Him, granted because of His love. There are few that find the way of life, He said, and so the Church will always be smaller than the army of the deceived. Nevertheless, it is His Bride.
This is all clearly and explicitly stated in the Bible. How, then, does Satan argue against this reasoning? How does he keep people from knowledge of the Church? He does so with emotion. If he can stir up the feelings and sentiments, he makes the carnal man entirely immune to spiritual thinking.
Just this past week I had a conversation on Facebook with a man who was so injured, so wounded, by his time in the SDA church that he could not accept my testimony. He could not accept my friendship. He responded to neutral, even kind, statements with aggression, sarcasm, and insults. I felt sorry for him, and I am not introducing an ounce of condescension here. I am genuinely sad, deeply so, for those who have become the victims of bad examples of Christianity. This individual spoke the truth when he described his encounters with the arrogant, the self-important, the self-confident teachers, even within Adventism. Because they have the truth, they reason, they are better than others. We have all seen it.
They are ignorant of the Spirit of Christ, not knowing that the gifts they have do not make them the head, but the pillars, reinforcing the walls to guard the brethren from what they, themselves, have become. They not only wound their own souls, but their wicked testimony frustrates and destroys those who look to them as leaders. And so Satan takes these bad experiences, these bad examples, and convinces the seekers of truth that their quest is hopeless. He tells them, “There is no perfect Church. There are no people who are going to love you, and accept you, even if you don’t agree on everything.”
We call this being “burned.” They are burned by their previous experiences; they become fearful, extremely sensitive, and prone to misinterpreting genuine attempts at unity, seeing sincere advice as attempts to control their choices, and necessary rebuke as condemnation. They are terrified of being wrong again. They see submission to the words of another as weakness, even though the Scriptures tell us, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (1Pet 5:5)
This verse is a critical one for diagnosing those who are “burned.” Where there is fear, and pride that develops as a carnal defense against fear, this verse cannot be obeyed. One who is not humble cannot be subject to another without feeling he is losing his freedom, even his identity, because he does not feel safe in Christ to truly stand as one with His people. And yet, these are the very things the Scriptures tell us to do: exhort, encourage, and when necessary correct. These are the very things they need, but how can a soul be prepared for Heaven if Satan has made the guidance of the Holy Spirit a fearful, repulsive, thing? We pity those who have fallen victim to his lies; it is very difficult, if not impossible, for them to see the Church (sometimes any Church) as God’s House after this. Only the born-again experience, only starting over again with the life of Christ, can cure this deadly wound.
Burnout, independent ministries, rebellious individualism, these have ruined God’s plan for many lives. And of course, we need balance, for the ditch on the other side of the road is just as bad; here we see cultishness, the papal spirit, and the arbitrary control of the conscience by selfish and charismatic deceivers. Unless one is safe in Christ, and living His victorious life, there is a reason to be cautious and afraid. Satan has worked very hard to ensure that the world only has bad examples of Churches.
We could go on and on about this, I am sure, but I do not want to stray too far from my point, and it is this: God’s plan, His earnest desire, is for every man, woman, and child to be connected to His genuine Church. His earnest desire is to dwell in them by His Spirit, to bless them with the born-again experience and then, when they have gained and declared victory over sin and self, to have them baptized – or re-baptized – into the Body of His Son’s Bride. His plan is to bring them Home.
There we see repentance, faith, and then baptism. There we see victory, purity, and then unity. There we see the Third Angel of the three, leading out a people, allowing them to stand against the Mark of The Beast.
What does this discussion of the Church, and the importance of Church membership, have to do with the Third Angel’s Message of Revelation? What does this have to do with the Mark of The Beast? Much, and very much. Those who are deceived by false Gospels, who are united in fellowship with false brides, are not being taught the character of the Father and Son. They have learned such a weak and polluted Gospel that the people cannot identify the Beast’s work and presence amongst men. Because they have not been taught the righteousness of Christ, they cannot discern the wickedness of Satan. They cannot recognize a persecuting power, even when they are right in front of it, or even inside of it. They are blind to religious crises. They cannot stand against sin, or testify against the prevailing evils of the day. When the Church has no authority in the individual’s life at all, there is no vision to guide them, nor is there any cohesive bond to unite them against the Beast and its image. As it is written, “Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the Law, happy is he. (Pro 29:18)
And as far as that verse goes that spoke of one Lord, faith, and baptism, here are the verses that lead up to it: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (Eph 4:1-5)
We read, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev 12:11) This is not something that Yahweh is calling His people to endure alone. Yes, we are certainly saved as individuals. Even so, we are sealed for Heaven as Tribes, as described in Revelation 7:5-8. Even so, we are redeemed as a single, spiritual nation, which is the fulfillment of the promise of Israel. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” (1Pet 2:9) If you want to know what that means, that we are sealed as tribes, and redeemed as a nation, you are in the right place.
The Third Angel’s message produces a people, a single, visible, united people, who know the truth, and speak it in love, even when it testifies against the world and results in its wrath. Yes, the Church is spiritual, do not misinterpret the word “spiritual” there. “Spiritual,” when applied to human things, does not mean invisible or intangible. The Temple of Yahweh was the most “spiritual” place on earth. It was physical in nature, but divine in purpose and use. Human beings are spiritual, but they do not diffuse themselves throughout the universe. They feed the hungry, visit the sick and imprisoned, and they plead for the widow. Their spirituality does not deny their physical nature, and so it is with the Church in which they abide.
All the principles that the apostles taught 2000 years ago apply just as readily to us today. Understand what marriage is as it applies to Christ and His Church. Do not err concerning the Bride. Christ is one with His people, and cannot be separated from Them. There are not many Churches, but one true, and many counterfeits. There is not one grand, invisible, “spiritual” Church spread out in various denominations all over the world. Yes, there are sincere Christians in many Churches living up to the light that they have; but their sincerity does not sanctify their lack of knowledge, nor does it diminish our responsibility toward them. We are to find them, teach them, and gather them into the unity of the faith before it is too late for their gifts to help us save souls from everlasting death.
That is the work to which Christ has set His Bride, and we go about it with an urgency that can only arise from genuine love for the souls of our brothers and sisters.
To summarize, the studies over the last three weeks constitute a retelling of the Three Angels’ Messages. The first (Giving Up Sin) is about the nature of conversion, what it means to be born again, to be cured of sin, and set free from the insanity of transgression. This prepares us for judgment, and indeed, the result is that we DO stand in the judgment.
The second (Experimental Faith) is about the effect this conversion has on the life. It cleanses it. It ends the “Babylon,” the confusion, and restores us to leaders in Christ who give a clear, direct testimony that cuts through the world’s noise, and leads us with true doctrines, and pure practices.
This third one, “The Pillar and Ground of the Truth,” is about the unity of the faith. It is about shaking off the false teachings concerning the Church, the Bride of Christ, and the need to draw together as one in order to stand against Satan’s final attempts to deceive and destroy the very Elect. The Mark of The Beast is upon the world, far nearer than even those in Adventism, who are awaiting the Sunday Law, realize. Unless they find the Church, unless they come to where sin is killed in the heart, and life overcomes death moment-by-moment, they will never see the roaring lion that is standing right behind them.
We declare the Testimony of Yahshua. We speak, and reveal, the life of Christ in even our sinful flesh. We prove “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of Yahweh,” (Rom 12:2) because we are One. Christ said to the Father concerning His Church, “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved Me.” (John 17:23)
That is how you recognize the Bride. That is how you know where the Father and Son are leading you. The People of Yahweh say, “Come and see.” They say, “O taste and see that Yahweh is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” (Psalm 34:8) May open ears hear these words. May open hearts, guided by the Holy Spirit, not hesitate to follow them to their source at the Fountain of Life.
David.
An Enduring Witness
Dear Reader,
Beginning this week, I am incorporating a new section into the transcripts of these Bible studies. Often, when discussing the principles revealed by the presentation, the brethren will find supporting statements from the writings of Ellen White or other Seventh-day Adventist Pioneers. While these are not Scripture, and therefore not contained in the main study, it may bless you to see them. We rejoice that the Holy One did not cease to speak to the Church at the conclusion of the Book of Revelation. As the Savior said concerning His own Spirit: “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)
The following quotations reflect some of the themes that were covered this week:
“The world cannot see the beauty, the loveliness, the goodness, the holiness of divine truth. And in order that men may understand this, there must be a channel through which it shall come to the world. The church has been constituted that channel. Christ reveals Himself to us that we may reveal Him to others. Through His people are to be manifested the riches and glory of His unspeakable gift.” [Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 6, p. 32]
“The church is God’s appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God’s plan that through His church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency. The members of the church, those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The church is the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the church will eventually be made manifest, even to ‘the principalities and powers in heavenly places,’ the final and full display of the love of God." [Acts of the Apostles, p. 9]
Here is one that clearly demonstrates the vital link between the Third Angel’s Message and Christian unity: “When the people of God are one with Him, they will be one with each other. Their unity and love will testify to the genuineness of their union with Christ. When their eyes are all fixed upon Christ, their hearts will be united in love. They will then stand shoulder to shoulder to resist the confederacy of evil, and they will have strength for a battle that cannot be seen by the natural eye.” [Manuscript Releases, Vol. 15, p. 86, emphases added]