1Timothy 3:15, “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.”

The Apostle Paul definitely brings a weighty matter before us in the closing verses of 1 Timothy chapter 3. He sets forth the how and what regarding our lives in the church, and then the where and why we should live a life of service to the Lord, which leads to the gravity or seriousness of the Church. Basically, he tells us what to do and how to do it based on where we are and why we are here!

“Behave thyself.” Seems simple enough, right? I honestly don’t know how many times my parents told me to “behave yourself” in my young life! Simply put, behaving means to act right or to conduct yourself in a proper way. I knew what it meant as a child: it meant I was doing or saying something that wasn’t right and I was to act properly. Sometimes that’s a hard lesson learned, but Paul details it at the onset so there are really no questions as to what we are to do when it comes to the church. But Paul also uses the word “oughtest,” which means we are bound to conduct ourselves in the right way, especially when it comes to the church! This binding aspect brings even more weight to the matter! We have no excuse to do otherwise! Even the foreshadowing of the prophets shines a light on the seriousness of the Church:

            1. “And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Genesis 28:17

            2. “Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.” Isaiah 33:20

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

The Apostle has just established that you are not a child of God because you are of Abraham’s seed, or because you came out of the nation of Israel, but you are a child of God because of promise. Then in verse 11 he says; For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

            3. Paul brings this binding aspect to our lives. In Philippians 1:27:

“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

Our lives should be lived in, with, and by the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We are bound by the Gospel to be well doing in all things such that our lives not only align with the Gospel, but our lives are becoming of the Gospel! Wow! Paul states earlier that he is “...set for the defense of the gospel.” Philippians 1:17

If Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 2:2), then He then sets forth the premise of the truth he’s talking about in the last verse of this chapter:

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Timothy 3:16

The realization of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us should drive us in our behavior. Furthermore, if the House of God is the pillar and ground of the truth, then our work is to struggle on in defense of the Gospel without wavering! The Church is where the Lord has placed His truth and chosen to dwell in!