In the Church of the Living God

“I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:15-16).

As Paul told Timothy, by God's manifestation in the person of Jesus Christ, the church is the pillar and ground of the truth for godliness in Christian conduct. Being an overseer of the church, Timothy had to take God's gift seriously in order to be effective. Therefore, Paul said, “I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

In stirring up the gift of God which is within, an overseer must be diligent to present himself "approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). The work of properly dividing God's word is paramount for the overseer because God's word is "the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Church overseers have the responsibility of equipping God's people for the "good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

Overseers are accountable to the Lord for their ministry. They are commissioned by Him to make disciples, "teaching them to observe all things" (Matthew 28:20) which the Lord has commanded. They are given the assurance of having the much needed ever-present help from the Lord who said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). This being the case, overseers today have the same charge as that which Paul gave to Timothy. Paul said, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5).

The Apostle Paul's sincere heart can be heard in his admonishment when he said, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:20-21). God's people are the pillar and ground of the truth. Overseers must teach proper conduct for Christians who are the house of God; the church of the living God. The good works which God prepared in advance require the righteous conduct of Christians. Through godliness, "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13) is made manifest; "for you serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:24).