Established in the Faith

^“These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, 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” (I Tim. 3:14-15). According to Paul, the Church is God’s House. As an Apostle of Christ sent to the Gentiles, Paul was commissioned to reveal the “house-order” for God’s house with each new group of believers he met (Eph. 3:8-10). It is in fulfilling this personal mission given to Paul by God that we see the apostle establishing the churches in the faith (Acts 15:36 - 16:5).

The original NT term for "church," eklesia, simply means an "assembly of people" rather than the popular abuse of the parts by translating the parts of the Greek term instead of the entire term. The use of this term in both the Septuagint and secular literature makes this clear. Look it up in a solid Greek Lexicon. You won't find 'a called-out group' in these works, even though this sounds cool. In English, 'butterfly" is not a regular fly that sits in butter (interpreting the parts of the term). Conservatives give liberal scholars ammunition when they don't do careful word studies and properly consider a term's etymology. This term means an "assembly." However, a New Testament church has certain characteristics that make it a unique assembly, the Bride of Christ.

Likewise, we need to consider another important term found in Acts 14. What do the words ‘establish’ or ‘strengthen’ mean in the New Testament? It means to prop something up. To give something weak new strength. A tomato stake has the job of strengthening the vine so that it can safely produce fruit. “And when they [Paul and Barnabas] had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’ So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:21-23).   

1 Timothy 3 teaches that the Church is God’s house. Christ has a house-order He wants implemented in His house. A church is a family of saved families. Timothy, in his office of evangelist (church planter) was sent to the recent work at Thessalonica. The Bible says: “Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this” (1 Thess 3:1-3).  

 An evangelist (a modern-day church planter) takes a group of disciples and strengthens them in the faith by setting in place the marks of a church. Establishing the group of disciples must happen before they are ready for a pastor-teacher. Thus, the evangelist (church planter) sets things in order by establishing or strengthening two households: (1) God’s household and (2) individual family households. The church planter’s work with these households involves teaching the role and responsibilities for each member of both households by the biblical house-order. He can’t just make it up. He must follow the blueprint from God.  

Who are the members of God’s household? These are teaching shepherds, ruling shepherds, deacons, older men, younger men, older women, younger women, and widows. Who are the members of an individual family household? These are: husbands and/or fathers, wives and/or mothers, children, and slaves (today they would be in-house employees). According to the Bible, God's house and the saved families within it must function according to the biblical house-order before a group can establish itself as a church. The Bible requires that all positions be filled and that each function operate as Scripture teaches. This means that everyone should know and be fulfilling their roles and responsibilities in the assembly, which is a family of saved families.  

The book of Titus, Ephesians 5:22-6:9, Colossians 3:18-4:1, and 1 and 2 Timothy were written to teach us what these roles and responsibilities are in both God’s household and individual family households. We sing, “I am so glad to be part of the family of God,” and indeed we should be. Let us also strive to have our family and the church, which is our family of saved families, follow the Head of the church's orders on how to order these two households. We will then be re-established in the faith. Let the church be the church right where King Jesus has placed her!  

 A group that settles for anything less than having all the marks of the church in place has become a simple society and not a church. However, a church has the Word of God (the Bible) preached correctly, the two ordinances administered properly, practices church discipline, has the government functions that are listed in the New Testament operating by biblical standards, has biblically qualified leaders, believes the essentials of orthodox doctrine, and is actively fulfilling the great commission. This is the kind of church that Charles Spurgeon said, "is the sweetest place on all the earth."