The Truths of Our Faith

Introduction:

Paul is about to summarize 6 foundational truths about Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 3:14-16 NLT
The Truths of Our Faith
¹⁴ I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, ¹⁵ so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
¹⁶ Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith.
Christ was revealed in a human body
and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
and taken to heaven in glory.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Timothy 3:14-16 NLT
The Truths of Our Faith 

¹⁴ I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 

Paul is writing to Timothy who is serving the church in Ephesus. 

¹⁵ so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God.

Paul states the purpose of his letter and reveals its central purpose. Paul writes these instructions so that believers know how to conduct themselves within the church community.

• The church is God’s household.

¹⁵ … in the household of God.

Galatians 6:10 NLT
¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Ephesians 2:19 NLT
¹⁹ So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

• Described as those in the family of faith (Galatians 6:10), citizens along with all of God’s holy people, members of God’s family (Ephesians 2:19), and a part of God’s household (1 Timothy 3:15), believers need to act accordingly.

The church is the family of people who belong to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ, and they should treat one another with love, respect, patience, and concern.

 This is the church of the living God,

This is not a reference to any building, but to the people who make up the true church.

• God is alive, active, and present among His people (unlike the lifeless idols of the Ephesian culture). The church belongs to Him.

1 Peter 2:9 NLT
⁹ …, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 

which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

A pillar supports a structure, while a foundation provides stability. The church is called to uphold, preserve, proclaim, and defend the truth God has revealed. (The church does not originate divine truth.)

• The church (that’s us) has been given the task of sharing and protecting the gospel.

The church must be active rather than defensive in upholding the truth in the world.

One small phrase from:
Titus 1:9
… encourage others with wholesome teaching …

The church has been entrusted with God’s truth. It must not compromise that truth to satisfy the culture or its own preferences.

 

Verse 16 is a poetic expression of the gospel:

Verse 16 may have come from an early church hymn.

It is a concise summary of 6 foundational truths about Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:16 instructs us to “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts”.

Colossians 3:16 NLT
¹⁶ Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Verse 16 may have been a part of one of these hymns. 

¹⁶ Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith.

Colossians 1:26 NLT
²⁶ This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 

Simply put: a truth that was previously hidden has now been revealed.

Paul is about to summarize 6 foundational truths about Jesus Christ.

Truths we need to be teaching our children. 

Christ was revealed in a human body

• God the Son has been revealed in human flesh.

Colossians 1:15 NLT
¹⁵ Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

Hebrews 1:3 NLT
³ The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 

John 1:14 NLT
¹⁴ So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. 

Philippians 2:6-8 NLT
⁶ Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
⁸     he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 

Hebrews 2:14-17 NLT
¹⁴ Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. ¹⁵ Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
¹⁶ We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 

 and vindicated by the Spirit. 

• Christ’s righteousness was validated and affirmed by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶ After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

The Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to drive out demons and perform miracles.

The Spirit raised Jesus from the dead.

Romans 1:4 NLT
⁴ and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Peter 3:18 NLT
¹⁸ Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

The Spirit showed that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. 

He was seen by angels 

• Angels witnessed important events in Jesus’ earthly ministry and the events surrounding His resurrection. 

Luke 2:8-14 NLT
The Shepherds and Angels
⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Luke 24:4-7 NLT⁴ 
As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
⁵ The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

1 Peter 1:12 NLT
¹² They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

Revelation 5:11-12 NLT
¹¹ Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. ¹² And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing.” 

and announced to the nations. 

• The gospel is for people of every nation, tribe, and language.

Acts 1:8 NLT
⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

Matthew 28:19-20 NLT
¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  

He was believed in throughout the world 

• People throughout the world have responded to the gospel in faith. 

and taken to heaven in glory.

• Jesus now reigns at the Father’s right hand and will return as promised.

Luke 24:51 NLT
⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.

Acts 1:9-11 NLT
⁹ After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. ¹⁰ As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” 

Hebrews 1:3 NLT
³ The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 

Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT
¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. … 

1 Peter 3:22 NLT
²² Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.