Devotions with Jonathan

1 Timothy 3:14-16

1 Timothy 3:14-16 (ESV) 1 Timothy 3: 14-16 (NIV) 1 Timothy 3:14-16 (KJV)

I know that usually the passages that I take a look at are longer than this, but for some reason these three verse felt that they deserved a post all to themselves.

Having grown up in Korean churches all my life, I got used to schisms and church splits. It almost became a fact of life, although as I got older, the church splits often would lead to some of my friends leaving our church because there parents left in a huff of anger. As I grew to understand exactly what it was that our parents were fighting about, I got angry. Arguments in Korean churches would inevitably be about which elder was not doing their job the right way, or which plot of land that the church wanted to buy to build the church, or who wasn't pulling their weight in providing the food on Sundays. Now I know it sounds like I make an exclusive claim that these problems only exist in Korean churches and I'm sure that many people were just as disillusioned about these silly arguments in their churches as well... I only say Korean church because that is pretty much all I've known my entire life.

What Paul says here in verse 14 and 15 is that he is giving us instructions on how we ought to conduct ourselves in God's household, the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth. And yet how are we the church of the living God and pillars and foundations of the truth if we can't even sort out what kind of land we want to buy for the church without getting angry and leaving the church.

Now perhaps you may be thinking to yourself, this post belongs here. But allow me to explain why I rant a bit about this. This blog has always been about self-reflection, and the reason that I point out the above is not to condemn the actions of those people that I saw, but to condemn myself of being guilty of the same sort of thing. I do not follow Paul's list of what constitutes a proper leader or a deacon. I am not a temperate, self-controlled, humble person and so it becomes very easy for me to be right in the middle of petty squabbles that split churches apart. Thanks be to God that I have not yet found myself in such a situation, but it is a very real possiblity, and so Paul's reminder and instruction as to how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household is a reminder to me to continually breathe spiritually and be filled with the fruit of the Spirit (Galations 5:22-23).

I include verse 16 because it is just so awesome.

Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:

He appeared in a body,
was vindicated by the Spirit,
was seen by angels,
was preached among nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.

And there he rests, waiting for the day when he will return in that same glory with which he was taken up to reveal the mystery of godliness in a way that we have never fathomed before. Amen and Amen.

Then will I ever sing praise to your name, and fulfill my vows day after day.
Psalm 61:8

posted by Jonathan P @ 10:30 PM