Undeniable

v.14:

Paul had a great desire to visit Timothy in person, but he wrote the letter just in case he wasn’t able to.

Paul expressed on more than one occasion his desire for in-person communication.

Romans

1 Thessalonians

1 Corinthians

Philemon

2 Corinthians

Colossians

It may not seem like a big deal, but we should desire that as well.

In today’s world of global communication via computers, satellite, cell phones, face time, etc. we can reach to an from almost anywhere in the world without ever leaving our recliner.

While that has some very real benefits, it is also very easy to lose our personal, human connection with one another…and it makes us lazy because we don’t have to get out as much.

God designed us not to be alone, and the best way to not be alone is to be in the physical presence of another person, a face on the screen just isn’t the same.

v.15:

The purpose for this letter is given in this verse.

“That you may know how to conduct yourself in the house of God…”

Paul stresses that the church is the house of God. (the people that make up the church, not the building.)

All of the instructions given about men and women in the church, and the leadership of the church are given for this purpose, that God’s house might be ordered correctly.

We are the church of the Living God.

We don’t serve some dead idol.

Our God is not blind, deaf, mute and powerless like a block of wood or a statue of gold.

Our God is a living God, who works on our behalf and is active in our lives.

Psalm 42:2

Psalm 42:2 NKJV

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Matthew 16:16

Matthew 16:16 NKJV

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Revelation 1:18

Revelation 1:18 NKJV

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

And because He lives, we can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, we should live for Him.

Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1 NKJV

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Because we are His church, we should conduct ourselves accordingly, hence the purpose of this letter.

The pillar and ground of truth:

God has designated His church to be the pillar and the ground of truth, Because it is the church of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, is Himself, truth.

John 14:6

John 14:6 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Since He is truth, the church should present nothing but truth.

This means not wavering on the Word of God.

We should walk in the truth and never add to or take away from the Word of God.

Psalm 119:160

Psalm 119:160 NKJV

The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

Proverbs 30:5-6

Proverbs 30:5–6 NKJV

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

v.16:

Without controversy: Undisputed, unquestionable, undeniably, most certainly

Many people throughout the ages have scoffed at, and tried to disprove and discredit the Word of God.

It is a common thing today. Even our kids are taught (sometimes in very subtle ways), that the Word of God is not true.

However, no-one has ever been successful in disproving God’s Word.

They may sometimes be successful in making people believe it is not true, but they’ve never been able to disprove it.

God and His word are absolute truth, therefore these things are indisputable:

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.

Incidentally, this was part of an early church hymn.

 God manifested in the flesh:

John 1:1

John 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14

John 1:14 NKJV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 14:9

John 14:9 NKJV

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Justified in the spirit:

This refers to His sinless nature.

2 Corinthians 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Hebrews 4:15

Hebrews 4:15 NKJV

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Seen by angels (both fallen and elect):

1 Peter 3:18-20

1 Peter 3:18–20 NKJV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

Luke 24:4-7

Luke 24:4–7 NKJV

And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

Preached among the gentiles:

Matthew 24:14

Matthew 24:14 NKJV

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Believed on in the world:

Acts 2:40-41

Acts 2:40–41 NKJV

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

Received up in glory:

Acts 1:9

Acts 1:9 NKJV

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

This undeniable truth is more than sufficient reason to follow God’s order of things.

However, it also contains a challenge to the church, which still exists today… to be a witness of Jesus Christ to the lost, both at home and around the world!

Our job is to preach this truth to the world.

Matthew 28:19-20

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.