2 Timothy 2.19a-False Doctrine from Apostate Teachers Can Never Destroy the Church Because She is Constructed by God
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday May 20, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 2:19a-False Doctrine from Apostate Teachers Can Never Destroy the Church Because She is Constructed by God
Lesson # 48
2 Timothy 2:16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness. 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” (NASB95)
“Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands” stands in contrast with Paul’s previous statements in Second Timothy 2:16-18.
“The firm foundation of God” is composed of the following: (1) nominative masculine singular form of the adjective stereos (στερεός), “the firm” (2) articular nominative masculine singular form of the noun themelios (θεμέλιος), “a foundation” (3) articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun theos (θεός), “God.”
The noun themelios means “foundation” and refers to the church and is modified by the adjective stereos which means “firm” expressing the permanence or eternal nature of the church.
The noun theos refers to the Father which is indicated by the word’s articular construction which in the New Testament commonly signifies the first member of the Trinity unless otherwise indicated by the context.
This noun functions as a genitive of production which indicates that this firm foundation is “produced by” God the Father or “constructed by” God the Father.
“Stands” is the third person singular perfect active indicative form of the verb histemi (ἵστημι), which means “to stand, to continue to exist.”
The perfect tense of this verb is an intensive perfect which is used to emphasize the results or present state produced by a past action.
The present state is the continued existence of the church and the past action would have to be the establishment of the church on the day of Pentecost.
Second Timothy 2:19a However, despite this, the firm foundation constructed by God the Father remains standing. (My translation)
The apostle Paul is teaching that despite the harm to the individual members of the church caused by the false doctrine taught by the apostate pastors in Ephesus, the church remains standing because it is constructed by God and under His protection.
The kingdom of darkness led by Satan was waging war against the church at Ephesus in Paul and Timothy’s day and this was accomplished by the false doctrine taught by these apostate pastors in Ephesus who were obeying the teaching of the Judaizers.
However, Paul states in the adversative clause at the beginning of Second Timothy 2:19 that the church will withstand this attack.
The Lord Jesus Christ taught the apostles this in Matthew 16:13-20.
Now, in Second Timothy 2:19, the noun themelios means “foundation” but has various interpretations.
The first is that it is a reference to Jesus Christ Himself and Isaiah 28:16 is used to support this interpretation because the early church applied this Old Testament passage to Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 9:33; 1 Cor. 3:10-12; 1 Pet. 2:6).
A second interpretation is that the word refers to Jesus Christ, the apostles and prophets and which interpretation is based upon Ephesians 2:20.
A third interpretation is that themelios refers to the church which is founded upon the teaching of Jesus Christ and His apostles with Hebrews 6:1 as support.
The best interpretation of the noun themelios in Second Timothy 2:19 which best fits the context is that it is a reference to the individual members of the body of Christ as a corporate unit.
In other words, it is referring to all those sinners who have been declared justified through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior from the period of history extending from the day of Pentecost to the day of the resurrection of the church.
It speaks of all those who have been the beneficiaries of the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of their conversion or justification.
Thus, it speaks of all those justified sinners who have been identified with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father during this dispensation which began on the day of Pentecost and will end at the rapture or resurrection of the church.
In support of this interpretation, we have the two citations from Numbers 16:5 and 26.
Numbers 16:5 emphasizes God’s care, concern and protection for His people Israel and Paul applies this verse to the individual members of the church who are His people as well.
Numbers 16:26 emphasizes that it was essential for the individual members of the nation of Israel to abstain from wickedness in order to represent God before the heathen and to have fellowship with Him.
Paul applies this to the church as well in order to emphasize with Timothy and the Ephesian Christian community that it was imperative for them to reject unrighteous living and live godly lives in obedience to God.
Therefore, we can see that these two quotations express God’s care, concern and protection for the individual members of the church and what He expects of them as members of His household.
Furthermore, in Second Timothy 2:20-21, Paul uses a household metaphor where he describes the various household articles which are used for various uses, some for honor and some for dishonor.
He then exhorts Timothy to use his body as a vessel of honor in God’s household.
So Paul is teaching that a member of the church like Timothy must use his body as a vessel of honor in God’s household rather than dishonor.
Also, we must remember that in Second Timothy 2:16-18, Paul has been discussing the destructive behavior of certain apostate pastors in Ephesus, namely Hymenaeus and Philetus.
They were teaching that the resurrection of the church had already taken place.
This resulted in certain Christians in Ephesus no longer holding to Paul’s apostolic teaching concerning the resurrection of the church.
The church is confronted with a great crisis in that false doctrine has infected the church.
So Paul is expressing his concern for the church which of course is composed of a group of individuals who have been declared justified through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone during the period extending from the day of Pentecost to the resurrection or rapture of the church.
There is even more support for this interpretation, namely Paul’s teaching in First Timothy 3:15.
First Timothy 3:15 However, if possibly I am delayed, I am writing at this particular time in order that you would know for certain how one ought to always conduct oneself in God’s household, which indeed by virtue of its unique, privileged and divine character is, as an eternal spiritual truth the living God’s church, the pillar as well as support of the truth. (My translation)
In Second Timothy 2:19, Paul describes this foundation as “firm” which expresses the fact that the church is secure and will endure forever because it is based upon Jesus Christ Himself and specifically it is based upon His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father (Matt. 16:13-20).
Based upon Paul’s statements in Second Timothy 2:16-18 and his statements in Second Timothy 2:19, the word expresses the fact that the church will endure forever despite the false doctrine being taught by the apostate pastors in Ephesus.
Therefore, the adversative clause which begins Second Timothy 2:19 expresses the fact that despite the attacks against her by the false teachers in Ephesus, the church will endure forever because it is constructed or built by God the Father who accomplished this through the work of both His Son and the Spirit.
In other words, Paul is teaching that the church is a spiritual building or edifice that cannot be torn down by any earthly or demonic power.
So he is attempting to encourage Timothy that despite the apostasy in the church and false doctrine, the church will endure.
Unlike the Twin Towers in New York City that were brought down on September 11, 2001, the church can never be brought down by any human or Satanic force.
This would serve as an encouragement to not only Timothy but also Paul as well as the remnant of faithful believers in Ephesus.
It also should serve as an encouragement to those faithful members of the church in the twenty-first century and especially those faithful believers in America since the church in America has been ravaged by apostasy among its pastors and their congregations.
Paul is teaching that despite the apostasy of the majority in Asia and the apostasy of certain pastors like Hymenaeus and Philetus, the church continues to endure and remain standing like a building which withstands an attack from an enemy because it is built on a firm foundation and by a wise architect.
God is omnipotent and His construction of the church is therefore indestructible.
The church is built upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection and His teaching which He passed along to His apostles.
Consequently, the church is indestructible and will continue to withstand any attack waged against her by the kingdom of darkness.
In days of apostasy, the faithful members of the body of Christ should always remember this fact.
As is the case here in Second Timothy 2:19, the apostle Paul compares the church to a building in Ephesians 2:20-22 and First Corinthians 3:10-12.