What Every Christian Should Know About the Bible

I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

–1 Timothy 3:15

The Bible uses several metaphors to describe the church:

• the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18)
• the bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7)
• a vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16)
• a sheepfold (John 10:14–16)

But one of the most intriguing images of the church is found in 1 Timothy 3:15: “I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth” (emphasis added). In Paul’s day, great architectural structures were supported by columns or pillars. The apostle was saying the church is the supporting instrument that lifts up the truth to a darkening and decaying world.

If the church is going to lift up God’s truth, then we need to know what that truth is. I’m going to borrow Paul’s imagery during the next ten weeks as we study the ten pillars that support historic Christianity. What are the theological tenets that make up what we say we believe? In a world with shifting views on truth and morality, it’s imperative that we understand God’s truth so we can stand our ground in the midst of cultural trends and social upheaval.

This week, we’ll look at the load-bearing pillar: the Word of God. Every other truth rests on the foundation of God’s Word.

You might say, “What about Jesus? Isn’t He the crux of Christianity?” Yes, but think about this: What would we know about Jesus Christ apart from the Bible? There are some historical documents outside the Bible that mention Jesus. But without the Bible, we would know nothing about the deity of Christ, the forgiveness offered through His death, or the certain hope of His second coming. Everything we know about Jesus comes from the Bible. If there is a crack in the pillar of God’s Word, then the entire Christian faith crumbles. That’s why it is vital for Christians to understand the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Bible” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2022.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.