Church -The Pillar and Base of Truth

1 Timothy 3:14-16 14 I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long;15 but in case I am delayed, 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.16 By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

Just a simple comment for modern Romanist apologist: Though the church is called "the pillar and base" ( stulos and hedraioma) of truth -it was not called "foundation" (themelios) nor the stone (lithon) which is only pertains to Jesus - and the witness to His Godhood and Manhood as shown in succeeding verses above in 1 Timothy 3. It is significant that it is similar to this text in Matthew 16:

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."15 He *said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. wherein the confession that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of the Living God -is the bedrockthe foundation stone- of what will be the church after Pentecost which Peter started opening during his preaching that day. So what does it mean that the church is the "pillar and base" of truth? If it is not meant to be main interpreter of Truth-what then? Pillars and its base in ancient buildings are meant to support the rest of the building -but it is not the foundation which is below it-and which the whole building rest. But at a certain part of the building -it helps in assisting in supporting the whole building . It is also used in ancient societies as a "billboard" for official or public announcements-like a evangel- a good news. Therefore the church must remain faithful in its station- so that the Gospel-the Good News about Jesus as Messiah and Son of God -is always proclaim . It must remain faithful to this task or it will instead obscure the Gospel and be self-important in its mind- much like the Romanist and Orthodox variant- and like those of the cults like INC and LDS. So in history-as long as the church is faithful- the Word and the Gospel is defended and proclaimed clearly and effectively- but when the church turns inward and pompous- many were never able to hear the Words of the Messiah-and thus forfeited salvation. May we be faithful i out time then