Dear BPCWA worshipper, After having summarised the camp’s morning devotion messages, I will now recap God’s lessons for us from the thematic messages, centred around our theme verse, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1Ti 3:15). This Epistle was written by Paul to Timothy, who was left in Ephesus to care for the church and correct errors. Paul was aware that Timothy would face an uphill task. Hence, Timothy must handle things seriously. For BPCWA, it is apt to understand what we should do as a church in times of peace, as we face the next area of growth.

The change of mindset. To get a church into the right order, Paul tells Timothy the three mindsets that we must have about the church. 1) Mayest know. “Know” concerns factual truths. It is about someone who has a high regard for the knowledge and so searches, examines the knowledge, and cherishes the understanding. Paul charges Timothy to receive and declare this truth to everyone in the church. The pastor must show great enthusiasm for what the church is. Today, churches are but an appendix in lives, a place to talk and eat together in small groups. If left in this state, the church will decline spiritually. This “know” has the idea of an interview, i.e., to get to know well, because it is something we delight in. The church is God’s idea, not man’s imagination, and no institution on earth matches the church. If so, every worshipper must also have this mindset to put the church on the same, if not higher, level than our personal or family’s growth. This is a responsibility not just for pastors but for everyone. We must have a mindset of cherishing the church, with hearts hungry for this knowledge of what church should be, even if it is unpleasant to the flesh. 2) Oughtest. Knowing is to drive a change in my behaviour. “Ought” means it is a necessity, because it is God’s command. How I feel doesn’t matter because it isn’t optional. There is an unconditional necessity for submission to God’s command without question, simply because I’m a Christian. There is a part for us to play, which is to drive ourselves to respond to God. Whatever is in God’s Word is binding on me, regardless of what my flesh feels. God’s commands are not just for the pastor, though the pastor should certainly be subject to them since God expects it of him, and the people will look to him. When I know God’s command, I must have a self-driven mindset to do it, just as what is expected of the pastor. 3) To behave thyself in the house of God. Paul reminds Timothy that his personal behaviour (thyself) is part of God’s house, i.e., part of a bigger scheme of things beyond one’s personal and family concerns. Holiness is not just for me, but my holiness is for the church to be holy. We are saved to be part of His people in His church collectively. Each of us is but a member in a bigger scheme of things, plugged into the role God intended for that member in His body to play. Those who resist or refuse are rebuked (1Co 12:15-16). Selfish concern only for our personal holiness is narcissistic holiness. Parents who bring up their child to be a good witness but whose child is not in church must change their mindsets. Growth and walking as Christ walked are not for my personal benefit. Families and singles alike must thirst to see the power and glory of God in His church, not just for us to see it personally. Therefore, we must change our attitude toward the house of God, where His glory is made known.

The covenantal home. Paul continues to tell Timothy about what the “know”, “ought”, and “to behave” pertain to. 1) Know that God’s church is first God’s house, then God’s church. When we step into church, we step into God’s house. The OT temple represented God’s presence in the midst of His people when He dwelt there. Christ refers to it as “my house” (Mat 21:13). Isaiah 56:7 uses “house” thrice. Christ was “a son over his own house; whose house are we” (Heb 3:6). Those purchased by Christ’s blood are brought into His household, and it is a house which lasts forever (Psa 93:5). Christ had a zeal for His house (Psa 69:9). So, until the church is like your own family deep in your soul, you won’t have a zeal for it. We have a zeal for our home because it’s our own household. The lesson for each individual is: I must now be deeply aware that I belong to God’s house. “House” is the place where someone dwells. God’s house is where God chooses to dwell in – not as a holiday home. “House” also refers to a family, with the covenantal God as the Father. It means that the people in the house are my covenantal family. “House” also refers to “stock, lineage, descendant”. The house is for generations, and His family’s duty is to think of the future generations. Since Christian marriage is for lineage in God’s house (Psa 127:3), couples must not think, “We won’t have kids so we can serve God better”. And the teens in our midst must live godly lives now because you are the future generation. 2) When God is absent, the house is not His house. It is not just about being “family”. The key fact about the house is that it is where God makes His domicile, not merely a physical brick-and-mortar building. When God judged Israel because of Eli’s sons, the temple was still there, but the ark, representing God’s presence, was no longer in their midst, signifying that His “glory is departed from Israel” (1Sa 4:21) and it was “Ichabod”. 1 Timothy 3 begins with the qualifications of elders and deacons because it is God’s house only if it is run as God intends. Hence, the qualifications to test the man are house-related. The man must rule his home well before he can be considered for key church roles. The test is whether his wife and children know and do as they ought in Scripture. Then all will know how to behave as family members in God’s house. Moreover, the family model has a bearing on the church because others will learn, and your family is part of God’s house. If a man does not run his house according to God’s family model, he is disqualified to rule God’s church. We also learned that having a lot of activities in church does not mean that God is there and it is God’s house. Just like in my own house, I must put my own preferences aside and be willing to make sacrifices for our church family. This instruction was about a local church, because Timothy was in Ephesus, a local church. I too belong to a local covenantal church family. There must be a sense of belonging, commitment, and permanency, especially when you take the membership vows to join BPCWA. God’s children must build that sense of belonging. Home is not just a place to eat and sleep in like a hotel, i.e., just to enjoy using it. You are part of the family, so find your joy and comfort in BPCWA as your covenantal family. Even unbelievers understand that there is a personal connection and sense of responsibility with one’s home. If you prefer unbelievers and Christians outside of BPCWA, why is that so? Some are very helpful to people from other churches, but not to the BPCWA family where they belong. That’s not how it ought to be. Finally, since it’s God’s house, show honour for God in how you come before Him. Teach your children to show honour because it is God’s house. An important part of bringing up godly seed for the next generation is teaching them to honour, not dishonour, God by how they come before Him and how they worship and receive God’s Word.

We may mistakenly think that the pastoral epistles are for pastors, and following on that, the church is the pastor’s concern. However, 1 Timothy 3:15 immediately follows the qualification of leaders and is for all to know. Pastors, elders, and the congregation must all be interested in God’s church. As you read through this and the following weeks’ pastorals, I hope you do so with a desire to understand and love the church more. For those who sat through the camp messages, it is our opportunity to reflect once again on what we have learned and to examine ourselves if we have changed since then. Remember, it is not just about knowing, but about how you oughtto behave because you are part of the house of God! Do you have the mindset of prizing God’s house which you are part of, like the hymn writer?

Beyond my highest joy,
I prize her heav’nly ways,
Her sweet communion, solemn vows,
Her hymns of love and praise.

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor