Church's Role in Preserving and Passing on Historical Teachings
The Christian church has historically played a crucial role in safeguarding and transmitting religious teachings across generations. This function is often understood through its responsibility to preserve, learn, and interpret the Scriptures [5]. The church is seen as the "pillar of truth," primarily because the ministry of the Word, entrusted to it by God, serves as the instrument for preserving truth and preventing its loss from human memory [6].
This preservation involves not only the physical transmission of biblical texts but also their interpretation and application. For instance, the Tyndale House commentary on John 17:14 notes that God's Word, given by Jesus to his disciples, provides a defense against the world, and the Holy Spirit would "preserve and recall God’s word in the church," thereby equipping the church for its engagement with the world [7].
The church's role extends to clarifying complex theological concepts. For example, in discussing the nature of sin, Augustine, as cited in Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's commentary on 1 John 3:8, distinguishes between being "born of God" and being "of the devil." Augustine clarifies that while believers are born of God, one becomes a child of the devil not by birth but by imitating him, emphasizing corruption rather than generation from the devil [2]. This highlights the church's function in refining theological understanding.
Furthermore, the church's teaching tradition addresses the universal human condition of sinfulness. Paul, in Romans 1:18–3:20, systematically demonstrates that both Gentiles and Jews are "equally under sin’s power" and cannot achieve favor with God through their own actions [4]. This foundational teaching, preserved and taught by the church, underscores the necessity of divine intervention for salvation. The church also teaches that while all humans are born with a sinful nature, the godly strive against it, in contrast to the wicked who indulge it [1]. This ongoing struggle against sin, including deliberate acts of rebellion, is a consistent theme in the church's historical teachings [3].
Sources
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 8:19: 8:19 The teachers of religious law had a prestigious vocation of preserving, learning, and interpreting the Scriptures for the good of society. The way to God was thought to be through them (15:13-14; 23:13).”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, section 15.3: the Church the mother of all believers? Does she not regenerate them by the word of God, educate and nourish them through their whole life, strengthen, and bring them at length to absolute perfection? For the same reason, also, she is called “the pillar of truth;” because the office of administering doctrine, which God hath placed in her hands, is the only instrument of preserving the truth, that it may not perish from the remembrance of men. Consequently this commendation relates to the ministry of the word; for if that be remo”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 17:14: 17:14 God’s word, which Jesus had given his disciples, also provides a defense against the world. The Spirit would preserve and recall God’s word in the church (14:26), equipping the church for its encounter with the world.”