There is disorder in Christendom because the Scriptures have been set aside. Many have no regard for divine instruction as to the place that the Spirit of God has in the assembly; rather, man himself takes that place. Human expediency is error.
God shows His order, "the church of the living God," in contrast to idols and every dead work that religious man has contrived. This "church of the living God" is to be "the pillar and ground of the truth."
Is this "church of the living God" composed of those who are living and also others who have died and gone to heaven? Scripture does not speak that way. It speaks of an actual Church (assembly) on the earth which represents God in practical testimony.
What characterizes "the house of God" and "the church of the living God" is that it is "the pillar and ground of the truth." Even if only a few of those that call themselves Christians maintain the word of truth, nevertheless the assembly (while on earth) is the only witness of God for the truth on the earth. That which does not maintain and present the truth is not the assembly as God understands it.
These truths are solemn. In olden days God chose Jerusalem as a center where His truth was given out, and all the nations of the earth who wanted the truth would have to go to Jerusalem to get it.
In the Epistle to Timothy we do not get the truth of the believer seated in heavenly places as in Ephesians, but rather we learn how to conduct ourselves amidst such a volume of truth of such a solemn character.
Are we going to recognize and maintain the Word of truth in the house that God Himself has established. Do we recognize that only when kept in its entirety does it answer to the mind of God as "the house of God"?