Metaphors of the Church: Lampstand, Light, Pillar of Truth

Three metaphors emphasize that the Church is the bearer of Christ’s testimony and gives witness to the world of the true way.

The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:20)

Jesus sees the Church, represented by seven local churches, as lampstands giving light to the world. If a church fails to give this light it is removed, is no longer his church:

Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (Revelation 2:5)

Jesus references this same function for the church in his sermon on the mount:

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

The apostle Paul makes much the same comparison:

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:14-16)

This function of the Church, proclaiming the truth about Jesus Christ, is pictured another way by Paul:

if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)

As one commentary has rightly said, “Each local church must support and strengthen the truth by witnessing to the faith and by living exemplary lives.” (Expositor’s)

This role of the Church is too important to compromise.