Last week the president of Iran was accused of committing a
serious sin by touching a woman not of his family. The woman, mother of Venezuela’s late
president, had been hugged by Iran’s President in a moment of grief and
sorrow. In Islam it is forbidden to have
any physical contact with any woman who is not in your household. By their religion and law, he was not allowed
to comfort the grieving mother. The
greatest anger was shown by the conservative religious leaders; so much so that
his supporters used Photoshop to change the picture of a woman to a man.
God is love. Our Christian
God is love. He does not ask us to kill
our enemies but to love them. He expects
us to do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us and speak
against us for Jesus’ sake. Our God is
not impressed by how quick you are to defend yourself, to defend your rights,
to defend your opinions. He expects us
to love those we have nothing in common with and to make sure that everyone who
meets His children know they are different.
Any pain we have inflicted upon those we failed to love will
be returned to us in testings and chastenings.
Why? Because our God is a
consuming fire who seeks to consume our sinful thoughts and actions. He will have His way in our life if it is the
last thing WE ever do. Every knee shall
bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. On that day when you appear before God in sin
YOUR control will end and HIS will reign supreme. On that day you will surrender and submit and
it will be too late. It is better to
surrender to His love now.
1 Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and
the younger men as brethren; 2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as
sisters, with all purity.
In Christianity we are free to love (agape), free to hope
(elpis) and free to have faith (pistis) in God.
We are not free to sin or free to doubt God or His Word. In this freedom we are to love one another as
members of the same family in Christ. I
sincerely hope this does not come as a surprise, but we are to respect our
elders in Christ. The Word of God comes
to reprove, rebuke and exhort us (2 Timothy 4:2) with all long suffering and
doctrine. Elders in the faith ought to
have something to teach us as we are never to cease study however long we live.
An elder ought to feed the flock according to 1 Peter
5:2. Our heart should be toward the
children of God and not toward making money.
My late Apostle used to say, “If I am your father, where is my honor
(Malachai 1:6)?” If we are to obey God’s
Word then we ought to honor the elder’s among us who have been given oversight. To do this you must know what a father is and
respect that position.
Once we know and understand the role of father’s and
mothers, it is easy to identify those who fulfill the roles and those who do
not. We are then able to honor them as
fathers and mothers in the faith and they are no longer objects of sin or
degradation. Unless we have been
released into marriage, our hearts should have the same holy love and respect
for our brethren. The young women are
our daughters or sisters and the elderly women become our mothers or
sisters.
I was reminded of this fact by a brother in Pakistan. In this manner, women are not sexual objects
but family members who we can love and cherish freely without fear of falling
into sin. Men are our fathers and brothers
and consequently are holy as well. The
final portion of this scripture is that we should live in all purity. This is both a warning and a lead-in to the
next verse. The warning is that if you
insist in trying to live in the flesh you will die because the flesh kills but
the spirit gives you life (1 Peter 3:18, Romans 8:6). The Spirit of God is holy for God is holy and
pure. Scripture says that blessed are
the pure in heart because they shall see God.
Saying, “it doesn’t take all that,” gives you limited vision. A man who hugs a woman with pure motives is
pure. A man who dispenses hate and
mistrust is unknown to God and the Lord is not in him.
3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.
As I said this last part is also a lead-in to verse
three. The body of Christ is far too
full of physical urges and passion. At
times it seems we are trying to lead our own Savior into sin. Why?
Because we are His body and individually we appear to take delight in
breaking loose from His leading and direction.
Scripture says that if a man is able to bridle his tongue the same is a
perfect man (James 1). That same chapter
tells us that if we are hearers of the Word only and not doers our faith is
non-existent. The Word in verses 1 and 2
above says we are to treat our spiritual brethren as family. If the leadership stumbles or the laity
stumbles, your faith is useless. Faith
without works is dead but one of the most important works is to obey the Word
of God.
To understand this scripture you must understand the culture
of the time. With few exceptions, women
had little ability to support a family.
You never read in scripture that a man’s children were being sold to pay
a debt. The man was expected to go out
and work to provide a living. The
examples in scripture of a business woman or in Proverbs 31, the virtuous
woman, are very much exceptions to the general rule. In the vast majority of cases a man supported
his family and a woman supported her man and raised the children. In this case a ‘widow indeed’ was one who had
no children or family to turn to.
4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them
learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is
good and acceptable before God.
When her husband died she might well have been left
destitute. She was unlikely to be
educated or even know how to read. Men
were taught in Yeshiva (Hebrew school), not women. As a young woman she could hope to be
remarried or as an older woman, have children or family to support her.
These young women were expected to marry again and those
with family were expected to be cared for by family. Even today in the church, children are
expected to care for their aged mothers or female relatives. Those who are unwilling to do so are not
fulfilling the will of God in their lives.
5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth
in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 6 But she
that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
Acts 6:1 showed there was a program in place and laid the
groundwork for the daily feeding of widows but neglected the non-Jewish
widows. The disciples realized the
secular needs of ministry would draw them away from prayer and fasting so they
established the office of Deacon. It was
vital that the deacons be above reproach so there would never be any sin
associated with their care of the widows.
A woman without family who had no other means of support but
lived in prayer and supplication before God continually was considered a true
widow. The church had a responsibility
to help them with food. I see nothing
here that shows a church’s responsibility to pay their rent or utilities. Women have come in frequently demanding their
assistance with everything from food to rent but the Disciple’s statement in
Acts 6:2 makes it clear that the support given was limited to food.
Does this mean that the church should never help with rent
or for utilities? Of course not. If the church has the resources to meet all
these needs it would be a blessing; but it is not a requirement. As is generally the case, the ones who are
the least involved in ministry and least likely to pay tithes or give offerings
are most likely to demand their needs be met.
If a widow has no financial wherewithal and no family to support
her, the Lord has made provision for meals.
If she is young and still catches the eye of a Christian man and has
hope of marriage, she does not. Even in
Christ’s time we see that some women would go from man to man without even
being married. This stands out
particularly with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:18). As someone having had 5 husbands and living
with the current man out of marriage, she would not have been a good candidate
for assistance.
7 And these things give in charge, that they may be
blameless. 8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his
own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
On the one hand Paul insists that this is important and
Timothy should not allow anyone to try and change things. He could have even said, “Command these
things so they are not found guilty by God.”
Human beings usually try to take the easier path and if someone is
giving away free food, will keep their hands out with the rest. In this case, Paul is agreeing with the
general consensus in Acts and saying that to do otherwise is a sin. He continues to remind them that anyone who
does not provide for his own, especially his own family, is worse than an
unbeliever.
9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under
threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, 10 Well reported of for
good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if
she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she
have diligently followed every good work.
A widow must be too old to work or even glean in the fields. She could have been married but once. Her life must have been exemplary and she must
have lived a life of service to others.
What becomes apparent is that not just anyone can be supported by the
church. The church was never created to
carry people. The individuals in the
church have always been expected to work or go hungry. The only exception to this is those who are
widows indeed or fatherless children (and even that is a problem in today’s
atmosphere of unmarried mothers). The
widows are those who are too old to be married, have no children who can care
for them and who, in spite of their desolation and poverty, have managed to
live a life of service rather like that of Mother Teresa.
To be accepted as a widow required a life pledged to the service
of God beyond salvation. The woman has
determined to serve Jesus as her husband and forsake the comfort of a secular
husband. It requires a vow that she is a
servant of God and will never abandon that pledge or vow. The closest I have ever seen in this
circumstance is the Nuns in the Catholic church or the elderly mothers in some
of our own churches. The nuns choose to
take a vow of poverty, chastity and service to God and it is a very serious
matter indeed for one of them to renounce those vows. I am not discussing my doctrinal issues with
the Catholic church. I mention this
solely to describe the seriousness of the pledge to be a ‘widow indeed.’
Obviously this means that simply being a widowed woman does
not mean she will be cast aside by the Lord if she marries again. It does mean that God takes it very seriously
if a woman has promised to serve God and God alone and never take on the office
of a helpmeet to an earthly husband again.
She has become God’s helpmeet and that vow is both final and sacred to
Him.
11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have
begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; 12 Having damnation,
because they have cast off their first faith.
God knows that our hearts and minds are likely to change
more the younger we are. I often wonder
how many maturing people look in a mirror at a tattoo or piercing they have
gotten, whether they still like them in general or not, and wonder, “Why did I
get that one?” How much the more so if
you are still a young and vital woman and a man begins to notice you? Doesn’t it make it all the more likely that that
person will choose to accept companionship and marry?
Our Lord knows the young and just as He makes allowances for
sin and sent His Son He also makes allowances for youth and will not allow
someone below a certain age or level of maturity to make a pledge they are not likely
to keep. Scripture is very serious about
making vows and the Lord would prefer you not making them than making and
breaking them.
Your marriage to an earthly spouse requires a vow. It is supposed to be a lifetime
commitment. Your salvation to God
through Christ is an eternal commitment and requires a vow on your part AND His. A widow’s commitment to the Lord is a
lifetime commitment and requires much of the same dedication as an ordained
minister. In response to this
commitment, the body is supposed to support her with sustenance.
This vow is every bit as important as a marriage vow and the
one she is married to is the Lord.
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from
house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking
things which they ought not.
Scripture says where no talebearer is…strife ceases. Men and women both have our weaknesses. In the case of young women, there is a
temptation to talk about others and go from house to house gossiping. In this case a young widow having no
responsibilities for home and hearth and being supported by the church may well
be tempted to go from house to house bringing stories, true or otherwise. In all likelihood these gossipers began as
godly women to pray and bring comfort and after a while began to spread what
they learned.
14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear
children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak
reproachfully. 15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.
In society today men and women work together, often to the detriment
of their souls. Perhaps this seems to be
a harsh observation but I believe it to be true nonetheless. It’s not often you hear of the boss or other
married men sleeping with the matronly elder secretary even if the man is older
himself. As I said before, men and women
have different weaknesses and while women are looking for security and someone
to cherish them, men are looking … period.
Men are said to be stronger but that doesn’t mean we don’t have
weaknesses.
It is the eyes of a man that tend to get him into trouble
and if things aren’t so good at home and that sweet young thing at work is
comforting and attentive, you have a recipe for trouble. In her mind he offers good income and wisdom
and she gives him a sense of respect and inflated ego. Those are very powerful pressures and when
God is not first in your life may be too powerful. I guess you could say, “Stay in your
lane.” If you are married, eyes front;
focus on your job and family. Matthew
6:22 makes it perfectly clear that your wandering eye will ruin your life. A wagging tongue can separate close friends
(Proverbs 16:28, 17:9).
16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let
them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them
that are widows indeed.
Paul’s experience was that the church was never financially
wealthy. There will always be more needs
than funds and it is foolish to think the church is your provider. God is your provider. God will give you the wisdom and Book of Acts
power of grace to get a job. We often
see others walking around with their hands out looking for money rather than
their hands up, expecting wisdom and direction from God. There are opportunities to help others and
lift them out of their poverty, but there comes a time when a poor man must
look at himself and say, “God, what must I do to walk in Your abundance?” If Jesus came that we might have life and
have it more abundantly then where is the abundance? It is not all spiritual.
This verse tells me that churches who help the poor and
widows ought to have a good vetting program in place to make sure they have a
clear understanding of who is a widow indeed (no kids or family to help and too
old to work), and who just wants a handout.
It might seem a bit harsh but as God sees it, unless you are too old to
work and destitute, without family, you need to get out there and make it
happen. The Lord is with your endeavors.
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of
double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the
scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And,
The laborer is worthy of his reward.
Let me use the Holman translation: 17
The elders who are good
leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those
who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while
it is treading out the grain,
and, the worker is worthy of his
wages.
Do you pay tithes? I
have been to churches that don’t receive an offering during Bible Study and I
wonder why? You ought to receive an
offering at every service where the Word of God and life applications are
taught. Are you teaching the sure word
of God? Are you faithful in your service
to God’s people? You deserve to receive
financial compensation for your work.
Feel ashamed asking for money?
It’s not begging, it is teaching.
You are explaining to the people that your work and labor of love is
valuable and if they do not value your labor God will not value their
prayers.
I write these lessons and send them out regularly but I have
only been blessed financially by a few of the many who read them. These lessons don’t come because I’m bored,
they come because I am impressed by the needs of the people to write them. If they have been and are a blessing to you,
according to scripture you ought to be a financial blessing to me. Do you feel uncomfortable? When you go to a restaurant do you leave a tip
for good service? Do you pay your
doctor, lawyer or any others who give you advice?
While it would be nice to receive some compensation for the
time I spend studying and writing, I am concerned for the well being of God’s
people. I have a burden to speak into
their lives and bring the uncompromised Word of God whether it is popular in
today’s climate or not. As Paul said,
woe be unto me if I preach not the Gospel.
I will send these lessons out regardless, and your pastors will keep
preaching to you regardless, but scripture is there for a reason. If you do not pay your tithes you are not a
son or daughter. Apostle Sims always said,
“Pay your tithes and give your offerings where you get fed.” Perhaps I should add my mailing address or
Paypal account so someone can be a blessing.
Hmmmm. Okay, moving on.
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before
two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also
may fear.
We talk too much. A
Christian ought to be afraid to entertain gossip or complaints against their
leaders. Are all leaders perfect and
holy? Of course not. You ought to be fully aware of those leaders
who are working faithfully and hard on your behalf as well as those who are
slick and tricky. If there are those who
fall short of the minimum requirements for an elder leader then talk it over
with your pastor. Your pastor (if they
are properly trained) will take note of your complaint and hold it until they
have received one or two more before approaching the elder. As a junior servant of God you have no voice
in it at all beyond informing your pastor.
This scripture is for leaders, not the local pulpit nanny who just has
to voice their opinion.
If the elder in question is your pastor, then who is his
covering. Tell that person. Let them know you will not be spreading this
charge around and that you simply believe the leader has fallen far short and
are reporting it to the head. Sadly, in
many cases in the church this will not be handled well because the covering is
also doing likewise or because the covering is not adequately trained. Occasionally you may have to find somewhere
else to worship or perhaps you can encourage the leadership in the proper direction
by example.
None of us are perfect.
All fall short of the glory of God; but if the pattern of sin is blatant
and others know it and do nothing to stop it or if certain elders are abusing
their position then it needs to come out.
Either you will move and eventually they will have a church full of
sinners or someone in authority (and eventually the Lord) will step in and
bring it to light. Do not let your
frustration lead you into being a talebearer, true or not. Obey God’s Word and He will bless you with
the other faithful.
I have seen elders and others rebuked in the church. It wasn’t pretty but was far better than the
smoldering rage and anger amongst the people when sin was not called out and
justice or judgment not forthcoming.
People need to be able to respect their leadership and the leadership
must be accountable to God and the congregation to live the best life they
can. They are the living epistle being
read of all men.
21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one
before another, doing nothing by partiality.
Got friends? Who is
the best planner around, brother John who you golf with or Sister Jane who is
organized to her socks but you only know casually? The one who can do the work best is the one
to choose. If you have those who need to
be taught to do the work, assign them as an assistant to the one doing it. Apostle Sims used to have us do all parts of
the work but when it came down to life and death matters he made sure they knew
what the Lord had told him personally.
In this way we were taught and gained experience but nobody died
spiritually. We knew we weren't ready
for prime time either and trusted him to know when to turn us loose.
Scripture says to know those who labor among you. That means you know your friends and those
who you might not click with. It means
that if sister Jane grates on your nerves but is the very best, you use her no
matter how your nerves feel. If you are
in a large church and have many people desiring to help and some who don’t even
know they can, you need to get to know them better and find a place where they
fit. This is one of the most important
parts of church leadership. How can they
work if they aren’t led in the right direction and given opportunities to grow,
falter and grow again?
22AMP Do not be in a hurry in the laying on of hands
[giving the sanction of the church too hastily in reinstating expelled
offenders or in ordination in questionable cases], nor share or participate in
another man’s sins; keep yourself pure
Whether it is for sin or promotion, take care who you set
your hand to. Leaders might allow a weak
saint to be promoted in order to help that individual work through certain
flaws but it is not God’s perfect way.
If you sin, you need to repent.
Repentance in the New Testament is different than repentance in the
Old. In the Old Testament repentance is
a sigh, a disgusted understanding that you made a mistake. In the New, repentance means you acknowledge
that mistake and turn another direction.
In the Church, a leader or someone in line for leadership
must produce extensive fruit that show they have earnestly repented (Matthew
3:8). This means you still allow them to
work after they repent, but do not consider them worthy to be ordained until
their life shows a strong pattern of good works and holiness. Some have been expelled from the church for
their heresy and we are so quick to receive them back and let bygones be
bygones. God is not so quick. He expects to see strong fruit and active
humility. If the offender is
consistently frustrated by their lack of promotion and does not rather serve
with simplicity then they have not developed the humility for the job.
When scripture says that the leader of all must be servant
of all, it does not mean ‘until the promotion.’
They must always be the servant of all.
The more I have been promoted the more I have served others and the less
time I have had for my own desires. A
leader who uses the office of a leader to increase his own ends is not worthy
of the office. The one who serves others
even more, according to his or her influence, is worthy of double honor.
This ties in with being a tale bearer and other sins. We are to keep ourselves holy and not join
ourselves to those who sin. I once
attended a church where the pastor committed sexual sin. He left in shame but the man he left in
charge had as many issues as he did.
When I returned a couple years later I was invited to a gathering of the
members of the church. What I found was
a party of men and women drinking alcohol and sharing something other than the
gospel. I left immediately. Evil communication corrupt good manners.
23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy
stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Paul is encouraging Timothy to take care of his health. The places they lived and worked often had
unsafe water supplies and could cause many problems. Wine has many health benefits and not the
least of which is the alcohol will kill off the microbes in the water. I have often heard that the wine they drank
is non-alcoholic. I do not believe
it. God said, “Be not drunk with win
wherein is excess.” You can’t be drunk
with grape juice. Here he tells Timothy
to drink A LITTLE wine. Science today
has found many health benefits to a glass of wine each day. I am not a wine drinker but if I thought that
one small glass would ease my stomach or help ease the aches and pains a bit I
might reconsider. I do not believe a
small amount each day is a sin unless you happen to know you are an alcoholic
or are addicted to that sort of thing.
24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to
judgment; and some men they follow after. 25 Likewise also the good works of
some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
It’s easy to see those who sin openly but not so clear when
they are careful and hidden in their sins.
One way or the other, God will bring all their sins to light. It is far better to be chastened immediately
for your faults and deal with them than to have them covered until God destroys
you for them at judgment in front of everyone.
In the same manner, some do good works in front of others and by and
large they have their benefit. Others
keep their alms between them and God without speaking and God’s blessings will
follow them into better things. God
honors those who deserve honor and punishes those who warrant punishment. Most of all, God judges the heart.
Beloved, I encourage each of you to serve God with a pure
heart.
Bishop J
No comments:
Post a Comment