I Timothy 5:17-25
September 27th, 2009

Exordium: The minister faces challenges and situations on every hand. He may feel like a juggler trying to balance things and keep the ship of the church on its right course toward the Kingdom of God.

Explication: The advice of his coach, Paul, was that Timothy should keep his ministry in the position of viewing the world and its problems and opportunities from the perspective of eternity as well as time. Because the Christian’s life and the minister’s life conduct are lived in the world before the presence of God the Father, Christ the Redeemer, and the holy angels.

This is the “contact lens” of Christian living, with one eye seeing up close, (the world) and the other seeing the distance (eternity).

To see things this way takes instruction and practice. That is exactly what Paul is giving to the young minister here.

I. FIRST LESSON – HOW TO WORK with LEADERS in the CHURCH

Give them double honor because they rule well and because of the teaching and preaching which they provide. This is core of the ministry and the most important function in the church.

These men are “public defenders of the Gospel”. The reputation and honor of the church are at stake with them. If the church does not honor them, the world certainly will not either. But, if they are well spoken of by the community, the church is in a position for its message to be heard and to serve the world in Christ’s name.

Don’t begrudge elders their compensation. It is Scriptural for them to receive pay for their labors. As the ox treading out the grain is allowed to eat from the threshed wheat, so the elder who preaches the gospel, should live by the Gospel.

If there be bad behavior on the part of ministers or elders, you are to be careful how you address it. Their reputation is their great asset and any complaints against them are not to be taken lightly or without evidence. It requires two or three witnesses to make a charge against such a leader.

Sometimes a preacher may bring a message that challenges the life of a member. That person may begin to murmur and complain about the preacher. But, do not rush to judgment. That message may be just what is needed. We must wait until there are definite accusations against the leader before a process of inquiry can begin.

If a sin is discovered and proven, then the leader should be publicly rebuked. Since he is a public defender of the faith, there should be a public disclosure of the problem. The motive for the rebuke is the prevention of the contagion of sin in the church. When one person is rebuked a great fear of God comes upon the whole body.

So, Timothy, as you work with elders, be aware that the Father, the Son and the holy angels are observing through the transparent glass that separates the throne room of God from our daily life. All that is done in the church is done in the sight of that heavenly court, so precious is the church to the triune God.

II. LABOR WITHOUT PREJUDICE or PARTIALITY

Prejudice. There may be those who are closer to you than others, due to natural affinity, or personality, or common interests which cause you to gravitate to them more than others. Likewise there may be some who irritate you and remind you of folk in other places with whom you had a problem. That is not the way for you to work.

You must ignore personal affinities or dislikes and look at all the people through the eyes of eternity as well as through the lens of this world.

No partiality. That is, don’t favor one person of one group over the others in attention or treatment of them. Our God is not a respecter of persons.

When a leader is partial, he is taking an earthly approach to a person or situation. His human flesh and his narrowed vision will cause him to serve in a worldly way. Timothy, you must see your people and the leaders from God’s point of view. He makes no difference.

Keep yourself pure. That is the prerequisite of Christian living and service.

An impure life is fatal to your Christian influence. Even if the impurity is harbored secretly in the heart, it will paralyze your spiritual life. Every transgression deposits some evil in the soul that gathers strength as life goes on. Like plaque in the arteries, it builds up until there is an event that reveals what has been happening all along. Remember George Whitfield who was impeccable in his clothing. His motto, “Purity is everything in a minister.”

III. TIMOTHY, with HEAVEN WATCHING, DO YOUR WORK with GREAT CARE

Care in placing people in responsibilities. Don’t enlist someone prematurely before testing and knowing him or her well.

Don’t participate in other people’s sin. That is, if you ordain a wicked person to a task, you take part in his sins.

Taking part in other peoples’ sins means setting a bad example that causes others to sin because of you.

Speaking carelessly or unkindly or untruthfully, which causes others to sin. The smallest sin goes on forever until the Lord covers it with grace.

If a person is about to enter a bad venture which violates Scripture in some way, don’t do anything to assist them in it, rather try to warn them.

Don’t keep close company with wicked people. You have enough sin of our own without taking part in others sins.

Instead apply these antidotes against participating in other peoples’ sins.

• Observe the sins of others and pray for their forgiveness as Job did.

• Pray against those sins, mourn over them.

• Reprove others of their sins. This is the very reason why the wicked hate the godly; we won’t participate with them in their wicked ways.

• Parents prevent your children from sinning.

• Don’t do what everyone else is doing if it violates your conscience. For example, people now are sometimes alienating assets like a second home, by placing them in trust for someone else in order to avoid losing them in case of high medical bills that may come upon them. That is different from taking full advantage of tax laws to protect assets. It is asking others to pay your bills while retaining assets that could have paid them.

Timothy, keep your health up. Take first class care of your body and your mind. Apparently, he had not been doing so; he had many infirmities. Don’t drink water alone. Add some wine to it for your stomach’s sake. (The ratio was about two parts water to one part wine as a medicine.) Timothy, don’t be afraid to use what God has given you.

Paul did not try to heal Timothy of his infirmities but recommended the natural means. God doesn’t heal miraculously when we have other remedies at hand. The Apostles did not heal in all cases of need but waited on God for his instructions as to when to use His great power. In this case, Timothy did not need healing as much as he needed to begin caring for his body properly. Look at life through the two lenses. Do not abandon the body to advance the spirit. We need to see them together.

IV. TIMOTHY, LOOK AT PEOPLE THROUGH the LENS of BOTH TIME and ETERNITY

For example, look at the way sin becomes evident:

1. The sins of some are blatant, easy to see; they will not be covered. Final judgment has not yet come, but some measure of judgment has already fallen on them. The sins that we judge in this life are normally sins covering the body and matters of this world, having to do with ambition or the love of money or the sin of pride. They happen in the sight of all.

2. Other sins are discovered later. Just because a person dies and has not had a great judgment on his life, does not mean he did not sin. Sins of a spiritual nature are judged later, that is, in the life to come; Sins of failure to acknowledge God, failure to give thanks, or to observe the Lord’s Day in worship. These are sins against one’s own heart, when spirit or soul and heaven are shut out. What the court may call, “crimes against the soul.”

Then when the person stands before God in the presence of the holy angels his works are tried and he is found to have lived lawfully on the earth, but he has not been rich toward God, Christ will say, “Depart from me. I never knew you.”

In the same way, good works are sometimes evident in this life. They were providentially made known by God and reflect a godly character and reputation. But not always, the humble obscure Christian serving God in a quiet corner of life serves Christ most usefully. Listen to what He says: “For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothed You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25: 35-40)

In the light of this, Timothy, reserve your judgment for eternity. Judge nothing before the time when the Lord will come and bring to light the hidden things of darkness and light. Judge not that you be not judged. (Matthew 7:1)

Let us apply these same principles to all of us. We, too, as ordinary Christians must see the world with the two lenses.

You will remember how Christ healed a blind man, but after the Master’s touch, he still could not see clearly. (Mark 8:22-26). Jesus touched his eyes again. Now he saw 20/20. Both eyes!

Ask Christ for a second touch that you may be able to see things in their two dimensions-earthly and heavenly.

Glen C. Knecht