I think there are too many churches that dwell on the “Coming of Christ” and not enough on the “indwelling of Christ”. Unless we have Christ dwelling within us, His coming will do us no good. How we treat each other will determine our qualification for Heaven.
How we treat each other is directly related to how we perceive to be treated. I had a lot of unknown anger buried down deep in my soul against a family that ignored me. It wasn’t until I was able to recognize it and give it to Jesus that I was able to better relate to others. Most inmates are in prison because of anger issues. Most don’t even know they have them. That is where Christianity comes in. We are not to thumb our noses at them, point fingers or ignore them. We are to love them and help them find the love of Jesus that will take away that anger. I had hurt a lot of people simply because I did not know of the anger within me; and why that anger. Well, I was born in 1951. I had dyslexia, narcolepsy, claustrophobia and a touch of autism. The problems they created in me drove people away; including my parents who didn’t know what to do with me. So, I was left alone with no one who wanted anything to do with me. That is why the Lord gave me this ministry. I could be “alone” and yet do what my heart wanted to do: care for others and bring to light the truth of God’s word to hearts that were aching.
1 Timothy 5:1 to 1 Timothy 5:25
Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, . . .
Joe, who is 94 at this time, was a real training experience for me. He was 87 when I invited him from Texas to the ministry. At the time, I had no idea who he was, if I would have to “nurse” him or how mobile he was. But he came. He had been to prison and had been out about 15 years when he came to the ministry. Being a typical “inmate” he was selfish. Everything had to do about him. I attempted to accommodate him for a while and then I had to put my foot down. Learning how to guide and encourage this “older man” to give his heart to Jesus was a real test of my patience, self-control and discipline. I failed many times. But I learned. A gentle answer turns away wrath. It also turns away bad behavior. Joe is now a completely new man from when he came seven years ago. I praise God for the transformation.
. . . younger men as brothers, . . .
The male ego is always striving to reach the top. “Younger men” are looked upon as stepping stones to a higher level. Competition between men varies, but it is there. Treating younger men as brothers can be hard when I didn’t know my brother. I still don’t. I talk with him every few years. But we were too far apart. By the time he was nine years old, I was off to boarding school and rarely was home after that. Therefore, I’m learning how to treat “younger men as brothers”. Very hard without experience.
. . older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.
I can understand the “purity” part. The hard part is the “older women as mothers”. I don’t remember mine. She was busy with grandma across the street, my older sister and work. I never knew her. I’m not sure how to relate to women as “mothers” or “younger women as sisters”. When Paul wrote this, it was a time with there were large families. Because the death rate for babies was high, you had lots of children just in the off chance one survived. But you also needed lots of children to support you in your old age. They didn’t have Social Security back then. You begged.
Honor widows who are truly widows.
This wasn’t just a “tipping of the hat”. Back then, “honor” meant to help support. People back then had a higher understanding of duty and honor than we do today.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
We sure do need a lot of that today. “Let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents.” Children today have no idea what godliness is or how to “make some return” to their parents. Most of what they return is selfishness and outright disrespect.
She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,
The devil has truly destroyed our world with “government”. Since government takes care of everyone, we don’t need to do it “personally”. We are so busy paying our taxes, we don’t have anything left to show godliness to parents. What is “godliness”? Doing as God does. What does He do? He is constantly giving and supplying our needs.
but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
The same principle applies not just to widows, but to all who are “self-indulgent” in drugs, alcohol, money and everything else of this world. We are not to help them. Only those who are doing everything in their power to better themselves and need our help.
Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach.
Practical Christianity! True Christianity isn’t all about doctrine. It is about living the life of Jesus. When we meet people, we don’t ask them what they believe, we ask how they are. We ask about their families and what they do. People will look at us and by our practical Christianity they will judge us. Are you above reproach?
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Many parents are on drugs or alcohol and tobacco. The money spent for selfish pleasure should be going to the support of their children. Many are drunk on expensive cars, clothes and hair. Money spent for selfish pleasure that should be going to the household good. Our idols sure do take up a lot of money, don’t they?
Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.
It appears that the early Christians had a form of Social Security, or at least a safety net for their members. That is why people became Christians. The churches practiced what they believed and helped each other, not the unbelievers and pagans. If you wanted the benefit of the church, you belonged to the Ekklesia. But there were rules.
But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.
“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” Revelation 2:4. Jesus was simply using what the early Christians understood. People got tired of being “married” to Jesus and His people and soon “abandoned their former faith”. The same is happening today. The churches have all fallen. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. . . . he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:5, 7.
Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.
I think we all understand this. Women and girls love to gossip. They go from house to house, phone call to phone call, website to website being a busybody and listing to all the latest gossip. They say “what they should not”. We really need to learn how to put a tight rein on our tongues.
So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. For some have already strayed after Satan.
The “Woke” crowd hates that. Those on the side of Satan hate that. While the men work outside of the home, the women are to bear children, manage their households well and stay away from slander. We are truly in the age of Sodom and Gomorrah.
If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows.
Too many churches and denominations are way too “burdened” with what they think they should be doing in the “helping” category. It seems to be all “outbound” looking, thinking they can “win” people to their church. But unfortunately, they neglect those within their own church family who are hungry and needing clothes. There is just way too much “show” and not enough true Christianity in the heart: obedience to Jesus.
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
In the Young’s Literal Translation, the word “rule” is actually, “well-leading”. Big difference. Even the KJV makes it “rule”. That is the problem with our modern churches. We have traveled a long way from the original “gatherings” of Christians where the elders led, not ruled over the members. They led by example, following the example of Jesus who said, “Come, follow Me.” We truly need to get out of our churches and go follow Jesus.
The elders were not voted in by popular vote, but picked by those who were under the inspiration of God. They were first tested and tried to see if they could lead by example the flock entrusted to them. They were to be honored. Especially if they labored “in preaching and teaching”.
Again, the word “honor” is more than just a tipping of the hat. They were to honor them with their means. They needed to be supported in their work of leading, preaching and teaching the flock.
For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
As Paul’s normal practice, he took his hearers back to the Old Testament for his authority. The tithe system as still in place, but it goes way beyond the “tithe”. The system of support in the Old Testament required the people to bring almost 25% of their income to the priests and Levites. It was sacrificial. But if they did, God prospered the people. It was His way of finding out their loyalty. Did they truly love, believe and trust in God.
Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
It is interesting how so many who claim to be Christian believe gossip without any evidence or witnesses. So few will be saved. If we claim to be Christian, then we really need to start acting like Christians. This is why our TV and Radio and podcasts are truly taking us to hell. We just love sitting in front of them being spoon fed with gossip. We need to be sitting in front of the Bible and listening to Jesus.
As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
Being rebuked by the church and removed from the community of believers was to lose your “Social Security”. You were out on your own in a world that did not care. The Christian community supported you and helped you when needed. Therefore, you thought twice about sinning. Today, you just go find another church to look good in while continuing your sins.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
Prejudging and partiality! The world is full of those characteristics. Our little brains are just swimming around in prejudice and partiality. The sad part is, we judge according to our own feelings and biases instead of truth. Jesus is the truth.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.
Our churches love putting on display and parading around those who have just come into the church after living a very sinful life. It draws the crowds and brings in a lot of money. People think the church is doing something great. What the people don’t realize is, most of those new converts just go back to their sins since it was just a show. The church is truly taking “part in the sins of others” by putting them on display. We are to keep ourselves pure, not glamorizing the sins of their past. But the church has to justify its existence since it refuses to operate under the plan Jesus commands of it. Let us take our hands off of newly converted sinners and leave them alone. Let us first give them time to change their lives and habits. Then, instead of glorifying their sinful past, they will be able to glorify Jesus Christ in their sinless, perfect and Commandment keeping life.
(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)
Christianity is practical. We need to be concerned about each other. We need to understand natural remedies instead of rushing people off to the doctor. Pure grape juice, which is what Paul was suggesting, is very healing. Cranberry juice is good for healing the kidneys. Two drinks to keep around the house.
The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.
I think many of you have seen in the news where a person’s past catches up to them. They may be running for a political office and within a few days or weeks, up pops something they did 30 years before. That one act may ruin their career.
So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
Once in a while the news will show the good that a person has accomplished from years past. But not often. Dirt seems to draw more worms. Let us keep ourselves pure.