12-1Tim5:1

1Tim5v1

Treating people in a congregation

1 Timothy 5:1-2 (ESV)

“Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.”

Many metaphors and analogies are given for the ‘church’. – some of these are:

•  A holy nation , emphasizing believers’ common citizenship in the heavenly realm.

•  Revelation 5:10 calls the church a kingdom , emphasizing believers’ common submission to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

•  Peter calls the church a priesthood (1 Peter 2:5, 9), emphasizing the privilege all believers have of direct access to God.

•  Our Lord calls the church a vine (John 15:5), emphasizing believers’ common connection to the life of God that enables us to bear fruit.

•  The apostle Paul calls the church a temple (Eph. 2:20–22), built upon the solid foundation of the apostles’ doctrine, with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone.

•  First Corinthians 12:12 calls the church a body , emphasizing believers’ common life and dependence on their Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.

•  Hebrews 12:23 calls the church an assembly , emphasizing believers’ common calling to be gathered into the eternal presence of God.

•  First Peter 5:2–3 calls the church a flock , emphasizing believers’ common need to be led and fed by the Great Shepherd.

•  Galatians 6:10 The church as a family (cf.. Eph. 2:19; 3:15;) Galatians 6:10 (ESV)10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.).
The word “family” speaks of intimacy, care, openness, and love . Jesus said in
John 13:34–35 , “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Love is the backbone of the family, and of the church

Importance of Discipline:
1. In 2 Samuel 7:14 God said of David’s descendant, “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men.”
2. Job 5:17 says of God’s discipline, “Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”

Proverbs says much about discipline and its outcome for the person:

•  It leads to understanding (Prov. 15:32),

•  knowledge (Prov.19:25),

•  wisdom (Prov.15:31; 29:15),

•  honor (Prov.13:18),

•  and a happy life . (Prov.6:23).

•  Jeremiah 44:4–5, “I sent you all My servants the prophets, again and again, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abominable thing which I hate.’ But they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their wickedness, so as not to burn sacrifices to other gods.”

V1a- Do not sharply rebuke…but rather appeal

Rebuke is a strong terms – meaning harsh or violent rebuke. One would not hammer a sinning Christian with harsh words.

Appeal means to: encourage, admonish, entreat – ‘strengthen’ – the idea of coming alongside to hold up one who is weak. Use a ‘spirit of gentleness’ looking to self first.

DEALING with sin in the family of God:

V1b – an older man.. as a father

Proverbs 16:31 (ESV) Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

A warning: Proverbs 30:17 (ESV) The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.

When rebuking an ‘older man’ one needs to show the same respect as one’s father.

Example: Galatians 2:11–14 (ESV) Paul rebukes Peter: – 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all , “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” He used ‘questions’ not make an accusatory declaration.

V1c – to the younger men as brothers

By taking that view you avoid what? When we look at them as ‘brothers’ we don’t take on ‘an air of superiority’ – this term means the absence of any hierarchy. i.e. Joseph attitude toward his brothers.

1 Peter 2:17 (ESV) Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Luke 17:3 (ESV) Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,    

V2a – the older women as mothers

Deuteronomy 5:16 (ESV)  ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Proverbs 1:8 (ESV) Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,

Proverbs 23:22 (ESV) Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

V2b – the younger women as sisters, in all purity

Caution here that one doesn’t SIN mentally or physically with a young sister. “ in all purity” Need to confront younger women about their sin and encouraged to godliness. BUT, not be led into sin, but be treated as beloved spiritual sisters whose purity is the highest considering.

Proverbs gives practical advice on how to maintain purity in relationships with younger women.

•  Avoid the look . Proverbs 6:25 says, “Do not … let her catch you with her eyelids.” Our commitment must be that of Job: “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin” (Job 31:1)?

•  Avoid the flattery . Proverbs 5:3 warns, “For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and smoother than oil is her speech” (cf.. 2:16; 6:24; 22:14).

•  Avoid the thoughts . Proverbs 6:25 says, “Do not desire her beauty in your heart.”

•  Avoid the rendezvous . Proverbs 7 gives the following account of the naive youth:

I saw among the naive, I discerned among the youths, a young man lacking sense, passing through the street near her corner; and he takes the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the middle of the night and in the darkness. And behold, a woman comes to meet him, dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. She is boisterous and rebellious; her feet do not remain at home; she is now in the streets, now in the squares, and lurks by every corner. (vv. 7–12)

Great care must be taken when meeting with younger women.

•  Avoid the house . Proverbs 7:25–27 warns “Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths. For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death” (cf.. Prov. 5:8).

•  Avoid the touch . Proverbs 7:13 records the result of the naive youth’s failure to avoid the rendezvous: “So she seizes him and kisses him.” That was the next step in a process that culminated in immorality.