Old Testament Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:10–20 

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10–20, ESV)

Sermon Text: 1 Timothy 6:2c-10

“Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:2–10, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Truth Matters

Verse 2 of 1 Timothy 6 concludes with the words, “teach and urge these things.” I would like to begin the sermon today by considering these words. Paul’s command to Timothy was to “teach and urge these things.” 

I take this to refer to the preceding section wherein Paul gave instructions to Timothy concerning his ministry to young and old, male and female, widows, elders, and finally bondservants within the congregation. Now Paul exhorts Timothy to faithfully “teach and urge these things.” To “teach” is to instruct. To “urge” is to call others to obey what is taught. Of course, this was not all Timothy was to teach. Timothy, and all ministers of the gospel with him, must teach the whole counsel of God’s word. They are called to “preach the word”, to “be ready in season and out of season”, to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV). By now it should be clear that the central task of the minister is to teach God’s word and to urge the members of the congregation to obey it. This is the minister’s work. 

And have you ever wondered why the preaching and teaching of God’s word is such a central element of the work of the ministry? Why is the preaching and teaching of God’s word so crucial to the life of the church?

In brief, the answer is, because truth matters. It is through the truth of the gospel that men and women come to be saved from their sins. And it is through the truth of God’s word that men and women are sanctified — that is to say, changed so that they grow to be more like Christ. Truth matters. And so the truth of God’s word must be proclaimed if men and women are to be saved from their sins and grow up in holiness. This is the work of the pastor, to teach God’s truth and to urge men and women, young and old, to believe and obey it. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a truth claim. To believe the truth of the gospel is to be saved. To reject the truth of the gospel is to remain condemned. Is this not what the most famous of all Bible verses teaches? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16–18, ESV). So, to be saved from condemnation one must believe upon Jesus the Christ. And if we are to believe upon him we must know the truth about God, Christ, and what it is that he came to save us from. Truth matters. The gospel must be proclaimed and taught if men and women are to be saved from their sins. 

And those who have believed upon Christ — those who have been saved from their sin and the condemnation that is due to them — grow in holiness as they grow in their knowledge of the truth. This is why the Scriptures speak to Christians saying, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, ESV). Transformation — sanctification — comes through the renewal of the mind. 

Truth matters. It is by the truth that we are saved, and it is by the truth we are sanctified. As Christ has said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32, ESV). To live according to the truth is to walk in freedom, light, and life. But to live according to a lie is to live in bondage, darkness, and death. So many walk in darkness. They walk in darkness because they live according to a lie. They claim to be free, but they are bound. They appear to be alive, but they are dead. Not so for the people of God. As Paul says in Ephesians 5:8, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8–10, ESV).

Truth matters. And the truth must be proclaimed. 

But what is truth? That question has haunted men for a long time? And I can understand why men have been haunted by this question. It is hard to know for sure what the truth is when left to ourselves with only our emotions and reason to depend upon. But what do we say in response to the question, what is truth? We say God is truth! And more than this we say, God has revealed himself to us generally in the world that he has made, and much more clearly in his word. In other words, the God of truth has not left us alone to wander about in the darkness. No, God has spoken. The truth may be known, therefore. Now, this does not mean that the truth may be known exhaustively. There are many things that remain a mystery to us. But the truth of God may be known sufficiently as we encounter it in the world, and especially in God’s Holy Word. 

So why are ministers called to preach the word? Why are they called to “teach and urge these things”? Because truth matters. It is by the truth of the gospel that we are saved, and it is by the truth that our minds are renewed and our lives transformed. And for this reason Timothy (and every minister with him)  was to “devote [himself] to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”He was to “Practice these things, [and] immerse [himself]  in them, so that all [world] see [his] progress.” He was to “keep a close watch on [himself] and on the teaching.” He was to “persist in this, for by so doing [he would] save both [himself] and [his] hearers” (1 Timothy 4:13–16, ESV).

Brothers and sisters, the word of truth is our spiritual bread. It energizes our spiritual life. But if it is corrupted, then that which once brought life and nourishment brings only sickness and death. And this why we have heard Paul throughout this letter exhort Timothy to “teach and urge these things” within the Christian congregation. 

Application: 

There is obvious application here for elders. Elders must be faithful to uphold and guard the teaching ministry of the church. Pastors must be faithful to teach God’s word and to urge the congregation to obey it, because truth matters. 

 But what is the application for the congregation?

First of all, I wonder, are you aware of the power of the truth? Do you agree that when the truth is known and believed it is in fact transformational? Brothers and sisters, what we believe to be true determines the trajectory of our lives and impacts every decision that we make. I’m afraid we are often oblivious to this reality. Rarely are we even mindful of our deeply held beliefs and the way they affect our outlook on life, our priorities, our mood, the way we speak and act, and the way we spend our time and money. Everyone has beliefs and convictions that inform how they live. Some are more aware of these convictions than others. And some have thought them through more carefully than others. But all have beliefs and convictions. And here I am urging you to see that what you believe to be true concerning God and this world which he has made is powerful — it is very impactful. Truth matters. 

To illustrate I might ask you to think of the difference that believing, or not believing, in the existence of God makes in a person’s life. Use your imagination. Think of how differently you would live if you did not believe that God exists. Whether or not you believe in the existence of God will radically affect your view of the world, the meaning and purpose of your life, and the importance of the decisions you make, among other things. Friends, to believe the wrongs things means that your life is on the wrong path, but to believe what is true means that your life is on the right path. Please do not underestimate the power of the truth. In the truth there is freedom, light, and abundant life. But the way of falsehood is darkness and leads only to death. Do not underestimate the power of the truth. 

Secondly, to those who know the truth of God’s word I ask, are you eager for more of it? It should be clear to all that believing, or not believing, in the existence of God will have a significant impact upon the trajectory of your life. But what about other beliefs? What is the nature of God? What are his attributes? What are his plans and purposes? What is his relationship to the suffering we experience in this life? Is he in control of all things, or no? How can we stand before him right? What is his will for you? What is his will for the church? How does he change his people? On and on I could go. My purpose here is to move you to agree that truth matters. And having agreed that truth matters, I pray that you would desire more and more of it.  A man walking in total darkness would be grateful for just a little bit of light so that he could see the truth concerning his surroundings. But he would not be content with just a little light, would he? No, a little light would make him hungry for more! He would naturally desire more and more light until he is able to fully perceive the truth of the world around him. I pray this is true of you. But we know that some men love the darkness rather than the light. They love “the darkness rather than the light because their works [are] evil” (John 3:19, ESV). I pray that you all are lovers of light, and not darkness. “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8, ESV).   

Thirdly, having agreed that truth matters, and being hungry for the truth yourself, I urge you to pray the Lord’s blessing upon the ministry of the word in this congregation and for those who minister it. 

God’s truth will certainly prevail in the end. More and more I long for this characteristic of the new heavens and earth. There will be many wonderful things in the new heavens and new earth. And sometimes I find myself longing for one aspect of it more than others — no sickness or death, no sin, etc. But think of it, in the new heavens and new earth there will be only truth, and no falsehood. The question “what is truth?” will not be asked in that place, for all things will be seen clearly in the light of the glory of God. I long for that day. 

And I do also believe that truth will prevail in this world. Never will it be snuffed out. Why? Above all. because God is truth. He has given us his word and will preserve it till the end. But he has also designed this world in truth. God’s truth permeates and governs the created world. And so things that are false do, over time, self-destruct. Perhaps you have noticed this in the lives of individuals (maybe your own), in marriages, families, communities, and nations. Where falsehoods and lies predominate, there we find division and disorder leading ultimately to death. Things that are false will not last. God will judge all that is false in the end. He may even judge what is false now. But things that are false will also (naturally) self-destruct with the passing of time, for they are fundamentally flawed. Individuals, families, and governments that live contrary to God and to the world as he has made it will not last, much less thrive. Think of the parable that Jesus told regarding the man who built upon a rock compared to the man who built his house on the sand. Those who disregard God’s truth as revealed in his world and in his word are doomed for destruction. And this is why I say that truth will prevail in this world. Things that are true will last, by the grace of God. Things that are false will not, and this is according to his design.  

Truth will prevail. I am confident in this. But we should not forget that until the Lord returns to make all things new a battle will rage between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. We are the light of the world, brothers and sisters (Matthew 5:14). Do not forget it. But also do not forget that the world hates the light. “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed” (John 3:20, ESV). Please pray for the ministry of the word in Christ’s churches and also for those who minister the word of God. 

The word’s “teach and urge these things” remind us that truth matters, that the church is “a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15, ESV), and that ministers are to preach God’s word, urging men and women, young and old, to obey it. 

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Falsehood Produces Ungodly Division

Truth matters. And in verses 3-5 Paul warns against false teachers and their false doctrine by exposing their selfish motives and warning of their bad fruit. What does falsehood produce? Ungodly division.

Verse 3: “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” (1 Timothy 6:3–5, ESV)

There is a lot here, but we will be able to move through it rather quickly.

What makes a false teacher false? 

A false teacher is false because he teaches a  “different doctrine”. Doctrine means teaching. When Paul warns against a “different doctrine” he implies that there is a standard doctrine to which all teaching within the church is to conform.  

So what is the standard? What is our teaching to agree with? Look at the end of verse 3. Our teaching is to “agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word translated as “sound” means healthy and wholesome. Christ’s teaching is sound because it is good, right, true, and complete. It is wholesome teaching. It is sound teaching.

And where are these “sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Well, I suppose the first place we would look is to the gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There the words of Christ are recorded for us. But if we listen carefully to his words we will see that we must look to the Old Testament Scriptures also. Christ appealed to them as authoritative. And Christ taught that he was the fulfillment of the law, prophets, and Psalms. So the words of Christ compel us to go to the Old Testament for true doctrine. And the words of Christ in the gospels do also compel us to go to the writings of his apostles, for they were his special representative. They saw him in his resurrection. They were commissioned by him. They performed signs and wonders just as Christ to show that their word was true.  What is our standard? The word of God is our standard. And we know that Christ is the eternal word of God come in the flesh.

And what do these “sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ” produce? See the end of verse 3. His teaching leads to “godliness”. Godliness here means to hold to right beliefs and to be devout in practice. The teaching of Christ produces holiness, in other words. 

But the false teacher refuses to submit to the teaching of Holy Scripture. Why does he do this? I suppose there could be many reasons, but Paul mentions two things.

One, they are “puffed up with conceit.” Verse 4: “He is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words…” There are some very strong Greek words in this verse. The English phrase “he is puffed up with conceit” is the translation of only one Greek word. Listen to the definition that one Greek lexicon provides: “to be so arrogant as to be practically demented—‘to be insanely arrogant, to be extremely proud, to be very arrogant” (Louw Nida, 764). 

I think this is a very accurate description of the one who promotes false doctrine. His arrogance is so great that he thinks he knows better than God. He will not submit to the word of Christ in the church but seeks to promote his own doctrine. He is so arrogant he is practically demented. The one who is puffed up with this kind of pride will not do what James calls us to do, which is to “ put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21, ESV). This is the starting point of the Christian life. When God draws us to himself through Christ and by his word and Spirit, he humbles us so that we receive his word, submitting to it humbly.

But the one who promotes false doctrine in the church is “puffed up with conceit.” He “understands nothing”, though he thinks he understands everything, and “he has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words…” (1 Timothy 6:4, ESV). The English phrase “he has an unhealthy craving” is also the translation of a single Greek word which means “to have an unhealthy or morbid [sick] desire for something” (Louw Nida, 289). And what do these arrogant and ignorant false teachers desire? Controversy! They love to “[quarrel] about words…” And this makes perfect sense. If someone is “so arrogant as to be practically demented” then this one will love to engage in controversy and to quarrel, for this will be the way that they display their brilliance (sarcasm)!

I have known men like this. And of course, they defend their controversial and quarrelsome ways by saying, but doctrine matters! Word’s matter! It is important that we talk about these things in the church! And of course, that is true. Doctrine does matter. Words do matter. In fact, the church is called to contend for the faith. Paul himself did that, and sometimes very strongly! But that is not what Paul is condemning here. He is condemning those who are arrogant, who refuse to submit to the word of Christ, who love controversy and quarrels and seem to run to them at every opportunity. 

How can you tell the difference between a bold and righteous contender for the faith and one who is controversial and quarrelsome? Well, attitude has a lot to do with it. So too does where they place the emphasis. Do they run to the truth and seek to uphold it, or do they fixate upon the controversial things and run to them at every opportunity? Do they build up, or tear down? And what about their timing and delivery? It’s a little hard to describe. But you know it when you see it. As a parent you know the difference between an honest question and a defiant question, don’t you? The words spoken by the child might be exactly the same, but you know the difference. The attitude, posture, tone, timing, and overall delivery reveal the heart. And so it is in Christ’s church. Some ask difficult questions and raise controversial issues because they wish to know. Others run to controversy because in their pride they love to quarrel.     

Christ said, “you will know them by their fruits”, and the same applies here. What do those with an “unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words” produce? Verses 4 and 5 tell us: “Envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth…” This is why Paul wrote to his co-worker Titus, saying, “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:9–11, ESV).

The second thing that Paul mentions concerning the motivation of the false teacher is found at the very end of verse 5 with the words, “imagining that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5, ESV). In other words, these conceited people who love controversy and quarrels wish to have a place in the church thinking that they will profit from it somehow. I have stated this before. There is money to be made in religion. And it is clear that some are drawn to hold positions of power within the church because they desire wealth. They care little about the truth but are willing to say whatever needs to be said to gain a following and to prosper in the things of this world.

Religion is good, brothers and sisters. But there is such a thing as bad religion. We must keep this in mind. Some men wish to be honored as leaders within the church so that they might profit from it. Some desire money. Others desire notoriety. Neither are appropriate motivations for Christian service. And I would imagine that persecution and suffering has a way of separating the wheat from the chaff. What will those who imagine that “godliness is a means of gain” do when persecution comes against the church? One of two things. They will either run away or alter their teaching to conform to the world around them to remove the offense and escape the threat.  

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Truth Produces Godliness And Contentment

False teachers imagine that “godliness is a means of gain”, but in verse 6 Paul reveals to us what is truly beneficial, saying, “But godliness with contentment is great gain…” (1 Timothy 6:6, ESV). 

This is what truth produces — godliness and contentment. And pay careful attention to this: godliness (that is to say, devout belief and right practice) is not a means to gain, but is itself “great gain” when accompanied by contentment. 

Think about that.  

The false teacher pretends to be godly not because he sees godliness as beneficial in and of itself. No, for the false teacher religious devotion is a means to earthly gain. But the true believer and the true servant of Christ understand that godliness along with contentment are themselves the true treasure. 

“But godliness with contentment is great gain…” That is one to memorize. “But godliness with contentment is great gain…” In other words, do you want something of supreme worth? Do wish to be truly blessed? Then pursue godliness. And do not pursue it because you think by having it you will gain something else — wealth, health, prosperity, or some other thing. No, pursue godliness because godliness is itself a treasure. And pursue contentment too! To be content is to be satisfied with what you have. The one who is content is satisfied in God and with God’s will for them. As I have said before, contentment does not equal complacency. There is nothing wrong with working to better your circumstances or praying for relief from some suffering. But even as we work and pray for change, we must pursue contentment with our station in life.  “But godliness with contentment is great gain…”, the apostle says. And of course, he is right.

In verse 7 he explains why: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” Clearly, Paul had that Ecclesiastes 5 passage that we read earlier in mind as he wrote these words. That passage is filled with truth and wisdom as it warns against the vanity or emptiness of spending your life chasing after wealth. We came into the world with nothing, and we will leave this world with nothing. Or to quote Job, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return.” And because he knew this he was able to then say, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21, ESV). The one who spends their life chasing after money and positions lives an empty life, but “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, ESV). It is far better to chase after godliness and to be content with what you have, as Ecclesiastes 5 so beautifully says. “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart” (Ecclesiastes 5:10–20, ESV). This is contentment. The one who is content is free from covetousness. The one who is content is thankful. The one who is content is filled with joy, whether he has little or much. In fact, Paul calls us to be content with “food and clothing”, which has the meaning of food and adequate shelter. 

So few find this gift of contentment. How sad to think that men and women spend their days miserable inwardly because they choose to be ungrateful, jealous of others, and fixated upon what they do not have, even if they have much. But what a beautiful gift contentment is. Those with much and those with very little may have it if only they would choose to be grateful to God for his provision, to rejoice in their lot in life, and to truly enjoy what is theirs — their work, their food, and their relations — all to the glory of God. 

In verses 9 and 10 Paul contrasts the great gain of godliness and contentment with the curse of worldliness and discontentment saying, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:9–10, ESV)

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Conclusion

As we move now towards the conclusion and some final points of application please allow me to draw your attention to how prevalent the theme of “desire” is in this passage. Truth matters, and for this reason it is important for us to guard our minds. But our desires matter too, and for this reason it is important for us to guard our hearts.   

Not only do the false teachers fail to conform to the teaching of Christ, they are also described as being conceited,  having “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words”, and desiring the things of this world they imagine “that godliness is a means of gain”. They “desire to be rich [and thus]  fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:2–10, ESV).

Why do I draw your attention to the theme of desire which permeates this passage? It is to show you that filling our minds with sound doctrine cannot be our only concern. As important as sound doctrine is, if we are to be found faithful we must keep our hearts too. We must keep even our desires in check, learning to love that which God loves and hating that which God hates. I’m afraid that the world, and even some within the church, have forgotten that we have control over our desires. There are some things that we should love, and other things we should hate. There are some attractions that are right, and some that are wrong. Just as we are responsible to control our thoughts, words, and deeds, so too we are responsible to control our desires or affections. Our affections are simply another aspect of our inner life over which we have control. And this is why the scriptures command us saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…” (Matthew 22:37, ESV), and they warn us saying, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” (1 Timothy 6:10, ESV). The scriptures command us to love God supremely, and they warn us against the love of money and other sensual desires because we are responsible to control even our desires bringing them into conformity to God and his word, by his grace. 

Indeed, in Christ we have been set free to do this very thing, for “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:24–26, ESV).

Truth matters. Let us be sure to guard our minds. And desires matter too. Let us be sure to keep our hearts pure, lest we “[wander] away from the faith and [pierce ourselves] with many pangs.” Godliness with contentment is indeed great gain. 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady 1 Timothy 6:2-10
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Baptist Catechism 54 & 55

Q. 54. Which is the second commandment?

A. The second commandment is, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6)

Q. 55. What is required in the second commandment?

A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word. (Deut. 32:46; Matt. 28:20; Deut. 12:32)

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 12:28–32

“Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God. When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. ‘Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.’” (Deuteronomy 12:28–32, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

As we continue our study of the ten commandments and come now to the second of the ten, I should remind you of something that we learned in 1 Timothy 1:8. There we learned that “the law is good, if one uses it lawfully…” (1 Timothy 1:8, ESV). The law is good, brothers and sisters. It is good in and of itself. It must be, for it comes from God’s hand. And it is good for us. The Christian must know God’s law and strive to obey it. But as we study God’s law do not forget how Paul qualified his statement. 

“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully.” The warning is that the law is not good for us if we misinterpret and misuse it. And how do men misuse the law? Well, stated very simply, men and women misuse the law when they see it as a way to gain right standing before God through the keeping of it. As we continue with our study of the ten commandments, please do not make that mistake. The law is good, but do not forget that we are sinners. We have violated God’s law in thought, word, and deed. We are, left to ourselves, guilty therefore. We are sinners saved by grace. We have received the forgiveness of our sins through faith in Christ who kept this law perfectly, whose blood was shed on behalf of sinners like you and me, for the wages of sin is death. How is the law good then? It is good in that it shows us our sin, convinces us of our need for a Savior, instructs us concerning the way of righteousness, and has been used by God to restrain evil in the world to this present day. God’s law is good, if we use it lawfully. And we are to keep it, not to earn God’s favor — for this he freely and graciously gives — but out of gratitude for all that God has done for us in Christ. 

In this sermon, we will begin to consider the second of the ten commandments, which is, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image…” (Exodus 20:4, ESV). 

You should probably be aware that the Lutheran and Roman Catholic traditions include this commandment in with the first, which is “you shall have no other God’s before me.” So, according to their numbering of things, the first commandment is “you shall have no other God’s before me”, and “you shall not make for yourself a carved image.” They still have ten commandments though. They get back to the number ten by dividing the last commandment, which forbids covetousness, into two. I believe that our numbering is more natural. For one, the last commandment forbidding covetousness does not need to be divided into two parts. It is more natural to see it as one. And two, commandments one and two (according to our numbering) are clearly distinct. 

The first commandment teaches us who we are to worship, and the second commandment teaches us how we are to worship.

In fact, you would do well to remember that the first four commandments are all about the worship of God. The first tells us who we are to worship. The second tells us how we are to worship him. The third instructs us concerning the attitude of our worship. And the fourth tells us about the time of worship — one day in seven is to be devoted to him as holy. 

Who are we to worship, brothers and sisters? God alone. How are we to worship? Not with images, but in the way that he prescribes in his word. 

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Catechism Explained

Next Sunday we will ask “What is forbidden in the second commandment?” And it will be then that we talk more directly about the prohibition of images in worship. Today we are asking, “What is required in the second commandment?” Clearly, the second commandment forbids something: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image…” But what does this commandment require? That is our question today. And our catechism is right to say that “The second commandment [requires] the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word.” (Deut. 32:46; Matt. 28:20; Deut. 12:32)

Think of the implications, brothers and sisters. When God says, no graven images, he is saying, you are to worship only me. And no, it is not up to you to decide how you are to worship. But you are to worship in the way that I require. When God says, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image… Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them…” He is claiming not only the right to be worshipped but the right to determine how. This is what our catechism is getting at. It is drawing our attention to what is implied in the second commandment. God not only demands our worship, he demands that we worship in a particular way, and this way of worship is revealed in his holy word.

Here in the second commandment, graven images are forbidden, but as we continue reading the law of Moses we find that God was even more specific. He revealed to Old Covenant Israel how they were to worship with great precision. And as you know he has also revealed how we who live under the New Covenant are to worship. 

The point is this, we are not free to determine for ourselves how God is to be worshipped, but are bound to “[receive, observe, and keep] pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word.” (Deut. 32:46; Matt. 28:20; Deut. 12:32)

This principle is implied in the second commandment itself, but it is explicitly stated in that Deuteronomy passage that was read earlier. There God spoke to Israel through Moses saying, “Be careful to obey all these words that I command you…” And “do not inquire about their gods [the false gods of the nations], saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way…”; and “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.”

Brothers and sisters, God’s law establishes that we are not to go beyond what God has commanded nor are we to take away from what he has commanded regarding the worship of his most holy name.

Notice that our catechism teaches we are to receive what the word of God says regarding the proper worship of God. 

And having received his word, we are to observe or obey what the word of God says regarding the proper worship of God. 

And having obeyed his word regarding worship, we are to keep it purely and entirely. 

All of this might seem obvious to you and rather inconsequential. But I will tell you, it is not obvious to all. And it is certainly not inconsequential. This doctrine informs everything we do when we assemble together as Christ’s church for worship.

Why do we assemble for corporate worship every week and on  Sundays and not more or less frequently, or on some other day? Answer: God’s word.

And why do we do what we do when we assemble? Why do we pray, sing, read and teach the scriptures, baptize, and read the scriptures, and not more than this? Answer: God’s word. 

Now, are we free to make certain decisions based upon preference or prudence? Of course. We meet at 10am and not at 6am because 6am would be unnecessarily burdensome to the people of God. The sermon is typically 45-50 minutes long, and not three hours long — again, this is a matter of prudence. The time for worship (assuming it is on the Lord’s Day), the place, the language spoken, and the particular order in which we do things are called circumstances of worship. The circumstances may change, but the elements of worship may not. When the church assembles for worship the word of God is to be read and explained, the people of God are to pray and to sing, and the Lord’s Supper is to be observed (though there are differences of opinion regarding how often). These are the elements of worship for the New Covenant. Not more, and not less. The circumstances may change; the elements must not.

You should know that Christians and churches have different opinions about this. What has just been described to you goes by the name, “the regulative principle of worship”. This is the Reformed view, and it is our view. It is our belief that the scriptures regulate our worship. In Christ, we are free to worship as God has commanded only. And we are forbidden from adding anything to our worship not commanded in the Holy Scriptures. 

There is another view, and it goes by the name, “the normative principle of worship”. According to this view, the church is to do what God has commanded in worship but is also free to do whatever is not expressly forbidden. In other words, the only things off-limits are those things that God’s word directly forbids.    

Do I need to tell which view is more common today? I think you know. When churches include as elements of worship things like drama, poetry, painting exhibitions, dance, musical performances, and the like, they show that they have adopted the normative principle of worship. They imagine that they are free to do whatever they wish, provided that the scriptures do not forbid it. Think of where that will lead.

In fact, the situation is far worse in some churches. Some do incorporate into their worship things forbidden — things like images. And others neglect to do what God has commanded. The reading, preaching, and teaching of God’s word is neglected in many churches.  And so too is the proper observation of the Lord’s Supper, to mention a couple of things. 

These have forgotten God’s law, which says, “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:32, ESV)

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, we are not immune from this. We must as a congregation be resolute to “[receive, observe, and keep] pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word.” We must be on guard lest we neglect or go beyond what God has commanded. Man has this awful tendency to think that his ways are better than God’s ways. Some have called it “will worship”. We are prone to bow before the altar of our own desires and creativity. We must resist this, brothers and sisters. Instead, we must be eager to submit to God, to receive his word, and to be found faithful in the keeping of it, knowing that his ways are best. 

Q. 55. What is required in the second commandment?

A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word. (Deut. 32:46; Matt. 28:20; Deut. 12:32)

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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

Sermon manuscript available at emmausrbc.org

• Why is it critical to recognize that in Christ we are one and many, equal and diverse? How will this help us to honor one another?
• In the scriptures Christians are called to show honor even to ungodly masters (1 Tim 6:1-2), rulers (Romans 13:1-7), and spouses (1 Peter 3:1-6). Why? What can we learn from Christ in this regard? Does this mean that we are never to disobey? Does this mean that we are never to disagree? Discuss. 
• Why are covetousness and discontentment such deadly sins? How do they affect the heart? How do they affect the church? What is the remedy to covetousness? 

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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 107

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.” (Psalm 107, ESV)

Sermon Text: 1 Timothy 6:1-2

“Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things.” (1 Timothy 6:1–2, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

Here in the text that is before us today, we find the last of Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding the care of particular groups within the congregation. First, Paul spoke to the care of men and women, young and old. Next, he addressed the care of widows. After that, he spoke to the treatment of pastors or elders. And now Paul has a word to say about the care of bondservants. The question is, how are they to be exhorted to relate to their earthly masters?   

And as we begin to consider this passage I think it is important to repeat something that I emphasized when we first began to study this section, which began in chapter 5 verse 1. Though it is true that in Christ we are all one so that there is no distinction between male and female, young and old, rich and poor, it is also true that in Christ we are many. In Christ’s church there are many unique individuals, and there are in fact males and females, young and old, rich and poor. And these groups in Christ’s church will have particular needs and obligations. 

So, in Christ we are one and we are also many. In Christ’s church there is perfect unity and there is also beautiful diversity. And no, this is not double talk. In fact, I believe it is crucial for us to confess and celebrate both our unity and diversity in Christ Jesus if we are to truly honor one another as God has called us to. 

That word “honor” should ring a bell.  You know that it is the glue that binds this entire section of Paul’s letter together. From 5:1 through 6:2 Timothy is in essence being urged to see to it that honor is shown to the various groups within Christ’s church. And as I have said, knowing that in Christ’s church there is both unity and diversity is key if we are to show honor to one another.  

First, we must know for certain that in Christ we are one. As Paul says elsewhere, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, ESV). All are to be honored, therefore, for all who are in Christ stand on an equal footing. All humans are made in the image of God, and all who are in Christ are God’s beloved children. This is true of the very young and the very old, the very rich and the very poor, the powerful and the weak, male and female, free and slave, Jew and Gentile. What a marvelous doctrine this is! And how unifying! The world is so very divided. People divide over race, gender, and class. But in Christ we have unity. The dividing wall of hostility has been broken down by him. In Christ we are one. 

Secondly, in Christ we are diverse. Pay careful attention to this: our unity in Christ does not do away with every distinction, nor does it obliterate authority within the church and society. In Christ we are one, but this does not mean that we are all the same. Consider the sexes. Male and female are equal in Christ. They are both beloved children of God, co-heirs together through faith in Christ. But this does not mean they are the same. No, though they share human nature in common, and though they share Christ and all of the benefits that are found in him in common, men and women are different. And the diversity is beautiful. It is to be celebrated. Both men and women are to be honored within society, the home, and the church. But men and women are called to take different roles according to God’s design. In the home, wives are called to honor their husbands as head, and husbands are called to honor their wives with love given their position as the weaker vessel. And in the church, some men are called to hold the offices of elder and deacon.  Are men and women equal? Yes! Are they the same? No. And consequently, a special kind of honor is to be shown to each according to God’s design. 

“Honor” is the glue that binds this section of Paul’s letter together. Who is to be honored? Well, everyone is to be honored! Every human is to be honored because they are made in God’s image. And every Christian is to be honored because we are one in Christ. Paul teaches this doctrine of unity so clearly in other places. But here in 1 Timothy 5:1-6:2 Paul makes distinctions. Older men and women are to be treated with a special kind of honor. Widows too! They are to be cared for in their distress. And those who hold the office of elder are to be honored given the authoritative position they hold — some deserve double-honor. And all that I have been saying regarding our unity in Christ and our diversity does really come to a head the passage that is before us today, for here Christian bondservants are commanded to show honor to their earthly masters — yes, even (or especially) their Christian masters.

Now, we must use our imaginations here, for we do not have masters and bondservants in our culture or congregation. But they were present in the church of Ephesus where Timothy was a minister. Imagine that. In the church of Ephesus, and in many other congregations in the first century, there were men and women, old and young, married and single, Jew and Gentile, rich and poor — all of this sounds familiar to us; we have these types of people in our midst — but there were also masters and bondservants in the first-century church. This diverse group would assemble together on the Lord’s Day, just as we do, united by their shared faith in Christ to give worship to God the Father, to whom they each had been reconciled through Christ’s shed blood. They were one in him, just as we are one in him. They were equals in Christ. But some were masters over others in an earthly sense. It is not difficult to imagine why Paul would need to address this. Here he addresses the attitude of Christian bondservants towards their masters, whether non-Christian or Christain    

Now, before we go any further I should say something about slavery as it existed in the first-century Roman world. It was not long ago that I made some remarks on this subject in a sermon on Ephesians 6:5-9. These remarks are necessary because it is difficult for modern-day Christians to read of slaves or bondservants in the scriptures and to not think about slavery as it existed in the United States of America not long ago. Modern-day Christians will sometimes wonder, why did Paul command bondservants to honor their masters and not command masters to free their bondservants? That is a valid question. Let me make a few observations to help us understand. 

1. The form of slavery that existed in the first-century Roman world was not the same as the slavery that existed in this land not long ago. The slavery that plagued this nation was energized by the awful view that one race of man was inferior to another. 
2. Though the slavery that existed in the first-century Roman world was not driven by a racist ideology, it was no less brutal. Slaves were often treated very poorly by their masters. This must be acknowledged.   
3. Not all masters treated their slaves (or bondservants) unjustly. In fact, some were treated very kindly. They were considered members of their master’s household. Some were treated like sons and daughters. 
4. There were many reasons why people came to be slaves. Some were captured through military conquest. Others were sold as slaves after being abandoned at birth. Some sold themselves into slavery to escape poverty and debt. 
5. While the slave trade was plagued by oppression and injustice, it is not impossible to imagine some situations where a man or woman could come to be a slave justly, and be treated justly by their masters. Here I am thinking of those situations where a man or woman would sell themselves as a bondservant to work for a set amount of time and set pay to escape poverty or debt. Though unfortunate, this is not unjust.  
6. Slavery was pervasive in the first century. The Roman economy depended upon the work of slaves. It is estimated by some that ⅓ of the residents of Ephesus were slaves. Think of that. 
7. When Paul wrote concerning the attitude that bondservants should have towards their masters he was not speaking to the goodness or badness of the institution of slavery. Instead, he was addressing the reality of the situation. The reality was this: in the church of Ephesus, there were bondservants and masters. Here in 1 Timothy 6:1-2 the question is not, is this good? but simply, how should bondservants act towards their masters given the reality of the situation? 
8. If we wish to gain a better understanding of Pual’s view of the institution of slavery we must look elsewhere. When we do we notice that, one, he never speaks of the institution of slavery in positive terms. It is not rooted in creation. It is not an institution to be desired. It’s existence can only be explained by the fall of man into sin and its effects. Two, Paul does warn masters to treat their bondservants well. For example in Ephesians 6:9 he calls masters to honor their bondservants, saying, “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.” Three, there is one letter of Paul that is particularly revealing, and that is Philemon. Evidently, Philemon was a wealthy Christian man who had bondservants. One of them was named Onesimus. Onesimus ran away, came into contact with Paul, heard the gospel, and believed. And Paul sent him back to Philemon along with a letter which urged Philemon to receive Onesimus back, not as a bondservant, but as a beloved brother in Christ, and to treat him well.

When all is considered we see that Paul in his writings was aiming, not so much at the transformation of the Roman culture, but at teaching Christians, slave and free, how to live to the glory of God in the circumstances they were in. This was the reality. In the Roman world, there were slaves and bondservants. Neither Paul nor the Christians were in a position to change that reality, and so what to do? Christians were to show honor to those under them and over them. 

You know, as modern-day Americans we can tend to be very idealistic. What do you do if a government begins to act in a tyrannical fashion? Answer: start a revolution! Really? Is it that easy? Yes, the American revolution turned out pretty good. But many, many others have failed. Revolution is not always (or often) the answer. Sometimes Christians are simply called to suffer patiently under despotic rule. Take for example our brethren in North Korea today. What options do they have? And what do we do when we see injustice in society? Well, we pray for its eradication and we act when we have the opportunity, but sometimes we are powerless to bring about change. Yes, there is a time for revolution. Yes, there is time to seek the emancipation of the oppressed. But sometimes we can only patiently suffer. And this was the reality in the days of the early church. Being such a small minority, the Christians were powerless to change the system. But they could honor God and one another in the midst of a crooked culture, and thus bring glory to God. 

Listen to how Peter exhorted bondservants in 1 Peter 2:18-21: “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:18–21, ESV)

So yes, I get it. When you read 1 Timothy 6:1-2 and you hear Paul command that bondservants honor their masters, you think, but what about the masters’, Paul? Why not command them to set their bondservants free? Tell me, brothers and sisters, where would these bondservants go? How would they earn a living? What would they eat? Where would they sleep? Let us not be so naive. Sometimes things are more complicated than they seem on the surface. It was neither the time nor the place for the emancipation of these slaves. And so what did Paul do? He did the only thing that could be done. In his writings, he exhorted Christain slaves and masters to honor one another, to do what is right and just in the eyes of God.

The passage that is before us today is divided into two parts. In verse one Paul speaks to bondservants who are under non-believing masters. And in verse 2 he speaks to bondservants under believing masters. In both instances, bondservants are exhorted to honor their masters. 

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Non-Believing Masters Worthy Of All Honor

Verse 1: “Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.”

The phrase “let all who are under a yoke as bondservants” indicated that Paul has bondservants with unbelieving masters in mind. It would not be appropriate for Christian masters to rule over their bondservants in such a way that they could be described as being “under a yoke”. A yoke is fitting for oxen and other beasts of burden, but not the shoulders of men. The language is metaphorical, of course. But the metaphor communicates that these bondservants were under a heavy burden. They served masters who ruled with a heavy hand. We should not forget that many of the early Christians were of this class of men. They were not free but were slaves. And many did suffer under cruel masters. 

And so what were these bondservants to do? Were they to fight for their freedom and cast off the yoke of bondage? Were they to serve begrudgingly and treat their masters with contempt, reasoning thus — I am a child of God. Jesus is my Lord. This man will no longer have any authority over me? No, Paul says, “Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor…”

But these masters did not treat their servants honorably, we say. No, but according to God’s providence they were in fact masters over these, and so Paul commanded the Christian bondservants to show them honor. These masters were to be honored, not because they were honorable men and women, but given the position they held. 

And why was Paul so concerned that Christian bondservants honor their unbelieving and perhaps harsh earthly masters? He says, “so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.”

Think about this. The glory of God amongst the nations and the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ was to motivate those who were mistreated as bondservants to honor their masters. Apparently, these non-believing masters did permit these Christain bondservants to assemble with the Christian congregation. And what would happen if these Christian bondservants returned to treat their masters with contempt? God’s name would be blasphemed and the teaching of Jesus would be scorned.  The glory of God and the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom was the leading concern for the apostle, and it should be our leading concern as well. 

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Believing Masters Worthy Of All Honor

In verse 2 Paul turns his attention to the bondservants who had believing masters, saying, “Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things.” (1 Timothy 6:2, ESV)

So here we see by way of inference that it was possible in that first-century Roman context for Christians to have Christian bondservants and to treat them justly. It’s not hard to imagine how this would be the case. Imagine a person falling into poverty and being taken into a wealthy household to serve for a time, being compensated for their labors, treated with dignity and respect, and eventually set free. This happened in the first century. In fact, some bondservants would decide to never leave because they had it so good in their master’s home. 

But Paul’s focus here is upon the Christian bondservant who has a Christian master. He exhorts them to serve even better because they are beloved believers who are benefiting from their service. You can imagine how some bondservants might reason in the opposite direction, saying, but I am one in Christ with my master. We are equals in Christ. Therefore, he no longer has authority over me. Paul says no. One in Christ? Yes! But does this unity obliterate the diversity? Does this equality cancel out all earthly authority? No. The authority remains. And so Christian bondservants were called to honor their Christian masters.     

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Application

We do not have masters and bondservants in our culture or our churches today, thanks be to God. So how does this passage apply to us? We must apply the scriptures, brothers and sisters. Whenever we encounter God’s word it must change us. God’s word is to renew the way that we feel, think, speak, and act. Sometimes the application of God’s word is very direct and obvious. For example, when the scriptures say, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality…” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, ESV), we know exactly what the scriptures are calling us to do, and not do. But sometimes the application of scriptures is less obvious. We must dig for it a little. This is one of those texts. If we had masters and bondservants in the congregation then the application would be direct. But since we do not we must work to identify the principles that undergird Paul’s instructions to bondservants. The application that we make will be indirect and will come to us as implications of the truth that is found here.   

Here are two suggestions:

Firstly, if it is true that Paul commanded Christian bondservants to show honor to their masters — even masters that were unbelieving, harsh, and unjust — then it is also true that we are to show honor to those who are over us even if they are dishonorable people. They are to be honored, not because they are honorable, but because they have authority over us. This is a very important lesson for Christians to learn. Christians are to “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Romans 13:7, ESV). 

This principle is first learned within the home. Children are to honor their parents, not only when their parents act honorably, but always. There are limits to their obedience, of course. If the parents are commanding the child to do something sinful, then the child is to obey God rather than man. But even that act of disobedience is to be done respectfully. Tell me, parents, if you are having a bad day and are acting dishonorably, what do you expect from your children? Are they then permitted to disrespect you? I suspect you would say no. Your children are to honor you, not because you are honorable, but because of the authority you have over them. 

And what about husbands and wives? We know that wives are to honor their husbands. They are to submit to them and respect them for God has called husbands to be the head of their wives. And husbands are also called to honor their wives. They are to love, cherish, protect, and provide for them. Husbands are to “live with [their] wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with [them] of the grace of life, so that [their] prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7, ESV). So husbands and wives are to honor one another. Tell me, brothers and sisters. Are they to do this always, or only when their spouse is acting honorably? The answer is always. In fact, it is when your husband or wife is having a bad moment or day that you have the greatest opportunity to show them honor. You are to show them grace. You are to love them. And we know that love covers a multitude of sins. You are to honor them even — or perhaps I should say, especially — when they are acting dishonorably. 

The same sort of thing can be said regarding the relationship between elder and church member, citizen and governor. Rember, the Christian is to “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Romans 13:7, ESV). Honor is owed to those who rule in the church and in the civil realm, and this honor is not contingent upon the behavior or policies of the man. He is to be honored because of the position of authority he holds, according to the will of God.  

You know, as I was writing this portion of the sermon it occurred to me that we sometimes have a difficult time understanding how a person can be both very strong, courageous, firm, and resolute, and at the same time humble, gracious, gentle, meek, and mild. I think we often assume that a person will have either the one temperament or the other.  We assume that people are either confrontational or non-confrontational, bold or meek, direct or indirect — and indeed, people do have different temperaments. But here is my concern: sometimes people will excuse their bad behavior by appealing to their temperament. Some will fail to confront and stand when they need to stand, saying, it’s just who I am. I’m passive. I don’t like confrontation. And others will be rude, harsh, and abrasive and they will excuse it saying, it’s just who I am. I’m a fighter. I’m a very direct person. Well, brothers and sisters, may I suggest to you that who you are might need to change. We call that progressive sanctification. Not only has God forgiven all of our sins in Christ Jesus, we know that he is also sanctifying us, making us more like Christ, progressively by his word and the power of the Holy Spirit. 

I say this now because I am afraid that some, when they hear that we are called to honor those who have authority over us, assume that means we are to be entirely passive. They take “honor” to mean, never disagree, never take a stand, never confront. I don’t think that’s what it means at all. Instead it means that we are to relate to those over us being mindful of the position of authority they hold, and we are to treat them in a way that is fitting. 

Take the parent-child relationship as an example. Does a child disrespect her father when she comes to him at the right time and in the right way and says, Dad, can I talk to you about something? The way that you have been treating mom lately is bothering me, etc. Maybe you would disagree with me, but as a father I would not feel dishonored. That would be hard for me to hear. But I would not feel dishonored. And neither would I feel dishonored if my wife said something similar to me. But I would feel dishonored if my child, being frustrated by my bad attitude, began to lash out at me, speaking disrespectfully to me, and behind my back, etc. 

So please understand this: when I exhort parents and children, husbands and wives, elders and congregants, governors and citizens to honor one another, I do not mean, never disagree, never correct, never confront. Instead, I mean that we are to do all of these things (when necessary) in a way that is honoring, fitting, and Christlike. In fact, if you want an example of a man who was perfectly strong, courageous, firm, and resolute, and at the same time humble, gracious, gentle, meek, and mild, then look to Christ. We are to grow up in him, brothers and sisters. We are to be like him. If we are mature in Christ then we will “Pay to all what is owed to them… respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Romans 13:7, ESV). 

And so the point is this: do not believe the lie that says, you are to honor others so long as they are honorable. Husbands, do not treat your wives this way. And wives, do not treat your husbands this way. You are to honor one another always. And the same could be said to parents and children, elders and congregants, citizens and governors. Were this not true then Paul would not have written to bondservants with oppressive masters, saying, “Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.”

Secondly, if it is true that Paul commanded Christian bondservants to honor their Christian masters, then it is also true that we must pursue contentment concerning our particular place in life, guarding our hearts against covetousness, and protecting the congregation from division. 

Can you see how I came to this point of application? Immagine the danger in the church of Ephesus. There in that congregation masters and their bondservants worshipped side by side. In Christ, they were one. In Christ they were equal. But in the world, they were not equals. The one had more than the other. The one had authority over the other. And how easy it would have been for the bondservant to grow jealous, discontent, and bitter towards God and their earthly masters. This must have been a problem in Ephesus or else Paul would not have written the words, “Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.”

There are no masters and bondservants at Emmaus. But there may be bosses and employees. Some members will have more than others as it pertains to material possessions. Some are enjoying pleasant life circumstances, whereas others are walking through dark and difficult times. In Christ we are to honor one another. This means that those with much will need to honor those with little, and those will little will need to honor those with much. But this will not be possible if the heart is filled with covetousness and discontentment.    

The tenth of the Ten Commandments is, “thou shalt not covet”. It requires of us “full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit towards our neighbor, and all that is his.” It forbids of us “all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.” Covetousness is a sin of the heart, and it is deadly. In fact, left unchecked and does produce other sins forbidden in the second table of God’s law, most obviously murder, theft, and adultery. And covetousness, if left unchecked will destroy the unity of the church.  Christians will not honor one another if they are jealous of one another.  

Being content does not mean that we are to be complacent. There is nothing at all wrong with trying to better your circumstance or wishing to escape some suffering. In fact, it is right for you to better your circumstances, if you are able to do so in a way that is honoring to God. But as we work and as we wait patiently upon the Lord, we must pursue contentment and keep our hearts free from all covetousness.   

Clearly this was on Paul’s mind, for in verse 6 of this same chapter we read, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:6–10, ESV).

If we are not content — that is to say, satisfied in God and with the place that he has assigned to us — then we will not be able to do what is commanded in Romans 12:15, which says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another” (Romans 12:15–16, ESV). And consider what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:17 and following: “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God” (1 Corinthians 7:17–24, ESV).

How important it is for us to be content, brothers and sisters. And we must be content in God. He is to be our portion, our joy, and our satisfaction. We must recognize that he has appointed us to our place in life. We were born into this world at a certain time and place and to certain parents. We were born either male or female. We were born with certain mental and physical abilities. Some were born to rich families, others poor. Some to good and loving parents, others to negligent parents. Some we call privileged, others disadvantaged. The world will never be content with this, for the world does not submit to God and his will for us. But in Christ, we are to be content. Where there is injustice we must seek to correct it. Where there is an opportunity to improve our own condition, or the condition of others, we must take the opportunity. But until then, we must submit to the will of God for us, we must wait patiently on the Lord, finding our satisfaction, not in the things of this earth, but in him.   

In the church, brothers and sisters, we are one, but we are also many. Let us be sure to honor one another in our unity and diversity in Christ Jesus. 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Morning Sermon: 1 Timothy 6:1-2, Masters Worthy Of All Honor Posted by Joe

Baptist Catechism 52 & 53

Q. 52. What is forbidden in the first commandment?

A. The first commandment forbideth the denying, or not worshipping and glorifying the true God, as God and our God; and the giving that worship and glory to any other, which is due unto Him alone. (Joshua 24:27; Rom. 1:20,21; Ps. 14:1; Rom. 1:25)

Q. 53. What are we especially taught by these words, “before me,” in the first commandment?

A. These words, “before me”, in the first commandment, teach us, that God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with the sin of having any other god. (Deut.30:17,18; Ps. 44:20,21; Ps. 90:8)

Scripture Reading: Romans 1:18-25

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:18–25, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

We have already learned the first commandment: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”  And we have learned what the first commandment requires. It requires us “to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly.” Now we ask, what does it forbid? 

I do love how our catechism proceeds with care through the Ten Commandments. It asks what does it require? and what does it forbid? of each and every commandment. It’s as if the framers of this catechism took each commandment, set it down on the table, and then walked around to examine it from all angles. Of course catechisms are very brief. They cannot provide thorough answers, for they are meant to be memorized. But if well written they will set our minds off in the right direction. And I think our catechism is well written. These little answers do set our minds off in the right direction.   

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Catechism Explained

So what does the first commandment forbid? In other words, what does it tell us not to do? Well, our catechism identifies three things:

One, the first commandment reveals that it is a sin to deny God. In fact, to deny, or to refuse to acknowledge him as God, is a very great sin. 

The scriptures teach us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. As Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10, ESV). Wisdom is the art of living life well and according to truth. And if we wish to be wise we must start with the fear of the LORD. This means that we must acknowledge him to be the one true God, and to honor him accordingly. It is impossible to live a life of wisdom if you deny God’s existence or fail to honor him as God. And this is why the scriptures also say, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1, ESV). The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and the denial of God is the beginning of folly. To live as if there is no God is to live a misdirected life of sin. To deny God is to set off on the wrong path in a very bad way. 

The first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”, warns against the sin and folly of denying God, for here in this commandment God does speak to us. He claims to be the only true God. And he warns us that it is a great sin — in fact it is the first sin, and the beginning of all sin — to deny him. We set off down the path of wisdom when we honor him as God. And we set off down the path of sin and folly when we deny him.

Here is something that you must keep in mind. Everyone has a god. Everyone worships something. There are no exceptions at all. Even the atheist worships. Though he may deny the existence of God in the most absolute of terms, he does still consider something to be of supreme worth. He trusts in something. He hopes in something, and lives for something. The atheist wakes up in the morning and, just like you and me, lives with purpose and does seek to honor and glorify something. And so do you see that when a person denies the one true God, they certainly do break the first commandment. They have put someone or something in God’s place, and this is the first and greatest of all sins. 

Two, the first commandment reveals that it is sin to not worship and glorify God, as God and our God. This is true, and this is very helpful.  

I’m afraid that some assume they are keeping the first commandment so long as they do not bow to another god besides the God who has revealed himself in creation, in redemption, and in the scriptures. Do you see what I am saying? They assume that so long as they keep themselves from bowing down to another God, they are in the clear as it pertains to first commandment.

But no, the first commandment does not only forbid worshipping other so-called gods, it also forbids failing to worship and glorify the one true God. When God says, “you shall have no other God before me”, he must also mean, you shall have me as your God. So we sin against him when we fail to acknowledge him, worship him, and glorify him. 

I think you are beginning to see that it is not only the polythistic pagans, or the misdirected monotheists, who break the first commandment. No, it is the secularists too. And it is even the evangelicals who claim to believe in God, but fail to worship him and glorify him according to his word. Brothers and sisters, when we begin to understand the first commandment — what it forbids and what it requires — we come to the realization we also break it. For who among us does perfectly and perpetually worship and glorify God, as God and their God. We all fall short of this, friends. And this is why we all need a Savior, Christ Jesus the Lord! But those who have faith in Christ are to strive to keep this law with the strength that God provides, to the glory of his name, because we are grateful.  

Thirdly, our catechism rightly teaches that the first commandment forbids us from “giving that worship and glory to any other, which is due unto [God] alone.”

Brothers and sisters, please consider how prone we are to do this very thing. It is very, very easy for us to love the things of this world more than God, to labor for the things of this world and not for God, and to trust in the things of this world instead of God. Think of how prone we are to give the “worship and glory… which is due to God alone” to created things rather than the Creator of all things seen and unseen.  

You should remember that this is the human tendency described in that Romans 1 passage that was read earlier. Though God has revealed himself generally to all men, so that all know him (in this general sense), men in their sins do “not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts [are] darkened.” They live in sin. “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, [exchanging] the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things…” And here is their fundamental error: the have “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and [worship] and [serve] the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

Friends, if you have faith in Christ you have been washed in his blood, you have been renewed by his Spirit, you have been reconciled to the Father, and you have been freed from this bondage to sin. But I think you would agree. We do still struggle with this propensity. Because of the corruptions that remain in us, and the temptation that comes from the world and from the Evil One, we are still prone to “[worship] and [serve] the creature rather than the Creator…”

Christians stumble when they love their children, their spouses, or their comfort supremely with the kind of love that should be reserved for God alone.

Christians stumble when they make money, possessions, a career, and good health their ultimate hope. 

Christians stumble when they place trust, not in God supremely, but in government, in family, in investments, and in their own plans. 

As I set these examples of misplaced faith, hope, and love before you I hope that you can see how easy it is for us to go astray and begin “giving that worship and glory… [other people and things], which is due unto [God] alone.”    

Our emotions are very revealing. 

Where do you run to alleviate your anxieties and fears? Is it to God in prayer? Or is it to some other thing?

And what is it that you cannot imagine living without?  What moves you to anger or despair at the thought of it being taken from you? In other words, what is the source of your life? Is it God, or some other thing? Perhaps your children or grandchildren are the source of your life. Perhaps it is your money, or your health. Brothers and sisters, as precious and important as these things are, they must not be the source of our life. God must be.  

Stated differently, if I were to ask you what would cause you to be undone and ruined if it were taken from you? What would you say? I hope that you would say, there is nothing in all the world that, if it were taken from me, would cause me to be undone. And I hope you would agree with the Psalmist who said, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” (Psalm 46:1–3, ESV)

Do you see that when God is your God, it effects your thoughts and your emotions.

The way that we spend our energy, time, and money is also very revealing? 

These are limited resources, and we are to use them to the glory of God. 

And in particular, what we do on Sundays, which is the Lord’s Day, and the Christian Sabbath is very revealing. 

It is the one day out of the seven that is to be devoted to the worship of God. On it we are to cease from our labors and our ordinary recreactions to give him the glory that is due his name. 

The point is this, the first commandment forbids us from “giving that worship and glory to any other, which is due unto [God] alone.” Do not assume, brothers and sisters, that it is only the pagan polytheists and the misdirected monotheists who violate this law. No, even the orthodox violate the first commandment in thought, word, and deed when we allow created things to sit down upon the throne of our hearts. That is the Creator’s thone, brothers and sisters. He alone is to occupy it. And every other created thing must set in its proper place, so that in all things God gets the glory. 

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Conclusion

As we move now to a conclusion I wish to very briefly deal with Baptist Catechism question 53. It asks, “What are we especially taught by these words, ‘before me,’ in the first commandment?” “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”, the first commandment says. The question is, what is meant by the words “before me”? The answer is wonderfully helpful: “These words, ‘before me’, in the first commandment, teach us, that God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with the sin of having any other god.”

Polytheism is the belief in many god’s. And polytheists do also honor many god’s.

Henotheism is the belief in many god’s, but the honoring of only one God as supreme. As I understand it henotheism is gaining popularity even amongst some evangelicals (which is both surprising and not surprising at the same time). These henotheists imagine that all of the references to other god’s found in the scriptures mean that there really are other god’s, but that we are not to have them as our god’s. And they would interpret the words “before me” in the first commandment to mean above me. You shall have no other god’s above me, is the henotheist interpretation. 

But they are badly mistaken. When the scriptures speak of other gods they do not mean that they are in fact god’s. No, these do not have the divine nature. As has already been established, the biblical view is that all that exists may be divided into two categories – -there is the Creator and there is the creation. These “gods” that scriptures refer to are not really gods, but are instead something from God’s creation when men have foolishly decided to honor as god. These so-called gods are not divine in nature, instead they are inanimate objects such as the sun, moon, and stars, rocks, and mountains, and trees. Or they angelic beings who have fallen from their proper place. Or they are merely human — kings and others made in God’s image to whom the divine nature is wrongly attributed. 

When God’s law says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”, he means, you shall have no other gods before my face or in my sight. We are to have no other gods at all, even if they be placed underneath the authority of YHWH, for he alone is God. Besides him there is none other.  

“Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.” (Isaiah 45:21, ESV)

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

Sermon manuscript available at emmausrbc.org

• What does Paul mean when he says that elders are to receive “double honor”. What are some different interpretations of this?
• Are all elders to be supported “full time”?
• Why are elders not above rebuke?
• How would the public rebuke of an elder before the church cause the rest to stand in fear?
• Why does Paul say that charges are not to be received against an elder unless established by 2 or 3 witnesses? Isn’t that the standard for all (Matt. 18:15; Deut. 17:6)? Why does Paul emphasize this regarding accusations against elders?
• What does it mean to prejudge and show partiality? Why would this be particularly damaging to the life of a church? 
• What instruction does Paul give to Timothy to avoid being in a position of having to rebuke an elder (see verses 22-25).   

Tags: Gospel Community Groups

Posted in Study Guides Gospel Community Groups Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: 1 Timothy 5:17-25 Posted by Joe

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 23:1–9

“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit. If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him. You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 23:1–9, ESV)

Sermon Text: 1 Timothy 5:17-25

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages.’ Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 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. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.” (1 Timothy 5:17–25, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

Here in 5:17-25 Paul continues to give instructions to Timothy concerning the proper care of the various groups within Christ’s church. First, he addressed the proper treatment of men and women, young and old. Next, he addressed the care of widows. And here in this passage, Paul addresses the treatment of elders, saying, among other things, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor…” Clearly, when Paul mentions “elders” here he does not mean those who are older, but rather those who hold the office of elder within Christ’s church. 

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Elders Who Labor In The Word Are To Receive Double Honor

The first thing he says is that some elders are to receive double honor. Verse 17: “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17, ESV). 

As you know, elders are leaders in the church appointed to this office to provide general oversight of the church and pastoral care for the members. Elders are to be able to teach, and they are to devote themselves to prayers. Elders may be called pastors, overseers, shepherds, or bishops. I said more about the office of overseer (or elder) in that sermon on 1 Timothy 3:1-7 where the qualifications for overseers are laid out. I will not repeat that general teaching here but will draw your attention to the specifics of this text.

One, notice the word “rule” in verse 17. The word translated as “rule” means to “guide, direct, or lead”. Here at Emmaus, we have a congregational form of government. This means that the congregation is to be involved in the appointment and removal of officers, and in the reception and removal of members. This, in our opinion, is the biblical requirement. We do also ask the members to vote to approve the budget each year. This, in our opinion, is not required by scripture but is a matter of prudence. But here is the point I wish to make. This congregational form of church government does not deny what the scriptures so clearly teach, that pastors and elders are called to lead. This is one of the things they are appointed to do.  And so you see, the members of a biblically operating church have responsibilities and certain powers, and so do the elders. Both the members and the elders are to do their part. 

Two, you will notice that a distinction is made here between elders who “rule” and elders who “labor in preaching and teaching”. In our study of 1 Timothy 3 we learned that one of the qualifications to hold the office of overseer (or elder) is that the man is “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2, ESV). All elders are to be able to teach. But here we learn that some elders may devote themselves more to ruling, while others may be more thoroughly devoted to preaching and teaching. I take the terms “preaching” and “teaching” to be nearly synonymous. If there is a distinction, “preaching” may refer to the ministry of the word delivered in a more formal context to the entire congregation, whereas “teaching” may refer to the ministry of the word delivered in a more casual setting. But the point is this, among a plurality of elders some may devote themselves more exclusively to ruling, whereas others may also devote themselves to the ministry of the word.    

In some traditions, a hard and fast distinction is made between ruling elders and teaching elders so that a man is ordained as either one kind of elder or the other. Our constitution does not make such a hard and fast distinction — we do not have “ruling elders” and “teaching elders” — but it does acknowledge the gradation that Paul here refers to, saying in Art VII, Sect 4, “While every elder bears spiritual rule and must be “apt to teach”, some will be more exclusively engaged in the details of ruling, rather than teaching (I Timothy 5:17).” I believe this is the right approach. We do not have “ruling elders” and “teaching elders”. We have “elders” with the understanding that some elders will be more active in teaching than others, while all will engage in ruling.       

Three — and here is Paul’s main point — elders who rule well, and in particular those who labor in preaching and teaching, are to be considered worthy of “double honor”. The question is, what does the phrase “double honor” mean? There are many opinions. Some teach that “double honor” requires that elders who labor in teaching receive both honor in the form of respect and honor of financial compensation. Others highlight the relationship between this passage and the previous one. In the previous one, Paul commanded that honor be shown to true widows. And in this one, Paul commands that elders who labor in the word be doubly honored. So, when compared with the financial support given to widows, elders who labor in the word were to receive twice as much. And still others consider the phrase “double honor” in a more generic sense and take it to mean that those who labor in the word are to be generously provided for. These hard-working elders devoted to the ministry of the word are to be generously supported. 

I have often wondered what this phrase means. As of late, I have leaned more in the direction of understanding “double honor” to refer to the two types of honor to be shown to elders who rule well, particularly those who labor in preaching and teaching. They are, one, to be honored — that is to say, shown respect — given the position they hold. And two, they are to be honored through financial support. This view best fits the context, in my opinion. 

The first kind of honor to be shown to elders is respect. That respect should be shown to those who hold the office of elder is clear. Hebrews 13:17 speaks to this, saying, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17, ESV). Other texts could be cited, but I do not think you need to be convinced of this.

The second kind of honor to be shown to elders who labor in the word is financial support. This is made clear in verse 18 where we read, “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages’” (1 Timothy 5:18, ESV). 

So Paul explains what he means by double honor. He clearly means that elders who devote themselves to the ministry of the word are to be compensated. He quotes two scripture texts to support this claim. The first is Deuteronomy 25:4 which says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.” Here Paul quotes from the law of Moses. And you will notice that this law was originally speaking to the humane treatment of a beast of burden. But Paul applies it to the proper treatment of an elder who labors in the preaching and teaching of scripture. This is a fascinating little verse, for it gives us insight into how Paul viewed the law of Moses. Though this law concerning oxen was unique to the Old Covenant nation of Israel, Paul recognized that there was a universal moral principle at the core of it. And what is that principle? Those who work should be compensated for their work. If they sow their time, talents, and energies, then they have a right to reap a livelihood. If this is true of oxen (which it is — it would be inhumane (and foolish) to work an ox but to not feed an ox) then it is certainly true of men. A man should be compensated for his labors. Paul here applies this principle to ministers of the gospel. Those who “labor in preaching and teaching” — I take that to mean, those who work hard having been set aside by the church to devote lots of time to the ministry of the word — are to be compensated.   

The second scripture quoted is also rooted in the Old Testament law of Moses (Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:15), but it is drawn directly from Luke 10:7 where we find the words of Jesus. In that passage, Jesus is sending his disciples out for ministry. He instructs them in that instance to carry no money bag, but to receive support from those willing to give it. His disciples were to “remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house”, he said. The words “the laborer deserves his wages” are from Jesus. 

As you probably know, it was often Paul’s custom to not accept financial support from the people he served, but to work with his hands as he traveled about and planted churches. But in 1 Corinthians 9:3ff he makes it clear that he had a right to be supported as he labored amongst the churches, saying, “This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain’. Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:3–14, ESV).

I do believe that when Paul says that elders who labor in preaching and teaching should receive “double honor”, this is what means: first, they are to receive honor in the form of respect given their position, and secondly, they are to receive honor in the form of adequate financial compensation. 

In fact, this is this teaching of our confession. In chapter 26 paragraph 10 we read, “The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him; it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability, so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others; and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.” You will notice that our confession mentions these two kinds of honor and also lists 1 Timothy 5:17 as a proof text. 

Application: So how might we apply this teaching that elders who rule well, particularly those who labor in preaching and teaching, are to receive double honor from the congregation?

Well, this church hardly needs to be told to provide financial support for those who devote themselves to full-time ministry. This you have been faithful to do from the very beginning. And neither do you need to be exhorted to show honor in the form of respect to your elders. In general, you have also excelled at this. However, I suppose it is good to be reminded of these things.

Here is where I wish to go with the application and exhortation. Brothers and sisters, as we prepare to move into the second decade of our existence — yes, our ten year anniversary will be celebrated on June the 6th — we must be careful to not grow complacent but to resolve to grow and to even reproduce as a congregation if the Lord would be so kind to enable us to do so. 

And if the Lord would be so kind to raise up more gifted brothers to minister the word here, future elders and pastors, and even church planters, these men will need to be supported to one degree or another. They will need to be trained — that costs money. And it is only right that those who labor in the ministry be compensated for their labors. Now, determining what exactly that looks like requires wisdom and discernment. But the point is this, as a congregation, we must be faithful to give as an act of worship to God and in support of the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom.

Kingdom work costs money, brothers, and sisters. There is no way around it. Those who devote themselves to leading the church and to the ministry of the word must eat. They must feed and clothe their families. The time and energy they devote to the ministry is time and energy that is no longer available for earning a living. Now granted, some of this work can be volunteered. And some are in a position where they may engage in substantial ministry and not take support from the church. Perhaps the man is retired. Perhaps he is wealthy. Perhaps he has a job that enables him to engage in ministry on the side. All of this is possible. But it is not the norm. If a church is to thrive she will probably need a man, or men, to labor in leadership, preaching, and teaching — to devote themselves fully to it — to the point of setting aside secular employment. And they will need to be honored through compensation.    

This cannot happen if the members of the church do not give. We must give, brothers and sisters. We must give as an act of worship to God. We must give knowing that our giving does support kingdom work. And we must see to it that the funds of the church are used for the furtherance of the kingdom, and are not squandered on fruitless endeavors. The elders and deacons must lead in this, but the members must also be watchful. Brothers and sisters, let us be faithful to give.

Also, let us be faithful to pray for our elders and to encourage them in their work. The work of the ministry is hard work, friends. I think that is sometimes hard for those who have not experienced ministry, or who have not had a closeup view of it, to imagine. It is hard work. Believe it or not, reading and writing is taxing. Preaching and teaching does take it out of you. Counseling does too. And above all, dealing with controversy and turmoil can be very draining. This is not a complaint. You all work hard in your places of employment and at home, and it is only right that ministers work hard too — this is why Paul refers to their work as “labor”. Here I am simply reminding you to pray for your elders. Pray for me please as I am devoted to the ministry full time, and pray also for those who serve while engaging in secular employment. Honor them and encourage them, brothers and sisters.     

*****

Elders Are Not Above Church Discipline 

So double honor is to be shown to elders who rule well, particularly those who work hard and are devoted to the ministry of the word. But you will notice, secondly, that elders are not above the discipline of the church. No, even pastors and elders are subject to church discipline, and that is what Paul addresses next. 

Verse 19: “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 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.” (1 Timothy 5:19–21, ESV)

So you see, elders are not above church discipline. If an elder is found to be living in sin and continues in sin he is to be rebuked “in the presence of all”. I take “all” here to mean all the members of the church. And I take the phrase “so that the rest may stand in fear”, as a reference to the whole congregation consisting of elders, deacons, and members.  Why do I think this? Well, it seems to me that church discipline is what is being described here. And this is what the scriptures teach regarding discipline — after being confronted once by a brother or sister, and then again by multiple witnesses, if there is no repentance, the matter is to be brought to the church. That is what Matthew 18 teaches. Now, so much more would need to be said if I were here teaching on the subject of church discipline. I am not, and so my remarks about that subject are very brief and incomplete. But for now, simply recognize that elders are not above it. Even they are to be rebuked in the presence of all if they persist in sin so that the rest may stand in fear. This, by the way, is one of the effects of church discipline. When it is done carefully and right it moves the members of the congregation to a healthy, reverential fear. All who witness it think, I had better keep a close watch on my walk, and but by the grace of God go I. Elders are not above church discipline, friends.  

But neither are they below it. And here is what I mean by that. They are to be afforded the same courtesy as others in the congregation as it pertains to accusations. Remember the pattern established in Matthew 18. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:15–17, ESV). So a charge is to be established by two or three witnesses before it is to be received by the church. This is true for members, and this is also true for all ministers. This is why Paul says, “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.” It is not hard to see why he says this. I suppose some may reason in this way, saying,  elders are to be held to a higher standard, therefore every charge brought against them should be received. Paul says, no. The same protections are to be applied to them. Matthew 18 speaks to the requirement of witnesses, but the principle is first found in the Law of Moses which says, “On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness” (Deuteronomy 17:6, ESV). In other words, a man is not to be punished unless a matter is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.  

I appreciate John Calvin’s remarks concerning Paul’s command, “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.” He says, “After having commanded that salaries should be paid to pastors, he likewise instructs Timothy not to allow them to be assailed by calumnies [slanderous charges], or loaded with any accusation but what is supported by sufficient proof. But it may be thought strange, that he represents, as peculiar to elders, a law which is common to all. God lays down, authoritatively, this law as applicable to all cases, that they shall be decided ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses.’ (Deut. 17:6; Matt. 18:16.) Why then does the Apostle protect elders alone by this privilege, as if it were peculiar to them, that their innocence shall be defended against false accusations? I reply, this is a necessary remedy against the malice of men; for none are more liable to slanders and calumnies than godly teachers. Not only does it arise from the difficulty of their office, that sometimes they either sink under it, or stagger, or halt, or blunder, in consequence of which wicked men seize many occasions for finding fault with them; but there is this additional vexation, that, although they perform their duty correctly, so as not to commit any error whatever, they never escape a thousand censures. And this is the craftiness of Satan, to draw away the hearts of men from ministers, that instruction may gradually fall into contempt. Thus not only is wrong done to innocent persons, in having their reputation unjustly wounded, (which is exceedingly base in regard to those who hold so honorable a rank,) but the authority of the sacred doctrine of God is diminished.” (Calvin, Commentary on 1 Timothy 5:19).

Brethren, elders are not above church discipline, but neither are they below it. They too — and perhaps I should say, they especially — must be afforded the protection of having charges established by two or three witnesses before those charges are received as true. 

In verse 21 this little section regarding the discipline of elders is concluded with a very stern warning. There Pauls says, “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.” 

Notice how serious Paul is concerning this charge. He calls God, Jesus Christ, and the elect angels as witnesses to the charge or command. And yes, you heard it right. The angels who did not rebel did not rebel because they are God’s “elect angels”. So God has elected some men to be saved from their sins, and he did elect some angels to never fall. An interesting observation. But the main point is this, Paul calls God, Christ, and the elect angels as witnesses to the charge he is about to give to Timothy. That means we should probably listen up. This is important! And what does insist upon? Two things: One, Timothy, and along with him the whole church in Ephesus, was to “keep these rules” regarding the discipline of elders “without prejudging”. And two, they were to do “nothing from partiality.”

What does it mean to prejudge? To prejudge is to take a side on a matter ahead of time before knowing the facts. If you are a parent you probably know what it is like to prejudge. Have you ever sniped at your kid thinking you knew what happened only to find out later that there was more to the story? I’ve done that. You end up with mud on your face, and you have to ask your child to forgive you for jumping to conclusions. Our society seems to have prejudging as a hobby. But we must avoid this. As Proverbs 18:13 says, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” Do not prejudge. Understand that there will often be two sides to the same story. Be aware of the fact the men do lie. Some slander with malicious intent. Do not prejudge.  

And what does it mean to be partial? To be partial is to show preferential treatment to someone for some reason. It could be just about anything. Perhaps the person is related to you, is rich, has a likable personality, has power in society, has influence within the church — on and on we could go. The point is this: Paul charged Timothy to never ever show partially but to always judge and act according to truth and with courage. This is the standard for every minister, and also for every member. 

The warning is so solemn because the matter is so very serious. It is not difficult to imagine the mess that would be made of a church if these rules for the discipline of elders (and others) were not followed without prejudging and partiality.

Application: So how might we apply this little section on the discipline of elders?

One, in general, we are reminded by this passage that we cannot simply allow issues to go unaddressed within the congregation, even in the eldership. Issues of all kinds, and sin, in particular, must be addressed. I have noticed that many churches and many families have the habit of allowing matters to go unaddressed. Something bad will happen and they will sweep it under the rug. Perhaps you have noticed that the issue or sin does not go away. It grows. It festers. It stinks more with the passing of time. Brothers and sisters, if it is your habit to be non-confrontational in the home and in the marriage, I would urge you to change that. Things will not get better but worse with the passing of time. And as a church, we must also be faithful to address problems and sins. The elders of the church have an important role to play in this process, but it starts with you, friends. You must have enough love and respect for one another to be willing to say, brother or sister, you offended me, or you sinned against me. Ignoring issues might be more pleasant in the immediate — I don’t know of many people who enjoy confrontation — but in the long run, the results will be disastrous. Ignoring problems is like ignoring a cancerous tumor. It’s not going to disappear. It will only grow. Brothers and sisters, we must have the courage to deal with problems as they arise. We must trust the Lord that he will strengthen us and bless us as we follow his word.  

Two, this passage also reminds us that we are to address issues and sin within the congregation with great care. Here we are warned to never jump to conclusions. Time will need to be taken to look into things. Energy will need to be expended. This is a part of the ministry. This is a part of church life. It cannot be avoided. And here we are warned to never show preferential treatment. Great care is to be taken in these matters. 

Why? Why must sin be addressed and with great care? Answer: because of what the church is. She is the bride of Christ, the household of God, the church of the living God. She is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is the assembly of God’s redeemed, those washed in the blood of the lamb. And what is God doing with us? Among other things, he is sanctifying us. He is refining and sharpening us. And we know that one of the ways that God refines us is through our interaction with one another.

The church is to be kept holy, brothers and sisters, and this is why sin cannot be ignored — not within the membership of the church, and especially not within the eldership. But great care needs to be taken when addressing the sin of others. It is so easy to error in this, brothers and sisters. Why? One reason: we are not omniscient. Why will God judge with absolute perfection at the end of time? Well, among other things, he is omniscient. He is not limited as we are when it comes to knowledge. He sees all things — yes, even the hearts of men — with perfect clarity. We do not. Sometimes things are very cloudy to us. Sometimes our own emotions and presuppositions get in the way. So does this mean we are never to confront or judge? No! The scriptures say that we must. But we must do so with care. We are to take our time, demand multiple witnesses, talk and listen carefully, rely upon the counsel of others, pray for wisdom, discernment, and clarity, all the while keeping our own hearts pure, being sure to remove the log, splinters, and specks from our own eye before we attempt to remove the speck from the eye of another. Brothers and sisters, we need humility, love, and wisdom. Lord help us. Please pray for your leaders in this regard. And no, there is no trouble amongst the elders currently. Perhaps I should have said this earlier. I am preaching this sermon today because we have come to this text in our study of 1 Timothy. But do pray for your elders that we would walk worthy, and also lead well within this congregation.  

*****

Elders Are To Be Ordained With Care And Caution

And that leads us now to the last point which is found in verses 22-25. There Paul warns that elders are to be ordained with care and caution. “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.”

This is wonderful advice. In fact, it is not advice, but a command. And there is much wisdom in it. It is not difficult to see why Paul says this here. The best way to avoid being put in the uncomfortable position of having to “rebuke [an elder] in the presence of all” is to appoint godly elders. And one way to make a real mess of things within the church is to appoint ungodly elders. And so Paul urges us to move slowly with care and caution.  

The phrase, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands” means, do not appoint men to the office of elder too quickly. The phrase, “nor take part in the sins of others” indicates that when elders lay hands on immature, untested, and sinful men to appoint them to the office of elder, they do take part in their sins, to some degree. Paul warns Timothy (and all pastors) to “keep [themselves] pure” in this regard.

It is interesting that Paul interjects with some personal advice for Timothy at this point. In verse 23 he says, “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” Evidently, Timothy was struggling with some health issues. The context seems to indicate that these health issues were induced by the stress of dealing with the sins of leaders within the church, with accusations brought against leaders (whether true or false), and perhaps with the pressure to appoint men to the office of elder hastily. If this were not the reason for Timothy’s ailments, then it is hard to understand why Paul would make this remark here in this place. I can tell you from experience that this is the most taxing aspect of pastoral ministry — dealing with sin within the congregation. Timothy’s practice was to drink only water (perhaps to not offend the weaker brothers, or perhaps because he wished to live a moderate life), but Paul exhorted him to take a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments. He says a “little wine”, not because he was concerned about Timothy being given to drunkenness, but so that he would not be misunderstood by others who would read this letter. Drinking to the point of drunkenness is never permissible, brothers and sisters. And we know that some do drink to the point of drunkenness to run from their anxieties. Clearly, Paul is not encouraging that. But he does encourage Timothy to take a “little wine” for medicinal purposes.  

After this Paul returns to his main point and brings it to a conclusion in verse 24, saying, “The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden” (1 Timothy 5:24–25, ESV). I don’t think I fully appreciated these verses until I was in full-time pastoral ministry for a few years. They are so filled with truth. What does Paul mean?

 Conspicuous means “very obvious” or “easy to see”. The sins of some people are very easy to see, he says. They are right out in the open leading to judgment. But the sins of others are not so obvious. They “appear later”.   And so it is with good works. Sometimes they are obvious and easy to see. But sometimes they remain hidden — Paul is here referring to those who live holy lives and do good works discreetly. But these good works done in secret will not remain hidden either. They are bound to appear. 

This is so true. But what is Paul’s point? His point is very simple: take time to get to know people. Do not be quick to ordain a man to the office of elder. Wait to see the fruit of his life, whether he produces good fruit or bad.

Application: How might we apply this final point? I have three very brief remarks. 

One, when it comes time to appoint new elders (and deacons) we cannot be hasty. We must examine the man to be sure that he holds to sound doctrine, is morally qualified, gifted, and called to the ministry. The whole church is to be a part of this process, but the current elders have a special role to play. They will be the ones to lay their hands on the man to bless him and to appoint him to the ministry. Elders must be sure to not rush this.  

Two, we must not error on the other side, moving too slowly, being hindered by fear of the unknown. I wonder if this is not a problem in some churches that have an appropriately high view of the ministry. Their respect for the eldership and their fear of getting it wrong is so great that they move forward very slowly and with extreme caution. It’s hard to say. Maybe they have their reasons. But I wonder if the work of the ministry and the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom is not sometimes hindered by this. We must not move too slowly.

Thirdly — and this point is more generic — we as a congregation do need to spend time with one another to develop close and meaningful relationships so that we actually know one another. I think you would agree, it is easier to not do this. It is easier to show up on Sunday, to say hello to a few people, worship, and go home. It is easier, but it is not better. In the church, we are to enjoy fellowship with one another. This means that we are to establish and maintain deep and meaningful relationships with one another because we have Christ in common. Remember, we are brothers and sisters in him. And we are to love one another. Our culture is very fragmented, individualistic, and lonely. This cannot be the case within the church. COVID-19 and the government shutdowns have only amplified this problem within our culture. How long will it last? No one knows. But I suspect that the effects of this will be very long-lasting. People are forgetting how to love their neighbor, and I wonder if Christians are not forgetting how to love another. Don’t let it happen here, friends. Now, as your Pastor, I will continue to respect your opinions regarding COVID. If you are concerned about contracting the illness and have decided to keep your distance from others for a time, I respect that. But in general, I appeal to the members of this church to not neglect the fellowship and do not fail to show hospitality. The world will never understand this. If they are not in Christ — if they do not have hope beyond the grave — then what do they have except their life here on earth; their health. And though we certainly value life on earth, and though we are deeply concerned to preserve our health and the health of others, we do have other concerns as well — the worship of God, the building up of the body of Christ, the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom, the salvation and nurturing of souls. Brothers and sisters, my point is this, we cannot afford to neglect fellowship as a congregation. Unless you have good reasons to quarantine — and many of you do! — do not neglect the fellowship and exercise hospitality. The church will not flourish with it. 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady 1 Timothy 5:17-25
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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AT HOME OR IN GOSPEL COMMUNITY GROUPS

Sermon manuscript available at emmausrbc.org

• What did Paul mean by, “let a widow be enrolled”? Enrolled into what?
• Why are qualifications given? And why these qualifications (age, faithfulness in marriage, proven charter regarding good works)?
• Why does Paul command that families care for their widows before the church takes on the responsibility?
• Discuss the potential application of this passage for the church and Christians today. 

Tags: Gospel Community Groups

Posted in Study Guides Gospel Community Groups Joe Anady
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