Biblical Manhood & Womanhood - 1 Timothy 5:15-25 - Foundations & Expectations of Biblical Leadership

Chapter 5. So we really went through quite a

bit concerning how we as a church should care

and to help manage and support the needs of the

widow. And we clarified what the definition of

a widow is. That's important. So as we finish,

we're going to go through the last two verses

of this chapter so we can really understand the

rest of what God has to say. The rest of the

chapter in verse 17 through 25 really deals with

the main issue of the elder and the importance

of the leadership of the elder. Now, first and

foremost, there's some things I'm going to clarify

in this chapter because I want you guys to make

sure that you understand why Paul uses this term

for some have already strayed after Satan, meaning

adversary. So I'm going to clarify that and then

we're going to move on, okay? So here we go.

I'm going to start off in verse 8. It says, For

his relatives, especially for members of his

household, he has denied the faith and is worse

than an unbeliever. Let a widow be enrolled if

she is not less than 60 years of age, having

been the wife of one husband and having a reputation

for good works. If she has brought up children,

has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of

the saints, cared for the affliction or the afflicted,

and has devoted herself to every good. work,

but refuse to enroll younger widows for when

their passions draw them away from Christ, they

desire to marry and so incur condemnation for

having abandoned their former faith. Beside that,

they learn to be idlers going about from house

to house and not only idlers, but also gossips

and busybodies saying what they should not. So

I would have younger widows marry, bear children,

manage their households and give the adversary

no occasion for slander, for some have already

strayed after Satan. If any believing woman has

relatives who are widows, let her care for them.

Let the church not be burdened so that it may

care for those who are truly widows. 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, 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 who are not. cannot remain hidden. So you're

like, why does Paul give Timothy this long verses

1 through 16 discussion and explanation of the

importance of caring for the widows? And then

he turns around and says, concerning you, concerning

elders, this is the way it should be. I can't

help but think about what it says in James chapter

James 1:27

1 verse 27. The religion that God considers pure

and faultless exists to care for the orphans

and widows in their distress and to keep oneself

from being polluted by the world. What you see

is the man who lives rightly, who's living a

holy life, who's doing the work of God, don't

hold him back from doing that. But you as an

elder must live right. That's what this means.

So I'm going to give you some clarity on some

things here. First, let's go up to verse 15 to

16 and we'll finish the widow. Continue from

last week. Godly leaders manage the care of the

widows and purpose to exhort them to cling to

Christ. Father of the fatherless, protector of

the widows is God in his holy habitation. We

as the church and as elders have a responsibility

to care and exhort those widows. To cling to

Christ. Now, in verse 15, though, it says something

quite interesting. For some have already strayed

after Satan. Now, context means everything. I've

talked quite a bit about this particular importance

of hermeneutics and why we use scripture upon

scripture and context upon context. And why would

Paul, all of a sudden, in verse 14, say one thing

concerning adversary and then turn around and

use the term Satan? in verse 15. Very interesting.

Contextually, here's what it means. So I would

have younger widows marry and bear children and

manage their households and give the adversary

no occasion to slander. See, the adversaries

of God love to slander. Why? Why do they slander?

Why specifically these women? who have lost their

husband, who have no children, who are young

widows and have lost the man they love. Why?

Well, because in context, when you go up to verse

11, he explains to you why they should marry

and why they should bear children, why they should

manage their own households and learn to manage

a household. It's because if they don't, they

become busybodies. Look what it says in verse

11. But refuse to enroll younger widows. For

when their passions draw them away from Christ,

they desire to marry and so incur condemnation

for having abandoned the former faith. Look what

it says in 13. Besides that, they learn to be

idlers, going about from house to house, and

not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies,

and saying, what they should not say. In other

words, the point is, when they're busy doing

the thing they're not supposed to be doing, if

they're really not clinging to Christ, if they're

finding a reason not to live a life as honoring

to Christ and to unite with a godly man, they're

just quick to marry anybody, they end up becoming

gossips and busybodies, and so the adversaries

have an occasion to slander them. You see, they'll

say, see this girl, she goes to this church.

And if this is what this church really teaches,

is it a good church? That's the idea here. They're

not living above reproach. And so they bring

shame on the name of Christ. Now, when we see

this and we understand in verse 15, for some

have already strayed into adversary or after

the adversary. Because the word satanas means

adversary. So if he says, don't give the adversary

an occasion. And then he turns around, but some

of these women already have. That's what it means.

Literally what it means. But we think because

the word Satan's there and it's capital S, that

it doesn't mean adversary. When in reality, the

Greek is clear, satanas means adversary. So contextually,

we know that women who do not honor God with

their bodies, that are busy doing things they

shouldn't do, that they've lost their husband

and are finding a reason to live lasciviously.

They bring slander upon the name of Christ and

upon his church. How many of you guys have heard

the term, hey, why don't you go to church? I

got church hurt. It's the one thing I hate the

most about this modern day of what we would call

American church is this definition of church

hurt. They probably receive more hurt from their

personal family than they've ever received from

a church. But it's the excuse. They got to blame

somebody. If they can't blame the devil, They

blame the church instead of blaming themselves.

And so verse 16, if any believing woman has relatives

who are widows, let her care for them. Why? If

there's a woman who believes in Christ, who is

in the church, who is capable, who has the ability

to care, feed, support, train, walk alongside

these women, they should. This is one of the

important reasons why we are Continually striving

for women in ministry. Man cannot effectively

support women in women things. We're ineffective.

If we were effective, God would have no need

to give us a helper who is fit for us. He needed

a helper. That is one of the amazing gifts of

the woman to the man. We don't live life alone.

We don't live life in a vacuum. We live together.

And she finds her purpose in fulfilling who she

is, the nurturer, the life giver. That is a woman,

the life giver. So women, if we know we have

women who need support as part of the body of

Christ, come alongside them and help them, which

we are doing. I can tell you that. Let the church

not be burdened so that it may care for those

who are truly widows. In other words, widows

who cannot. They have no children. They're gone.

They have no husband. They're gone. She is left

alone after giving her entire life to good works

and to care and to washing of feet. This woman,

truly barren, truly without care and support,

like a city with no inhabitants. Now we can move

on to the next part of this chapter. So I hope

you guys have a clear understanding of the importance

of what we must do as a church for the widow.

What you do for the least of these, you do for

me. Lastly, this chapter, godly leaders must

live consistently for all to see. Only let your

manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,

so that whether I come to see you or am absent,

I may hear of you that you are standing firm

in one spirit, with one mind, striving side by

side for the faith of the gospel. Philippians

1 .27. I use this because it's important to understand

that we must live in a way that is worthy, live

a life that is worthy of the gospel of Christ.

As pastors and as elders, there is no greater

calling. For any man, all men of God must live

in this way. Now, look what it says in verse

17. Let the elders who rule well be considered

worthy of double honor, respect, and reverence.

Now, many would say, you know, pastor, you know,

you're going to be talking about like money and

stuff here. Should you do that? Yes. I don't

need your money. You guys take good care of me.

This isn't the issue here. It's the attitude

by which you care for your elders. And I want

you to see that here. And as a church, we must

live in such a way that we honor the elders,

the pastors who care and oversee you. That's

what he says here. Let the elders who rule, elders,

you see that, who rule be considered worthy of

double respect, double. especially those who

exhaust themselves, who get to the point of weariness

in preaching and teaching. Those men you must

care, watch, be worthy of, double honor. Those

men, not only your elders, but the men especially

that exhaust themselves on your behalf in preaching

and teaching. For the scripture says you shall

not muzzle. You must not close the mouth of an

ox when it treads out the grain. There's two

reasons why you don't take the ox and shut his

mouth while he's busy pulling and harvesting

for you to eat. So this ox, he's out in the cornfields,

and he's ripping the corn down so you guys can

eat, and you muzzle him. One, close an ox mouth.

When he's busy pulling, he gets tired faster.

Don't hold the passer down. To the point that

you muscle him because you'll exhaust him quicker.

And you wonder why. Do you know what the average

length of a pastor in a church is in America?

Five years. Two reasons. The man doesn't know

how to manage his time. And the church doesn't

take good care of his pastor, of her pastor.

And one of the things that's special about our

church is you guys do take good care of me. And

that's why in June, I'll be away for 30 days.

I have my sabbatical coming. Every three years,

I get 30 days. That was part of the discussion,

and that was important. And Ben will tell you,

do I have a choice? I do not have a choice. That's

accountability, elder to elder. That's what we

do. So you don't muzzle the ox. You know the

second reason why you don't muzzle the ox? You

know what the ox would do when he's busy pulling?

He would eat whatever would drop. That would

be his nourishment. He would work longer and

have more energy to work because he's able to

eat the corn that drops that they don't pick

up. Isn't that interesting? You got to let the

man work. Don't muzzle him. Let him get nourishment.

Let him get good oxygen in him. Let him walk

and work hard. Do all that you can to help support

him so that he continues to pool. That's the

idea. The second, it says, and the laborer deserves

his wages. In other words, this word deserves

is the understanding of equal in value. The man

should not be paid more than he's worth. So I'm

going to make this real clear. There should be

no pastor getting paid a million dollars. It

doesn't matter if he has 10 ,000 people in that

church. It's impossible to pastor 10 ,000 people.

You know what he does with 10 ,000 people? Stands

behind the pulpit and preaches, and that's all

he does. Because you can't pastor 10 ,000 people.

Now, that being said, I've just offended all

of the megachurch pastors. Don't care. I really

don't. You better find something else to do,

right? So here's the point. A man is equal to

the value of his work. That's what he deserves.

He deserves no more, and he deserves no less.

If he gives you less, he's got to go. That's

the point. If the man is giving you good word,

he's preaching and teaching is really good, he's

worthy double of the honor. If he's an elder

of the church, like we have here, we have several

elders, they are worthy of double honor. And

you take care of the man that God has placed

over you or the men that God has placed over

you because it's the right thing to do. They're

equal in value of the work they do. No more,

no less. And this is what it says. Next, do not

admit a charge against an elder except on the

evidence of two or three witnesses. In other

words, if you feel like an elder has done something

wrong, do not charge him unless you have an absolute

proof that he is guilty. Turn to Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 19:15

chapter 19, verse 15. And this is where this

comes from. A single witness shall not suffice

against a person for any crime. Do you hear that?

In Deuteronomy, it says, If someone comes to

you concerning an individual, a judge, concerning

an individual, and he comes alone, not good enough.

I wonder what our legal system would look like

if we actually had witnesses, real true witnesses.

Too many men, too many women have been accused

of a crime based on a witness. One person, not

two or three. So it says, a single witness shall

not suffice against a person for any crime. or

for any wrong in connection with any offense

that he has committed. Do you see that? This

is God's law. This isn't man's law. God says

this is the way it should be. As a matter of

fact, our Constitution would call that circumstantial

evidence. Only on the evidence of two or three

witnesses shall a charge be established. So can

you imagine if you're a pastor and somebody just

doesn't like you? They come to the elders and

they say something about that pastor. And all

of a sudden, a whole entire church split happens

over an accusation of one man or one woman. Not

sufficient here. Biblically, the eldership should

say, do you have another witness? No, then we

can't help you. If there is a wrong, then you

need proof. And if you have proof, then you need

to show that proof. That's important. Why? It

protects the church from false accusations. That's

the point. Not saying that that person didn't

do something wrong, but it protects the church.

That's the point. Look what it says next, though.

Notice right after he says this, in verse 20,

he says something that's quite remarkable. He

says, as for those who persist in sin, rebuke

them in the presence of all so that the rest

may stand in fear. It's not like this pastor

or elder hasn't done something wrong. Because

what we end up reading at the end of the chapter,

verse 24, is the sins of some people are conspicuous,

going before them to judgment. The sin will come

out, and you will be vindicated. Just do it the

right way to protect the church. Now, that being

said, let's keep reading. So if this person persists,

continues to live in sin, rebuke them in the

presence of everyone, in the presence of all,

so that the rest... of the congregation may stand

in fear, especially the elders. No elder is above

God's word. You've heard this. No one is above

the law. Now, in the presence of God and of Christ

Jesus and of the elect messengers, that word

is angels, I charge you to keep these rules without

prejudging. Do nothing from partiality. In other

words, you, Timothy, must keep these rules. with

no partiality, and not presuming something that's

not there. So in the same way that someone must

come if they're going to bring a charge against

an elder, must have two or three witnesses, you,

Timothy, must not use these rules in a way that

would bring judgment or prejudgment upon someone

because you have favoritism over another. This

happens a lot in churches. Why? Because there

are pastors who will build up a consensus. That's

why churches run with deacon boards instead of

elderships. Deacons run the house. Why? Because

the senior pastor can manipulate and control,

since he's the one of authority, over the deacons.

But if he has elders, men that he is equal to

in authority, differ in responsibility, he doesn't

like that. You see, there's something very important.

There's a reason why. It's because God's economy

is not a democracy. God's economy... is a theocracy.

He chooses who will lead, and he puts them there.

That's a theocracy. Interesting. What's the most

common word we use today? Every nation wants

to be a democracy. Do you know what the last

empire was who added democracy? Do you guys know?

Called Rome. Rome was the last true democracy.

And what happened to Rome? It went away. Oh,

no, it did not. Rome looked like it had a lethal

death shot. But Rome is alive and well today

in the democracy of the world. Rome is risen.

And if you don't think it's risen, just look

at Ukraine and all of the other nations that

are becoming democracies. Democracies are rule

without God. Man rules man. God has no rule.

I hope you see that. It's a little clue for you

Revelation people who are going through Revelation

with me. Rome is alive. The head that was wounded

is busy. This day. That being said, why should

we be careful? Because we represent a king. And

that king has placed upon us as stewards. What's

the word I want to look for? A governorship.

We have the responsibility to answer to the king

for the care and the provision and the protection

of his people. We do what the king says. We don't

do what we think is best. God tells us what is

best. And in doing so, he says this, verse 22,

do not be hasty in laying on of hands, nor take

part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

Again, as men of God, we are to be different.

We must live consistently, not perfectly, because

we are going to fail consistently. Our striving

is to be perfect because he is perfect. We strive

to be holy because he is holy. But either way,

we must purpose to keep ourselves pure. In other

words, we don't defile ourselves with things

that we know defile. And we don't be hasty laying

hands on those and giving them authority by which

they haven't suffered long enough. What do I

mean by suffer? They haven't put the time in

and the work. They haven't struggled. We have

too many pastors that want the notoriety of being

a pastor, but they don't want the work to put

in. It's interesting. That's what Paul's dealing

with here. You know what pastors want today?

They want Harleys parked on the stage or fast

cars and tell you stories about how wonderful

you are and that God has made you awesome. When

in reality, we should be striving and driving

God's people to be holy, to live and honor him

in everything we do. To understand the stewardship

by which God has given us as elders to care and

walk alongside the hurting. So, verse 24, the

sins of some people are conspicuous. The word

conspicuous means to be openly evident. The sins

of some people are openly evident, going before

them to judgment. But the sins of others appear

later. They come as they walk. They follow after

them. What's that saying? Your sin will find

you out. And so, verse 25, so also good works

are conspicuous. They're openly evident. And

even those that are not cannot remain unhidden.

Even the good works that God's people do will

eventually be out for everyone to see. Why? Because

God will get the glory. God doesn't need our

glory as we read. God receives glory because

he is glorious. That being said, here's the last

statement I'm going to give to the elders, to

pastors. I know they feel uncomfortable with

that term, but that's what they are. And also

to the men being the pastor of your house. I

think we can use this principally as fathers.

And I want you to understand that, even though

this is talking specifically about overseers.

In principle, as fathers, you can apply these

things to you too. Therefore, I testify, Acts

20, 26 through 31. Therefore, I testify to you

this day that I am innocent of the blood of all.

Paul's saying this. For I did not shrink from

declaring to you the whole counsel of God. The

whole counsel. I don't get the choice of what

I preach or, well, let me say it this way. I

get the choice of preaching what book I think

we could preach or talk about. I don't get the

choice of how God determines and demands and

commands for me to teach it. I either teach the

whole thing or I shouldn't teach. That's the

idea. I don't shrink. From declaring to you the

whole counsel of God, Paul says. And neither

should we as pastors. If you're shrinking to

declare the whole counsel of God, then you shouldn't

be a pastor. Pay careful attention to yourselves

and to all the flock. Pay attention. Watch. Keep

an eye out for yourself. That you're not pulled

away. And to the entire flock that God has entrusted

to you. In which the Holy Spirit has made you

overseer. Don't want you to hear that. Pastors

don't choose to be pastors. Pastors are called

to be pastors. It is a God -given call to be

an elder. The Holy Spirit has made you the overseer

to care for the church of God. Church, assembly,

assembly, family. God has made you the caregiver

of his family. Not yours, his. You just happen

to be a part of that family. And he's giving

you now the responsibility of stewarding that

family. Do you hear that, dads? Now, look what

it says next. Holy Spirit made you overseers

to care for the church of God, which he, Christ,

obtained with his own blood. The payment for

the church is his life. That's the idea here.

Now do you see why Paul tells Timothy these things

in chapter 5? We belong to the family. The family

does not belong to me. I am part of that family.

It's God's. He paid for her. I know that after

my departure, fierce wolves will come in among

you. Now we know why he says, pay careful attention

to all the flock and to yourself, because there

will be wolves that will come in and will not

spare the flock. I know this because our church

has gone through a couple of those guys many

years ago, and God in his goodness and faithfulness

has kept her. Lord knows I've heard some stories.

And you'll be honest with you, if it wasn't for

the men that God had given before the Lord has

called me and my family here, you should praise

God for those men. They took good care of you,

good care of the church. Good job, Ben. That

being said, look at what else it says. And from

among you, from among your own selves will rise

men speaking twisted things. There will be men

who will come in as if they're believers and

they will say some crazy things. They won't tell

you, hey. You should read this scripture. You

don't bend it all kinds of ways. You must spend

time in the word. You must seek the truth of

God's word. Why will they come in speaking twisted

things? Because they would want to draw men away,

the disciples after them. They want to make followers.

They want to split the church to create their

own little gathering. Now, it also says this.

Therefore, be alert. As pastors, as elders, we

must be alert, remembering that for three years

I did not cease day and night to admonish everyone

with tears. As elders, as pastors, we want to

admonish you. That should be one of our greatest

desires is to build you up in Jesus. We must

teach the full counsel of God's word. We must

pay careful attention to ourselves and the flock.

Be overseers. As we care for the church, we must

know that there will be people that will come

in and we must pay attention. And we must make

sure that even the men that are among us live

rightly, not to deceive or teach things that

are twisted to pull men away. The responsibility

of godly leadership is to hold to the full truth

of the word of God. So when you read the end

of chapter 5, you understand why Paul writes

this to Timothy. It is not a simple task to be

a man of God to lead God's people, nor is it

a simple task to be a father to lead the small

flock that God has given you. So next week, Joe

Cavanaugh, Karina, will be coming to share. My

son is having his installation service, and I've

been given the privilege to give him the pastoral

charge as he is installed as an elder and officially

an ordained pastor at his church. So I'm excited

about that. I will be back. The 30th, by which

we will start chapter 6. And excited about that.

And then 6th, we'll move into, hopefully, move

into 2 Timothy chapter 1. So we're going to be

2 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

going through the apostolic letters probably

for the next year or so into next year. So 2

Timothy, Titus, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John,

3 John. That's our goal. Okay? These letters

are written specifically in a way that not only

as Christians we should live, but as men and

women we should live. And that's why we're doing

it. Biblical manhood, biblical womanhood. Okay?

All right. Father, I want to thank you so much

for your goodness and faithfulness. Thank you,

Lord, for your word. To you be honor and glory

forever. You are king and you are the head of

the church and we are thankful to be your people

as stewards and as shepherds and overseers of

your people. Help us to be good stewards, to

be wise, and to live rightly for your glory and

honor. In Jesus' name, amen.