“Honor and Discipline of Elders” (1 Timothy 5:17–25)

“Honor and Discipline of Elders” (1 Timothy 5:17–25)
^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist Church/May 13, 2015, Wednesday PM}

“As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.” (1 Timothy 1:3–4, NIV)

“They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.” (1 Timothy 1:7–8, NIV)

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1–5, NIV)

1 Timothy 5:17–25 (NIV)

¹⁷ The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”  and “The worker deserves his wages.”  ¹⁹ Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. ²⁰ But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. ²¹ I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

²² Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

²³ Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

²⁴ The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵ In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

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1.    Pastors are to be paid for their ministry of preaching and teaching (vv. 17–18)

2.    Purposeful care should be exercised in the discipline of pastors in the church (vv. 19–21).

a.    A pastor should only be disciplined when there is proper substantiating evidence (v. 19).

b.    When there is evidence to substantiate an accusation, then the pastor must be disciplined before the entire congregation so as to promote holiness (v. 20).

c.    Discipline of pastors needs to be handled fairly and without partiality (v. 21).

3.    Churches must exercise care in the ordination and selection of pastors (5:22–25).

Main Idea: If the church is going to be holy, then it must also have holy leadership.