Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
These are the things you are to teach and insist on.
Summary: Paul’s words send us back to his letter to review what he has been saying.
In chapter five of Paul’s letter,* Paul addresses what might be called the ‘administrative’ side of the church. How are older men and younger women supposed to be treated? Paul insists that they be treated gently and with purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2)
Continue reading “1 Timothy 6:2b – Godly Goals”
Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.
Summary: Expectations are a cruel master if we set them too high. Being realistic about who we are and what we do makes life much better and pleases our God.
What if my boss is a believer? Does that mean I can expect special treatment?
Good question!
“Hey boss, I’m sorry I’m late (again). I’ll try harder next time. You’ll forgive me, won’t you?”
It would be nice if it worked that way.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 6:2 – Top Dog”
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.
Summary: Thinking about slavery may seem like an outdated concept, but there are modern applications for what Paul is teaching here.
Looking back in history, it is difficult for us to get our heads around the way things were done two thousand years ago.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 6:1 – The Yoke”
In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
Summary: Paul’s instructions regarding good deeds pair nicely with his prior instructions about sins going ahead or trailing.
Are good deeds obvious? Maybe to you and me, but not to everyone. Consider these words written by Paul to the church at Corinth:
Continue reading “1 Timothy 5:25 – Good Deeds”
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.
Summary: Paul’s words about sins being obvious and trailing behind open the door to a practical understanding of assessing potential church leaders.
This is an interesting passage. Throughout his letter, Paul has been instructing Timothy about defending the faith. First, he writes about false teachers; then he writes about how to discern worthy elders and deacons from those less worthy. Then he instructs Timothy on the difference between the true Spirit of God and “deceiving spirits” (1 Timothy 4:1). Even in the discussion on widows, there is a concern for being able to discern the difference between someone worthy and someone else who might be vulnerable to sin.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 5:24 – Fore and Aft”
Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
Summary: Paul’s advice to Timothy about food provides surprising insights about righteousness before God.
Throughout Paul’s letter to Timothy, we have presumed that the “Author behind the author” is God. What we mean by that is that the Bible is not just a collection of words and letters written by people about God, but rather that it is a collection of words curated by God specifically because they have meaning for all people throughout all time.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 5:23 – Water or Wine?”
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Summary: Paul’s instruction about the laying on of hands opens the door to a lot of possibilities.
This verse falls into the rather serious category of “warnings.” Much of Paul’s letter has to do with instructing Timothy on what he should do as leader of the churches in Ephesus. In chapter five, the tone has changed, and Paul has been warning Timothy what not to do.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 5:22 – Take Your Time”
We are taking the day off to celebrate this momentus occasion. We pray you are blessed by God’s Mercy and Grace in amazing ways this weekend.
Three Minute Bible will return on Monday — Lord willing! 🙂
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.
Summary: Paul pulls back the curtain on the cosmic audience watching how church leaders handle administrative justice.
This is a heavy passage.
In our last meditation, we looked at the difficult process of reproving a sinning elder before the entire congregation. It is a sensitive situation that can easily cause incredible damage if it isn’t handled properly.
Continue reading “1 Timothy 5:21 – No Favorites”
But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning.
Summary: An elder who sins is a serious situation for the leadership of a Christian church.
What kinds of sin do you think an elder might commit? How would a person responsible for being an elder deal with being ‘reproved before everyone’?
Continue reading “1 Timothy 5:20 – A Warning to Others”