1 Timothy 5:17-6:8 GNB

[Caleb]

What do you think this verse is saying?

And these verses below, what do you think they're saying
to Christians?

1 Timothy 5:18 GNB

For the scipture says, "Do not muzzle a bullock when you
are using it to thresh grain" and "Workers should be given
their pay."

1 Timothy 5:20 GNB

Rebuke publicly all those who commit sins, so that the rest
may be afraid.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 GNB

Whoever teaches a different doctrine and does not agree
with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the
teaching of our religion is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions, and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich.

1 Timothy 6:8 GNB

So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us.

Is 1 Timothy 5:20 telling Christians to publicly humiliate other Christians because of their sins?

 

[Genesis1315]

One of the things we need to consider when rebuking or correcting someone is that we do it in love to build up, not tear down. I think what Timothy was refering to was actually bringing a sin to light, or out in the open. Not to humilate, but help correct the sin. Also so that others may learn from it

That lovely gray area comes in when you look at the sin. When confronting one about a sin involving pornography, standing up in the middle of a Sunday morning service and pointing a finger at whomever would probably not bring good results. Not that the problem does not need to be brought in to the light, but choosing an arena that would support the growth of a brother or sister would be more effective. Would it not also be considered a sin, if we know of a fellow believer sinning without helping them to overcome it?

Gen

 

[James]

The scripture about publicly rebuking others can not be taken out of context; I'm not saying you did it knowingly, I simply mean that it can't be analyzed with any real result unless it is together with the other verse concerning it. The full text reads:

"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."
(1 Timothy 5:19-20)

People in Biblical times (and even more-so now) tend to accuse those in high positions of the church, typically the Pastor and Elders. It's part of Satan's plot to destroy the Word of God. Many times the accusations are indeed frivolous, which is why here Timothy instructs us not to believe those accusations unless accompanied by at least two witnesses.

If however, the accusations are true and the elder has committed sin, he should then be rebuked publicly. The reasons for that being to snap his conscience back to life and to show others that sin shall not be tolerated. The Bible has very strict guidelines for the leaders of God's church, and they must be followed with the utmost care.


I hope that answers your question; if not please tell me and I will try to explain it better. Also if you have any other questions all you have to do is ask.

 

[Didasko]

For the scipture says, "Do not muzzle a bullock when you
are using it to thresh grain" and "Workers should be given
their pay."

You have to allow an ox to eat or it will not be able to work. If you don't pay your workers they will not do the work.

This verse is telling us to honor elders in the church that are doing a good job. They need encouragement just like everyone else...to bad we sometimes tend to blame them for problems and complain more than we encourage.

Rebuke publicly all those who commit sins, so that the rest
may be afraid.

This verse is speaking only of elders. But be careful here...this is not to be done lightly and without proof.

Whoever teaches a different doctrine and does not agree
with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the
teaching of our religion is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions, and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich.

These verses are talking about the teaching of false doctrines in the church and abusing the power they have to make money.

So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us.

This verse is saying we should be happy with what we have. If making money becomes our all consuming desire, then we can fall prey to all kinds of sin.

 

[[toj.cc]WildBillKickoff]

Good replies from everyone. This passage is in regards, specifically, to Elders in your church. Contrast that to how we are to call out sin in the lay members of our church:

Matt 18:15 "If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 But if he won't listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established. 17 If he pays no attention to them, tell the church. But if he doesn't pay attention even to the church, let him be like an unbeliever and a tax collector to you.

So, herein lies my question. It seems very easy to go to a brother one on one-- it's between the two of you, and if you get it straightened out, "you have won your brother." But, beyond that step, and initially with Elders, how can we confer with others about a third party's sin without gossiping? Isn't that pretty much the definition of gossip?

 

[James]

It's not really gossip that the Matthew 18:15-17 is describing , although at first glance I can understand how such an assumption could be made. It is describing how to handle a brother or sister in Christ that has not committed a sin against God, but has committed a sin against you; meaning that they have offended you in some way.

If we were to go and tell all of our friends about the sins that the person down-the-street is committing, that would be gossip plain and simple... That's not what Jesus is describing here. What He is talking about is how we should handle those in the church that have done us some type of wrong.

The first and most desirable resolution is to go to the person and try to reason with them one-on-one and help them to see their error. For to simply and immediately expose them to the entire world would not be good, in-fact it will most likely do much greater spiritual harm to the person than you might imagine, and it would make you seem vengeful.

Secondly, if they will not listen to you, then you are then to bring two others who can be trusted; not only to act as witnesses between what is then said between you and the offender, but to further argue the cause of Christ. The person will be more likely to listen to the other two because they will be a neutral third party interested only in restoring unity in the body of Christ.

If the person still does not listen to the three of you, then (and only then) should you tell it to the church, to the ministers, elders, or other officers, or the most considerable persons in the congregation you belong to, make them the referees in the matter because it is better to be judged by fellow Christians than the secular courts.

Then, finally, and only as a last resort, if the offender will not hear the council of the church, consider him as a non-believer. You may then take him to court if the matter warrants it; but that should only be a last resort and not to be taken lightly.

Yet in all of this, do not hate the offender or practice nor give any thought to revenge. If you must consider the man as a non-believer, you should pray all the harder that he may be won back to Christ; yet be cautious of your dealings with the person because he has previously done you wrong and would not hear the previous attempts to reconcile differences.

I hope this helps, I know I wrote a lot but it needed to be detailed to avoid confusion.