5.       Counsel to the Church        1 Timothy 5:1 – 6:16

   Paul provided Timothy with a practical guide to the pastor’s relationship with the church.  He is to –

       a.   Ministry to members – Regard as family                  1 Timothy 5:1-2

We should begin with this statement:  He does not own them –

1 Peter 5:2-4  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

And the members are not to be used to inflate the pastor’s ego as was mentioned by John in –

3 John 9-10  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Another use of this word “…being lords over…” is found in –

Acts 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Which gives us a picture of the meaning, having an aggressive attitude.

The pastor is to love, protect, and feed the sheep.  As part of this responsibility, he is to –

        1).  Respect to the elderly

          a).  The attitude of the pastor toward the elderly in the church.

Proverbs 19:20-21  Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

Know those elderly in the church that have good testimonies and learn from their experience.  It is good to seek guidance from those that have already walked the path.

    1 Timothy 5:1-2  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

In order to have the correct understanding of what Paul is teaching here, we need to find the meaning of some of the words.

Rebuke  What we know commonly today as verbal abuse, to hit or beat someone with words.

Note Paul’s positional terms for the elder men and women as being “…a father…”  “and as mothers…”.  God has commanded that fathers and mothers be treated with respect.

Exodus 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

This is the first of the six commandments to His people dealing with the relationships with one another.

This relationship is important.  It is a human relationship that should be typical of our spiritual relationship with God –

Matthew 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

To dishonour our natural father is to dishonour God, our heavenly Father.  Our attitude toward our fathers should be that they are worthy of respect and we are pleased to honour, to think much of, them.  Notice the use of the same word translated differently in the following Scripture when Moses warned Israel that they should respect and obey God –

Deuteronomy 28:58  If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;

Are our fathers ‘glorious’ in our eyes?  They should be and it is with this same attitude that the elderly men and women in the church should be treated – respect!

            b).  The attitude of the elderly in the church toward the pastor.

The elderly men and women are to be respected as fathers and mothers, but they need to remember that they do not have the authority in the church as fathers and mothers have in their home.

They are to respect the authority of the pastor –

1 Timothy 5:17  Let the elders  (pastors) that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Paul gave instructions as to how the pastor should –

        2).  Relate to the younger

              The care to all is to be shown as to family.  “The younger men as brethren…” and the younger women “…as sisters in all purity…”.

The pastor is to lead the people, and he is to be friendly and caring to those of his own age, not lording it over them because of his authority, but being careful to maintain that authority in the office that God has called him to.  He cannot be reckless with the young men or be overly familiar with the young women.

             a).  The pastor must encourage the young men to desire to have the wisdom of God and to learn from the elderly men.  They must learn to develop the plan and purpose for their lives to align with the plan and purpose that God has for them.

      John 6:28-29  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

 Colossians 3:1-2  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

            b).  The pastor should remember and he should remind the young men of the danger of self-serving decisions.  The Old Testament gives us lessons to learn from in this matter –

1 Kings 12:6-14  And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

With this decision, the young king split the country, a division that will only be healed with the Lord returns and sets us His Kingdom!

Many churches have been split because the pastor and the young men did not follow the will of God in caring for His People.

            b).  The pastor must regard the young women with the same loving care that he would have for his sister.  His thoughts must be holy and innocent.  He must treat them with respect and encourage them to fear and honour God in all holiness in their lives.  Paul recommended Titus to ask the elder women to instruct the younger women and help prepare them for the life that honours God –

Titus 2:4-5  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

The world is constantly teaching women that they cannot be ‘fulfilled’ unless they have a career other than being a wife, mother, and a keeper of the home.  They refuse to acknowledge that being a wife, mother, and keeper of the home is a career, and one of the most difficult careers to master.

The world should never replace the Word in teaching women what they should be.  When a women is saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, and following His direction, she will be fulfilled by whatever the Lord directs her to do!

New titles are always being introduced in order to overcome what the world decided are stereotypes.  Have you heard the title “Stay at home mom”.  Does she really stay at home?  Is she only a mom?  The description given in the Bible is that of a worker at home.  Let’s read Proverbs 31 to find a description of this work –

Proverbs 31:10-31  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

The world has set forth a false impression of the dignity of the “home maker” and developed the thought that value is only found outside of the home.  This thinking is revealed by God’s Word to be a lie! 

The pastor is to obey the command of the Lord for His churches –

Matthew 28:19-20  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

          3).  Remind all of God’s purpose –

1 Timothy 5:1-2  Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

Intreat   –  We are led to the use the word ‘intreat’ for the admonition which is addressed to believers and is designed to lead them to conduct worthy of the Gospel.

Jude 3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort (Intreat) you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

2 Timothy 4:1-2 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Timothy was commanded to ‘intreat’ (Exhort) the elderly men and women, the younger men and women to prepare to live a life that will bring glory to Him and to be prepared to stand before Him at the judgment.

We are all in this together! Are we prepared to meet the Lord?  How would we feel if we were to stand before Him today?  Are we ready?  Are you ready?