MOOR of the Word with Pastor Chuck Pourciau

Our social and economic status as slaves, masters, freemen, employers, or employees has no eternal relevance. All such roles pass away with the world, so we focus on what is eternal, not on the social system or our place in it. Believers are to be compliant and obedient on their jobs, and thus to give witness that the grace of Jesus Christ has transformed their lives.

Paul here was instructing Christian slaves in how they were to related to their unbelieving masters. According to Paul, they were to regard their masters as “worthy of all honor.” This is a reference to respectful and dutiful service. Even those employers who are harsh and unfair are to be honored because of their role as superiors in the work place. 

Christians have a divinely commanded responsibility to live out their faith in the work place. Having a proper attitude of submission and respect, and performing quality work, are necessary prerequisites to proclaiming a believable gospel.

Believers most commonly interact with that world in the work place, as they live out their faith on their jobs. Christians must be concerned that their conduct on the job shows others the power of Jesus Christ to transform a life. Believers’ work performance will bring either praise or blasphemy to the name of God. All work, whether directly or indirectly, is to advance God’s Kingdom. Even those early Christians who were slaves could glorify God by faithfully fulfilling their duties.

Apparently the congregation under Timothy’s charge was struggling to sustain a biblical work ethic in the world of slavery. Paul writes this passage as a corrective for them in this vital area. The instruction he gives is vital to any Christian employee in any social system. Tomorrow, we will investigate his counsel in this area. 

We have arrived at the 247th birthday of the United States of America. I am old enough to remember the Bicentennial celebration back in 1976. We were a proud nation. We considered ourselves the greatest nation on earth. And that belief was rather universal throughout most segments of American society. 

It’s safe to say that is the case no more. Recently, I accompanied our high school students on a mission trip to Scotland and England. The people over there are fascinated with all things America. The teachers in the schools told us that all their students want to live in America one day. It was then I realized that I had lived long enough to see the people of other nations have a more favorable view of our nation than does the dominant narrative in the media, education and corporate world. This media of the United States as an evil empire rife with colonialism, white supremacy (the cause for every ill of society), patriarchy, racism, and every other negative ism out there. Yet the rest of the world sees us differently. What a sad state we find ourselves in almost 250 years into our nation’s history.

Paul is speaking of how a church recognizes men fit for leadership positions in the church. He provided some principles for the selection process. Here in verse 23 we see the principle that some men are obviously unfit to serve. One does not have to do a deep dive to investigate their lives. These men can be rejected without serious consideration. Their sinful ways are evident to all and precede them to judgment. The judgment in view here is not the  final judgment, or the believers’ judgment. Rather, it refers to the church’s assessment of a man’s suitability to serve. So some men are obviously disqualified from leadership by their sinful lifestyles.

The next principle is that some men are discovered to be unfit during the assessment process. That is what he means by writing that, “for others, their sins follow after.” It is not obvious that they are unfit, but that becomes evident when being evaluated by the leaders of the church. Lenski: “Their sins march right into the meeting behind them and refuse to be left outside.” Spiritual character is foremost in considering men for leading the local church. Rhetorical excellence and leadership aptitude are worthless in the absence of demonstrated Christian character.

The best way to avoid being embarrassed by the moral failure of a ministry leader is not to raise them to that position too quickly. That’s what Paul means when he declares that we must not “lay hands upon anyone too hastily.” To lay hands on someone in this context is to affirm their suitability and readiness for public ministry leadership. It’s not enough for a man to declared that he’s called of God to pastoral ministry. The church must also say he’s called of God to the pastoral ministry. And the church must not do so simply because the candidate declared he is ready. But this has too often been the case. Young men who grow up in the church and cannot decide what to do with their lives decide to go into the ministry. Their church is thrilled to have a future minister among them, so they quickly affirm and ordain. And man who decided to enter the ministry heads to seminary. Somewhere, sooner or later, a disaster will occur. 

If churches everywhere maintained that high standard for elders, unqualified men would be eliminated from the pastorate. Even they manage to get in, their incompetence will soon show and lead to their public removal. In today’s lax church world, a man who is disgracefully removed from one church can often soon find a position in another. There is no excuse for that. It’s simple enough to determine a pastoral candidate’s history. But that isn’t usually the issue. Churches fail when they consider the history forgiven and the man contrite, therefore elevating him to a position in their church from which he was shamed in the previous one. 

The accusation may yet prove false, but it must at least be investigated. The intent of having two or three witnesses is to provide confirmation. That is not meant to place elders beyond successful accusation, but beyond illegitimate accusation. They are never to be at the mercy of frivolous, evil accusers.

Attacks on God’s pastors isn’t a new development as seen in this passage in Pauls’ first letter to Timothy. There are always people eager to falsely accuse a man of God. They may do so because they resent his calling, reject his teaching, resist biblical authority, resent virtue, or are jealous of the Lord’s blessing on his life. Ultimately, those who attack God’s man for sinful reasons demonstrate by making such accusations that they have become messengers of Satan. False accusations against God’s leaders is one of Satan’s most dangerous weapons. 

Joseph, Moses, David, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, and our Lord Jesus Christ all suffered from false accusations. So did Paul. Puritan writer, John Trapp, put it in memorable form when he wrote, “Truth hath always a scratcht face.”

Paul stated that elders who rule well are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. The assumption is that some elders will not work as hard at preaching and teaching as others. Their role may be less prominent in those areas. “Work hard” means “to work to the point of fatigue or exhaustion.” It does not stress the amount of work, but rather the effort. Excellence combined with diligence mark a man worthy of the highest honor.

Mediocrity is a result of a called man of God not putting forth the effort needed to excel at preaching and teaching the Scripture. Oswald Chambers: “Willingness to renounce personal preferences, to sacrifice legitimate and natural desires for the sake of His kingdom, will characterize those marked out by God for positions of influence in His work.”