Betrayal

[ Previous Page ]     [ Next Page ]        Page:

The “elder” in verse one is clearly not a preacher; he is simply a male older than Timothy—just as the elder women are not female preachers, but women older than Timothy. The elder of verse one is contrasted with the younger man of the same verse. Notice that Timothy is commanded by the apostle

(1) to treat a man older than he, as if he were his father,

(2) to conduct himself with a man younger than he, as if he were his brother,

(3) to consider a woman older than he, as if she were his mother,

(4) to handle every woman younger than he, as if she were his sister, and

(5) to “rebuke before all” those elders that are examined and found guilty of immorality and to do so “without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.”

If the words have any meaning, those terms demand that Timothy (and thus all preachers) treat the church members as though they are members of his family. Therefore, I must take the position that any act of sexual contact by a pastor with anyone within the church should be considered as though it were an act of incest. A preacher (the ‘elder’ of verses 17 and 19) guilty of ‘church-incest’ is assuredly worthy of being rebuked before all and permanently expelled from the pulpit. In his challenge to Timothy, the apostle, writing words given by the Holy Ghost, establishes a principle that, by extension, covers every form of sexual misdeed, especially pedophilia, adultery, and homosexuality.

What is written to Timothy is not to be construed as treating sexual contact with one outside the church membership as being an acceptable conduct. “Keep thyself pure” is the call to unqualified purity. The distinction is rather to emphasize the horrendousness of a man taking advantage of his position as shepherd to molest the sheep that he is charged to oversee.

A solemn example that preachers and fellowships of preachers should understand as a serious warning is found in 1 Samuel 2. The sons of Eli were immoral—perhaps even incorporating that immorality into the worship as did the pagans in their temples. Knowing their wickedness, Eli did not remove his sons from their priesthood. The consequence is that the LORD charged Eli with honoring his sons over his God and the result is that the LORD Himself removed both the sons of Eli from the priesthood and the priesthood from the line of Eli.

22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’S people to transgress. 25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them. . . . 29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people? 30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Reluctantly, I find that faithfulness to the LORD requires that I charge the leadership who exercise influence over preachers and churches and who use their positions actively to conceal ungodliness AND I charge those preachers and churches that passively follow those leaders in this corrupted concept of concealment with an indictment having three counts:

1.   A Charge of Complacency: They remain at peace with evil doers.

2.   A Charge of Conspiracy: They engage in the protection of evil doers.

3.   A Charge of Complicity: They, therefore, become partakers of the evil deeds.

Brethren, I take no joy in this indictment. I would that the evidence could warrant an acquittal; but the facts demand a conviction on all three counts of the indictment.

I find no joy in hearing of fellow laborers falling. I confess that better men than I have fallen and I dare not stand in my own strength. Joshua was no doubt grieved for Achan even as Achan was being executed; however, his heaviness of heart did not cause him to disobey the command of the God of Heaven to expose Achan. I take no pleasure in calling for a return to Biblical treatment for those men who disqualify themselves for the Gospel ministry. The Scriptures give no alternative.

Restoration to fellowship is not the same as rehabilitation to ministry. Certainly, a saved individual may sin and, by confession and by forsaking that sin, have a restoration to fellowship with his God, his church, and his fellow believers. Rehabilitation to ministry is an entirely different matter. Some disqualifications from an office do not permit a re-qualification for that office.

The God-ordained purpose of corrective rebuke and exposure is to provide a deterrent: that “others also may fear.” When those who are in the position to rebuke and to expose do not do so, they not only become a “partaker of other men’s sins,” but they also are guilty of failing to deter others. Therefore, instead of merely covering an already committed sin, they are encouraging future sins. Rather than helping the fallen brother, they are actually helping other brothers to fall. This is true regardless of the reason for the preferential treatment accorded the sinner.

“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.”

That, my Christian brethren and sisters is the final word. Not mine, but His, Whose word is the unalterable absolute by which our conduct must be measured. It is the word to which we will all be held accountable by the One that had it written, the LORD of the Harvest.

[ Previous Page ]     [ Next Page ]        Page:

This page has been displayed 3 times this month, 40 times since October 11, 2008 .