In 1 Timothy 5:20, Paul wrote about a sinning elder in the church. Paul commanded Timothy to not receive an accusation against an elder, unless the accusation was based upon two or three witnesses. When the accusation was based upon two or three witnesses, Timothy had to rebuke the sinning elder before the congregation. Why did Timothy had to rebuke a sinning elder before all in the church? What was the spiritual purpose of this commandment to rebuke a sinning elder before all?
What happens with a sinning elder in today’s church?
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear (1 Timothy 5:20)
In today’s society, many Christians would immediately think or say: “What a harsh and mean thing to do!”, “Oh, that poor man! We don’t have to do it that way, because that poor man suffered already by sinning” or “The Word commands us to walk in love, and this is not a sign of walking in love and showing love to your neighbour. Nobody wants to be embarrassed in front of the whole congregation, because we all sin”.
Many Christians say these things, because they are carnal and walk after the flesh, instead of the Spirit. They are ruled and led by their opinions, findings, senses, feelings, and emotions, instead of being ruled and led by the Word and the Holy Spirit.
Many carnal Christians adjust the words and commandments of Jesus Christ, to the lusts and desires of man. They close their eyes and ears to the truth, which is very dangerous for the body of Jesus Christ.
In this article, I wrote about the elder in the masculine form, but it also applies to the female elders and female leaders in the church. I only wrote in the masculine form, so that it will be easier to read.
What does the Bible say about an elder?
An elder is commanded to the Lord Jesus Christ and is an ambassador of the Kingdom of God. An elder should be blameless (which means having no sins in his life). He should be a husband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of riot or are unruly.
The elder should be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre.
An elder should be a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate. He should hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayer.
The elder should feed the flock of God. He should take the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being a lord over God’s heritage. But the elder should be an example to the flock (Acts 14:23, Timothy 1:6-9, 1 Peter 5:1-3)
An elder belongs to and represents the Kingdom of God
Every born-again believer, including an elder, is a citizen of the Kingdom of God. As a citizen of the Kingdom of God, you have to obey the rules of the King and His Kingdom.
You are an ambassador; a representative of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.
You are no longer a representative of the kingdom of darkness, which means, that you don’t live according to what the devil, the world and your flesh (soul and body) say and command you to do. But you obey Jesus Christ; the Word instead.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Galatians 5:24)
A sinning elder has the devil as father
When an elder sin, it means, that the elder listened and obeyed the devil, instead of listening and obeying God. A person who sins, disobeys God’s Word, and has fulfilled the desires and lusts of his flesh. By his deed, the person has rejected the Word and therefore denied Jesus Christ. His deed showed, under whose authority he lives and to whom he listens.
You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. Which of you convinces me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? He that is of God hears God’s words: you therefore hear them not, because you are not of God (John 8:44-47)
Look at the garden of Eden, when Adam en Eve listened to the serpent; the devil. They listened and believed the serpent and acted upon his advice (his words). While God was very clear and warned them, about what kind of evil would happen to them, if they would eat from the forbidden tree.
Despite God’s warning, they believed the devil instead. By their deed; eating from the forbidden tree, they rejected God and His word and truth and obeyed the devil and his lie, and sinned.
It is the same for everyone, who walks in sins. They reject the Word; Jesus and His commandments and believe and obey the lies of the devil, who works through the flesh and the world system.
Why did Timothy had to rebuke a sinning elder before all?
Paul commanded Timothy to rebuke the sinning elder, in front of the whole congregation, so that every believer would have, and keep a fear and awe of the Almighty God; the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all there is within.
The fear of the Lord had to stay present in the congregation. Because without it, the believers would enter self-chosen paths, doing what they wanted to do, and live after their own will, instead of living after His will.
The believers had to know, that you cannot play games with the Almighty God.
Happy is the man that fears alway: but he that hardens his heart shall fall into mischief (Proverbs 28:14)
Don’t become spiritual lukewarm
Paul commanded Timothy to obey and keep this commandment, so that the believers wouldn’t become spiritually lukewarm to God, and indifferent to sin. Paul saw the spiritual state of the congregation. He discerned the spiritual worlds: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.
Therefore Paul knew, that when a sinning elder, would teach the believers in the Word of God, this evil unclean spirit, which ruled in the life of the sinning elder, would come upon all the believers.
That’s why Paul was so strict and careful, with permitting and appointing believers in leadership positions.
Paul knew very well, what sin would produce in a person’s life. He knew, that when sin was allowed and accepted in the church, it wouldn’t be long, before the whole congregation would be affected by evil and would spiritually die.
When someone walks in sin, it means that there is evil; darkness, present in the heart of the person.
An elder should live a holy life and walk in righteousness
In the many letters, that Paul wrote to the saints, he continually urged them to live holy and walk in righteousness and to put off the old man. Every time Paul reminded the believers, that by faith in Jesus Christ, they had become a new creation. He taught them, how they should walk as the new creation, in this new (spiritual) life, that by the grace of God was given to them in Jesus Christ.
Because as God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, Who lives in the born again believer, are holy, so should the born again believer, who has been made into the image of God, be and walk holy.
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:14-17)
God has given His sons, the born-again believers, everything in Jesus Christ. This means, that He has blessed us, with every spiritual blessing in High Places, so that we will be able to live and walk in holiness and righteousness.
To walk in holiness and righteousness means to walk in obedience to God and His Word.
By the blood of Jesus and by His work, you have been made holy and righteous. You have been made a new creation, and therefore you should also live and walk as the new creation, in holiness and righteousness. Just like Jesus walked in holiness and righteousness, by obeying His Father. As long as you listen to the Word and be a doer of the Word, you will stay in Jesus Christ and you will live after the Spirit in freedom.
A spirit of partiality in the church
You shall not respect persons in judgment; but you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it (Deuteronomy 1:17)
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons (James 2:1)
Timothy had to keep this commandment, despite his relationship with the sinning elder; acquaintance, friend, or family member, and despite his (social) status and wealth.
Timothy couldn’t allow any partiality within the church and therefore Timothy had to treat people equally, including sinning elders.
Because If Timothy would treat people unequally, it would show, that he was being ruled by a spirit of partiality (Read also: The spirit of Eli).
How must churches treat a sinning elder?
In Today’s church, it rarely or never happens, that a sinning elder or a sinning preacher is rebuked before the congregation. In the old days, it was normal, that a sinning elder confessed his sins and repented before the whole congregation and that he would be put out of his office and disarmed of his duties.
But nowadays almost every ‘issue’ in spiritual leadership is resolved behind closed doors in a private setting and many times it is kept a secret.
Sometimes, but not always, the sinning elder will be temporarily removed from the office, so that, ’the issue’ can appease. But after a short period of time, the person will be re-ordained again as an elder in the same church or will be ordained in the office of elder in another church.
In the previous article, the re-ordination of a sinning elder has been discussed, therefore this will not be discussed in this article. If you haven’t read the article yet, and you would like to read it, then you can click on the following link: “What did Paul mean by lay hands suddenly on no man”
The cloak of love and grace; a disguise for accepting sins
Rebuking a sinning elder in public, is no longer a formality. It is pushed away under the cloak of love and grace, and solved in a private setting. But this is not the way that God (and Jesus) wants us to deal with sins.
The body of Jesus Christ; the church is one, and not divided, and should live a holy life.
The church needs to obey Jesus; the Word, instead of the devil; the world.
Especially the elders and leaders of the church should be spiritually mature and should walk after the Word and the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit. They should live a holy life, and be examples to the believers.
They should raise the believers in the Word of God, so that they will become like them, and like Jesus.
But unfortunately, many elders remain carnal and live just like the world, and therefore they approve of and accept sins.
They change the gospel of Jesus Christ, to their lusts and desires. They are charismatic speakers and change and adjust the Word of God to their own opinions, feelings, emotions, and findings and the will and lusts and desires of the flesh, so that the believers, including themselves, can live like the world, doing what they want and keep walking in sins.
The purpose of rebuking sin before all
When the sins of an elder will be exposed in the congregation and the sinning elder will be rebuked before all, and be put out of the office, it will ensure that:
- Believers keep a fear; an awe and respect for the Lord and His Word
- Believers know that God is a righteous God, and that He (and His church) cannot have communion with sins
- Believers are being encouraged and urged, to live a holy life and to resist sins and stay obedient to the Word
- Believers stay serious about the things of the Kingdom of God and don’t become lazy and lukewarm
- Church will stay awake and watchful and be conscious of sin and its consequences
- Gossip and speculations about the matter, and the sinning elder, will be prevented
An elder should practice what the elder preaches
When a sinning elder will stay ordained or will be re-ordained after a short period of time and falls back in the same sin, will the elder still be credible? When a sinning elder commands the believers to stay obedient to the Word and to live according to what the Bible says, but the elder doesn’t do it and doesn’t practice what he preaches, do you think that believers will respect the elder and believe and obey his instructions?
Many elders are just like the Pharisees, who lived a ‘holy life’ in front of the people. They commanded the people to obey the words of God, but in secret, while nobody was watching, they disobeyed the Word of God. Jesus saw and knew everything by the Spirit; He knew their heart and exposed their heart before all.
Jesus still sees and knows everything. Through the Holy Spirit, He will still expose, what happens in the dark. He reveals everything, as long as the church keeps walking in His light.
Confessing sin before all
When in the old days, sinning elders confessed their sins before all, it ensured, that they would think twice before they listened to their flesh and give in to the desires and lusts of their flesh, which would lead to sin. They also had a fear of God and respected His Word and wouldn’t dare to change and adjust the Word of God, to their own desires and lusts.
No one wanted to be ‘humiliated’ in front of all, and no one wanted to be marked as the sinning elder.
The people were spiritually awake and on their guard. There was a fear of the Lord and an awareness of sin.
They knew that sin was a sign of disobedience to God and that it wasn’t allowed in church. Because the church represents the spiritual authority of the Kingdom of God on this earth.
The believers knew, that sin meant obedience to the devil, and caused a separation between them and God.
In Today’s society, because the sinning elders are not being rebuked anymore, the fear of the Lord is almost gone. There is no desire anymore to resist sin and to live a sanctified and holy life in Christ.
Most believers want to live just like the world and don’t want to give up their own life. They stay carnal and live after the flesh, instead of living after the Spirit.
Damaging the Kingdom of God
The believers are not being confronted with their sins anymore. They are not corrected, because many elders and preachers walk in sins themselves. They do what pleases them and are focused on themselves and their kingdom. They don’t care about the spiritual well-being of the believers and the Kingdom of God.
Every time, when an elder or a preacher commits a sin, he defiles the body of Christ and damages the Kingdom of God.
A sinning elder or preacher, doesn’t walk in love and doesn’t love God above all. But a sinning elder loves himself and his flesh above all. He is a slave of his body and of the devil.
Let us, therefore, become serious again about the Kingdom of God.
There must be a desire in every believer to walk holy and live after the will of God, because (s)he loves Him above all and therefore (s)he keeps His commandments.
Let us resist sins, which come through the temptations of the devil in the flesh. Say no to sin, instead of becoming a slave of sin.
Jesus conquered sin, by His perfect work of redemption. When we become born again in the spirit, we will be seated in Him. He has given us everything in Him, so that we can resist the devil and resist sin.
Nobody has an excuse anymore, and no one can put the blame on someone else, not even on the devil. Every believer is responsible for his or her own deeds in life and shall be held accountable on the great Day of Judgment.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
