Dins de 1 Timothy 5:20, Pau va escriure sobre un ancian que peca a l'església i què fer si un ancian peca. Pau va ordenar a Timoteu que no rebés una acusació contra un ancià tret que l'acusació es basava en dos o tres testimonis.. Only when the accusation was based upon two or three witnesses, Timothy had to rebuke the sinning elder before the congregation so that the fear of God would remain. Let’s look at what the Bible says about the spiritual meaning and purpose of rebuking a sinning elder publicly (before all in the church).
What happens with a sinning elder in the church today?
Avui, many Christians would immediately think or say: “What a harsh and mean thing to do!”, “Oh, that poor man (the elder)! We don’t have to do it that way, because that poor man suffered already by sinning” or “The Bible 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 are not perfect, we all sin”.
Many Christians would say these things because they are carnal instead of spiritual. They walk after the flesh instead of the Spirit.
Instead of being led by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, they’re led by their opinions, sentiments, i les emocions. Tanmateix, this is very dangerous for the Body of Christ.
Per això, Christians don’t change their lives to the Word of God. En canvi, they adjust the words of God and manaments de Jesucrist a la seva voluntat, Luxúries, i desitjos. They close their eyes and make their ears dull to the truth of God.
En aquest article, the elder is written in the masculine form because it’s easier to read. But it applies to both males and females.
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
What does the Bible say about the characteristics of elders in the church?
An elder is commanded to the Lord Jesus Christ and is an ambassador of the Kingdom of God (as every Christian should be). The Bible says about the characteristics of an elder (bisbe) that An elder should walk in righteousness and be blameless (which means having no sins in his life).
An elder should be a husband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of riot or are unruly. One that rules well his own house, tenint els seus fills sotmesos amb tota gravetat.
The elder should be blameless, com a administrador de Déu; not self-willed, no aviat enfadat, no donat al vi, cap davanter, not given to filthy lucre.
An elder should be a lover of hospitality, amant dels bons homes, sobri, només, sant, and 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 (Actes 14:23, Timothy 1:6-9, 1 Peter 5:1-3).
Elders belong to and represents the Kingdom of God
Every born again Christian, including an elder, is a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Com a cristià nascut de nou; a citizen of the Kingdom of God, you have a responsibility. You have to obey the law and the rules of the King and His Kingdom.
As a born again Christian and follower of Jesus Christ, you are an ambassador; a representative of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.
You are no longer a representative of the kingdom of darkness. Això vol dir, that you don’t live in submission to the ruler of the darkness (el diable) and obey him. You don’t do what the devil, el món, and your flesh (ànima i cos) say and command you to do.
Això és perquè, you have crucified the flesh in Christ and live in submission to Christ. You obey Jesus Christ (la Paraula) and you do what is written in the Bible.
I els que són de Crist han crucificat la carn amb els afectes i les luxúries
Gàlates 5:24
A sinning elder has the devil as father
When an elder sins it means that the elder lives after the flesh and listened and obeyed the devil instead of God. Un ancià, who sins rebels against God and disobeys His Word by fulfilling the desires and lusts of his flesh.
Through his deed of unrighteousness, he has rejected the Word and denied Jesus Christ. El deed of the elder 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. Va ser un assassí des del principi, i no romandre en la veritat, perquè no hi ha veritat en ell. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: perquè és un mentider, i el pare d'això. I perquè et dic la veritat, you believe me not. Which of you convinces me of sin? I si dic la veritat, why do you not believe me? Qui és de Déu escolta les paraules de Déu: doncs no els escolteu, perquè no sou de Déu (John 8:44-47)
Mira el Jardí de l'Edèn. Adam and Eve didn’t have a sinful nature, but they believed the words of the serpent (el diable) and followed up his advice. While God was very clear and warned them what kind of evil would happen to them, if they ate the fruit from the forbidden tree.
Despite God’s warning, they believed the words of the devil instead of the words of God. Through their deed of eating from the forbidden tree, they rejected God and His truth and obeyed the devil and his lie and sinned.
It is the same for everyone that walks in sin. Ells rebutjar Jesús (la Paraula) i els seus manaments, and believe and obey the lies of the devil, who works through the flesh and the world system.
Why did Timothy have to rebuke a sinning elder before all?
Timothy had 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 church. Because without the fear of the Lord, the believers would enter self-chosen paths. They would do what they wanted to do and live after their own will, Igual que el món, en comptes de La voluntat de Déu.
The believers had to know that you can’t play games with the Almighty God and this is still the case.
Happy is the man that fears alway: but he that hardens his heart shall fall into mischief
Proverbis 28:14
How to prevent spiritual lukewarmness in the church?
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 church. He discerned the spiritual realms: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.
Paul knew when a sinning elder would teach the believers in the Word of God (la Bíblia), this evil unclean spirit that reigned in the life of the sinning elder, would come upon all the believers (l'església).
That’s why Paul was so strict and careful with permitting and appointing believers in leadership positions.
Paul knew very well, what sin is and what sin produces in a person’s life.
Ell sabía, aquell quan pecat era tolerated a l'església, it wouldn’t be long before the whole church would be affected by evil and would die spiritually.
When an elder or any other person in the church walks in sin, it means that the person walks in darkness and that evil (foscor) is present in the heart of the person.
Elders should live holy lives 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, que per fe en Jesucrist, they had become a Nova creació.
Paul taught them, how they should walk as the new creation in this new (espiritual) life that was given to them in Christ by the gràcia de Déu.
Because as God, Jesucrist, i l'Esperit Sant, Who lives in the born again Christian by the Spirit, són sants i justos, so should the born-again Christian, who has been made in the image of God, be holy and walk in righteousness.
Com a nens obedients, no formant-vos segons els desitjos anteriors en la vostra ignorància: but as He which hath called you is holy, Així que sigueu sants en tota mena de conversa; Perquè està escrit, Sigueu sants; perquè sóc sant. (1 Peter 1:14-17)
Déu ha donat els seus fills (tant homes com dones), everything in Christ to resist the devil and sin.
He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in High Places, so that we’ll be able to live holy and walk in righteousness in obedience to God and His Word, and represent and manifest the Kingdom of God on earth.
By the blood of Jesus and La seva obra redemptora, Has estat sagrats i justos. Per això, you’ll live and walk as the new creation in holiness and righteousness. Just like Jesus walked in holiness and righteousness through obedience to His Father and doing His will.
As long as you listen to the Word, and obey and do the Word, you stay in Christ and live after the Spirit in freedom under the blood.
A spirit of partiality in the church
Timothy had to keep this commandment, despite his relationship with the sinning elder (an acquaintance, amic, or family member), and despite his (social) status and wealth.
Timothy couldn’t allow any partiality in the church. He had to treat people equally, including sinning elders. If Timothy treated people unequally, he would be led by a spirit of partiality. (Llegiu també: L’esperit d’Eli).
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 (Deuteronomi 1:17)
Els meus germans, no tingueu la fe en el nostre Senyor Jesucrist, el Senyor de la glòria, respecte a les persones (James 2:1)
How must the church 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.
Antigament, it was normal that a sinning elder confessed his sins and es va penedir before the whole congregation and that he was 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. Many times it is kept a secret.
De vegades, but not always, the sinning elder will be temporarily removed from the office, so that ’the issue’ can appease. But after a short time, the person will be re-ordained again as an elder in the same church or in another church.
A l’article anterior, 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 would like to read it, then you can click on the following link: Què volia dir Pau amb no posar les mans de sobte a ningú??
In the name of false love and grace sin is accepted in the church
Rebuking a sinning elder in public is no longer a formality. It is pushed away under the cloak of amor i gràcia, and solved in a private setting. But this is not the way that God (i Jesús) wants the church to deal with sin.
El body of Christ; the church is one body and not a divided body and should live holy.
The church needs to obey the Head Jesus (la Paraula), en comptes del diable (el governant del món).
Especially the elders and leaders of the church should be spiritually mature, and walk as adult sons of God after the Word and the Spirit and bear the Fruita de l’Esperit.
They should live holy and righteous and be an example to Christians.
They should raise the believers in the Word of God, so that they will become like them, and like Jesus and walk after the Spirit instead of the flesh.
Malauradament, many elders remain carnal. They’re led by the spirit of this world and live just like the world. They approve and accept sin in the church and change the Word of God.
They change the gospel of Jesus Christ and the words of God in the Bible to their own opinion, feelings and the carnal will, luxúries i desitjos, so that the carnal Christians, inclosos ells mateixos, can live like the world, doing what they want and keep walking in sin.
What is the purpose of rebuking sin before all in the church?
When the sin of an elder is exposed in the church and the sinning elder is rebuked before all, and put out of the office, it ensures that:
- Christians keep the fear of the Lord (reverència) and have reverence for God and His Word
- Christians know that God is a righteous God and hates sin and He (i el seu poble) can’t have communion with sin
- The Christians are encouraged and urged to live a holy life and resist sin, and stay obedient to the Word
- Christians remain faithful and are serious about the things of the Kingdom of God and don’t become lazy and lukewarm
- The Church stays despert i vigilant and be conscious of sin and its consequences
- Preventing lukewarmness among Christians
- Gossip and speculations about the matter and the sinning elder will be prevented in the church
An elder should practice what the elder preaches
When a sinning elder remain ordained or will be re-ordained after a short time and falls back into the same sin, will the elder still be credible?
When a sinning elder commands the believers to stay obedient to the Word and 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?
The believers shall have little or no reverence and don’t believe his words let alone apply his words in their lives.
They shall think, “”Ha hear him talking! Telling us what we can’t do, but he does what he commands us not to do.”
Many elders are just like the Pharisees that acted piously in the presence of people. They commanded the people to obey the words of God, but in secret, quan ningú mirava, they disobeyed the words of God.
Tanmateix, Jesús, Qui va ser el primogènit de la nova creació, saw and knew everything by the Spirit. He knew their heart and exposed their heart before the people. Jesus didn’t hide anything and wasn’t secretly, but He exposed evil and va destruir les obres de la foscor.
Jesus still sees and knows everything. A través de l’Esperit Sant, He still exposes what happens in the dark. Jesus 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 elders would think twice before they listened to their flesh and gave in to the will, desires and lusts of their flesh and sin.
They kept a fear of God and respected His Word. They wouldn’t dare to change anything about the words of God and adjust the Word to their desires and lustts.
No one wanted to be ‘humiliated’ in front of the people. 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 rebellion and disobedience to God.
They knew that sin had no place in the church. Because the church represents the righteousness of God and the spiritual authority of el Regne de Déu En aquesta terra.
Christians knew that sin meant obedience to the devil and that sin caused separation between them and God.
In the modern churches of this day, sin is allowed. The sinning elder is not rebuked before the people anymore and because of that the fear of the Lord is almost gone. There is no desire among the people to resist sin and to live a sanctified and holy life in Christ.
Most Christians want to live just like the world and don’t want to give up their own life. They stay carnal and live their own lives after the flesh.
A sinning elder mocks Jesus and damages the Kingdom of God
Many elders and pastors of the church keep living like the world. They live after the flesh instead of the Spirit. The church visitors are not confronted with their sins anymore. They’re not corrected, because many elders and preachers walk in sins themselves. They do what pleases them and focus on themselves and their kingdom. They don’t care about the spiritual well-being of the believers and the Kingdom of God.
Cada cop, when an elder or a preacher commits a sin, he mocks Jesus and defiles the body of Christ. Through his deed of disobedience to God he 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.
Obey Jesus and resist sin
Per això, let us become serious again regarding the Kingdom of God. Hi ha d'haver un desig en cada creient d'obeir Jesús i viure sant i caminar just en la voluntat de Déu.. Perquè el creient l'estima per sobre de tot, el creient guarda els seus manaments.
Resistir els pecats, que vénen per les temptacions del dimoni en la carn. Digues no al pecat, en lloc de convertir-se en un Esclau del pecat.
Jesús va vèncer el pecat mitjançant la seva obra perfecta de redempció. Si tornes a néixer (la teva carn va morir en Crist i el teu esperit ha ressuscitat d'entre els morts) Ets una nova creació. Estàs assegut en Crist i ell et va donar tot el que necessites per resistir el diable i el pecat i manifestar el Regne de Déu a la terra..
Ningú ja no té excusa. Ningú pot culpar a un altre, ni tan sols el diable. Cada cristià és responsable de les seves pròpies accions a la vida i serà responsable el gran dia del judici..
'Sigues la sal de la terra'
