1 Timothy 5:20
20 Them that sin [hamartano] rebuke [elegcho] before [enopion] all, [pas] that [hina] others [loipoy] also [kai] may [echo] fear. [phobos] KJV-Interlinear
20 Those who continue in sin,
rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful of sinning.
NASB
People in leadership
roles, are held to a higher standard than people who are not in leadership
roles.
Those leaders or would
be leaders, if they are allowed to sin and to continue sinning with impunity,
become a disgrace not only to themselves, but to the office in which they
serve.
When an office is
disgraced and allowed to continue in disgrace, then its credibility and
authority become null, and people tend to not recognize it, to disregard it and
its occupant.An office that has no
authority or respect, has no value, and becomes less dependable and trustworthy
to those who view it.
There are many examples
of offices with this kind of disgrace.
Journalism is generally looked down upon as being deceitful, twisting
stories or leaving out information.Politicians have for a long time been held in low esteem because of
corruption and various shenanigans that they try to pull. Celebrities are generally viewed with regard
to their success or popularity, but receive little respect for their
reputation.
And these are just
examples of course.There are many folks
that do honor to their office.
However, Paul is
referring to the office of Bible teacher, or elder, and in that office, the
highest of standards must be followed, because the content of what is being
taught has an eternal impact on those who hear (or reject) the teaching.
If the office is
disgraced, then many will not even listen.
And history is not without examples of pastors or priests that have
been, shall we say, far less than honorable.
What with the many scandals and lewd activities that some have pursued.
And now we come to the handling
of these sins or violations of the office.
Anyone can lodge a
complaint, but not anyone can investigate or follow up on it. It is left to the church authorities or legal
authorities for conducting investigations and pursuing whatever action is
appropriate against a violating pastor.
And if the complaint is
valid, then the pastor or one who is causing the
violation, is to be prosecuted in the appropriate manner.
To be rebuked publically,
does not mean verbal abuse, or verbal reprimand in public. This means to be prosecuted in accordance with
due process.
If the violation is a
crime, then the accused is placed on trial in a court of law. If the violation is a sin of morality of some
sort, then the church by-laws and procedures for reprimand, suspension,
removal, or whatever, need to be followed.
The congregation, the
public, the group whatever it may be made up of, does not have a vigilante right,
nor a gossip right, etc. But they do have the right to be informed of
the legal or violation proceedings, and results.
To turn a blind eye to
violations in covering up, or covering for, someone who causes such violations,
always leads to greater distrust and a lack of confidence in the eyes of the
congregation or audience.
The reputation of the
office is far more important than the reputation of the one who occupies it.
If you
are a Facebook member, then please join the Bible Study Group that best suits
you:
Two subscription options to receive these daily studies everyday via e-mail, are available here.
Previous Page
|
Table of Contents
|
Next Page |
