1 Timothy 5:24
24 Some [tis] men's [anthropos] sins [hamartia] are [eisi] open beforehand, [prodelos] going before [proago] to [eis] judgment; [krisis] and [de] [kai] some [tis] men they follow after. [epakoloutheo] KJV-Interlinear
24 The sins of some men are quite
evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. NASB
Our context is the
evaluation for possible appointment of elders, teachers of the Word of God. Paul instructs Timothy to not be too hasty in
making his selections. To investigate and get to know thoroughly those who
would be candidates for the ministry, or any other possible position within the
Church.
The judgment here
refers to the evaluation of candidates and the decisions reached, for positions
in the ministry or other purposes in society.
One does not have to
toe the line of asceticism in order to be a pure and noble person. Paul has already told
Timothy that he could and should take small portions of wine, to help his
stomach ailments, as well as other medicinal treatments to help other ailments. These things do not hinder nor negate ones lifestyle in Christianity.
And in this verse, Paul
tells us that when we evaluate people, for whatever purpose we might have, we will
find those who are obviously (open beforehand) not fit for the purpose, and in
that regard they are easily rejected.
However, there will be
those candidates whose disqualifications are not so obvious, and in that
regard, investigations and evaluations are to proceed slowly and purposefully
in order to discover what truth exists in their personality and attitude.
The church is to perform
these evaluations, in order to recruit and promote the best qualified people for
the ministry.The success of the Church
depends on qualified, objective, and thorough ministers to teach students
successfully.
However, this principle
of evaluation is not limited to just ministers.
It likewise applies to employers when hiring employees, to men and women
when dating and considering someone for marriage, to people when meeting others
for friendships.
We do not look at
everyone with suspicion, but we certainly do not go into a relationship with
our eyes closed.Common sense and
patience, should dictate, or play a big role in how we approach professional or
social relationships in life.
This is not a perfect
world, and bad decisions are bound to occur, but with patience and objective
knowledge gathered concerning someone, then we discover the best possible
candidate for success, and we limit the possibilities for failure.
Feel Free to make a comment about
this study:Comment Page
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 |
