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NASB | 1 Timothy 5:22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Timothy 5:22 Do not hurry to lay hands on anyone [ordaining and approving someone for ministry or an office in the church, or in reinstating expelled offenders], and thereby share in the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. |
Subject: Church discipline? |
Bible Note: You have understood correctly, I think, that those directions are given to ones who have the authority in the church. The evangelist had that role as one who had been sent to the church, to set things right, and to establish it in that community. In himself Timothy was young and timid and Paul had to encourage him to do those things. You might consider that the applicable word in 1 Corinthians 12:28 is the word “Apostle”. An apostle is one who has been sent. We usually reserve that title to the twelve chosen and sent by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 10, etc.). But the term applies to the Lord himself (Hebrews 3) as he had been sent by the Father (John 8, etc). It is also applied to one such as Barnabas (Acts 14). It would apply to ones such as Timothy (2 Timothy 4:5) or Titus (Titus 1:5), who has been sent by Paul. In fact, it may apply to anyone who has been sent out by an established church to preach the Gospel in new territory, as in Romans 10:15. Once the church has been established, the ones responsible for church disciple are the elders. Please note that once they are in place, the evangelist is not to rebuke them but to entreat them (1 Timothy 5). Their position is to be respected. The saints under their authority are to look to them to direct the affairs of the church, and if anything is thought to be amiss, it is to be brought to their attention. As before, the responsibility of the other believers ends there. The elders give account to the Lord (Hebrews 13:7, etc.) who also the one to whom the individual believer may appeal. It bears repeating that things are not always right with the church. Sometimes they are not even structured in such a way as to get things right. Some churches do not even have elders. I pointed out the need to a preacher recently and his response was, “Show me some men who are qualified and I will appoint them“. Sometimes even the evangelist, in seeking to set things right in a church has a difficult time. As Paul warned, the time has come when people do not endure sound doctrine. They do not listen. Do not be surprised if they do not listen to you as their sister. Nevertheless, you must discharge your responsibility. That, we have talked about before. May God give us grace to live right, to live exemplary lives, and to lovingly help those who fall into sin in these days. |