1 Timothy for the life of..

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com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. OK, good evening, everyone, and welcome once again to our Wednesday Bible study. Let's please open up our Bibles to the first letter of Timothy.

The first letter of Timothy, chapter five. First Timothy, chapter five. And now this evening, we're going to be addressing, I hope, by the grace of God, verses 19, 20, and 21. 19, 20, and 21 in chapter 5. And as we did last week, let's read together from verses 17 through verse 25, which is the section that the apostle is giving instructions to Timothy in the role of the elders.

So verse 17 of chapter 5, this is the word of God. Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, You shall know muscle and ox when it treads out the grain, and the laborer deserves his wages. Do not admit a charge against an elder, except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. Do not be hasty in delaying of in the laying of hands, nor take part in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.

So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. Amen. This is the word of God. And as I said, we're going to be addressing verses 19 through 21 that read again, Do not admit a charge against an elder, except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all so that the rest may stand in fear.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. Amen. Brothers and sisters, as I said, in this section that we have just read from verse 17 to verse 25, the Apostle Paul is giving instructions to Timothy in those things that pertain to the role of an elder. instruction, practical instructions that pertain directly to the role of the elder. And somehow, as I was speaking with Brother Bernie before, we can divide this section in three other sections.

The section that speaks about the financial support that some elders will have, which is that which we addressed last week from verse 17 to verse 18, and then church discipline as it is applied to elders that goes from verse 19 to 21 which we are going to be addressing this evening and also the laying on of hands or the ordination of elders that go from verse 22 to the end of the chapter 2 verse 25. So we have the financial support that some elders may receive and also the exercising of church discipline on elders and then the ordination of elders and their purity which is the third section. Now, by the Apostle giving these instructions to Timothy, the things that pertain to the role of the elder, we see, and as we said last week, the importance of the role of the elder within the context of the Church. We've said now many times that the administration of the ministry of the Word of God is of vital importance for the life of the Church. that the Word of God is the pillar upon which the Church is to be built up, and then the elders are those who have been called by God through the Spirit to administer it and to provide the Word of God within the context of the Church.

So that's why there's a direct correlation between the elders and their spiritual health with the spiritual health of the congregation as a whole. something that we could see in the end of chapter 4 when Paul says to Timothy that he's to give himself to doctrine and to protect himself, so by doing so he saves his soul and the souls of those who hear him speaking of the congregation. So the ministry of those who administer the words of God is of vital importance. for the whole congregation and we can see it also in these three aspects now that the apostle is going to give practical instructions to Timothy to his disciple when he pertains to the elders. Last week we addressed the first section which is the financial support that some elders may receive or all elders or an elder or some elders but the financial support that they may receive from the church And something that I wanted you to have clear from the doctrine that comes from scripture is that I wanted us to see those verses in light of the calling, the role, and the honor that elders have by virtue of their office.

that is their calling, their role, and their honor, and the equality of all the elders when it pertains to their calling, to their role, and also to the honor that they deserve because of who they are by their calling of the Holy Spirit. I wanted just to make that very clear that when it comes to the calling of the elders, All the elders have been called to rule and to lead the church. There is no distinction among the elders, some that rule the church, some that lead the church, and some others that do not rule or do not lead the congregation. This is not biblical. All the elders have been called through the ministry of the word to exercise authority on the church and ruling the church, or guiding the church, or leading the church.

such a thing as a senior pastor or as a associate pastor, and these distinctions between sometimes hierarchies of types of pastors, this is not biblical. When it comes to the calling of the elders, all the elders are equal because of their calling. And then because of their role, we said that the role for them is to exercise authority through the preaching and the teaching of the Word. And being able to teach or preach the Word is a requirement of the elders. So when it comes to preaching and teaching the Word, there's also equality among the elders.

All the elders are supposed to be able to teach the Word of God. All the elders are supposed to have the ability to teach or to instruct according to that which is written. So there is equality. Of course, There might be some distinctions in which a brother may be more gifted in a specific area, and then he may teach more on that specific area. Or another brother may be more gifted on a particular area of teaching, and that brother may teach on that particular area of teaching, because that is more beneficial for the church.

But all the elders are equal when it comes to having the gift that it is attached to the role and it is preaching and teaching the word. This is what the apostle was speaking about in the previous verses about this financial support. And the third thing, so not only the calling that they are equal, the role that they are so equal, but also this honor. And honor, abstractly, that respect that all the elders are worthy of to receive is not because of who they are or the things that they know or the things that they do not know, but the honor that they are worthy of is because of the calling and the setting apart of the spirit for this particular ministry. And seeing it in that way, all the elders are worthy of receiving honor from the church.

However, some elders may receive different types of honor, a different form of honor, and that is what financial support is in the previous verses. So we said that providentially, sometimes the Lord may lead the congregation to decide that it is for the benefit of the church that the church is at best by setting apart an elder, some of the elders, or all the elders, to set them apart from the secular activities of laboring and working in the secular world, so that they might give themselves entirely to labor in the preaching and the teaching of the Word. And then when they give themselves entirely, that means that they are not working in the secular world, so then the church is to give them honor through their financial support, that their ministry is not supposed to prevent them from the provision of the physical needs, and that their ministry is worthy or deserves their wages. This is very important. Providentially, the Lord may lead the congregation to make this decision of setting apart an elder, some elders, or all the elders, so that they might give themselves entirely to the laboring in the Word and teach the Word in the congregation.

And therefore, in that sense, they may receive a type of honor that other elders may not receive, and that is financial support. So in that sense, they have a double honor because they have a type of honor that some elders may not have. But when we see honor as a respect, as the respect that the congregation has for the elders, we see this as all the elders being equal and worthy of receiving that honor. I really hope that that distinction between this financial type of honor given to some elders when providentially God decides that for the congregation is clear, especially in times in which because how church is done in which seems to be some hierarchies of importance from a man or a group of men or lesser elders and then deacons and and the congregation there's a type of hierarchy sometimes within the church it seems that those who are on top of this man-made hierarchy are worthy of more honor not only in the sense that they receive money but they're actually worthy of more honor as respect from the congregation and this is not biblical. All the elders are worthy of honor because of their calling and who they are by the Spirit of Christ.

This is very important for us to have. Now, when this is the principle of equality, not only of all the members as the apostle in Galatians 3 and 4 says that by grace or by faith, we are all sons of Abraham, sons of the promise, and then we have put on Jesus Christ, and then we're all one. There is no Jew, no Greek, no slave, no master, no woman, no man. We're all one in Jesus Christ. We're all united, we're all the same in Jesus Christ.

This is the principle of equality of all the members within the context of the church, but also this is the principle that is carried on to the elders, that we are all, all the elders are equal because of their calling. And that principle of equality is very important. It's that which the apostle uses for this second point. So now the second point is going to be church discipline as it is applied or administered to the elders. And in verse 22, or verse 21, he speaks of that principle of equality when it pertains to the administration of church discipline.

So it says, he has spoken in verse 19, do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those elders who persist in sin, rebuke..." So this is the administration of church discipline on elders. "...rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."

Now verse 21, "...in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I charge you to keep these rules so the rules that he has just mentioned those those instructions that he has just mentioned without prejudging doing nothing from partiality doing nothing from partiality, not bias, I think is the word, being impartial, that is. Why? Because all the elders are the same and that means that the role deserves what is subject to the same level of accountability. There's no elders who are superior and have more accountability than others.

All the elders have the same level of accountability before God by the fact that they are elders. And therefore, when church discipline is applied to the elders or to some elders or to an elder, there should not be biased procedures or there should not be partiality. This should be done in partial. And this is very important, brothers and sisters, because there may be among the elders, what they call a first among equals that is the person that may have a role that is more active in teaching or in speaking and sometimes this may produce an unnatural worthiness or an unnatural sense of respect towards this person that puts this person above the others And then when seen, we hope that this does not happen, but when seen is present in that person, then the congregation may fear to implement church discipline, and then they may judge with partiality, or they may judge with not being, or being biased. So they will be able to deal with the scene of a lesser quality or lesser value elder.

But when it comes to the elder who is more preeminent, they may have some fear of actually executing or probably executing with church discipline do not go very well. But, you know, administering administering church discipline on this elder who seems to have a higher level of preeminence in the church because, you know, they speak more, or they teach more, or they spend more time on the pulpit. So it's very important that all elders, because of their calling, are equal, and therefore the level of accountability before the church and God is the same. So when church discipline is going to be applied, there is no partiality this is what paul is saying he's saying to timothy i charge you before god before the lord jesus christ and before the angels that is before heaven as heaven as a witness timothy i charge you that you may do these things without prejudging and without partiality or without being impartial right that you may follow the procedures and that you might apply all of these things this church discipline on the elders when it is required not with fear of men but with fear of god by following his word this is Very important. So now, brothers and sisters, we're dealing now here in this second section, as we have just dealt with the financial support that the church is supposed to provide to some of the elders or to the elders.

Now, in the second section, we're dealing with church discipline as it is applied to the elders. So I want us, first of all, before we go into the passage, to understand basic principles of church discipline that apply to the church, and then we take from those principles, we take them into the text, and then we see what the apostle says about church discipline as it is supposed to be applied to the elders. So generally speaking, beloved brethren, church discipline aims to deal with the presence of sin within the church. Church discipline aims to deal with the presence of sin within the church, and I'm saying presence of sin, and I'm not saying the penalty of sin, that it is the judgment that sin deserves, because the penalty of sin has been completely paid by Jesus Christ upon the cross, praise to Him, right? The penalty of sin has completely paid by the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, church discipline does not deal with the penalty or the ultimate penalty that sin deserves, but rather with the presence of sin within the church that does have consequences within the church, but this is not unto ultimate righteousness. So we distinguish between the righteousness that Christ has accomplished by paying the penalty of our sins and then the righteousness that the individuals and the church are supposed to develop as they are conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. So church discipline aims to deal with the presence of sin in the life of the individual and therefore in the life of the congregation as a whole. deal with sin. Sin is the object of church discipline.

This is what we're trying to deal with. It is with sin because then we know that if we confess our sin that we have an advocate that is seated at the right hand of God and that is Jesus Christ and that he's just and and faithful to forgive and to cleanse us from all over righteousness, that he is able to cleanse us. So we are dealing with the presence of sin so that the person, the individual may become more righteous, not in the sense of obtaining salvation, but becoming more righteous like the Lord Jesus Christ and the congregation as a whole. This is peak of the relationship of the holiness and sanctification of the individual with the holiness and the sanctification of the church. We've mentioned this many times.

The Apostle Paul, in Ephesians chapter 1, he says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ, as He chose us, speaking of people, before the foundation of the world, He chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, for which purpose? To be holy and to be blameless. That is, that the presence of sin in the individual diminishes, diminishes, diminishes, diminishes, diminishes, so that the individual is not a member or is not a slave of unrighteousness, Romans 6, but rather is a slave of righteousness unto life in Jesus Christ, that is blameless and without a spot. And then the apostle speaks with the same exact words, speaking of the purpose of the Christian in Ephesians 1. In Ephesians 5, he speaks of the congregation as a whole.

He says, Husbands, love your wives as Jesus Christ loved the church and gave himself for the church. He died for the church so that he may present her, the church, without blemish or without sport or blameless. Exactly the same two words. Why? Because the purpose of growing in righteousness individually and collectively, it is to growing holiness, and that means that the presence of sin diminishes and diminishes and diminishes individually and corporately.

So, beloved brothers and sisters, church discipline aims to deal with the presence of sin in the individual and therefore in the context of the church. So that objective, which is growing in conformity to Christ and in holiness, collectively that can be accomplished. Church discipline aims to deal with that particular thing, which is sin. That is the general principle. But beloved brethren, now, when we are dealing with sin, we can do it two ways.

We can do it proactively, or then we can just be reactionary when sin is present in the church. So the way that we deal with sin in our lives and the way that we deal with sin in the church is being proactive, that is, before the presence of sin arises or appears in us or in the congregation, and then we can be reactionary, we can react once the sin happens in us or in the congregation. So church discipline, it is the second type that reacts or applies or works when sin is present in the person or in the congregation. But it is our duty to be proactive and to avoid the presence of sin in us and within the congregation. So how are we going to be holy and blameless?

not because we're going to exercise more church discipline, but rather because we're going to prevent more sin. And the way that people prevent sin is by the administration of the Word of God into our lives and into the life of the congregation. We are sanctified by the Word of God. So the more that the Word of God reigns within our hearts individually and as a congregation, the more or the less likely that we will fall in particular sins individually and also congregationally. I feel that I'm speaking very fast today.

It's all good? Okay. We aim to deal with the presence of sin in the life of the person and also in the life of the congregation. Now, beloved brothers and sisters, the way that we do that is by the preaching of the Word that cleanses us, that purifies us, individually and also collectively as a church. The Word of God is that what prevents the existence or the coming of sin that feels as...

Think about this. Sin is a transgression of the law, right? This is what the Bible says. Sin is a transgression of the law. So sin is a transgression of the commandments of God.

Sin is a transgression, if you want, of the righteousness of God, of the righteous standard of God. And the righteous standard of God has been given in His Word. So if sin is a transgression of the righteousness of God, or the statues of God or the words of God. So the more that we know and that we live in the words of God, the less that this is going to be transgressed by sin, that is, individually and also corporately. That's why this is the preventive way that we avoid the presence of sin individually and also corporately.

But But we never obtain sinless perfection. There is a remnant of sin individually, and because the Church is integrated, the members of the Church are people, then sin is going to be present in the Church. So there is going to be times in which the Church has to perform or has to do church discipline because now sin is present and has been identified so when the church discipline is going to be executed or is going to be performed This church discipline always, beloved brethren, it has at least these two objectives. So we try to be proactive by living in the words of God, but sometimes we're going to sin within the context of the congregation, so we go to church discipline. But church discipline always aims initially to first restore the one who has sinned.

So there's a person who is sinning and is in a state of sin, and the church discipline aims to restore that person from a state of sin to a state of repented sin. Because repentance, it is a God-given grace. We cannot repent on our own. God opens our eyes to our unrighteousness, and then we agree with God, and then we say, we've done wrong. So God convicts us through His Spirit of our sin, and He brings us to a godly repentance, and this is a retribution or a restitution of the sin that we have committed.

This is the glorious thing of the Gospel. that if we confess our sins first john chapter one before starting chapter two that if we confess our sins that we have this advocate jesus christ and he is just and faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness so then confession of sin that is conviction of sin acknowledging our sin gives us forgiveness in the gospel and that is the restitution of that so Church discipline aims to bring a person who is in a state of sin into a state of repented sin, and then that sin has been dealt with when it comes from that aspect. Of course, sin will have consequences. Each sin will have certain consequences. But then, Godly God-given Spirit-produced Scripture-based blood-bought repentance in the heart of a person It is that which restitutes that person, if you understand what I mean, brings that person from sin to a state of repentant sin.

So the aim of church discipline is always to restore our brother or our sister who is or has committed sin, to restore that situation. But if restoration cannot happen, And because the objective of the individual and of the church is to be holy and blameless, then the second objective of church discipline is to purify the church. Why? So if a sinner does not come from sin to repentance, but rather remains in unrepentant sin, I'm speaking of a brother or sister, that means that within the church there's going to be unrepentant sin, and the church has to deal with that. taking into consideration that the most important thing, collectively speaking, is that we remain pure and holy and walking towards this blamelessness or this being without a spot as a congregation.

And therefore, the Church is to purify herself by removing the unrepentant sinner from the middle or from among the members of the Church. So, church discipline aims to restore initially, but when restoration cannot happen, then the church discipline aims, or what it does is that purifies the church by removing that person from the context of the church. I want us to see that from Matthew 18, which is the traditional passage that we use for church discipline. So I want you to see here in Matthew 18, verse 15. So I want us to see those two things that church discipline aims.

That is the restitution. You understand what I mean by restitution, right? The restoring, the restoring of the sinner. or the purification of the church by the removing of the person who has committed sin so now we go to a Matthew 18 verse 15 it says if your brother now we know that this is happening within the context of the church our brother in the faith now very important thing sins against you church discipline i said in the beginning aims to deal with the presence of sin within the church. So sin is defined by the words of God as a transgression of the law.

So here we are dealing with sin and not with a personal offense. This is very important to understand. We said, if your brother sins against you, that means that the standard of righteousness that has been broken is not my personal preferences on how things should be done, but rather is a sin that clearly transgresses the law of God. This is very important because we are filled with preferences. And sometimes, you know, this is legalism when we make our preferences ordinances for men and we submit men to follow what we think they should be doing.

These are the precepts of men that men sometimes convert into law of God and they are not. A sin is that which clearly transgresses the law of God and therefore is not a personal preference. This is very important, beloved brothers and sisters, because our preferences, our personal preferences are going to be broken many times, even by our brothers or by our sisters within the context of the church. But the fact that some of the things that we prefer should happen do not happen does not necessarily mean that they are sinning against us. And the line there is sometimes difficult to differentiate, but the standard here is sin, and sin is clearly defined by the words of God.

So that means that if a brother has sinned against us, that means that we can clearly point to the word of God and say, this brother has broken this commandment and has sinned against me because of what is written. So it says, if your brother sins against you, the first thing it says, you go and tell him his fault. Now, brothers and sisters, for a person to go to another and to charge that person of sinning against yourself, that means that this person has reached absolute certainty that this brother has indeed sinned against me or against you. So that means that you have absolute certainty that it is not that you think, because you're not bringing charges if you simply think, if you simply believe, if it's just an assumption, if you don't have clarity about it. You bring a charge of sinning against another person because to the best of your ability, to the best of your understanding of the words of God and the circumstances, then you know that this brother or this other person has sinned against you.

If you do not have absolute certainty and the situation is unclear, then what you are supposed to do is simply just to speak to bring clarity to the situation and not bring a charge of sin. Right? We don't do that. So then you go and tell him his fault and it says between you and him, Allah. So this is just bringing this charge of sin.

Now, see here the purpose of restoration. If he listens to you, that is, if he agrees with your judgment, if he agrees with your discernment, if you agree with your exhortation or with your charge, If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. That is, you have restored your brother. Because if the brother agrees with the charge of sin, that means that this person has been convicted of that sin by the Spirit, and therefore the situation is solved. And I love, brothers and sisters, that the main thing about church discipline or dealing with sin, it is not about appeasing myself, the one who was offended, but it's rather dealing with sin.

is dealing with sin in the midst of the congregation. That means that when an offense is committed against me or when an offense is committed against you and it's a sin, our main concern, it is not so that I'm going to be restored and they are going to ask for forgiveness or they're going to say something to me, but rather that sin is dealt with within the context of the church. So that means, brothers and sisters, that we are concerned not so much for what has happened to me, but rather that my brother is in sin. That is love. Because you are concerned not about I was offended, not about my emotions were affected because of what she did or what he did, but rather now I know that my brother and sister is in sin and I don't want to see him or her in sin.

I care about his or her holiness. I care about his righteousness, his conformity to Christ or her conformity to Christ. And I'm dealing with this situation, weeping in my heart, weeping. Why? Because my brother and my sister not only has offended me, but is in sin.

So that restoration is just by the conviction and the repentance of that person. So that then when that person listens to the other, that person can say, praise God. God has given you a conviction of sin, and now this sin is dealt with. So this is the principle there, the first one. Verse 16, but if he does not listen, that is, if he does not agree with the charge of sin, if he does not acknowledge that he's in sin, take one or two others along with you that every charge might be established by the evidence or two or three witnesses.

So you can see the same wording that the Apostle Paul is using when he's writing to Timothy, bringing this charge against the elder in the presence of two or three witnesses. He says, but if he doesn't listen, take one or two other along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence or two or three witnesses. Now think about it. So if the brother does not listen, then you are so sure that this is sin that you can present this situation to other two or three people and these other two or three people are going to agree with you that this brother is in sin. So they are not going to say perhaps but they are going to agree with you that this person is in sin to the point that they will come with you as witnesses to you know, like to presence the situation or to witness the situation there, that you're confronting the other person with the charge of sin.

And then he says, he continues, if he refuses to listen to them, he doesn't say to you, but he says to them, the ones that are coming as witnesses, because they're also bringing the charge, tell it to the church. So you're bringing from individual to two or three witnesses, and then you're bringing it to the church as a whole. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, so that is, if restoration is not possible, if this brother or sister does not listen, if this brother or sister does not repent of their sin, then the church let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. That is, let him be a Gentile, like an unsaved person, like a person who is not in the spirit but who is in the flesh. away from the church, so remove him or her from the presence of the church.

Why? Because remember that now we're dealing with the main concerns of the body, which is to keep holiness for the whole body, and then there's a person who two, three witnesses acknowledge that this person is in sin, and then this sin remains within the congregation, so remove that person. First purpose to restore, second purpose then to purify if restoration is not possible because repentance has not been given by the Spirit. We see, brothers and sisters, an example of this removal of a person from the context of the Church in 1 Corinthians 5. You might see this, you might remember this in 1 Corinthians 5 if you go there.

There's a clear example of the application of Church discipline When restoration has not been possible, then there is an example of a person in the vocabulary of the Apostle Paul being handed over to Satan. 1 Corinthians chapter 5. 1 Corinthians chapter 5. Brother James, would you please help me reading this from verse 1 to verse 5. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans.

For a man has his father's wife, and you are arrogant. Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you, For though absent in body, I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. Very good.

Thank you, brother. So in this church at Corinth, there was sexual immorality that is of a kind that is not even tolerated among the pagans. A man had his father's wife that you call it incest, right? Incest. So incest was happening within the context of the church, and then he said, let him who has done this be removed from among you.

Be removed. That person was in sin, and that person is to be removed from among you. And the vocabulary that the apostle uses in verse 5 is, you are to deliver, that is the removing of that person, you are to deliver this man to Satan. for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord." So there is a sense in which the church is a place where the presence of Satan has no power, and then that which is outside of the church is the ruling of Satan.

So the giving or the removing a person from the context of the church, spiritually speaking, is giving or handing over that person to the power of Satan, and that that person might be destroyed by Satan in the flesh, And then sometimes that brings repentance onto that person. It seems that the person who committed that sin was then restored in 2 Corinthians chapter 2, that this person came to repentance and that the person then was restored into the church. So the excommunication or the a shunning, I think you say, right? Shunning? The shunning of taking outside of the church.

Sometimes it's not only with the purpose of the purification of the church, but also I say mercy to that person because that person being outside of the church, that person is going to be brought to tribulations and sorrows and oppression. And then the Lord may restore that person into repentance. And then that person has to be received again into the context of the church. Church discipline is with the purpose of restoring a person from a state of sin to a state of repented sin, and that's how the church deals with sin. But if that person does not move from sin to repented sin, then the church is to remove that person from the context of the church, so that, as he will say later, there will not be leaven in the lamp.

There will not be little dirty things within the church, and then the church can continue her walk towards holiness. Those are the principles of church discipline, brothers and sisters, and those principles are the principles that apply, generally speaking, to the elders. Those are the principles that apply to the elders. Now, because the elders have been called to a role within the church that is of high importance, that is the ministry and that is the administration of the Word of God, then their judgment is going to be more strict. Those who desire to teach will have a stricter judgment.

So that means that the consequences, beloved brethren, the consequences of sin in an elder will produce more strict consequences than those who are not elders within the church. You can see that principle. I don't want to do it from my mouth, but go to James chapter three. James chapter 3, verse 1. It says, not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach, who does teach in the church?

The elders, right? We who teach will be judged with greater strictness. And then he speaks about the tongue and about all the sins of the tongue and so on and so on, because, you know, teachers are the ones that speak. So there is a greater accountability if you want in the ones that have been called to minister the Word of God. Why?

Not because sin takes another nature for the elders, but rather because what is at stake for an elder is not only their standing within the church, but also their role. So, think about this. The consequences of sin for a member of the church may be that that person is removed from the church. Those are the consequences. These are the greatest consequences of sin and repentance in a person.

But the consequence of sin for an elder is not only that he will be removed from the church, but also that he will be disqualified as an elder. because he has greater accountability because of his role. So then, when a person who is not an elder is removed from the church, that person, it is taken outside of the church. But when an elder has committed a sin, an unrepentant sin, that person is not only removed from the church, but of course, that person is also removed from the eldership and is disqualified as an elder. So there is a greater accountability.

There is a greater strictness, if you want, for the sins that elders can commit. And the seriousness of the sin that an elder can commit within the context of the church, we can see it in the verse that we have in First Timothy in at least two aspects. So let's go back to First Timothy. So in First Timothy, we can see the seriousness of the sin that an elder can commit in two things. The first thing is in the bringing of the charge against the elder, that is in the accusation that a person will do against the elder, that is the first thing we can see the seriousness of the sin in an elder in the in the way or in how it is brought to him or how the accusation is brought to to of the elder and second in the things that proceed that bringing of the accusation or the actions that are taken after the accusation has been brought in verse 19 it says do not admit a charge against an elder it says do not admit that is do not receive and the word there is so is very strong to the fact to the point that says do not even conceive in your mind do not admit do not receive I charge against an elder why because this is very serious because the consequences of bringing a charge against an elder It has serious consequences.

So if the person that was bringing a charge against another brother of a sin, this person had to be completely sure of the accusation that was going to be made against that person. So then there's more seriousness here because of the consequences of what can happen. So he says, do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. that it is that two or three people have to agree that this charge is going to be brought against that person A charge, if a charge is going to be brought about an elder that does not have two or three witnesses you should not receive it nor admit it Because this is breaking biblical principles. You or we should never receive a charge against an elder, not even conceiving in our mind, not even accept it or perceive it or receive it in us.

That is not done following these principles that we have here. That speaks of the seriousness of the charge that is brought against an elder. Why? Because the consequences of bringing this charge, it is not only that the elder may be removed if he does not repent, but also the consequences may be that he may lose his role or his office as an elder. He may be disqualified.

And this is a serious matter not only for the elder, but also for the church. So two or three witnesses are required to be present in the charge that is being brought against the elder. Pay attention how the apostle could have taken the procedure that was contained in Matthew 18, in which only that person will come against the elder and say, you know, I have this sin that you have committed against me, and then that person will bring the charge against the elder. but it seems here that two or three witnesses are required to bring a charge against the other probably because the sin is not only a sin that has committed against a person but probably because the sin has been committed against the faith or against the church or against more than a particular person but the apostle jumps that indifference to Matthew 18 and he takes it to taking two or three witnesses because of the seriousness of the matter and then he tells us what we are supposed to do. He says, verse 20, As for those elders, we're talking about elders here, so do not bring a charge against an elder except on the evidence or two or three witnesses.

As for those elders who persist in sin, that is, those who do not repent of sin, those who do not change their mind of the thing that they've done, rebuke them in the presence of all. Now the question is, who are they all? Some people say that this is all the other elders, but there is no reason to think that this is all the other elders. But rather, this is similar speaking to what is in Matthew 18, that after two or three witnesses, we bring it to the church. This all, it is all the congregation that the rebuke against the unrepentant sin of the elder is to be presented in front of all the congregation and look at what it says there it says so that the rest who is the rest that the rest may stand in fear that is remember before i said who that is probably you know who that is but remember what happens in acts chapter 5 remember acts chapter 5 Ananias and Sapphira.

that they were sinning, that they were lying not only against the apostles, but also they were lying to the spirit of God. And then the the spirit of God and God himself in teaching the church, you know how these things should be handled in a miraculous way. He is going to actually apply judgment, righteous judgment upon these people who were lying about the offerings, about selling the property. He will administer judgment upon these people and then these people will be their life will be taken. That was the judgment that was applied on them.

And then it says, and the rest of the church had fear of the things that were happening. So judgment was applied so that others will see the consequences of sin and therefore have reverence of what it pertains or what involves breaking the law. So then here, when it says the rest is not only the rest of the congregation, but rather the rest of the elders. that the rest of the elders may see the consequences that unrepentant sin may have upon the person, the elder who did not repent or who did not listen and continue in that particular sin. And this rebuke, brothers and sisters, can end up in the excommunication of the elder, the disqualification of the elder, and then the excommunication of the elder.

You might remember in chapter 1, when the apostle speaks of Hymenaeus and Alexander, remember? Hymenaeus and Alexander in chapter 1, verse 20, I think, just before the beginning of the second chapter. These were supposed to be teachers of the law who desire to be teachers of the law, not knowing what they say nor the things which they affirm. And then Paul identified them as false teachers. A false teacher is a great sin.

And an unrepentant false teacher, then Paul says, I handed over to Satan, that is the same vocabulary of 1 Corinthians 5, I removed them from the congregation. That is, if they were elders, they were not only removed as members of the church, but they also were taking all of their role as elders was also taken and this qualify now brothers and sisters there may be times and given examples here it is not wise because sin has to be dealt according to the circumstances of that particular sin and that particular person in the context of that particular church so given examples is not very useful in this type of things in this type of conversations or in this type of meditations that we have upon the word of God but there may be type of sins that they may disqualify an elder but not necessarily remove him from the congregation of the church. So there may be types of sin that even the brother can repent of those sins but then this brother by repenting of those sins is not making any restitution that they might disqualify him and sometimes for life of the office of an elder so that he can remain within the context of the church. The sin is forgiven. The church receives the brother in love But the sin that he has committed has now violated the principles and the requirements that are found in 1 Timothy chapter 3.

And therefore, this person is not qualified anymore to be an elder. He can sit under the preaching of the word, but he cannot continue as an elder. And then the church is to receive that brother and to encourage that brother. And then this brother will sit under the preaching of the word to grow in conformity to Christ. And then the Lord has purified his church by taking these men from this role and also making this scene visible within the congregation.

So he says, so that the rest, the other elders, may stand in fear. So just as we grow in reverence of the judgments of God when we meditate upon the words of God, We also grow in fear when, by the providence of God, sins are committed by others and judgment is brought by others. And then we see that judgment and this produces reverent fear in us. And then we say, Lord, There's actually no difference between Him and me apart from your grace. So please sustain me because you are the one that keeps me.

Here we can see an example of this application of church discipline on an elder with the purpose of dealing with the presence of sin. So now there is an example of this type of dealings within the congregation. and I didn't know if I was going to read it because there's a couple of things that I don't understand but now I have said it so I have to read it it is found in Galatians chapter 2 Galatians chapter 2 in Galatians chapter 2 you might remember the exhortation or the calling the confrontation of the Apostle Paul to the Apostle Peter. So the Apostle Paul to the Apostle Peter. OK, so Jacob or James had sent certain men to Antioch, and one of those men, Peter was there, he was visiting, and then Jacob or James had sent certain men to visit the church in Antioch And then Peter does something that deserves Paul's confrontation, open confrontation.

And that's what we find in verse 11 of chapter 2. Let's read what happens there. It says, But when Cephas, that is, Peter, came to Antioch, this is a church different to Jerusalem, this is another church, I opposed him to his face. This is Paul. I opposed him to his face.

because he stood condemned. Now, brothers and sisters, this is Paul, the apostle who calls himself to be an abortive. because he was an apostle after the 12 apostles, right? He's calling Peter, the one who was with the Lord more time than him, the one who is called a rock for the church. And that even I think before this, he calls him a pillar with James, the pillars of the church.

He says, He stood condemned, verse 12, for before certain men came from James, that were sent from James, he was eating with the Gentiles. But when they came, these men from Jerusalem, he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. That is, that he had fear of men. Before they came, he was eating with the Gentiles, normal. But then, when the people, with these men from the church of Jerusalem, who had certain problems about, or certain things about certain foods, when they came, the presence of these men produced fear of men in Peter.

And then he refrained from eating. And then verse 13, And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically. along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. This is Peter and the scene is being a hypocrite. Why?

Because he was acting in a particular way before these people came. And then when these people came, he changed his behavior entirely. Verse 14. But when I saw that their conduct was not in a step with the truth of the gospel, His conduct was not in accordance, was not in step with the truth of the gospel. I said to Cephas, that is, Peter, before them, All.

That is, He exposed Him in front of the congregation, in front of everyone. If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews? He was committing the sin of being a hypocrite. And actually, brothers and sisters, it is not as simple as he was not eating certain foods. Because what he was communicating was that the keeping of the law was important when they had already said that justification of the righteousness is not by the keeping of the law.

And then he was imposing, he was carrying by his open sin other people to act in the same way. So he was affecting the doctrine of the truth of the gospel and the congregation as a whole. So he was sinning against the church as a whole. Remember that he was in Jerusalem. He was kind of like a person who was just visiting Antioch.

And then he was acting in this way in this congregation. So Paul comes and applies this. He exhorts him. He confronts him in front of everyone. Now, there are a couple of things that I don't understand from the passage, but the only thing that I want to point, beloved brethren, is that all the elders, because of their calling, are equally accountable before God, and we are not to exercise church discipline with partiality or prejudging because of type of people or because of preeminence that they may have within the context of the church.

If Paul had the courage to expose the sin of Peter, then for the benefit of the church, we are to walk in unity according to what is written. And even though it is painful for the members and for the elders, when church discipline has to be applied, That's with the purpose of restoration because we know that Peter was restored, right? He probably, of course, he did, you know, like he repented of the sin because then he wrote a letter and then he continued as an elder. He calms himself an elder in First Peter chapter five for the restoration of the person, but also and mainly for the purity of the congregation as a whole, so that holiness Sanctification. Brothers and sisters, please pay attention to this.

Holiness. Sanctification. Righteousness. Not legal righteousness, because Christ has accomplished that on our behalf. But righteousness.

Practical righteousness. Or as some people would say, imparted righteousness. The righteousness that we live. That righteousness is very important for the congregation. And then that means that the sin that other brother or sister might commit, it is also our business.

It should be also our concern, not with the desire to point a finger and say you're a sinner, but rather because within our heart we weep and we concern because of the sin that others are committing, because we care about their conformity to Christ and we care for the protection of the Church. That's church discipline. May the Lord give us grace. Amen.