with Elder Elico Manenji
✝️In this chapter the Apostle Paul gives proper ways and method of admonition when others err.
The elders should not be rebuked publicly unless under the witness of two or three witnesses, the older men should be treated as fathers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters.
This is good for the reason that an aged man should be entreated as a father, younger of maintaining pure thoughts and feelings for them as sisters.
The Apostle also gave instructions in respect the proper treatment of widows,he says proper widows should be above the age of sixty years and should be treated with honor and respect.
Those who were true widows were to be regarded with honor and respect.
Those who are below the age of sixty should be encouraged to marry and have children.
The young widows, especially those that had several marriages were to marry again or they maybe idle and be tempted by the devil to commit mischief in the church.
It was better for them to marry than to commit sin. The Apostle says, it is the duty of the individual members of the church to sustain helpless and dependent widows in the Church.
The Apostle encourages Timothy to take extra care for his health and also not to rush newly converted people into the duty of sacred office.
1️⃣1 Timothy 5:1-16: Directions to admonish the elderly and the widows.
⏹️When people walk not according to the profession of their faith, it is necessary to correct their behaviour. But when the elderly are also caught in the wrong, the minister of the gospel should not assume a harsh, dictatorial and denunciatory manner against the aged. Though they maybe rebuked, they should be treated as fathers and the younger men as brothers.
The Revelator say, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelation 3:19).
⏭️Older women should be treated as mothers and younger women as sisters, those who are true widows should be above sixty years whilst those below this age should be encouraged to marry and have a family.
Ruth said, "Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons"(Ruth 1:12).
⏫The Church should be filled with love towards the brethren should be conspicuous in every word of reproof, not anger, nor hatred, nor suspicion but love for other for we are all brothers in Christ.
The Apostle Paul says, "Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another" (Romans 12:10).
⏹️The Apostle puts home responsibilities as sacred appointment as given by God. The Apostle state that those who fail in keep these home responsibilities have denied the faith and are worse than infidels.
The wiseman says, "There is a generation that curses their father, and does not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men" (Proverbs 30:11-14).
⏭️Our usefulness and welfare in society depends upon our staying in just the place that God has put us whether in Church or family so we can occupy.
For more compactness of our relations, we are gathered in smaller circles of the home or church groups as fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives so that social purity may prevail amongst us so that evil intentions are driven away from us.
The patriarch Job says, "With us are both the gray headed and very aged men, much elder than your father"(Job 15:10).
"I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom" (Job 32:7).
⏭️In both Church and community life people want to live in pleasure, there are there are pleasures in sin and pleasures in holiness but whoever lives in sinful pleasure is already dead whilst they live.
The Apostle James says, "You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; you have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter" (James 5:5).
⏭️In order for younger widows to live a clean life they should be encouraged to accept home responsibilities and marry, raise a family so they may escape the sinful pleasures.
The Apostle says, "For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts"(2 Timothy 3:6).
2️⃣1 Timothy 5:19-25: Discipline should not be rushed on erring members and ordination of new members should taken cautiously.
⏹️Pertaining Church life and relationships, the elders _(presbuteros)_ should be counted for double honor and respect, but if there be a sin mentioned amongst them, it should be rebuked without fear or mincing words to please fastidious ears, there should be no desire to smother up iniquity for in doing so the Church will remain responsible of the blood of erring one if they perish in the iniquity.
The Apostle says, "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear"(1 Timothy 5:20).
⏹️The elders _(presbuteros or
presbyter),_ especially those among them who labored in the word and doctrine and have given up most of their time to the business of the office of a bishop and gospel minister are worthy special honor and respect and a higher compensation.
The Lord's admonition is that, "You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the corn"
(Deuteronomy 25:4).
⏭️For the sake of health of the body and the cause of temperance, Timothy was undoubtedly in the habit of abstaining wholly from the use of wine. But the Apostle Paul here encourages him to take a little wine for the sake of his stomach problems. He was not to be an abuser of strong drink but a little wine was for him to that he might restore and preserve his health. The Psalmist says for health sake there is, *"And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart"(Psalm 104:15).*
⏫This has no danger of disgracing his sacred profession by the debasing and demoralizing sin of intemperance and intoxicating wine. The wiseman says *, " Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whoever is deceived thereby is not wise"(Proverbs 20:1).*
*🅰️Appeal*
The work of ministers should consist principally of two things, that is ruling well and labouring in the word and doctrine.
God has provided for their care both under the old dispensation of the law of sacrifices and now under the gospel that the ministry should not be starved, He has taken care that His ministers are to be well provided for as they deal well with the work of helping to save mankind as they point others to Christ.
God has comfortable appointed the subsistence of ministers as those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel, no other occupation should they render except to the gospel ministry.
The Apostle says, "Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:14). Amen!!!
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704).
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