UBF Daily Bread

DO NOTHING OUT OF FAVORITISM

Passage: 1Timothy 5:17~25

Key verse: 21

¹⁷The elders^(A) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,^(B) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[a]^(C) and “The worker deserves his wages.”^[b]^(D) ¹⁹Do not entertain an accusation against an elder^(E) unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.^(F) ²⁰But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove^(G) before everyone, so that the others may take warning.^(H) ²¹I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus^(I) and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

²²Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands,^(J) and do not share in the sins of others.^(K) Keep yourself pure.^(L)

²³Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine^(M) because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

²⁴The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

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Footnotes

1 Timothy 5:18 Deut. 25:4
1 Timothy 5:18 Luke 10:7

1. Elders are worthy of honor (17-20)

Shepherds who devote their full time to preaching and teaching have a right to receive material support. The Bible says that even the ox who treads the grain to remove the husks has a right to eat some of the grain. There are always jealous people seeking to find fault with the leaders. If a leader is accused of some sin, we should ignore the accusation unless there are two or three witnesses. However, leaders who betray their trust should be rebuked publicly.

2. Keep yourself pure (21-25)

A leader should be strict with himself and generous with others. He should be impartial in rebuking and impartial in giving help. He is not the final judge. Each person's sin will either go before him or follow after to the place of judgment. Good deeds will also ultimately be known to all. Timothy evidently had a stomach problem, so Paul, not a legalist, admonishes him to take a little medicinal wine.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be strict with myself and generous with others. Help me to have a pure heart and to do nothing out of false motives.

One Word: Don't show favoritism