1 Timothy 5

In this passage, the Holy Spirit teaches us through Pal about the roles and relationships that are good and proper in the church. These are things we should have learned growing up, but many of us missed the lesson, or weren't taught properly, or just drift from what we know is right.

So, once again, God's Word provides the standard by which we can measure what is true and right and how we are doing. This reminds me of Isaiah 40:8 - "The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of God stands forever". We move and we shift and our understanding fades, but God's Word is stable, steadfast, unmoving and always provides us the way back to true and right understanding. As we are preparing to go to India and teach church-planters (many of whom will demonstrate more passion for the gospel than us as teachers), I'm struck by the simplicity of God's Word and what He calls us to, and how the Basic Gospel has all we need to live lives that are good and honorable and true. We just need to keep coming back (Psalm 42:1) to be refreshed and realigned.

Back to the passage .... Paul gives us the prescription for healthy relationships and roles in the church, which he pictures as a family much wider than our biological family. If, as men and women, we could just apply the first verse, we could solve so many broken and messed up relationships within the church. He basically says:

Honor older men as your father
Honor younger men as your brother
Honor older women as your mother
Honor younger women as your sister

How simple. If we get right relationships in the family, we would treat all of our church family with respect, with dignity and with honor. Abuse, neglect, illicit relationships, disrespect - all of these are incompatible with the simple concept of honor. In this regard, we could learn much from other cultures which have retained this concept of honor. When he calls us in verse 8 to care for our own (in our immediate families as well as in the church), he equates that to the essence of faith. John writes in I John 4, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen."

Paul further discusses how the church should serve those who are left without immediate family, widows. Again, the operative word is honor. And it goes both ways - he calls us to make our family relationships work first. How many times have I counseled someone whose life would be so much different if they could simply honor (or even reconnect with) their parents. God intended that relationship to be life-giving (Ephesians 6:2), but we leave it behind like the prodigal son and look for something "better". I would encourage you today, repair, restore, return to that relationship if you can; God will use that humility to bring healing to your life.

One key take-away for me, is Paul's direction that, in distress, we should "fix our hope on God and continue in prayer" day and night, if necessary. This is the way of humility, this is the way of dependence, this is the way of grace. If you are in need, turn to the God who bring hope and grace, and return to family relationships among those who love you.

Paul then turns to the leadership roles in the church. Grant honor (that word again) to those who lead well, especially those who preach and teach (a heavy responsibility). Support them, bless them, grace them, honor them, uphold them. When they sin, he calls us to honor their position by the way in which we confront them, ensuring it is done in such a way as to serve the rest of the family as well (as you would a brother or father - with grace, clarity, truth, honor, fear).

In closing, we get a few tips from Paul concerning leadership selection, a health tip and the visible vs. hidden sins. For the first and last, he warns us to make our leadership choices well, not hastily, not based on external observation only. As men and women, we are good at hiding our issues. I don't know about you, but I pretty well know the issues of my 5 siblings. Having spent 18 years growing up living in the same home together, it is hard to hide them. They know my issues just as well! My wife knows my issues even more clearly as we approach 28 years together. Unless we engage in real family relationships with each other, we can easily hide who we are and what we struggle with. We can keep our sins hidden (protected), and thus, they fester and grow and eventually take over. I would urge you, before you take Paul's health tip, take his (implied) family tip. Join a family; get in a small group; be vulnerable; do life-on-life with someone. If you persist and are willing to be honest, you will find it an opportunity to give and receive honor. God the Spirit will use it to open up your life to others and you will be amazed at how He works out His design for the family of believers to be an honoring, grace-giving, and life-giving community.

TOM ALBERS | Elder Chairman

Tom committed his life to Christ as a junior in high school in 1975. After moving to Austin in 1995, Tom and Cindy attended Hill Country Bible Church in Cedar Park before becoming part of the HCBC Pflugerville and Hutto Bible church plants. Tom serves as a Small Group Leader and in Youth ministry and in other ministry oversight roles. Tom and Cindy were married in 1986 and are parents to Will, Emily, Clare, Hannah and Nathan and grandparents to Owen.