The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Timothy 5:19-20,
"Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning."
Elders are to be "above reproach", 3:2, so how is it they may become ensnared in sin? Why would Paul provide instructions for an occasion that an elder might sin?
I suspect many of us have run into those within a fellowship with stature as an elder, a pastor, the leader of some ministry, etc. who tend to reflect an attitude that might be viewed as something of a "spiritual superiority", beyond the shortcomings, weaknesses and frailties the rest of us may struggle with from time to time. Is that possibly an unwarranted confidence? On the other hand, I suspect there may be plenty of hard working leaders within fellowships who feel very uncomfortable with an unjustified assumption, a misplaced expectation others may hold of them, that they are somehow beyond falling, slipping into a sin.
This goes to the issue of understanding where born-again believers, regenerated members of God's kingdom, stand in relation to sin. Paul clearly teaches that where sin used to dominate our lives before placing our faith in Jesus Christ and becoming indwelt with the Holy Spirit, we now are no longer enslaved by it. He says, "Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14. Because of this we are no longer to "let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 6:12. John puts it this way, "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." 1 John 3:6. Where we once lived in sin as a lifestyle, we no longer continue in the practice of it when we become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Our sinful nature still remains with us as believers in Jesus Christ, however, with the Holy Spirit we are no longer dominated by it. There is a struggle between the two we read of in Galatians 5:17, "The flesh [our sinful nature] desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want."
We also read of the wonderful resource we have in God in our struggle with sin as believers, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." From this we learn believers do not ever have to fall in to sin.
However, the Scriptures anticipate we may sin from time to time. While the Scriptures never provide berth for sin in our lives and clearly condemn the sinful acts of saints, provision and direction are provided. Our verse above is one example. When an elder is caught in a sin, he is to be reproved before the whole fellowship as a warning. If those of us who are "above reproach", can slip into a sin, the possibility exists that any of us can.
Here are a couple of other verses that anticipate sin in the life of a believer, "My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:19-20. "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2.
John provides a surprising insight into our relationship with sin, "No one who lives in him [Christ] keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." Here John speaks of that lifestyle dominated by sin before our rebirth. John tells us that if we continue to live in that lifestyle, it is a clear indication we do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and therefore we have not "known him [Jesus Christ]." People who profess to having placed their faith in Jesus Christ prove otherwise by their lives, if they continue in a sinful lifestyle, and manifest a truth about real believers: when we sin, we cannot live with ourselves. The Holy Spirit will not allow us to continue in it. Guilt and personal conviction of that sin prompts us to get up, dust ourselves off, and resume our walk with the Lord. We can simply not continue to live in sin as a lifestyle. We may have our weak moments and we may sin, be we cannot live there as the Holy Spirit will have his way within us.
It is a difficult subject, and one in which I suspect are extreme circumstances that may fall outside the bounds of the general truths about sin in the life of a believer that the Scriptures I've noted provide. However, it is important to note that while I may be saved, my body, within which my own sinful nature resides, as well as the Holy Spirit, is not. It is facing death. As such, that opportunity for temptation and sin remain as a believer. Listen to this interesting perspective Paul provides in Romans 8:9-11,
"You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh [sinful nature] but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."
"Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning."
Elders are to be "above reproach", 3:2, so how is it they may become ensnared in sin? Why would Paul provide instructions for an occasion that an elder might sin?
I suspect many of us have run into those within a fellowship with stature as an elder, a pastor, the leader of some ministry, etc. who tend to reflect an attitude that might be viewed as something of a "spiritual superiority", beyond the shortcomings, weaknesses and frailties the rest of us may struggle with from time to time. Is that possibly an unwarranted confidence? On the other hand, I suspect there may be plenty of hard working leaders within fellowships who feel very uncomfortable with an unjustified assumption, a misplaced expectation others may hold of them, that they are somehow beyond falling, slipping into a sin.
This goes to the issue of understanding where born-again believers, regenerated members of God's kingdom, stand in relation to sin. Paul clearly teaches that where sin used to dominate our lives before placing our faith in Jesus Christ and becoming indwelt with the Holy Spirit, we now are no longer enslaved by it. He says, "Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14. Because of this we are no longer to "let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 6:12. John puts it this way, "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." 1 John 3:6. Where we once lived in sin as a lifestyle, we no longer continue in the practice of it when we become indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Our sinful nature still remains with us as believers in Jesus Christ, however, with the Holy Spirit we are no longer dominated by it. There is a struggle between the two we read of in Galatians 5:17, "The flesh [our sinful nature] desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want."
We also read of the wonderful resource we have in God in our struggle with sin as believers, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." From this we learn believers do not ever have to fall in to sin.
However, the Scriptures anticipate we may sin from time to time. While the Scriptures never provide berth for sin in our lives and clearly condemn the sinful acts of saints, provision and direction are provided. Our verse above is one example. When an elder is caught in a sin, he is to be reproved before the whole fellowship as a warning. If those of us who are "above reproach", can slip into a sin, the possibility exists that any of us can.
Here are a couple of other verses that anticipate sin in the life of a believer, "My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins." James 5:19-20. "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2.
John provides a surprising insight into our relationship with sin, "No one who lives in him [Christ] keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." Here John speaks of that lifestyle dominated by sin before our rebirth. John tells us that if we continue to live in that lifestyle, it is a clear indication we do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and therefore we have not "known him [Jesus Christ]." People who profess to having placed their faith in Jesus Christ prove otherwise by their lives, if they continue in a sinful lifestyle, and manifest a truth about real believers: when we sin, we cannot live with ourselves. The Holy Spirit will not allow us to continue in it. Guilt and personal conviction of that sin prompts us to get up, dust ourselves off, and resume our walk with the Lord. We can simply not continue to live in sin as a lifestyle. We may have our weak moments and we may sin, be we cannot live there as the Holy Spirit will have his way within us.
It is a difficult subject, and one in which I suspect are extreme circumstances that may fall outside the bounds of the general truths about sin in the life of a believer that the Scriptures I've noted provide. However, it is important to note that while I may be saved, my body, within which my own sinful nature resides, as well as the Holy Spirit, is not. It is facing death. As such, that opportunity for temptation and sin remain as a believer. Listen to this interesting perspective Paul provides in Romans 8:9-11,
"You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh [sinful nature] but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."
How wonderful is that?! Here is when and where all believers will find their ultimate freedom from sin!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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