A Command
to Keep – 5. Respect One Another

Worldwide Outreach Teaching School

Dr. Meiman
Lai Saidi

1.  How
Should We Treat Ministers & Elders ?
如何善待傳道人或長老?

Scriptures Reading: 1^st Timothy提摩太前書 5:17-18, "The
elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double
honor, especially those whom their work involve preaching and teaching. 18, For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle
the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages." 申命記Deuteronomy25:4牛在場上踹穀的時候、不可籠住他的嘴。

Commentary: Do not muzzle an ox while it
is treading out the grain, because the ox circled around the lower
millstone, it stomped the grain with its hooves (吸塵器), which separated the kernels (仁) from the chaff
(糠). Therefore, the ox was eating its share of payment of the labor. It also said in Luke 10:7, "for
the worker deserves his wages.        (因為工人得工價、是應當的)."

  In
the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach
the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. -
(1
Corinthians 9) 主也是這樣命定、叫傳福音的靠著福音養生。

2.  What
if Accusations Are Made Against a Pastor or Elder? 如何處理被控告之長老? V.v. 19-25

19. Do not entertain an
accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.

Commentary: Leaders are
not exempt from sin, faults, and mistakes.

20. Those
who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.

Commentary: Sometimes leaders should be rebuked or confronted
about their behavior, 21. I charge you, in the sight of God and
Christ Jesus and the elect angels,                        to
keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of
favoritism.  

Commentary: All those angels who did not rebel
against God are elect angels.        We must be constantly on guard against
favoritism, against giving preferential treatment to some and ignoring others.                                                                                               22.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the
sins of others.         Keep yourself pure.

Commentary: a) Paul reminds Timothy to fan into flame the gift
of God, which is in      Timothy through the
laying on of Paul's hands. - 2 Timothy 1:6 "為此我題醒你、              使你將　神藉我按手所給你的恩賜、再如火挑旺起來。提後一:6".                                        b). Make sure
we honor people for who they are in Christ, not for who are gifted          or
rich without realizing what they
are doing.                                                                              c)
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you
have          sincere love for your brothers, love
one another deeply, from the heart.

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

Commentary: Ge.14:18, it
saying, ‘Melchizedek king of Salem
brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,' because "wine that gladdens the heart of man得酒能悅人心 (Psalm詩篇104:15) Therefore, Proverbs箴言31:6, it saying, "Give beer to those who are perishing, wine
to those who are in anguish; 可以把濃酒給將亡的人喝．把清酒給苦心的人喝．It is unclear why Paul gave this advice to him.
Perhaps contaminated water had led to Timothy's indigestion and so he should
stop drinking only water; but this statement is not an invitation to
alcoholism.    

24-25. The sins of some men are obvious,
reaching the place of judgment ahead of     them;
the sins of others trail behind them. 25. In
the same way, good deeds are    obvious,
and even those that are not cannot be hidden.                                                
Commentary: Paul instructs Timothy
to choose leaders carefully because sometimes their sins are not obvious and it
takes time for them to be revealed.

3. How Does Our
Treatment of Others Reflect on (歸咎於) God? 合平神旨意之處理: 1Timothy
6:1-2

v.1, all who are under the yoke of slavery
should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God''s name and
our teaching may not be slandered.

v.2, those who have believing masters are
not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are
to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are
believers, and dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and urge on
them.

Commentary: As
Christians, masters and slaves became spiritual equals, Galatians 3:28, it
saying, ‘There is nether Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male, nor female, for
you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29, if
you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the
promise. It meant all believers participate in this promise and are blessed as
children of Abraham. Paul did not speak against the institution of slavery, but
he gave guidelines for Christian slaves and Christian masters. His counsel for
the master/slave relationship can be applied to the employer/employee
relationship today. Employees should work hard, showing respect for their
employers. In turn, employers should be fair (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25). Our
work should reflect our faithfulness on God.  

4. Conclusion: 結論:                                                                                                    
a) the
elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,
especially those whose work is reaching and teaching (1 Tim.5:17).

b) Do no entertain an
accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
According to the procedure Jesus outlined:                             
     Step 1 is to ‘go and point
out their fault, just between the two of you.  (Matt.18:15)                          Step 2 Take
one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses. (Matthew 18:16)                                                                 Step
3 "If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they
refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax
collector" (Matthew 18:17)     The
final in Timothy 5:20, ‘Those elders who are sinning you are to reprove
before everyone"                                                   
The procedure, from beginning to end, has an eye on the
correction and restoration of the offender. It makes it possible for justice to
be achieved without destroying the individual or the church.