Confronting Sin: How I Express Love for My Church Family (Part 1)

“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”

- 1 Timothy 5:1-2, NIV

Introduction

I initially got struck with this verse regarding how single men and women ought to behave toward each other, especially in the context of the church. I was challenged to unpack it a bit more for me to understand the context of the verse. I discovered that there’s so much wealth that can be uncovered in this verse. It provides wisdom to guide a believer how he or she should conduct himself or herself.

There are many metaphors and analogies that will describe the church. We have the body and the temple to mention a few. But there is one imagery that beautifully depicts the relationship of Christians that emphasizes common love. This is the image of a family. Our lives are bound together in an intimate loving relationship through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The image of a family conveys a lot more. It speaks of privilege. It speaks of intimacy. It speaks of care. It speaks of comfort. It speaks of protection. It speaks of honesty. It speaks of transparency. It speaks of love. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Love for others is one of the marks of a true believer and follower of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John MacArthur said that love is the backbone of a family. He added that love is the backbone of a church.

Within this framework of love for one another is the element of confronting sins. Part of the dynamics of family relationship is dealing with something that is not right.

The first letter of Paul to Timothy shows that there are issues that the young pastor of Ephesus is facing. Reading the whole letter to Timothy shows that Timothy is faced with issues of wrong doctrine and people showing ungodly character. Chapter 1 verses 5-6 indicates that some in the church have abandoned the truth and some abandoned purity, good conscience and sincere faith. Chapter 1 verse 19 indicates that some made shipwreck of their faith because they rejected faith and good conscience. Chapter 2 verse 8 that there are men lifting up holy hands that shows outward piety in praying to God and yet they have sin in their lives because they have anger and are quarrelling. In verse 9 of the same chapter, young women were adorning themselves with immodest apparel and were concerned of their outward appearance rather with the condition of their hearts. In the following verses, some of the women are usurping the role of men in leadership in the church.

In chapter 5, some of the older women were living in pleasure. Some of the men are not providing for their own. Some of the widowed younger women were growing wanton against Christ. Some more were idle and wandering from house to house and were gossipers and busybodies. Some still more strayed after Satan.

This is the kind of family that Timothy has to deal with. Since it is a family, intimate relations have potential and powerful impact on the life of each member. The apostle Paul said in Galatians 5:9 and 1 Corinthians 5:6 that sin is a little yeast that leavens the whole batch of dough. A sin in a family member needs to be confronted because it could rapidly spread out to the other members of the family.

I will humbly try to present my position on how single men and women ought to behave toward each other based on my study of this verse, how I have grown from my experiences in the past and how I am applying or going to apply my gained understanding in my present situation and with the situation of others I know.

To be continued…