Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 10-13
     New Testament Reading: 1 Timothy 5

Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity (1 Timothy 5:1-2).

The church is a family. In Christ, believers are siblings, brothers and sisters of Jesus, sons and daughters of the Father, and united in love by the Spirit. Paul admonished Timothy to minister to the various kinds of people in the church, and not to show partiality.

Being younger and perhaps more aggressive, it might tempt Timothy to become impatient and resentful with some of the older men. Paul admonishes him to not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father. It would be improper for him, as a younger man, to assault such a person with verbal blows.

There might also be the danger of this young servant of Christ manifesting an overbearing attitude toward the younger men. And so Paul advises him to treat the younger men as brothers. He is to be just like one of them and not adopt a domineering attitude toward them.

Older women are to be regarded as mothers and treated with the dignity, love, and respect that is their due. Purity should characterize all his dealings with younger women. Not only should he avoid what is positively sinful, but he should also steer clear of acts of indiscretion or any behavior which might appear to be evil.

Paul’s words don’t rebuke … but exhort implies that Paul is teaching in this section the spirit in which to correct members of our church family. Just like with our biological family, there will be times in our spiritual family that discipline needs to be exercised.

These interactions should reflect the love and kindness that God intends for the family of faith. While there is a place in the church for personal reproof and discipline, it should never come from anger or self-righteousness. It should always be preceded by your own self-examination and confession of sin and then conducted with the goal of reconciliation, maturity, and godliness.