1st Timothy Chapter Five Commentary by
Ron Beckham
Audio Bible Study - 1 Timothy 5:1-5
Verse 1. "Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but
rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers,"
Paul the Apostle wrote this letter we call "First Timothy" to
his contemporary, a younger man who likely, in Paul's mind, might succeed him in
the office he held as Apostle to the Gentiles. God had His own ideas, but
here in this letter is advice to us all, especially to those who are called by
our Lord to leadership in the church. For instance, how do we treat people
who are "off the track" doctrinally; people who are living and teaching ideas that are
contrary to the good news about Jesus Christ.
Younger people like Timothy are supposed to treat those who are older with
respect. Not only is it correct to do so, but it benefits you, the younger
person, as well. Those who have come before have made many mistakes and
you can learn from them if you respectfully listen. So, if you have issues
with "an older man," don't say insulting things to him, but instead "appeal to
him as a father." You might learn something. And as a leader, your
job is NOT to dominate your peers and younger people, but instead appeal "to the
younger men as brothers." It's the call of God for our lives that
we are to
care for one another in a wholesome, honest, and also kind manner.
Verse 2. "the older women as mothers, and the younger
women as sisters, in all purity."
The newspaper accounts about the church are often terrible to read.
Some church leaders have seduced minors, have so-called "affairs" with those who are supposed to be
protected by them and have stolen money from the church budget. Anyone who is a
"leader" in the church, anyone who is IN the church, all who are believers
should be SAFE people. The very definition of "religion" is "to visit
orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the
world" (James 1:27).
The only way it is possible to let such a defining statement
become real in our lives is threefold: 1) We are to reach out to others in God's
love, not in our own; 2) We are to pray continually, for our strength is not
enough - we need the Lord, and 3) Ministry is more than a vocation; we are
to perform our offices, expecting nothing for ourselves. In doing so, we are
to remember this verse in Timothy, and regard "the older women as mothers" and
"the younger women as sisters." Our ministry is to be in holiness,
"in all purity,"
remembering the Lord in everything we do.
Verse 3. "Honor widows who are widows indeed;"
What is a "widow?" The
answer seems obvious, but with the aid of God's Holy Spirit, Paul the Apostle,
the human author of this letter, is trying to help Timothy, the young pastor,
determine the answer to that very question. And when you read these
verses, it is important to understand that the definition of widowhood expressed
here, is not some kind of precise law that everyone must follow. It was
meant as a guideline for the younger pastor, Timothy, to make decisions in
ministry about how the church's money would be spent.
The need was obvious. There was no such thing as a
welfare system in that time and place. Most widows had no independent
income, many had no parental home to return to, their children might or might
not take them in, and their late husband's income suddenly was no more. To
the best of his ability, as led by God, Paul is here attempting to define the
truly needy to Timothy, so that what money the church had to give was
disseminated to those who
would most benefit.
Verse 4. "but if any widow has children or
grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own
family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in
the sight of God."
There is an excellent command in the Law of God, as reflected
in Exodus Chapter 20 and Deuteronomy 5, which teaches us, "Honor your father and
your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is
giving you." Often parents do their very best in raising children, which
may be sufficient or not, depending on their abilities. But typically,
whatever the outcome, money is spent, time is given and love is shed upon that
child. In most cases, they tried; even if the child thinks they failed.
To "honor your father and your mother" is not merely
intended while you are little. It is expected in the Law and in this verse
in Timothy, that adult children will open their hearts and their homes in
relation to parents who can no longer fend for themselves. Children are
expected to return the favor given them in their youth, and there is a reward.
To do so is "acceptable in the sight of God," and except in those situations
where other factors interfere, God will reward the good son or daughter by
causing their own days to "be long..."
Verse 5. "Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been
left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and
prayers night and day."
In these verses, Paul is attempting to define not just any
widow, for like other times in history, the world has unfortunately been full of
women who have lost their husbands to accident, warfare or disease. But
Paul is here revealing to Timothy how to determine if a widow
IN THE CHURCH is eligible to receive support money from the
church, an entity that likely had little income to spare. Were mistakes
made based on the instructions contained in these verses? Yes,
undoubtedly, but planning is necessary, and here Timothy who apparently was in
ultimate charge of the distribution of funds was being given a plan about how to
do his job.
It should not be a surprise that one of the criteria for
providing income to a widow in the church would be that she is a person who "has
fixed her hope on God." If she had not done so, she likely was not a
Christian, not part of God's church at all. This is about God, through the
church, making provision for certain believers who have lost - everything.
The widows also were to be the kind of people who continue "in entreaties and
prayers night and day." One of the problems with government welfare has
been that recipients get used to receiving money for nothing in return.
The members of the Early Church BELIEVED that God answers prayer in response to
faith, another definition of what it means to belong to the church. The
widows would "earn their keep" through praying for others, which is not at all
unreasonable when you think about it.
Father, people tend to look out for themselves and not help
others. Make us a people who look to Your Word, Your Spirit, and
prayerfully reach out to those in need, as You lead us. In Jesus Name.
Amen.
Audio Bible Study - 1 Timothy 5:6-10
Verse 6. "But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure
is dead even while she lives."
To be "dead" in this context may refer to person(s) who chose to not yet be "born again" in the manner described by Jesus in John 3:3,
7. The widow may have been part of the so-called "visible church," but had not
actually given her heart to the Lord. However, it also may well be
about a widow who has indeed come to the Lord, but is angry with Him at the
loss of her husband and is
acting out in response to feelings that are too great to bear. She's taken
her focus off the Lord and is focused on herself. Her loneliness may lead
her into "wanton pleasure," including promiscuity.
Also, she likely knew
God's Word, that He is all-powerful. Then why, the widow wondered, did her husband have to die?
She and others would have prayed for the man, who might have been seriously ill or
died in warfare. If they prayed fervently and tried so hard to believe,
why did God take him? There are many questions like that; and there is a
tendency to trust in the
Lord IF He gives us what we want. And it does tend to shake
everyone's faith to some extent when God does not answer important needs in
critical situations. Here
in this verse we are shown
what might be an angry person, and we have many
today who respond with "wanton pleasure" to loss, which might
take the form of what is called "negative" behavior. If such a person is denied
income from the church, she might be brought back through necessity to trusting
in the Lord.
Verse 7. "Prescribe these things as well, so that
they may be above reproach."
The guidelines given by the Apostle Paul to the younger man,
Timothy, in these verses, are intended to help this young pastor determine how
to effectively disburse the money of the church to those in need. Do we
slavishly follow these guidelines in all circumstances when someone comes to our
church and asks for money? Actually the true answer is "no," for you are
to be led in your decisions, not only by the Word of God, but also by the Spirit
of God. As Paul also said in Galatians 5:18, "if you are led by the
Spirit, you are not under the law."
But we do need to have guidelines if we are to run the church
effectively, and of course, a consistent guideline should be prayer. Even
if you did perfectly follow all that Paul said, there still would be "gray"
situations that wouldn't fit the pattern. We must pray. And a reason
why it is so important to look to the Lord in everything is suggested by this verse.
Our behavior reflects on the Lord. If we behave badly, it will either
encourage or discourage someone else in their decision as to whether or not to
trust in Him. As to our widows and all who are in the church, God wills us to be "above
reproach."
Verse 8. "But if anyone does not provide for his own,
and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is
worse than an unbeliever."
We often have viewed the family as a life-situation in which a man
and a woman decide to marry, do so, and subsequently have a child or children.
Both of the hopefully happily-married people have extended families, thought of
as "in-laws" in relation to the marriage partner not related to them by blood.
But the Lord has more in mind than most family members would think. His
view is that all human relationships are an opportunity for ministry.
"Ministry" in this context is not merely someone standing in a pulpit
or evangelizing passers-by on a street corner. It's all about faithful
love expressed in action. In our marriages, our families, children and our
parents, God has carefully placed us in relation to one another, in the
expectation that we will reach out and help each other whenever possible.
And if we do not, "if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for
those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an
unbeliever." That's how God views our obligation to the family.
We are to care. We are to help one another.
Verse 9. "A widow is to be put on the list only if she
is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,"
Did the Early Church make exceptions to the "not less than
sixty years old" rule? One would hope so because younger persons often
need monetary help. But what we are seeing here in this verse does not
relate to individual situations when somebody got into financial difficulties and temporary help
was needed. These verses are in reference to people
who are permanently disabled by age or other factors. And "sixty" at the
time this was written was considered to be sufficiently old to likely bar a
widow in that culture from earning a living or marrying once more.
And it is likely that the "wife of one man" statement is not
about the woman who was married and her husband died, and then she was alone. It is about the
woman who was married to just "one man" and none
other during her marriage. In other words, when her
husband died, she had no other husbands who might financially be able to care
for her. The city and vicinity of Ephesus, where Timothy resided and
ministered at the time, was a sinful place where all sorts of
"strange" relationships were possible, even likely. If she had
another husband, she was to be excluded
from the permanent widow's dole being discussed in this context.
Verse 10. "having a reputation for good works; and if
she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has
washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress,
and if she has devoted herself to every good work."
Again, Paul is addressing the kind of person who should
receive a permanent stipend from the church in Ephesus. Widows are being discussed
in these verses, and since the church is supposed to be composed of people who
have given their hearts and lives to Christ, Paul here gives us a sketch of what
a Christian person is supposed to be. The list in this verse is similar,
but not the same as the fruits of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22 &
forward.
Reasonably enough, the person, in this case the widow who has
trusted in the Lord, is expected to have "a reputation for good works."
Included among those "works" would be that she kept her children and raised
them, instead of giving them away. She cared for the children of others if
there was a need. It was considered valuable that she had
"shown hospitality to strangers," since helping them might lead them to Christ.
And she was hospitable to those in the church, as seen in the statement, "she
has washed the saints' feet." And if she has assisted "those in distress,"
it was an excellent example of a "good work" that qualified her to receive a
life-income from the church.
Father, help us to spend Your money wisely and in holiness
and Christian love, to care for
those who are in need. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio
Bible Study - 1 Timothy 5:11-15
Verse 11. "But refuse to put younger widows on the list,
for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get
married,"
Paul's decision as to which widows should be given incomes for
life by the church was partially determined by their age. Younger widows
of the time might be able to return to a situation where they would be
self-supporting, and one possibility was through remarriage. These verses are talking
about a decision to provide an income that would be for life.
"Younger widows" were not put "on the list" for a lifetime pension, but that
does not mean they were ineligible for temporary support. Paul
is here giving his thoughts about not awarding long-term pensions to younger women.
Note that "sensual desires" are part of the human makeup.
Right from the beginning, God told us to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis
1:28), and He gave us marriage as a means of expressing that part of our lives
(Hebrews 13:4). He brings a man and a woman together in marriage, even
when they think they make it happen themselves, and God never forgets the "widows" of this
world, whether they are "younger" or not. When people "refuse" to help, as
indicated in this verse, God will provide a way to help those who are in need.
Verse 12. "thus incurring condemnation, because they
have set aside their previous pledge."
The "pledge" of this verse is one of celibacy,
of abstinence. When you
marry, the two of you pledge to live together and love one another, forsaking
all others for the rest
of your lives. The words contained in many marriage ceremonies are that
you will be married, "until death do you part." Each one agrees to be
married to that other person for life, with the intention
that they will give love, joy and companionship to each other. But this is
an imperfect, incomplete world, in which such promises are made, and then your
marital partner dies; and the question is - What
now?
Or your spouse suddenly leaves, through divorce or some other
way, and you are left alone. What then? What about the person who
is alone and is tempted; what do they do? How about the lonely person who
is tempted by a person of whichever sex? What about that? The answer
is the "pledge" of this verse. God created the sexual urge and it is
powerful. God created marriage as a legitimate outlet for it,
but when we look around the world, we note that not all are married. If
you venture out from the safety of celibacy or from the bond of marriage, you will incur "condemnation," just
as it says in this verse. Keep your "pledge." And when you
fail,
take it to the Lord, who will cleanse you and heal you (1 John 1:9).
Verse 13. "At the same time they also learn to be idle,
as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies,
talking about things not proper to mention."
The problem with having money, prestige and power we did not
earn, is that it can make us become lazy, unwilling to work, focused on the next
handout, and bored, all at the same time. Receiving too much, too easily,
causes us to "learn to be idle." It does not matter if we are women with
too much time, or men with the same problem, the result is much the same: We
tend to become people who are "gossips and busybodies, talking about things not
proper to mention."
It's interesting that people in the church have "secret sins"
(Psalm 19:12). We correctly condemn murder, encourage avoidance of
adultery, abhor homosexuality, and teach our children not to lie. Many
avoid alcohol, don't smoke and do pay their taxes, but all too many tend to be
"gossips" and practice gluttony. It's like we try to avoid everything, but
can't, and many end up with those two by default. The solution is to pray.
What we need to know is written in the Word of God, but we must also pray for
the strength to do it.
Verse 14. "Therefore, I want younger widows to get married,
bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for
reproach;"
If being "idle," as seen in the preceding verse, leads to
boredom and sin, then being busy is a possible solution. But this is not being
busy like those who fill their time with hobbies and overwork, this is
becoming busy in activities led and enabled by the Lord. Paul's observation in this
verse refers to the method God has chosen in the creation of new members in the
group we call humanity. The first woman was taken out of the body of a
man, but ever since that time, the reverse has been true.
God has chosen an intricate, strange, beautiful and painful
method of bringing new people into the world, and He uses the woman to make it happen.
Being a woman is indeed difficult. Men are supposed to lead effectively in
the marital relationship, but they are not good at doing it. When they try
to lead, the result is often abuse instead. In a setting like the one proposed in this verse, the woman is
apt to feel confined and restricted as a person, which is true. But "the
enemy" likes to encourage us to circumvent the roles God has for us, and we
should all look to the Lord for our true leadership, discovering in Him how we should live.
Verse 15. "for some have already turned aside to follow Satan."
There were few choices for women in the culture Paul lived in,
and his remarks are directed to the Greco-Roman culture that surrounded him.
Yes, there were some who were businesswomen, like Lydia who was "a seller of purple" dye, as seen in Acts 16:14. But
such women were rare because, much like in today's Muslim culture, the men
didn't like the competition and refused to do business with them. What we
call "jobs" was a rare option because you were either a slave or free at that
time, and most of the "jobs" were filled by those who were slaves.
The widow could also remarry or her family might take her in.
Neither of those options would seem attractive to every widow. The sole
remaining option for a woman of that time was prostitution, which is intimated
by this verse when it says, "Some have already turned
aside to follow Satan." We must truly and consistently pray
for those who have experienced great loss, not only that they will be comforted,
but also that they will be protected from bad decisions as a way of combating
loneliness and fear. And we must help them in every way, whenever
possible.
Lord, there are many widows, orphans and others among us
who have experienced great loss and can't cope with what has happened. It
is probable that none of us could. Be the comfort of all who have known
such loss, Lord; give peace and provide for every need. In Jesus Name.
Amen.
Audio Bible Study - 1 Timothy 5:16-20
Verse 16. "If any woman who is a believer has dependent
widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may
assist those who are widows indeed."
Not every woman in the church of Paul's time was without
resources. Some had money, either through a wealthy family, a successful
spouse or
by
other legitimate means, and Paul's view was that those who have should share with those who
have not. As James said, "Pure and undefiled
religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their
trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).
Paul agreed with James - It was expected that "any woman who is a (true)
believer" will show her faith through helping "widows in their trouble."
We are supposed to "get it" that the benefits we have received
in life are not merely for ourselves, but also for people in need, including not
only those in our families, but also the ones who are relative strangers to us. If the world sees
that we express our so-called "faith" in action, instead of merely talking about
it, many of those who have resisted the Lord will think about trusting in Him.
Why should "the church... (or some governmental
agency) be burdened" if we can personally deal
with the problems
that God has brought to our attention? If we can, we are to "assist" those
who are in need and can't help themselves.
Verse 17. "The elders who rule well are to be
considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at
preaching and teaching.
In these verses, Paul the Apostle is continuing to give needed
advice to the younger pastor named Timothy. Paul had responded to the call
of God by leaving Ephesus, on the coast of Asia, and had traveled across the
Aegean Sea to the Roman Province of Macedonia. Timothy was left in charge
at Ephesus. Paul knew that the church leadership there had questions
about how the church's money should be spent, and Paul was attempting to answer
the questions which likely had been told to him or read in a letter from Ephesus.
Should pastors, elders, deacons and others who lead in the
church be paid by the church for what they do? Paul was now addressing the
question, answering that "elders who rule well are to
be considered worthy of double honor..." The phrase, "work hard," in this verse, by the way, is actually better
translated, "to work until one is exhausted." The answer to the question
is, YES, the church should decide that pastors will be paid for what they do,
but interestingly, such pay is to be based on how "hard
(they work) at preaching and teaching." Paul
was the model - he worked very hard indeed.
Verse 18. "For the Scripture says, 'You
shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,' and 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.'"
The Book of Deuteronomy, in the Pentateuch, the Torah of the
Bible, contains the parting statements of Moses to the people of Israel, with an
emphasis on words to lay people, rather than the priests. The Jews called
the Book, "Mishneh Hattorah," a "repetition of the Law." In Deuteronomy Chapter
25, a statement is made that is not fully explained by the context: "You shall
not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain" (Deuteronomy 25:4).
But such imagery would have been understood by both those who listened to Moses
and the ones who read this letter of Paul.
Those who work for the Lord should benefit from what they do. The
oxen of that day were tied to a yoke, and they plodded endlessly in a circle, treading on the
grain that was tossed under their hoofs. If the farmer wanted the greatest
profit from the threshed grain, he would muzzle the ox so it could not eat any.
It is God who owns us and assigns us to tasks as He chooses, and it is His
choice that we should be allowed to benefit from the work that we do. Jesus, the
Son of God, agreed heartily with the idea, stating, "The laborer is worthy of
his wages" (Luke 10:7).
Verse 19. "Do not receive an accusation against an
elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses."
Paul, the writer of this letter to Timothy, was even more familiar
with the Old Testament than many of his contemporaries. The question here
is: What do we do if an elder in the church is accused of misconduct? In
responding, Paul cited verses in the Book of Deuteronomy, which discuss how to
determine the guilt or innocence of someone accused of a crime.
Deuteronomy 17:6 says, "On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses
the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death
on the evidence of one witness."
Deuteronomy 19:15 & forward is similar, except that it
provides penalties for the witness who tells lies in court - "You shall do to him as
he had meant to do to his brother." It is very interesting that in the
context of Deut. 19, "both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord"
and the "judges shall inquire diligently" (Verse 18). Much of the Mosaic
Law became the basis of British and then American Law, along with other
countries, but somehow God's desire
that judges and everybody else should pray about serious decisions was left out
of the legal system.
Verse 20. "Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the
presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning."
One of the problems with the Church has been a tendency for
some to gossip about others. Paul expressed concern that "gossip"
might exist among the Corinthian believers as seen in 2 Corinthians 12:20, and we should
be concerned as well. In this verse we see the way God does things - Openly
and in the presence of all. "Those who continue in sin" and are in the
church are not merely to be talked about - they are to be dealt with publicly.
"Rebuke them in the presence of all," he said. And the
reason for that method of dealing with such problems in the church then and now,
was and is so that others "will be fearful of sinning." A problem in humanity is
that most are less concerned with doing wrong than they are of being caught and
exposed for what they are doing. What we really need to do is to monitor
ourselves before God. Paul said to "examine
yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves...
(2 Corinthians 13:5). Then take what you find to God and be healed.
Father, we in the church need your forgiveness and the
healing that comes from God. We confess our sins of pride, gossip and the
exclusiveness that keeps others out. Fill us anew with Your Holy Spirit -
we trust in You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - 1 Timothy 5:21-25
Verse 21. "I solemnly charge you in the presence of
God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles
without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality."
The intention of all the rules in this letter to the Church
at Ephesus through the younger pastor Timothy (who functioned in the role
of what today we would call a bishop) was that the church should act fairly,
"without bias," in relation to all that is
in this letter. No partiality was to be given anyone, such as persons who
had donated money to the church in the past. It is a danger for any
church that we might favor those with money and ignore the needs of those who
have little.
The pastor, his wife and family live lives in what has been
called a "fishbowl" - the feeling is that everyone in the church is watching.
It's difficult for any to have friends in the church because what is
said in confidence might be told to all. And yet every one of us is human,
lonely for friendship. A danger is that we might have "a spirit of
partiality" toward those we are close to. Paul charges us, "in the
presence of God and... Christ Jesus and... His chosen angels" to be fair to all.
Those who are elders in the church must earnestly pray - about everything.
Verse 22. "Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and
thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free
from sin."
If you "lay hands upon anyone too hastily,"
the danger is that the new convert who is given an office in the church will
become proud because of what was too quickly given.
Humility is not a natural state - it is something gained over time, in and from the Lord. A
wealthy person who trusts in the Lord and joins the church is likely to give far
more than a non-wealthy parishioner who can't give as much, but that does not
mean the wealthy person should quickly have a church office. We must
remember the Lord's perspective, when He commented about a poor woman who had
just given an offering, "This poor widow has put in more than all of them"
(Luke 21:3), because she gave all that she had.
The writer of Proverbs warned that, "Pride goes before
destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). It is
also written in Proverbs 29:23, that "One's pride will bring him low, but he who
is lowly in spirit will obtain honor." It often takes time to become "lowly
in spirit" as God would have us be, and we must remember that Jesus said,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew
5:3). If we elevate someone too fast and they fall into sin,
we "share responsibility" for what they have done.
To pray about our decisions is essential.
Verse 23. "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments."
Some have taught that when Paul encouraged Timothy in this
verse to "use a little wine," he was speaking of a
non-alcoholic substance, which would be grape juice. It is possible, but
it's probably not be
accurate. The water was often bad in the area of Ephesus where Timothy
lived at the time, and "stomach...
ailments" were common. Wine was commonly used
in that culture, doctors prescribed it as medicine, and even the Greek
philosopher, Epictetus, who encouraged moderation, said, "He
is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though not drunk."
However, before we race to the store and buy a bottle of wine,
it should be noted that alcoholism has long been a raging disease, not only in
Paul's time, but right now in the world of today. Epictetus also said, "Drink
only water to show ones ability in restraint." And note that Paul
merely said, "use a LITTLE wine," to Timothy about
his "frequent ailments." Paul also said that a
pastor must be "sober minded" and not "a
drunkard" (1 Timothy 3:2-3). We need to look to the Lord and
respond to God's intention for our lives. "A little
wine" might be safe for some, but not for all.
Verse 24. "The sins of some men are quite evident, going
before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after."
As to verses 24 and 25, Proverbs 10:9 makes the interesting
comment that, "Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his
ways crooked will be found out." It's interesting how many men and
some women have worked for years to attain some office or other accomplishment
and then certain fact(s) about them became public and their careers were ruined in a
moment. But not all sins are revealed during this life. The writer of Psalm 73 was concerned about "the wicked" who
seemed to do well. He
had observed that many of them are "always at ease, they increase in riches"
(Psalm 73:12).
The writer, whose name was Asaph, began to think that, "in
vain" he "kept (his)
heart clean and washed (his) hands in innocence." He
felt "stricken" and evidently had been "rebuked" for the kind of life he led.
He was on the verge of betraying his own beliefs and others like himself, but
then he "went into the sanctuary of God," which is to say, he prayed, and then...
"discerned their end." He saw their lives were
like "slippery places" and they would be
"destroyed in a moment." This whole life on earth
is not unlike a dream that flits away when one wakes up in eternity (Psalm 73:15-20). Some
sinners will be exposed now, and others at the day of judgment. All is
"quite evident" to God.
Verse 25. "Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite
evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed."
God sees everything about you. He knows when we "sit
down" and when we "rise up." He
discerns our "thoughts from afar." He knows
our words before we speak them (Psalm 139:1-4). And He has a habit of
revealing the good (and the bad) in people's lives to others. God said through David, "Commit
your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth your
righteousness as the light and your justice as the noon day" (Psalm
37:5-6).
And we don't need to magnify anything we have done.
James encouraged those in the church to, "Humble yourselves before the Lord,
and He will exalt you" (James 4:10). Jesus said, "When
you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen
by others, but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in
secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:17-18). Prayerfully do good, and
let the Lord decide whether it will become public. We serve Him - whatever He wants to be made public, it "cannot be
concealed."
Dear Lord, lead us in the way we should go. We do not
follow formulas; we follow You. We seek to exalt You, Lord, not ourselves.
We trust in You now. In Jesus Name. Amen.
