Double Honor

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages." Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest may also fear. I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure. (1 Timothy 5:17–22)

What does it take to keep a church on course? Paul tells Timothy it begins with qualified elders who teach sound doctrine.

A Church Off Course at Ephesus

For many months we've been slowly making our way through 1 Timothy, a letter written nearly 2,000 years ago by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, the newly appointed pastor of the church at Ephesus in what is modern-day Turkey. When we think of "church" in that context, we should picture many small churches throughout the city and surrounding region, with Timothy serving as an overseer of multiple congregations, each with its own leaders.

Paul had planted the church at Ephesus in the mid-50s AD, spending three years ministering there. A great church was birthed with huge influence throughout the region. In fact, the seven churches addressed in Revelation were very likely planted as a result of Ephesus. But about ten years after planting it, Paul returned around 64 AD and found a church that was totally off course—not where he had left it, riddled with all kinds of issues and problems.

That's not strange to us, because every church has problems. If you came here thinking you found a perfect church, you didn't—and the mere fact that you're here proves it, because none of us are perfect people. We thank God that He deals with imperfect people graciously, yet He wants to transform us.

Paul's Warning Comes True

The church at Ephesus had drifted away from sound doctrine—exactly what Paul feared. In Acts 20, before leaving Ephesus, Paul met with the elders and shared his parting concerns.

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. (Acts 20:28–30)

For three years Paul had warned them night and day with tears. Now, six years later, exactly what he predicted had come to pass: some of the elders had gone rogue, and as a result the whole church was off course. So Paul turned to Timothy—his close associate of more than a decade—and appointed him to stay and set things in order, charging him to make sure the elders teach no other doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3).

The Problems and Their Cause

As we've studied verse by verse since September, we've discovered the church's problems: they were not teaching proper doctrine, not using the law of God correctly, not using the grace of God correctly, and therefore not exercising church discipline correctly. They didn't know how to conduct themselves when the church gathered. They were missing the mark in prayer. They misunderstood the roles of men and women, of elders and deacons, and the biblical framework of marriage. They had wacky teaching about foods. They were experts on the myths and fables of the culture but weak on the Word of God. They valued external appearance and bodily exercise over godliness, and they didn't know how to deal with the benevolent needs of the church.

When you look through all those problems, you realize churches today deal with very similar issues. Twenty centuries hasn't changed much. So what was, and is, the cause? Point one: off-course churches always lack qualified elders and sound doctrine. That is the common denominator. Just before warning of the wolves, Paul said, "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). Wherever he went, Paul gave forth sound doctrine. Ephesus derailed because it lacked good elders giving forth that doctrine.

That's why Paul charged Timothy: "Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine... take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" (1 Timothy 4:13–16). Churches that stay on course have this in common: qualified elders giving forth sound doctrine.

How a Church Gets Qualified Elders

So how do we make sure a church has qualified elders who teach sound doctrine? Paul already addressed part of this in 1 Timothy 3, where he listed the requirements for an overseer—blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy, gentle, ruling his own house well, not a novice, with a good testimony among outsiders (1 Timothy 3:1–7). When we read "elder" we can rightly read "pastor," because the work and calling are the same throughout the New Testament.

Point two: elders are qualified by meeting qualifying requirements. When you identify people who meet these qualifications, you ordain them—that is, appoint them—to the task of giving forth the whole counsel of God's Word. Paul gave a similar list to Titus, who was ordaining elders in every city on Crete, and added this: an elder must be "holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict" (Titus 1:9).

We must also be intentional about raising people up. Paul told Timothy, "The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2). This generational step-down is how the church has moved forward for twenty centuries.

Double Honor: Rewarding Faithful Elders

That brings us to 1 Timothy 5:17. Every time I come to a passage like this I feel a little conflicted, because it can seem self-serving. But the very clear point is point three: faithful elders are to be rewarded well for their work. "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine."

Paul wasn't pulling philosophy out of the air. Committed to the whole counsel of God, he grounds it in Scripture: "For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,' and, 'The laborer is worthy of his wages'" (v. 18). He cites the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 25:4) and the teaching of Jesus (Luke 10:7), where Jesus told the disciples He sent out that they could receive support because "the laborer is worthy of his wages."

This was Paul's consistent teaching. Nearly all of 1 Corinthians 9 deals with this very issue:

Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written... Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple... Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:9–14)

Notice the context. Just before this, in 1 Timothy 5:3–16, Paul said qualified widows should be given honor—that is, financial support. Now he says qualified elders who labor in the word should be given double honor. Some have objected that church finances should be used solely for those in need in the community, but that rejects what Scripture teaches. Yes, the church should care for the needy—but it should also, in a better way, provide for those giving forth the Scriptures. The church at Ephesus was clearly neglecting this, which is why Paul addresses it. If we want qualified elders giving forth sound doctrine, we must provide for the livelihood of those who labor in the word.

Disciplining Sinning Elders

Verse 19 continues: "Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear."

This seems to contradict verse 1, "Do not rebuke an older man." But the book was written in Greek, and the two words differ. In verse 1, "rebuke" means to strike with the hand—do not strike an elder. In verse 20, the word means to reprove, to convince, to convict, to call to repentance. So if a leader has derailed and is not walking according to sound doctrine or the requirements of 1 Timothy 3, the church should convict and rebuke that person and call them back to right living.

This is exactly what was not happening at Ephesus. Elders had gone off course and no one was dealing with the problem. The danger of a leader going off course is that he leads others off course too. Point four: sinning elders are disciplined and sometimes disqualified. The elder is not exempt from the same righteous calls he gives to the church—he is under them as well. Yet there must be due process; an accusation requires two or three witnesses. As a leader, I offend people weekly, and every little offense is not grounds for censure. But when there is real inconsistency in a leader's life and he is leading people astray, sometimes the matter is simple discipline and repentance, and sometimes it is disqualification.

Never in a Hurry

Finally, verse 22: "Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure." The New Living Translation says, "Never be in a hurry to appoint a church leader." We already saw in 1 Timothy 3:6 that an elder should not be a novice, lest pride lead him into the condemnation of the devil.

Point five: qualified elders must be time-tested and counted faithful. If we want churches on course—walking in righteousness, glorifying God, and being a good witness—we need leaders who meet the qualifications, who are appointed to give forth sound doctrine, and who are provided for. But we never lay hands on them too quickly. And it is not a position held forever simply because they got the stamp of approval once; they must maintain righteousness with good works. When they don't, there is a public rebuke, so "that the rest may fear."

There must be reverence for that office, both by the church and by the person occupying it. Sadly, in church history the church has often reverenced the reverend, but the reverend hasn't reverenced the position. That's why so many churches today are off course with leaders who are themselves off course. If the apostle were walking around today, he might need a whole host of Timothys to set things in order—so that, by God's grace, we maintain a heading of being on course by submitting to the sound teaching of Scripture.

I praise the Lord that our pastoral team is well supported by this church; I'm grateful for that. My request is not that you give more, but that you pray more. Brothers and sisters, pray for us, that we would maintain that heading and lead this church well.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the clear teaching of Your word. I pray that we would take it to heart, think on these things, and allow them to be transformational in the way we think and live. I pray for our church, that You would help us always to be a church that is on course, giving forth sound doctrine, and as a result a light to this community here in North County. There are so many people we interact with who have a negative view of the church because they had a negative experience where the church and its leadership were off course. Help us be a light as we seek to follow You faithfully by faith. Make us a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. This week, as we interact with friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers, give us opportunities to share the good news of who You are, especially as we approach the celebration of Your resurrection, the most important event in all history. We thank You that because You live, we can have life, and that more abundantly forever. Give us the opportunity to share that, and pour out Your Spirit upon Your church. In Jesus' name, amen.