A note from our Pastor:

” I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.”

1 Timothy 5:21

Good Morning Dearly Beloved,

In our study verse this morning, the Apostle Paul moves from giving Timothy specific instructions on pastoral care to this weightier charge. This statement by the Apostle to Timothy demonstrates the importance the Apostle placed on the work and care for the church at Ephesus. With this verse, we will examine the specific meaning, but the importance is not in the specific words but rather in the tone and nature of the statement.

The Apostle begins the verse by telling Timothy the statement he is going to make is a charge. In biblical terms, especially for the ministry, a charge is an instruction or set of instructions that carries greater weight because fulfilling it is essential to performing the role in accordance with how God designed it.

In a natural sense, the most common use of the word charge as instruction is in courtrooms. When the evidentiary portion of a case is completed the judge will issue a charge to the jury. The charge issued will specifically identify the issues the jury is supposed to decide, how they can communicate, what the appropriate conduct is, and anything else the judge or court instructs the jury to do. This charge carries the weight of the law and fulfilling it is necessary to resolving the case.

Going back to our verse, the weight of this charge is emphasized with who the charge is given before. The Apostle was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these words and, thus, records that the charge is given before God, Jesus Christ, and the Angels. Thus, the observation of Timothy’s fulfillment of the charge was not based on men but on God.

Now to the actual charge. The Apostle instructs Timothy to fulfill all of the responsibilities of the ministry and pastoral care as have been set forth in this epistle. That expectation already existed purely from the Apostle taking the time to set it all out in writing. The thing to note about the charge is the Apostle’s specific instruction to fulfill the role with impartiality. To treat each person with the same love, kindness, and care was the charge before God.

Let us remember this same instruction today.

Our Prayers are with you always,

Brother Jeremiah