An Open Book or Password Protected

“The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden” (1Tim 5:24-25).

Some folks are an open book. It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon or a brain scientist to figure out who they are or what they’ve done. They may be a train wreck of sin and stupid choices. Or they may be up to so much obvious good for others that you’re sure if you looked up “underachiever” in the dictionary, your picture would be there. 

Then there are those whose resumes are anything but obvious. It’s as if their lives are encrypted and password protected. Some people look squeaky clean on the outside but behind closed doors are a scandal looking for a place to happen. Then there are those unassuming folks who aren’t very impressive who suddenly win the Nobel Peace Prize out of nowhere. 

Here in a letter to the pastor of the church in Ephesus, Paul encourages Timothy to make sure to investigate every candidate for leadership fully. Some things are obvious. Others are not. “The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden” (v24-25). 

While this is certainly true of every person who has and will ever walk the planet, the apostle is talking specifically about people whose names are in the hat as possible elders and deacons. Paul is wrapping a section on the compensation, discipline, and selection of leaders (1Tim 5:17-22). He’s already warned Pastor Tim and the church to take their time when filling leadership vacancies. Slow is fast and fast is slow. Some things are obvious. Others are not. Trust the process. You might be surprised by what you find out. Time is on your side.

According to Paul, there are some sins and good deeds that are both “conspicuous” (v24-25). This is the Greek word prodelos, which describes something that is crystal clear, openly evident, known beforehand, blatantly obvious, easily understood, or quite plain. Outside of these two verses in this letter, we only see this word used one other time in the entire Bible. The author of Hebrews writes about Jesus’ family tree and says, “For it is evident (Gr. prodelos) that our Lord was descended from Judah” (Heb 7:14). It’s a well-known fact. You don’t need Sherlock Holmes to unlock this mystery.

For some folks, their sin is the 800-pound gorilla in the room. It’s unavoidable. What they’ve done is in plain sight for all to see. Their rebellion is blatantly evident. Even Captain Obvious doesn’t have to say a thing. It’s the sort of situation Paul describes to the multisite churches of Galatia. “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Gal 5:19-21). We’re talking about behavior that lands you on the six o’clock news, TMZ, or gets its own hashtag on Twitter. Let’s be honest. That’s one time you don’t want to be trending in the Twitterverse. 

Such crystal clear crimes for some people will be “going before them into judgment” (v24). Paul’s not talking here about having to answer to Jesus for all the times we’ve turned on our backs on God. According to John MacArthur, the “judgment” here refers to the vetting process for elders in the local church. Their crimes against God are so obvious that they’ll disqualify themselves as candidates for elder or deacon before the process ever begins. The evidence is clear and overwhelming. You know how this is going down. Their sins are so blatant that it’s an open and shut case. This is like those painful performances at the open auditions for “American Idol.” Their track record makes them the William Hung of leadership candidates. It’s over before it ever starts. 

Just as someone’s bad rep proceeds them, the same can be said that “good works are conspicuous” (v25) for other people. It’s not like they’re looking to win awards or earn a medal. It’s just the result of how they help and who they help. The classic example is Mother Teresa. This humble nun had no intention of becoming the poster child of humble service and sacrifice. She dedicated her life sharing the love of Jesus by giving, in her words, “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.” She certainly wasn’t looking for the limelight by loving on the least of these. There’s little argument that her “good works are conspicuous” (v25).

Then there are those in consideration for leadership that we don’t know much about. Their lives aren’t so obvious. We need to ask around. We need check references. Paul tells us that the investigation of certain candidates turn up some serious red flags. “The sins of others appear later” (v24). The apostle uses a Greek verb (Gr. epakoloutheo) which means to follow along behind, come later, accompany, happen in a sequence. It literally means to follow immediately in someone’s footsteps. The  apostle Jesus called Rocky talks about how our Savior suffered, “leaving you an example, so that you might follow (Gr. epakoloutheo) in His steps” (1Pet 2:21).

In the same way, there are some of us whose sins are so obvious to the world but are hot on our tail. We may think we can outrun our crap, but it will suddenly appear in our rearview mirror. And remember, objects in mirror are closer than they appear! The slow and steady process of investigating folks as elders and deacons should make these secret sins obvious to the search committee. Check out how the Message drops this little bit of knowledge. “The sins of some people are blatant and march them right into court. The sins of others don’t show up until much later” (v24 The Message). In other words, there are times when the stench of their garbage arrives ahead of them and there are others who only stink up the joint after they get there.

But checking the background of potential leaders doesn’t disqualify some people, it also reveals the good stuff others do that we don’t know about. There are folks whose good works “cannot remain hidden” (v25). They don’t send out press releases or call a news conference every time they do something nice for someone. This is exactly what Jesus talked about on a hillside near the lake in Galilee (Mt 6:1-6). Stop showing off just so everyone can see it. Don’t alert the media each time you help a homeless person. Don’t pray out loud for the crowd if you never pray solo and alone. 

A careful inspection of leadership candidates will shine a light on how God uses these humble hidden heroes. You discover their regular and passionate devotion to Scripture. And they don’t just read it, they apply it. You discover great husbands, awesome dads, loving neighbors, and rockstars in the workplace. You discover folks who love God and love people. You discover selfless and sacrificial servants. Their good works “cannot remain hidden” (v25).

This is what happens when churches take their time in looking for leaders. When we honor this process, God makes sure the cream rises to the top. As MacArthur writes,  “Time and truth go hand in hand.” It’s critical that we use the biblical qualifications (1Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9) as the yardstick for elders and deacons. And that’s going to take time. You can’t rush it. When it comes to selecting leaders, slow is fast and fast is slow. Even the Son of God pulled an all-nighter praying about the selection of His disciples. And you thought you put a lot of work into researching your fantasy draft.

There is a bigger biblical principle here that goes far beyond looking for leaders. God will eventually reveal every single one of our secret sins. He’ll reward every act of clandestine kindness and grace. King David wrote a song about it and goes a little something like this. “He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday” (Ps 37:6). His son Solomon put his own spin on this lyric in the Book of Proverbs. “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” (Prov 10:9). Jesus told His personal posse that His Dad is going to blow the lid off everything. “For nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known” (Mt 10:26).

So remember to take your time looking into the lives of potential leaders. Some stuff is obvious. Other stuff is not. Some people are an open book. Others are password protected. You may find out that your leading candidate is secret sinner or a hidden hero. Whatever the case, God will use the process to expose the good and bad.

Prejudice and Playing Favorites

“In the presence of God and of Christ and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality” (1Tim 5:21).

For some defendants, the trial seems like a formality. Sometimes it appears to be an open and shut case. To make matters worse, the accused LOOKS guilty. For Pete’s sake, the TV newscast has them walking in slow motion!! A slo-mow perp walk is a sure sign of guilt!! 

Then you have those defendants who simply couldn’t have done it. Maybe they’re your neighbor or your friend or local celebrity. How could anybody charge such a nice looking guy or sweet older lady with such a horrible crime?

Sometimes our preconceptions corrupt the process. That is Paul’s warning to his protege Timothy. He’s laying out the procedure Tim should follow when the church investigates its leaders. 

Don’t waste your time on frivolous accusations against an elder. You’re gonna need at least two, hopefully three witnesses (1Tim 5:19). If a leader takes repeated rides on the sin cycle, it’s time for a church-wide intervention, for the good of both the leader and the congregation (1Tim 5:20).

At this point, the apostle wants Pastor Tim to make sure that nobody jumps to conclusions before hearing the evidence. “In the presence of God and of Christ and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality” (v21). 

This is a big deal. A VERY big deal. Remember that the heavenly courtroom is also in session. Protect the process. Don’t railroad a leader just because you don’t like him. Don’t go easy on an elder simply because he’s popular. It’s no time for prejudice. This is no time to play favorites.

Having this process in place to investigate and discipline church leaders ahead of time is essential for any congregation. But it was a desperately needed tool Ephesian believers at the time Paul wrote this letter in 64 AD. 

This once shining model of cross-cultural ministry in the metropolitan melting pot of Ephesus has become a total hot mess. Spiritual hucksters sold the followers of Jesus a load of theological snake oil involving goofy myths and doctrine that was downright demonic (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3).

When God sends the man from Tarsus on a mission trip to Macedonia, Paul hands Tim the broom of reform in a letter we know as 1 Timothy. Get folks praying again (1Tim 2:1-8). Find new leaders known for their godliness and integrity rather than their love of the spotlight (1Tim 3:1-13). 

Focus your teaching on God’s goodness and His gracious Gospel (1Tim 1:12-17; 4:3-4). Tim is to personally lead by example and lean into his teaching gift (1Tim 4:6-16). The apostle even provides guidelines for Gospel style assisted living (1Tim 5:3-16). You know, this is probably not a bad list to keep handy for any church in any century.

With Ephesian reform well underway, Paul lets Tim know the gravity of what’s at stake when investigating charges against an elder. First and foremost, we need to remember that this is being done “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels” (v21). In other words, there’s a whole lot more going on here than a church wide business meeting. The heavenly court is also in session.

If you’re like me, you may be scratching your noggin on his inclusion of “the elect angels” (v20). I mean, the first Two here really need no introduction at this point. Father God and His one and only Son. But who in the world are the “elect angels” (v20)? They are probably those angelic beings who remained loyal to God during Satan’s ill-fated civil war (Is 14:12-15; Ezek 28:11-19). 

Lucifer convinced a significant portion of God’s angel army to join him in his attempt to overthrow God. He lost and lost badly. Just to be clear, poking your finger in the chest of Almighty God is NEVER a good idea.

As a result, Yahweh booted the devil and his demons out of heaven. Those loyal angels who remain are the “elect angels” (v21). God chose them to stay due to their allegiance during the coup. According the ESV Study Bible, Paul probably includes the angels here because of their role in the final judgment (Mt 25:31; Lk 9:26; Rev 14:10).

Once we realize the heavenly courtroom is part of these proceedings, Paul goes on to write, “I charge you” (v21). Be sure, he’s NOT accusing Tim of a crime. He uses a Greek word (Gr. diamarturomai) that means to declare something solemnly and emphatically. In other words, the apostle is earnestly asking. 

Three other times in his two letters to Timothy, the apostle uses this very same term to get the young pastor’s undivided attention (1Tim 6:13; 2Tim 2:14; 4:1-2). Listen up and listen good. What he’s about to say is incredibly important.

So what’s the bottom line? Just who are these angels and what election did they win? I wouldn’t waste much time trying to figure out why Paul included the angels. Their identity isn’t the apostle’s point. Let’s not major in the minors and miss the main thing. The apostle wants Tim and everyone else who reads this to know he means business. Everybody pay attention. Don’t miss this. Get it? Got it? Good.

Now that we understanding the weight of what’s at stake, Tim is to “keep the rules” when it comes to church leadership. We must protect the process. That means honoring elders for leading well, especially as teachers (1Tim 5:17-18). Ignoring baseless charges against them (1Tim 5:19). 

When the investigation turns up something, pursuing discipline against them for the good of the leader and the good of the church (1Tim 5:20). In other words, don’t let any prejudice or partiality derail the process. This is no time to play favorites. There’s too much at stake.

But let’s not make the mistake of using the rules in the wrong way or for the wrong reasons. They are not in place to ruthlessly run roughshod over those who get in your way. God gives us guidelines to guard His flock, not to use as a weapon. And these processes don’t take precedence over people. 

Remember Jesus’ answer when someone asked which rules are the most important? Love God and love people (Mt 22:36-40; Mk 12:28-31). “Love God and love procedure,” said our Savior never. People ALWAYS trump process.

We protect people who are in this process is by doing it “without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality” (v21). You don’t railroad and you don’t play favorites. On one hand, we proceed without prejudice. Don’t jump to conclusions of guilt on anyone just because someone tells you they’ve dug up some dirt. 

That’s especially the case when it comes to an elder or pastor. They’re NOT guilty just because there’s an inquiry. Don’t railroad the accused. Let the investigation run it’s course. The truth will come out.

Likewise, we must also make sure we’re “doing nothing from partiality” (v21). This is when we’re inclined to be nice to someone for some reason other than the evidence. Maybe they’re your buddy. Maybe they’re your neighbor. Maybe they’re cute. Maybe they’re famous. Maybe they’re rich. Maybe they’re successful. Maybe they look like you. Whatever the case, don’t play favorites.

Let’s face the facts. Nobody loves church discipline. (And if you do, you REALLY need to get some counseling! Do not pass “go.” Do not collect $200.) And the stickiest and messiest kind of church discipline involves a pastor or an elder. When it does happen, let’s proceed with extreme caution. 

Make sure the pendulum doesn’t swing too far one way or the other. Or as the Message paraphrases the apostle, “God and Jesus and angels all back me up in these instructions. Carry them out without favoritism, without taking sides” (v21 The Message).

There's a bigger biblical principle at play here as well. First of all, we need to keep prejudice and favoritism far away the entire leadership process. If someone is biblically qualified, there's nothing else that should eliminate them from consideration. Not race. Not neighborhood. Not income. Not education level. Not political party. In the same way, none of these should ever be factors working in someone's favor to be an elder.

Protect the process. Don’t railroad a leader just because you don’t like him. Don’t go easy on an elder simply because he’s popular. This is no time for prejudice. It’s no time to play favorites. Don't bring that stuff in here.

Intervention

“As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (1Tim 5:20).

So what happens when a church leader makes headlines for all the wrong reasons? What? Don’t think it could ever happen at YOUR church? Oh, you can keep skipping down the primrose path if you want. If that’s you, please tell the unicorns and leprechauns I said “hey.” But you know the truth. Church scandals happen WAY too often. And it could happen here.

Well, I have some very good news about some very bad news. The Apostle Paul has some important instructions for crisis management in the local church. His guidance isn’t some “break glass in an emergency” kinda deal. It’s for us to know ahead of time. 

Understand what to do before disaster strikes. “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (v20). When an elder makes sin a conscious and regular part of his lifestyle, it’s time for an intervention. For the good of the leader. For the good of the church.

You know all about interventions, don’t you? That’s when a person participates in self-destructive behavior but doesn’t have a clue the damage they’re doing. To themselves. To the people they love. 

At some point, folks draw a line in the sand. It’s time for a face-to-face meeting. It’s time to get all the cards on the table. It’s time to stop tap dancing around 800-pound gorilla in the room. (That sure paints an interesting picture, don’t you think? Trippin’ a nifty time step around King Kong’s little brother. But I digress.) 

There comes a time when you must lovingly, boldly, and openly intervene. You love someone too much to let them continue. You’ve had a front row seat for their self-destruction. Time has come for an intervention. For the good of the person. For the good of their friends and family.

Don’t forget the original purpose of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. The apostle has hit the trail for ministry in Macedonia and put Tim in the driver’s seat of the Ephesian megachurch (1Tim 1:3). 

Pastor Tim has quite the hot mess to clean up in E City. Spiritual snake oil salesmen have driven the congregation into the ditch with all sorts of bizarro teaching (1Tim 1:4-7; 4:1-3). A big part of this Ephesian comeback is filling the leadership void with godly people of integrity (1Tim 3:1-13).

If and when there is any future trouble at the top, Paul lays out a clear process (1Tim 5:19). What sort of evidence is there? Do you have a minimum of two witnesses? Three would be much better. 

If you prove the charges true and the elder continues to sin, it’s time to get the entire church involved. It’s time for an intervention. For the good of the leader. For the good of the church.

You might wonder where in the world I get the idea that Paul is talking about elders here in verse 20. Context. Just before this, the apostle is talking elders (1Tim 5:17-19). Just after, he’s talking to Tim about leaders (1Tim 5:21-22). I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but it sure seems to me he’s talking about elders and leaders.

That being the case, we’re to keep an eye out for church leaders “who persist in sin” (v20). Paul uses the verb hamartano here. It means to do wrong or miss the mark. To sin is do anything contrary to the will and law of God. 

But avoiding sin is a whole lot more than NOT doing the bad stuff. It’s also NOT doing what you’re supposed to do. Sins of commission and sins of omission are sins. Period. And we also sin when we do the right things for the wrong reasons.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, let me break the bad news to you. You’re a sinner. I’m a sinner. We’re all sinners (Rom 3:10-12, 23). That’s the reason we need a Savior. We need Someone perfectly obeys God’s law when we fail miserably. 

That’s where Jesus comes in. He doesn’t just die to take the punishment for our crimes, He lives the life of perfect obedience we fail to live. That’s the very Good News about the incredibly bad news.

But Paul describes a leader “who persist in sin” (v20). The form of the verb here is the present tense. In other words, someone who was sinning, is sinning, and probably will be sinning tomorrow unless somebody takes some radical action. 

Here’s the deal. Sin continues to be part of our lives on this side of eternity. Even Paul, the author of most of the New Testament, was honest with his cage match with sin while trying follow Jesus perfectly and obediently (Rom 7:13-20).

The apostle is talking here about pastors and elders who take a never-ending ride on the sin cycle. They repeatedly return to some behavior that not only damages them personally but the congregation they shepherd. 

Their transgression happens over and over and over and over. Lather, rinse, repeat. They live in a virtual Groundhog Day of sin. The sheer repetition of their destructive behavior takes it’s toll not only on the individual, but friends and family, and in this case, the church family.

The next step is unpleasant but unavoidable. “Rebuke them in the presence of all” (v20). I don’t know about you, but “rebuke” is one of those “Bible words” that you don’t hear very often outside of a church. 

A closer look at the original Greek word elegcho tells us that it means to expose something, bring it to light, or convince people by revealing the proof. It’s like the investigative reporting on “Dateline” when Keith Morrison exposes the undeniable evidence of the crime and now somebody must do the time.

New Testament authors use elegcho when talking about those moments when the light bulb comes on and the truth is glaringly apparent. John the Dunker exposed King Herod Antipas and “reproved (Gr. elegcho) him” for shacking up with his sister-in-law (Lk 3:19). 

Jesus told Nicodemus how a dude up to no good does everything he can to keep it quiet “lest his works should be exposed (Gr. elegcho)” (Jn 3:20). Paul told his friends in Ephesus to not only avoid private sins “but instead expose (Gr. elegcho) them” (Eph 5:11). 

In his second note to Tim, the apostle hopes the young preacher will be on his toes to “reprove, rebuke (Gr. elegcho), and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2Tim 4:2).

Some of you may be scratching you head right now. Hmm, this all sounds REALLY familiar. Have I read this somewhere before? Probably so. Paul ties this process to Jesus’ instructions for church discipline in Matthew 18:15-17. 

Here's a quick review. Step one, meet one-on-one with the person who has done you dirty. If he blows you off, move to step two. Take two or three other folks with you and confront him again. If he blows off you and the others, it’s time for step three. 

That’s when you present the matter to the entire church. If that doesn’t turn on the light bulb, it’s time for a status change. The dude in question goes from an insider to an outsider. But the point isn’t just to punish. The big idea is interact with him as if he doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus. You don’t shun him. You share the Gospel with him.

The apparent difference between Christ’s instructions in Matthew and Paul’s process here is that this step happens “in the presence of all” (v20). We’re to bring the elder stuck in the sin cycle before the entire church. As heartbreaking as it is, it’s time for an intervention. 

God is up to a couple of different purposes when we do this. First of all, we demonstrate to this fallen leader that we’re united in our love for him. Whatever rat hole of destructive behavior he’s fallen into, we know this isn’t the crazy good abundant life Jesus has promised for him (Jn 10:10). We desperately want him to know the hurt and pain he’s brought to God’s family.

Paul lets us know the second purpose of this process is “so that the rest may stand in fear” (v20). This isn’t so much the fear of being found out and called on the carpet. He’s talking about the awareness of the clear and present danger of sin’s insidious impact on anyone and everyone. 

Our leaders are NOT super saints who are faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound, with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. 

Our elders and pastors need a Savior just like you and me. We ALL need Christ every single moment of every single day. We ALL need to be in a continual state of repentance and dependance on Jesus. Elders. Pastors. You. Me.

Let’s go over it one more time. First we see that we had better have our ducks in a row when it comes to confronting one of our church leaders (1Tim 5:19). But if there’s evidence and more than witness, it’s time to move on with the process. At some point, it may come to an awkward but necessary intervention with an elder. 

We have to face the fact that life in the church is often messy. Everything is not neatly stored in one little bag with a twist tie. Why would we ever expect it to be? For heaven’s sake, Jesus invited jacked up people like you and me to be a part of it! 

So if an elder gets caught up in self-destructive, it’s time for an intervention. For the good of the leader. For the good of the church.

Got Witnesses?

“Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (1Tim 5:19).

Stories of law enforcement falsely accusing someone of a crime seem to be everywhere these days. The controversial documentary series “Making a Murderer” alleges cops and prosecutors cooked up the murder conviction of Steven Avery. And just about every week, shows like “Dateline” and “48 Hours” pull back the curtain on investigations gone horribly wrong. These heartbreaking stories usually involve circumstantial evidence and questionable witnesses.

In a letter to a young pastor named Timothy in Ephesus, Paul establishes a standard for any investigation into leaders in the church. “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (v19). He’s simply reiterating and applying a longstanding principle of God’s law. If you’re going to publicly accuse anyone of sin, much less an elder, you need evidence. Not rumors. Not whispers. Not innuendo. It’s going to take real forensic evidence. Got witnesses?

This is going to be an important tool for Tim. His mentor is on the road to Macedonia and has put him in charge of getting the Ephesian megachurch back on track. A team of spiritual con artists have weaseled their way into leadership and distracted folks from following Jesus with a combination of urban legends, goofy theories, and doctrine that’s downright demonic (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). 

Paul already kicked two of these knuckleheads to the curb (1Tim 1:20). The apostle set the bar for leadership integrity going forward (1Tim 3:1-13). And now he establishes clear guidelines for investigating charges against them.

In the previous verses, Paul talks about “elders who rule well” (1Tim 5:17), so it makes sense that he brings up those who don’t. Just to be sure, we’re NOT talking about incompetent leadership. We’re talking about a leader who willfully sins. That’s obvious from verses 20-24 where the apostle warns elders to avoid sinful activity like a Justin Bieber concert. 

You don’t kick out leaders just because you don’t like them. Poor performance isn’t grounds for dismissal. The standard for removal from the church office of elder must be sin which can be proved.

There may well be a few more false teachers serving in the Ephesian leadership who need to hit the road. If there’s more trouble at the top, Paul gives Tim the means to send them packing. The yardstick is clear. He can’t even consider cranking up an investigation without a minimum of two witnesses. 

If the evidence is there, dig a little deeper. Find out the truth. See if there are folks who are willing to testify to what’s going on. It has to be more than a random Twitter post or an anonymous online comment. You need real witnesses. And one witness won’t cut the mustard. Two is better. Three would be awesome.

God established the requirement of multiple witnesses when He gave Moses the law. “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established” (Dt 19:15). That’s especially true in death penalty cases (Num 35:30; Dt 17:6). 

Fast forward from the Torah to the kangaroo court that convicted Christ. “Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put Him to death, but they found none” (Mt 26:59-60; Mk 14:55). It was only through perjury that Jewish leaders were able to cook up enough evidence to get Him crucified.

Jesus told His followers to use this same forensic principle when handling cases of between believers. The Lord says we’re to sit down one-on-one with the person who sinned against us. “But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses” (Mt 18:16). 

Interestingly, that’s REALLY the meaning behind a verse that’s regularly quoted for small worship attendance. “For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them” (Mt 18:20). In other words, when two or three of His followers agree together on the evidence as witnesses, Jesus stands with them. Christ is actually talking about church discipline, NOT the minimum requirements for a worship service.

Before making his third visit to the church in Corinth, Paul warns believers to build the proper case against anyone who needs correction. “Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses” (2Cor 13:1). We’re not to deal with gossip, hearsay, whisper campaigns, internet rumors, and urban legends. 

Confronting a fellow follower of Jesus is a big deal. I mean a BIG hairy deal! It’s not to be taken lightly. It’s going to take a minimum of two people to testify against them before any action can be taken. Got witnesses?

Another important factor is that leaders are easy targets. As a matter of fact, Paul has just described the need to reward top shelf elders “who rule well” (1Tim 5:17). He uses a Greek word (Gr. proistemi) that means to place yourself in front. In other words, leaders put themselves out there. 

Elders are exposed. It’s just part of the package when you step into leadership. You become a punching bag of blame for anyone who doesn’t like the volume of music, the color of the carpet, the temperature in the baptismal pool, or the quality of the free coffee.

You see this petty garbage in the political system all the time. The candidate from the Not-Your-Party gets elected. They haven’t even taken their hand off the Bible at the inauguration when the opposition cranks up the impeachment machine. The U.S. Constitution may allow those sort of shenanigans but not Scripture. 

If you’re thinking about raising a stink about one of your church leaders, you’d better slow your roll. What’s the basis for your complaint? Is it really sin? Got witnesses?

A little closer look at the original language here helps us out. The word “charge” is the Greek noun kategoria, which means an accusation. The word literally describes a rumor that moves “through (kate-) the marketplace (-goria).” Dirt and gossip spread like wildfire in public settings and large gatherings. 

The Apostle John uses a very similar term when he calls Satan “the accuser (Gr. kategoreo) of the brothers” (Rev 12:10). In other words, there has to be more than a whisper campaign of people hiding behind an anonymous web profile or unsigned letter to remove an elder from office.

It’s interesting that the only other uses of kategoria in the Gospels have to do with the crooked and unrelenting investigation against our Savior. Religious bigwigs never took their eyes off Jesus so “they might find an accusation (Gr. kategoria) against Him” (Lk 6:7 NKJV). 

When they eventually trumped up charges of treason against Christ and took Him to the governor, Pilate wanted to know, “What accusation (Gr. kategoria) do you bring against this Man?” (Jn 18:29). Just in case you haven’t heard, they had nothing (Jn 18:28. 19:4, 6). Zip. Zero. Zilch.

A local church can head a lot of these problems off at the pass if it just follows the process of selecting leaders which God lays out in His Word (1Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Let’s review that vetting process quickly. A candidate must be “above reproach” (1Tim 3:2), which means not just scandal-free but scandal-proof. 

Paul goes on to tell Titus that an elder is “not open to the charge (Gr. kategoria) of debauchery or insubordination” (Titus 1:6). Just down the page, we’ll see the apostle warn against rushing to find new leaders and “not be hasty in the laying on of hands” (1Tim 5:22).

There’s a good chance that if someone has a legit accusation against an elder, the church may not have done its due diligence in his selection. You can go a long way to avoid a messy investigation by checking out a potential leader’s marriage, family, work performance, and personal finances ahead of time. 

Is it hard work? Will it take a while? You betcha. But it sure beats one of your elders doing a perp walk or seeing your church leading the local newscast. Remember, we’re about spreading the Good News not getting bad press.

A quick but necessary note to anyone in church or ministry leadership. This principle is NOT a shield to hide behind. We’re NOT to use this as some sort of teflon coating insuring charges will never stick. (As a matter of fact, Paul gets to that in the very next verse!) 

There’s also the idea of shared servant/leadership or what theologians call the plurality of elders. That just means there’s not one dude flying solo in leadership. Just about every mention of elders in the NT describes them as a team (Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15:2-6, 22-23; 16:4; 20:17, 28; 21:18; Phil 1:1; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1Pet 5:1-2). Teamwork creates openness and accountability. Multiple elders help to provide checks and balances.

The bottom line here is that Paul seems to believe that charges against church leaders are going to come. It’s probably not a case of “if” but “when.” Pastors and elders are easy targets. So let’s establish a standard for investigation. 

Don’t waste your time chasing down every rumor. You need real evidence. Not opinion. Not innuendo. Are there any witnesses? There needs to be more than just one. Two is the minimum. Three is better. Got witnesses?

Returning, Rebuilding, Renovating

When a list comes out, everybody wants to know where they stand. The list of who made the team and who got cut. Grammy nominees. The Forbes 500. Academy award winners. The most livable cities. The most dangerous jobs. The FBI’s most wanted. One hit wonders. Let’s face it, we love lists. At the end of the book of Ezra, we read a very important list (Ez 10:18-44). It’s the final inventory of the Jewish men who’ve been found guilty of shacking up with local pagan hotties. You won’t believe who’s on it! It includes some of the best and brightest. It includes some of most influential Hebrew families. Yet we see God at work, doing what He does best. Returning, rebuilding, and restoring. 

Ezra has just overseen a three-month investigation of blatant sexual sin among the returning exiles (Ez 10:16-17). Just after the second phase of God’s resettlement of the Promised Land after 70-plus years of exile (Ez 8:31-32), Ezra gets tipped off that some of Jewish dudes are hooking up with unbelieving local ladies (Ez 9:1-2). This is a major violation of God’s commandments for His people (Ex 34:11-16; Dt 7:1-6). It’s not that Yahweh has anything against other people groups, but He knows that the quickest way to draw His people out of a relationship with Him is for them to hop in the sack with folks who worship false gods. This is particularly heartbreaking to Ezra because God was using this priest to reestablish the sacrificial worship at the temple. After confessing the people’s sin for them (Ez 9:5-15) and seeking His guidance about what to do (Ez 10:6), he launches a massive investigation into the national scandal (Ez 10:16-17). After three months, he posts the final list. He cuts and pastes this infamous roster into the final pages of the book that bears his name (v18-44).

The final list of the guilty includes the names of 113 men. There’s some disagreement over this number. Not whether there are 113 men who’ve been found to hopped in the sack with pagan girlfriends, but whether this is a complete list. It appears that about 50,000 folks returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ez 2:64-65). Another 7,000-8,000 people made the trip from Babylon to Judah with Ezra leading the way (Ez 8:1-14). In the big picture, are the sexual escapades of only 113 men really such a big deal? Yes. It’s a very big deal. Their sin is having a corrosive effect on the entire culture. As the days, weeks, and months pile up, the number of Hebrew people turning away from God and toward idols grows. The list of “only” 113 names is a VERY big deal. Jesus warns His posse about the “leaven of the Pharisees” (Mt 16:6). He’s not worried about buy their tainted baked goods. Christ knows that little things can have a big impact. Such as these 113 men.

Ezra sorts and divides these names into some very familiar categories. Priests (v18-22), Levites (v23-24), and the citizens of Israel (v25-43). Again, he’s a priest with a passion to reestablish biblical sacrificial worship to the rebuilt temple. He’s broken his previous rosters down by their various positions of priests, Levites, temple servants, and general population (Ez 2:2-58). One more time, he makes sure we know what crime this investigation has found these men guilty of. They “had married foreign women” (v18). The Big E doesn’t use the usual Hebrew term for marriage but one that simply describes giving someone a home. In other words, they were shacking up. These weren’t legit marriages but illicit sexual relationships. 

The list begins with “some of the sons of the priests who had married foreign women” (v18). In other words, this sex scandal goes all the way to the top. The priesthood is involved. Just another example of why it was important to get to the facts. Included in this list are “some of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers” (v18). These are the descendants of the high priest who returned with Zerubbabel (Ez 2:2; 3:2, 8-9; 4:3; 5:2; Hag 1:1, 12; 2:4; Zech 3:1; 6:11)! What a powerful warning to anybody in leadership who thinks their family is immune to sin. It’s critical to raise our children in God’s standards so that one day they can develop their own relationship with Jesus. Matt Chandler calls it stacking kindling. But it’s also a reminder that parents can only do so much to raise their kids in following Christ. As Franklin Graham says, God has no grandchildren. Each person is responsible for their own spiritual walk. We don’t scoot into salvation on mom and dad’s ticket. 

The priestly family members lead the way in confession and repentance. “They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt” (v19). They openly agree to break up with their pagan girlfriends. But they didn’t stop there. They knew that an appropriate sacrifice must be made for their sin. “Their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt” (v19). They are simply following the sacrificial rules God set in place with Moses. Each of them needed to provide “a ram without blemish” that the LORD prescribed in Leviticus 5:6, 15; 6:4-6. And this was almost certainly what each man on the list brought as a sacrifice. As spiritual leaders in the Hebrew community, they lead the way in confession and repentance. Leaders lead in all sorts of ways. Even confession and repentance. ESPECIALLY confession and repentance!

Among some of the other notables on this infamous list are the “sons of Parosh” (v25). Ezra has noted this family a couple of other times (Ez 2:3; 8:3). We’ll even read them over in the sequel, the book of Nehemiah (Neh 7:8). Again, this sex scandal went to the top. We also see Jehiel on the roster (v26). Flip back over to Ezra 10:2 and you’ll see that his boy Shecaniah played a brief but very important role. Despite knowing that his own father had a girlfriend on the side, he steps up to encourage Ezra to lead God’s people out of this hot mess (Ez 10:2-4). The priest lists a couple of other familiar families, the “sons of Bani” (v29; Ez 8:11) and the “sons of Pahath-moab” (v30; Ez 8:4). Again, nobody is immune. Our families may look great from the curb. But one look inside the front door reveals that every family puts the funk in dysfunction. 

The book ends concludes, “All these had married foreign women, and some of the women had even borne children” (v44). We never sin in a vacuum. There is always collateral damage. In this case it’s not only the ladies they hooked up with but the children they fathered. Think for a moment at the impact of what is happening. These are real people. Each one created in the image of God. Now these Jewish men must face the consequences of their disobedience to the LORD’s commands. People are going to be hurt. We don’t sin in a vacuum.

Let’s close the book of Ezra with a few important observations. I have to say that much of what follows comes from the Life Application Study Bible. Credit where credit is due. As the curtain rises in the book of Ezra, the temple is a pile of rubble and the Jewish people are almost 1,000 miles away in Babylonian exile. We read of the LORD’s incredible work of grace to resettle His people home to the Promised Land, rebuild and renovate the temple, and restore worship at the temple. God is able to do this in our lives too. He’s able bring us home. He’s able to rebuild and renovate the rubble of our broken lives. He can restore our relationship with Him so that we can worship once again. Nobody is too far gone for God. Jesus does for us what we can never do for ourselves. He lives the perfect life that we’ve completely failed to live. He dies the brutal death for our sin that we should have died. He rises to a glorious new life that we don’t deserve. There is forgiveness. There is rebuilding. There is renovation. There is restoration. In Jesus.

CSI: Jerusalem

It wasn’t that long ago that I was a huge fan of the original TV show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Grissom and his team would use every trick in their forensic bag to get to the truth. Before you know it, you had shows featuring CSI teams in cities like Miami and New York. But long before the original series was a gleam in Jerry Bruckheimer’s eye, there was another investigative team. The one assembled by Ezra to investigate rampant sexual sin and idolatry among the Israelites. In Ezra 10:16-17, he describes a massive three-month investigation as they tried to get to the truth. Call it CSI: Jerusalem.

So what led to this probe in the first place? After spending 70 years as slaves in Babylon, the children of Israel are resettling the Promised Land. After rampant idolatry and sexual sin, God sent the King Nebuchadnezzar to haul them into exile (2Ki 24:10-16). Just as He sent them into slavery, the LORD brought them out. He moves pagan kings Cyrus (Ez 1:1-4), Darius (Ez 6:1-12), and Artaxerxes (Ez 7:1-6, 27) to not only allow their Hebrew captives to return home but fully fund the entire project as well. After two different phases of resettlement, a significant number of Jews have come home. What should be a time to party quickly turns sour when folks tip Ezra off about some real nasty stuff that’s going on. A boatload of priests, Levites, and other men are not only fooling around with local pagan hotties but actually shacking up with them (Ez 9:1-2). Ezra calls everyone to Jerusalem for a mandatory family meeting and has very hard words for the people during a very hard rain (Ez 10:9-11). Confess your sin and ditch your girlfriend. The people agree and suggest investigating the situation using local officials rather than continuing their meeting in the monsoon (Ez 10:12-13).

We pick up the story with the people moving forward obediently with the proposed plan. “Then the returned exiles did so” (v16). Once again, the Big E refers to the people as the “exiles” (Ez 1:11; 2:1; 4:1; 6:19-21; 8:35; 9:4; 10:6-8). The label reminds them of where they once were and where they are now. Their consequences of their sin and rebellion cut them off from a relationship with God. He’s now rolled up His sleeves to not only forgive them but escort them home. Our rebellion cuts us off from a relationship with God. It’s only through Jesus who brings us home from our slavery to sin. It’s never a bad thing to look back on where we were BC. Before Christ. We were all exiles before He came to the rescue. 

The people follow Ezra’s lead on how to move forward. The high priest handpicks the teams who will investigate the situation. “Ezra the priest selected men, heads of fathers’ houses, according to their fathers’ houses, each of them designated by name” (v16). This is no one man job. This is going to take teams. These investigative panels are set in place in every city to explore the charges that Hebrew men have hooked up with unbelieving local ladies. Just like CSI ends up with teams in Las Vegas, New York, and Miami. Separate teams could focus on more cases at once. And they were made up of more than one man. It’s just another great example in Scripture of shared leadership. Moses was trying to handle it all himself when his father-in-law told him that it was a VERY bad idea (Ex 18:22-23). Jesus put together a dozen dudes to carry the load once He was gone. Paul always seems to travel with a posse in the New Testament. We read that churches are to be led by teams of elders, not a single superstar pastor (Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15:2-6; 20:17; 21:18; Phil 1:1; 1Tim 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1Pet 5:1-2). Heck, even the Godhead has three Persons! 

These investigative teams “sat down to examine the matter” (v16). Ezra drops the Hebrew verb darash, which means to seek out, search, investigate, inquire, or study. Writers of the Bible often use this to describe how people would seek God’s guidance and wisdom in a matter. When her twins turned her womb into a cage match, Rebekah “went to inquire (Heb. darash) of the LORD” (Gen 25:22). Moses commanded the children of God to totally devote themselves to to seek after God and “to search (Heb. darash) after Him with all your heart and all your soul” (Dt 4:29). Earlier in Ezra, the people sought after God in order “to worship (Heb. darash) the LORD” (Ez 6:21). Our man Ezra dedicated his life to investigate God’s Word to “set his heart to study (Heb. darash) the Law of the LORD” (Ez 7:10). We also see the same term used when someone launches a full investigation into something. When a person is suspected of providing false testimony, “the judges shall inquire (Heb. darash) diligently” (Dt 19:18). We’re talking about a serious and intense investigation.

Ezra has assigned these teams to following the commands God gave Moses about investigating false worship among His people. If they suspect anyone to be fooling around with idols, “then you shall inquire (Heb. darash) and make search and ask diligently” (Dt 13:14). Actually Yahweh established a very specific process to follow when looking into idolatry charges (Dt 17:2-7). If there’s evidence of that “someone has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden, and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire (Heb. darash) diligently” (Dt 17:2-4). If it turns out that the charges are true, the person being found guilty of idolatry faces…gulp…a mandatory death sentence (Dt 17:5-7). Idolatry is a capital crime. Yeah, these investigations are a VERY big deal.

These investigators don’t just meet once and call it a day. They crank up their meetings “on the first day of the tenth month” (v17). That’s the Hebrew month of Tivet, which falls during December/January. The dig into the controversy until “the first day of the first month” (v17). This is Nissan. We’re talking about the Jewish month not the Japanese automaker. This is during March/April. In other words, it took three months to do the full investigation. The hearings lasted all winter. The goal was probably to allow these men to celebrate Passover with a clear conscience. It begins on the 15th of Nissan. We can celebrate today because Jesus is our ultimate Passover sacrifice! “For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed” (1Cor 5:7).

The various panels of fact-finders eventually got to the bottom of “all the men who had married foreign women” (v17). Let’s take a little closer look at the original language that the ESV translates as “married.” It’s the Hebrew word yashab. While it can be used to describe a traditional marriage, the term simply means to dwell with, give a home to, or stay in a certain place. It sure seems to be saying that these Jewish men were simply shacking up with pagan ladies. They weren’t legit hubbie and wife relationships. They were sordid and sexually illicit affairs. 

That’s the story of CSI: Jerusalem. Jerry Bruckheimer had nothing on Ezra.