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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
October 1
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Today's Pathway:
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Paul has already stated that he is planning to go to Corinth (I Corinthians 16:6), and now adds that Timothy is also going to come at some point. Back in I Corinthians 4:17 Paul wrote that he had sent Timothy to their church so that he would
"bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ".
In verse 10 of today's passage Paul admonishes the Corinthians to make sure that Timothy can be with them "without fear". The Corinthian church was filled with problems, and Timothy was a young man (I Timothy 4:12). Paul had written back in chapter 4, verses 18, 19, and 21:
"Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power... What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love?"
Paul's description of what he might find in the church when he came indicates the rebellious nature of some of the membership, and a church filled with people like that certainly could have intimidated Timothy and made him fearful. "See" is a command, so Paul is telling them that they had better not mistreat Timothy because Paul is eventually coming, and if need be he will come with a rod of discipline. In verse 11 he warns them not to "despise" Timothy. The word "despise" is a strong verb which means to treat someone with contempt on the basis that he is worthless or of no value. Apparently this was an issue in some churches because in I Timothy 4:12 Paul tells Timothy not to allow the people in the church at Ephesus to "despise" him because he was young. It is easy for older church members, particularly arrogant and carnal ones, to look down upon a young pastor solely because of his age. This is a great mistake. While it is true that a pastor should not be a novice (I Timothy 3:6), that does not mean that a younger man can not effectively know and teach the Scriptures and lead a congregation in the way that it should go.
In verse 10 Paul gives an important reason for treating Timothy properly:
"he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do".
Timothy was doing the work that God had called him to. Bruce Hurt wrote,
"The implication is that to interfere with Timothy's work would be tantamount to interfering with the work of the Lord Jesus Christ! Their realization of this sobering truth should hopefully serve to put a touch of 'holy fear' in the hearts and minds of those in Corinth who might otherwise be predisposed to make it hard on Timothy."
This is an important truth. When an arrogant, backslidden Christian stands in the way of the pastor or some other Christian leader who is trying to carry out his ministry as prescribed in the Bible, that man is not just hindering the pastor's work, he is hindering God's work, and he will be held accountable by God for doing so. Paul also reminds the Corinthians that while Timothy may not have apostolic authority, he is doing the same work that Paul is, and thus they should respond to his leadership as they would to Paul himself.
Paul concludes verse 11 by telling the Corinthians that when the time came for Timothy to move on from their church that they were to "conduct him forth in peace". In other words, they were to supply all his needs for traveling and send him away with their blessings. This seems to indicate that Paul expected the church to not only treat Timothy correctly while he was there, but also to listen to what he had to say and make the necessary changes in their lives, so that when he left they were not glad to get rid of him, but instead thankful for his time with them. They were to accept him in peace, respond to him in peace, and ultimately send him on his way back to Paul in peace.
Are you responding to those who teach Biblical truth, or treating them as worthless? Are you helping or hindering the Lord's work?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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