Somebody Loves You

THURSDAY May 8, 2025

Show No Partiality; Do Not Be Hasty

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 5:21-22

Yet another important charge was given to young Timothy. In administering all his duties towards widows, honoring elders, and in making decisions in disciplining those who had fallen into sin, he should not be swayed by partiality. This meant he should not be a respecter of persons in the church.

A pastor or elder in the church should not be a respecter of persons. Some elders show partiality––they like to be among the rich and ignore the poor. Be careful. Christian leaders are to treat everybody alike.

Paul reiterated something that he had said earlier. He advised Timothy not to raise up someone in the ministry too early because they may become prideful––not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil (1 Timothy 3:6). This time Paul cautioned Timothy––do not lay hands on anyone hastily.

If somebody desires to serve in the ministry, first of all they need to be approved by the elders. There has to be a character observation by them. Again, learning from Acts 6, when Peter needed leaders to take care of the distributions to the widows, he said: “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business...” (Acts 6:3).

If you are a person who desires to be considered as part of the eldership, do you have these same qualities? Do you have a servant’s heart? Have you picked up trash, cleaned the bathrooms, or offered to help in any capacity? Have you willingly come alongside an elder?

Then the elders can lay hands upon a person having these qualities and pray for them to be used in the ministry. God ordains them, and the laying of hands is to show that this person is in submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

No life can surpass that of a man who quietly continues to serve God in the place where providence has placed him.
~C. H. Spurgeon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!