1-2 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.
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3-16 Honour widows that are widows indeed.
But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old (60 years old), having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
For some are already turned aside after Satan.
If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
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17-20 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
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21 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.
22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
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24-25 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
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* Lay hands suddenly on no man
Give time for the works done by this person to be established by God before approving the person.
By their fruits you shall know them. Matthew 7:20
Often a person will come among us and seem godly and seem religious and in time we see something completely different in that person and even question the spirit in him. Satan is very good at copying religious people. Satan also is an "angel of light", seemingly light, and so are his ministers. II Corinthians 11:13-15
Let God show us about him. Let God by HIS Spirit establish a man's works whether they are of God or not. Give it time.
* neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
A divorced woman at the church Pam Padgett was attending planned to get remarried. Pam went to this woman and told her if she did remarry, she would commit adultery according to Bible. The woman shocked Pam by saying she didn't care what the Bible said, she knew what she believed.
Pam went to the man she planned to marry and told him according to Bible if he married a divorced woman he would commit adultery. Matthew 5:32 He said he would consider it. But he went ahead with the marriage plans.
A woman from that church group was to be maid of honor. Pam went to this woman and told her this marriage would be adultery. The woman said she knew it was wrong but they would marry anyway and she was going ahead with plan to be maid of honor.
When I heard this, I was reminded immediately of : neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
My cousin told me the following story: Her neighbors invited her to an afternoon "luncheon". She thought it was to be outside and she dressed in slacks. When she got there she said she was so embarrassed for it was a wedding. The neighbors were both males and were marrying each other. My cousin said she was so upset at the way she was dressed, sitting at a wedding in jeans. I told my cousin I wouldn't have been sitting there among them when I learned it was a homosexual marriage. I would have fled. neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
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II John vv. 9-11 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
The doctrine of Christ:
* divorced women remarrying:
I Corinthians 7:10-11 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
* man marrying a divorced woman:
Matthew 5:32 Jesus says: whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
* homosexuals & lesbians:
Romans 1:26-28 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Homosexuals and lesbians chose to go "against nature" and God gave them over to their choice.
No. They were not born this way as they would have you believe. For if they can get you to believe that, how can they be guilty? But the doctrine of Christ, the Bible shows us truth from God. We must cling to that truth.
* Drunkenness:
Society today is calling drunkenness a disease. The Bible calls drunkenness a sin.
* Drunkenness:
Society today is calling drunkenness a disease. The Bible calls drunkenness a sin.
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Here is what the apostle Paul says to do if anyone in the church is a drunkard ... or fornicator ...
1 Corinthians 5:11, 13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. ... Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
1 Corinthians 5:11, 13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. ... Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
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Hold fast to the doctrine of Christ on these issues.
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