Purity

“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.” In the above verse the Apostle Paul is instructing the young Pastor Timothy to teach his church to respect their elders and to treat one another as if they were a family. The word “elder” here is not just the pastor of the church, but the older men and women of the church, and the words “rebuke not,” mean to not disrespect them verbally with harsh or critical words. In the church the elderly are to be treated with the same respect as one would give to a mom or dad. Be careful in this world of selfishness and self-centeredness that you do not forget to love and treat the older saints with honor. The Apostle Paul also wanted the younger members to treat one another as brothers and sisters. Sometimes brothers and sisters fight and disagree, but they are still family. We need to have a spirit of kindness, longsuffering, humbleness, forbearance, and forgiveness, if we are going to get along. Most families have conflict sometimes, but somehow they work at getting past it, and so should the church. Be careful to be a brother of grace more then of conflict, and as the Holy Spirit says, learn to also practice brotherly love in “purity.” The purity He is referring to, is a moral purity between churches members. Since the church is composed of men & women, respect for the opposite gender is extremely important. The highest regard to avoid instances of sexual temptation and bad behavior between ourselves needs to be a priority. Many a church, or Pastor, or life, has been destroyed by not taking heed to brotherly purity.