In the letters to Timothy, Paul gave clear instructions about the structure and behavior of the church. In 1 Timothy 5:22, Paul instructed Timothy to lay hands suddenly on no man. But what did Paul mean by lay hands suddenly on no man? Because Jesus commanded His disciples to lay hands on the sick and they would recover. Does the Bible contradict Itself about the laying on of hands? No, the Bible doesn’t contradict Itself and shall never contradict Itself. God’s Word is the truth. Therefore the Bible is reliable and trustworthy. However, you must read the Scriptures in the right context. Now, let’s have a look at what Paul meant by not lay hands suddenly on no man.
What does lay hands suddenly on no man mean in the Bible?
Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure (1 Timothy 5:22)
When we read 1 Timothy 5:22 in the right context, we can conclude that 1 Timothy 5:22 has nothing to do with the laying on of hands on the sick. As written before, Jesus commanded His followers to lay hands on the sick. Paul walked after the Spirit in obedience to the Word. Paul would never contradict the Word and disobey the Word, but confirm the Word.
In Timothy 5:22 Paul didn’t speak about the sick, but Paul spoke about an elder, who had sinned. This sin was confirmed by two or three witnesses. (Read also: ‘Why did Timothy have to rebuke a sinning elder before all man in the church?‘)
When Paul instructed Timothy to not lay hands on someone too hasty, Paul meant that Timothy should not be too hasty to:
- Ordain or appoint a believer as an elder in the church (congregation)
- Re-ordain or reinstate an elder, who had committed a sin
People are ordained in ministry by the laying on of hands
A person was ordained in ministry and put into position in the church through the custom of laying on of hands. We also read this in the Book of Acts:
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them (Acts 6:5-6)
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away (Acts 13:2-3)
Timothy could not reinstate a sinning elder too hastily in the church, by the laying on of hands.
He had to be sure, that the person was profitable to function as an elder and to be an example and spiritual leader to the believers.
Timothy had to be sure, that a person was godly, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and walked after the Spirit according to the Word.
An elder had to live a holy life and be an example to the believers. An elder couldn’t walk after the flesh in rebellion against God in sin.
How can an ambassador of the Kingdom of God walk after the flesh in sin?
How can an ambassador of the Kingdom of God walk at the same time in the kingdom of darkness and represent the darkness by walking after the flesh in sin?
If Timothy would appoint a sinning person as an elder or reinstate a sinning elder, then Timothy would become a partaker of sin.
This spiritual law applied to the church then and this spiritual law still applies to the church today. Sin means rebellion against God and His Word. When you are born again in Christ and become a new creation, you are no longer the old creation, who lives from his fallen state and his sinful rebellious carnal nature. You’re redeemed from your sinful rebellious nature, who always resists and rebels against the words of God. Therefore if you really have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, you won’t rebel anymore.
The new creation loves God above all
When you are born again, you won’t rebel against God and His Word, because of the transformation of your nature. You’ll submit to the Word of God and obey Him. Because you don’t want to do anything that displeases God defile the church, and damage or hurt the Kingdom of God.
All you want to do is to please and exalt God. That’s the desire of the new heart of the new creation, who loves God above all.
Now, if you want to please and exalt Jesus Christ and the Father, you believe and obey the words of Jesus, keep His commandments, and do His will
You will do, what He wants you to do and what He has commanded you to do.
Regeneration means a new Father, a new heart, a new nature, a new position, a new life and a new Kingdom.
Although you live in this world, you don’t belong to this world and the generation of fallen man (the old creation) anymore.
You are a new creation and belong to God. Therefore you obey God and His Word. You do what He says and not do what the world and the ruler of this world (the devil) say. Remember, you will obey the person, you believe in and love.
How did Timothy know if someone was living a holy life?
How did Timothy know if someone was living a holy life? There were two ways to judge if someone was living a holy and sanctified life:
- By the discernment of spirits, through the Holy Spirit
- By looking at the fruit of a person’s life (including family life)
Someone can be very pious and charismatic in his or her appearance and act religiously correct in front of people, but as soon as there are no people around and when no one is looking, the person does things in secret that go against God’s will. The person can live some kind of hidden double life. In this case, only the Holy Spirit can reveal the works and heart of the person. The Holy Spirit tells you, if the person is truly as pious as he presents himself or not.
God is omnipotent and sees everything
God is omnipotent and sees everything! Nothing is hidden before God. God reveals every dark hidden place in someone’s life. When people think that God doesn’t see what they are doing, only proves that they don’t know God or the Word; Jesus.
The Holy Spirit knows what’s inside a person’s heart. He alone reveals those things, which are hidden from man’s natural eyes. That’s why we need the Holy Spirit in our lives and obey Him. So that we have spiritual eyes and discern the spirits.
Many ministers in the church walk after the flesh
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 KJV)
When people are ordained in ministry and commit a sin or persevere in sin, it shows that the sinning ministers don’t walk after the Spirit but after the flesh. Because if ministers walk after the Spirit, they shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh and sin.
The flesh with all its lusts and desires has died in Christ and therefore the flesh no longer lives. This means if church ministers do the works of the flesh, it proves that their flesh has not died in Christ but is still alive. (Read also: What does the sinning of church leaders say about them?).
A sinning minister has an evil heart of unbelief
Besides proving that the minister walks after the flesh, it shows that there is evil in the heart of the person.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man (Mark 7:21-23)
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:12-14)
A church minister has responsibilities towards God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Christians.
Therefore, a minister should live a holy life devoted to God.
If a minister doesn’t live a holy life, but secretly commits sin, then the whole church (congregation) becomes a partaker of his/her sin.
Besides that, if a minister habitually lives in sin, it proves that the devil still has authority over his/her life. The minister is a slave of the devil and of sin, instead of a slave of Christ and of righteousness.
Ministers should keep the church; the body of Jesus Christ clean
Timothy was a gatekeeper of the church; the body of Christ. His task was to keep the body of Christ clean and holy and prevent the body from any defilement. That’s why Paul instructed Timothy to lay hands suddenly on no man. This means to not (re)ordain or reinstate someone too quickly in ministry.
Paul knew, that there would be a considerable chance, that after a while, the person would do it again and fall back into the same sin and/or commit another sin.
The cross means saying farewell to the flesh; the sinful rebellious nature, that won’t submit to the will of God.
What does lay hands suddenly mean for the Church Today?
Paul commanded Timothy to lay hands on no man suddenly. What Paul commanded Timothy to do, still applies to the church today. In Today’s ministry, leaders should not be too hasty to lay hands and re-ordain or reinstate someone, who committed sin or still walks in sin. Nor should leaders be too hasty to ordain someone in ministry, who is a new convert. Let the new convert, first of all, be disciplined and spiritually mature. Let the new convert do the things that Jesus has commanded every believer to do, which is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ; the Word, lay hands on the sick, cast out demons, etc.
Nowadays, there are many ministers, who fall into sin. In some cases, the person will be dismissed and removed from ministry for a short period. The sinning leader confesses his or her sins, repents or blames someone else, and in no time, the leader will be reinstated.
Especially when the person is an family member or friend of the pastor, elders, leaders of the church, church board, etc.
But this is not the way the Bible commands us to deal with a sinning elder or other church leaders.
In this age, people deal so easily with sin. They condone sin and consider it normal. Why? Many Christians are carnal and believe the lies of the devil and use many excuses to approve of sin. They say, We all sin, we are all sinners, Times have changed, we live in a different time now, We must love and not condemn, Jesus told us not to judge, etc.
But these are all lies from the devil! Because of these lies, there are only a handful of Christians, who long for a sanctified and holy life in Jesus Christ and a holy body.
Why do many Christians fall back into the same sin?
Many Christians sin, repent, and continue with their lives. And in no time they fall back into the same old sin. There is no true remorse anymore and therefore no true repentance. Because if there were true remorse and repentance, Christians would not fall back into the same sin again and again.
They are carnal and don’t love and fear the Lord above all. Instead, they love themselves and (the things and pleasures of) the world. They want to do the will of the flesh and fulfill the lusts, and desires of the flesh. Instead of being controlled by the Holy Spirit and walking in righteousness and hating sin, they are controlled by the spirits of this world and condone sin and walk in sin and iniquity .
They don’t consider sin as evil and bondage to the devil and death. They don’t acknowledge, and recognize the spiritual cause of sin. Because the root of sin is spiritual and not carnal. That’s why people fall back into the same old sin over and over again and allow unclean spirits to control their lives.
If there is sin present in the leadership of the church, how much more will sin be present in the lives of Christians?
What is sin according to the Bible?
What is sin according to the Bible? As written before, sin is rebellion against God and His Word. It means that you won’t believe, receive, and follow up His words and do His words in your life. Instead, you adjust and change His words so that they will fit into your life and you can live your own life, fulfilling your carnal will, lusts, and desires. And that’s what’s happening in many churches. They change and adjust the Word of God to the will, lusts, and desires of the people.
Knowing this, you can conclude that many church leaders and church visitors walk in sin. They walk in rebellion against God and His Word. Living according to their own will and opinions, instead of the will of God, and setting their own rules instead of keeping God’s commandments.
They think they please God. But in reality, they please and serve the devil, by denying the Word of God and by adjusting and changing the Word to the knowledge of this world and to the carnal will, desire, and lusts of man.
Many churches are not founded on the Word. But they are founded upon the knowledge of this world and upon their own philosophies, opinions, findings, and experiences. But worldly knowledge and man’s opinions, findings, and experiences don’t make the truth and don’t lead people to eternal life. Only the Word of God is and will always remain the Truth and leads to eternal life.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
