1st Timothy 5:21. “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.” WITHOUT PARTIALITY. Looking on when we make decisions or even in small events
Are persons of the highest order and supreme intelligence. God and the Lord Jesus Christ know attitudes and thoughts – The chosen angels, whose actions are holy, see what our choices brought.
When it comes to the care of widows, we must be very clear – To be wise in refusing one's assistance and helping another may not seem fair. Particularly if we like the one more than we like the other – Or if one is of a different race or of a different culture.
Some elders we like better than others because they are our kin. And we may ignore the advice of others, paying attention only to him. It is not right to look for flaws as a reason to avoid a man – I am to submit to his leadership as scripturally as I can.
There seems to be, at times, a tendency for us to play favorites. Partiality is shown towards those who are smart, or rich, or famous. The station in life one holds in the world is not a reason to prefer One person above others when situations to be dealt with do occur.
It is important we honor people we know for who they are in Christ. If in each incident that arises, we remember this, we won’t have to deal with it twice. The old deserve our respect for their years, but they’re no more important than the young. Or we may prefer the young and active, forgetting what the older have done.
The principle to follow in leading is to remember the One who leads us – And we are well to remember those observers who watch, who have given to us this trust. Those whom we are called to lead and guide are children of the living God. Any activity we do for them must be governed by the Word of the Lord.
“I know even here this morning, Father, that what I am writing about is known by Thee before it reaches this paper. The chosen angels will be seeing if there are results that are positive that come from my meditation. May what I write and what I do be always within the bounds of spiritual guidance. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Differences of opinion between people often come from different personalities and expectations. There may be a different perspective on an issue that divides, but gossip and malicious intent must be stopped. When a rebuke is necessary, the intention is the same - correction and restoration to appropriate behavior. It is difficult to have to correct those who misuse their position, but there are times it must be done. The well- being of an assembly is more important than personal friendship and family reputation. Any disciplinary correction must be done fairly and without favoritism. Standards of leadership are high, but they must be maintained.
Any matter in the lives of believers is important, but when God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy angels are witnesses to a charge, there is no higher urgency than to do what is right. The outcome of an issue doesn't only affect us here on earth, but in heaven, assembly life is being watched. There should not be any hesitation on our part to do what is right when we realize that we are under divine observation and being watched by angels. When the qualifications of a person for leadership are being considered, or when someone moving into our area comes among us, we are not to act in haste in giving them a position of leadership. It is necessary to take time to watch their attitude and actions as well as weigh up their words and ways to see if they are consistent with the testimony of the assembly. Waiting for assurance that this person's interest and abilities are motivated by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the saints is both reasonable and required. We all have the responsibility to keep ourselves morally and spiritually upright and above reproach. Recognition can be given after a probationary period of time.