1 Timothy 5:17

1 Timothy 5:17 says, Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.  Paul said that the elders be given a double honor.  especially those who labored in the word and doctrine.  We should give preachers honor today, especially those who devote all their life to proclaiming God’s word and live true to it.  

Verse eighteen adds, For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.  Paul gave an example of not muzzling an ox while it was treading corn so that it would be able to eat what fell away.  He added that the laborer was worthy of his reward.  I don’t believe that this means that we are to just expect preachers who preach fulltime to be expected to live on just the scraps that fall by the wayside, but it means that we are to pay them well enough so that they will not have to worry about having their needs met.  This is what God expects of His people and not just something that we do out of the goodness of our hearts or grudgingly.  

Verse nineteen continues, Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.  Paul said that they were not to listen to accusations against an elder, or preacher, just on the word of one person, but that there needed to be two or three witnesses to whatever he was accused of doing.  Too often, people are willing to talk about preachers and even other Christians accusing them of wrongdoing without proof, and other Christians are willing to listen to them and even agree with them.  

Verse twenty concludes, Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.  Paul said that if an elder was guilty of sin, that he should be rebuked before all the church so that other elders would fear the consequences of sinning.  I think we can apply that principle to all those who are Christians.  We should never just gossip about them, but we should bring them before the church to answer the accusations and hold them accountable if they are living in sin once more. Then, if they confess and truly repent, they should be forgiven and never looked on as less worthy than any other Christian since we are all sinners saved by grace.