Correspondence

From: Young Christian: Volume 27, 1937

• 3 min. read • grade level: 7

Question: Please explain 1 Timothy 5:19¹⁹Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. (1 Timothy 5:19).

Answer: We must notice that Timothy was not only gifted (chap. 4:14), he also had authority from the apostle to appoint elders and deacons and to put things right in the assembly. No one has this authority now from God. The only authority given in the Word of God is vested in two or three gathered to the name of the Lord (Matt. 18:18-20¹⁸Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:18‑20); 1 Cor. 5:4, 13⁴In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 5:4)
¹³But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Corinthians 5:13)).

What you call gossip and evil speaking is condemned in Scripture, therefore we need to watch our hearts to keep from it. (See Eph. 4:29, 31²⁹Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)
³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (Ephesians 4:31); Titus 3:2²To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. (Titus 3:2); James 3:2²For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:2) to 14; 4:11; 1 Peter 2:1¹Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, (1 Peter 2:1)).

On the other hand when we know that we have been the subject of evil speaking, true or false, it matters not, our pride and anger is stirred, and a feeling of resentment comes in. If we give place to it, we too are allowing the flesh, and the danger is that we will go farther wrong in standing up for ourselves. This would not be like the Lord “who when He was reviled, reviled not again, when He suffered He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.” (1 Peter 2:23²³Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:23)).

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matt. 5:44⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)). (Luke 17:3, 4³Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. ⁴And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. (Luke 17:3‑4); Matt. 18:21²¹Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? (Matthew 18:21) to 35; Rom. 12:14, 18-21¹⁴Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. (Romans 12:14)
¹⁸If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. ²⁰Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. ²¹Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:18‑21); Eph. 4:2²With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (Ephesians 4:2)).

It is hard to be evil spoken about, but we must think how the Lord was evil spoken about, and how He forgave His enemies, and told us to do the same. We sinned against Him ten thousand talents, and we will hardly forgive one hundred pence. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” We might make them happy, and our souls would be blessed in doing so. This is the way the blessed Lord would have us do. We heartily sympathize with you, and pray that you will show your forgiving love to any who have hurt you, and if there is anything to confess, do it freely, then the Lord is with you at once.

Question: Who are the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:32³²And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:32)?

Answer: These are the nations or Gentiles, the living people who help or persecute the Jews, the King’s brethren, during the tribulation period.

Those who believe the gospel of the kingdom, that is that the King (the Son of Man), is coming to set up His Kingdom, and help His brethren, the Jews. These are the sheep, and they enjoy the kingdom—everlasting life on earth; while the goats, those who persecute the King’s brethren, go away into the lake of fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

Question: Is Melchizedek the Lord?

Answer: No, I do not at all think he was the Lord, but a beautiful type of the Lord. He was for a purpose made like unto the Son of God; and that he might be like Him, no record of his birth or death is given, and it is to this Hebrews 7:3³Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:3) refers. We know nothing of his pedigree, though verse 6 lets us know he had one: at least, so I have taken it.

In the passage in Genesis he is brought before us as “King of Salem,” and “Priest of the most high God,” but of his beginning and end, of his father and mother, we know nothing, though in Genesis we naturally look for this. This is in order, as just said, that he might be the type of the Lord. I have never thought he was actually without father and mother, and beginning of days nor end of life. If he was the Lord, then it would be His typifying Himself in a future day.

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• Correspondence