Many carnal believers quoting 1 Timothy 5:23 have attempted to justify their unscriptural use of alcohol. Yet, a careful look at the scriptures proves that they wrest (or twist) the scripture to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). From the passage, we understand that Timothy was plagued by some chronic health problems. Paul specifically mentioned stomach problems, but there were other infirmities that beset him as well. Drinking water was not curing Timothy’s ailments, so Paul, perhaps with doctor Luke’s guidance and recommendation, suggested “a little wine” for Timothy’s often infirmities. What purpose did the wine serve? It was strictly medicinal and not social or pleasurable. In other words, Paul said that Timothy needed some medicine to facilitate his recovery. Paul was not offering Timothy or us an excuse to drink but a prescription of medicine for recovery from debilitating ailments.
The believer’s life is loaded with benefits (Psalm 68:19), but one of the greatest of these benefits concerns the area of vengeance. According to scripture, vengeance is reserved for the Lord’s enemies (Deuteronomy 32:41; Judges 11:36), or adversaries (Deuteronomy 32:43; Jeremiah 46:10; Nahum 1:2), or the heathen (Psalm 149:7; Micah 5:15) but specifically upon “them that know not God” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). God does not deal with His people in vengeance, it is reserved for those who reject the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:8). When the children of God are disobedient, the Lord chastens, but He never takes vengeance upon His own.
God’s desire is that His people would grow into unity. The “perfect man” will experience this unity. The word perfect does not suggest a person without sin; but, rather, an individual who has matured in the Lord and been “furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17). A perfect man is not without error, but is mature enough in the Lord to exercise the lowliness, meekness, and forbearance discussed in the previous devotions. The Bible says, “Mark the perfect man . . . for the end of that man is peace” (Psalm 37:37). The will of God is that “we all” would come to this “unity of the faith.” It will only happen as believers grow “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
Though the means of worldly safety have changed throughout time, people have always put their trust in various things to offer temporary safety. The Bible depicts those who trusted in fenced walls (Deuteronomy 28:52), nations (Isaiah 30:2-3), horses, horsemen and chariots (Isaiah 31:1), weapons (Psalm 44:6), and mountains (Amos 6:1). People today place their trust in weapons, security systems, governments, insurance policies, and even medicines. Though the sources of trust have changed, the Lord remains just as grieved today when men place their trust upon the things of this world rather than upon Him. Ultimately, every source of worldly safety will fail, often in the moment we perceive as our greatest time of need.
Too many people have assumed that believers may freely rebuke in their own authority, but there exists no scriptural basis for this. The LORD gave us an excellent example when He said, “The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan.” When rebuking the Devil, the LORD emphasized the importance of authority. No believer should ever rebuke except according to the God-given authority of scripture. In Zechariah 3:2, the LORD was His own authority, but believers do not have any such authority in themselves apart from the Lord and His word. Paul spoke expressly about this when he charged Titus to “speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority” (Titus 2:15). It is not sufficient to flippantly invoke the Lord’s name; one must base any rebuke upon the scripture. Henceforth, it is the Lord that rebukes, never the believer.
On the sabbath day, the Lord Jesus stood to read the scriptures. This was a common practice in New Testament times as the Jews would read the scriptures every sabbath day (Acts 13:27; Acts 15:21). Publick scripture reading was not uncommon and appears to have also been a practice of the Israelites in the Old Testament (Exodus 24:7; Deuteronomy 31:11; 2 Kings 23:2; Nehemiah 8:3). The Bible also records that publick reading was common in the early church. Unlike today, believers did not own personal copies of the scriptures. Believers learned the scripture from publick reading (1 Thessalonians 5:27; 1 Timothy 4:13). Even now, believers should make an effort to publickly read the scriptures.
Some Bible teachers have suggested that there are specific times of the day in which believers ought to go to the Lord in prayer. In Psalm 5:3, David vowed to present his prayers before the Lord in the morning. In the 88th psalm, the psalmist acknowledged that he prayed to the Lord day and night (Psalm 88:1). Of course, many know about the pattern followed by Daniel, even in the face of persecution, when he sought the Lord three times a day (Daniel 6:10). From these passages, one might suggest that there are specific times of prayer, but according to 1 Thessalonians 5:17, believers are to pray without ceasing. In other words, believers ought to always be in a constant state of prayer before the Lord.
We know that believers should pray for others, but should we limit our scope of prayers? The apostle Paul admonished the believers of Thessalonica to pray for him but also wanted those who served the Lord by his side included (1 Thessalonians 5:25). He admonished the believers in Ephesus to pray for all saints (Ephesians 6:18). Then, he instructed Timothy, the young preacher, to pray “For kings, and for all that are in authority” (1 Timothy 2:2). In verse one of the same chapter (1 Timothy 2:1), Paul gave Timothy a much broader scope when he said “that . . . supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks” should “be made for all men.” If believers fail to pray for others, who will take up the slack to pray for those in need?
Today's verse deals with a period of time prophesied to shortly come to pass called the time of Jacob's trouble. Fortunately, if you are born again by the grace of God, you will not be here during any part of this period (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:9) when the Antichrist will have his way on this earth. Although Christians will be absent, we still remain responsible to study the word of God concerning this future time. In doing so, we learn from Daniel chapter 11 that the Antichrist will use flattery to obtain his kingdom. As a “vile” leader, he will come in peaceably and say nice things to other leaders in order to get them to agree to associate with him. Ultimately, he plans to take full control. Since we are told that the Antichrist of the future will use these methods, we should consider that the Devil likewise devours believers today using the same modus operandi.
If you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are no longer appointed to God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9); however, it helps to fully understand God’s hatred for sin. By understanding sin from God’s viewpoint, we can seek to emulate His love for righteousness while never abandoning His abhorrence of wickedness. In the days of king David, the Bible tells us that every man spoke vanity with his neighbour (Psalm 12:2). Men spoke with a double heart and with flattering lips (Psalm 12:2). They claimed that their lips were their own and that they possessed freedom to spew forth anything they chose to say (Psalm 12:4). God promised to rise up in judgment and “cut off all flattering lips” (Psalm 12:3).
