There’s a Scandal in my Church!

So what does Paul teach us about how to handle a scandal in a church? Let’s say you have discovered that your beloved grace pastor has been doing something really, really stupid for a long time.

How should you and your church handle a scandal?

The Dangers of Secret Sins

First, how about we address, briefly, the dangers of secret sins? Your pastor or elder may be really, really intelligent, but intelligence doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is too smart to sin. Being full of wisdom doesn’t mean one isn’t going to, say, get involved with strange women and not reap what has been sown. Solomon, anyone?

Consider this verse. Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

This verse speaks of the hardening character of sin. If one allows unrighteous thinking to govern his mind, if one allows the deceitfulness of sin to take over his thinking, it leads to a hardened heart, which is the beginning of a downward spiral in the spiritual life of any believer. He’s shipwrecking his own faith. A hardened heart leads to the incremental death of each fruit of the Spirit, which leads to the death of your entire spiritual life, which leads to secret sins, which then leads to open sins, which leads to blasphemy and a seared conscience, and before you know it, that believer is no better than an unbeliever.

Believe me, I know. Been there, done that.

You may try to keep your little pet sin at home, but when the door is even slightly ajar that dog will soon be out in the street. When you consciously choose to live with secret sins, you might as well ask a lion to let you stick your head into his mouth. You can’t regulate his jaws any more than you can regulate the secret sins in your life. Once you stick your head inside, it’s only a matter of time before he bites your head off.

Secret sins are like cancer eating away at your spiritual life until that life is snuffed out. So if one continues in secret sins, that eroding spiritual life will eventually become apparent to all. They may not know about the secret sin, but they’ll notice when a believer is off somehow, is losing his way, and that departure from the faith begins in a mind that has allowed the deceitfulness of sin to govern his thinking, a mind that is not properly renewed and geared up in the full armor of God.

This speaks to why we must cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). How do we do that? Through the study of His Word, through the meditation of His Word, through prayer, through fellowship with like-minded saints, through the exhortations of your pastor, and through songs and hymns within yourself, making melody in your heart to the Lord all the time.

And you better be careful to make sure you’re not doing anything that has even the slightest appearance of impropriety (1 Thess. 5:22).

Let’s Talk about Elders

1 Tim. 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 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. 1Ti 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

Honour was due to an elder and double honour if he did his work well by exemplifying all the sound doctrines of grace.

“Rule well” goes back to the same idea of the qualification of elder in 1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. “Rule” doesn’t mean lord over or be a dictator. “Rule” here means to stand before to lead.

So anyone in a leadership role is to be given honor but the one who leads well, the one who does well to manage and oversee the church, who gives proper care to the property if you have one, who keeps the church in order, especially financially, who makes sure proper doctrine is taught behind the pulpit, and most important of all, one who leads by example, that man is to be given honor. That is especially true to an overseer who takes good care of the church and also labors in Word and in doctrine, like a pastor. That man is to also be given double honor, which implies financial compensation for his labors.

Paul quotes an Old Testament scripture to reinforce this guiding principle concerning the compensation of ministers. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn (Deut. 25:4). The oxen were employed in treading out the corn (for that way they took the corn instead of threshing the corn) and they were allowed to feed while they did the work, so that the more work they did the more food they had. Therefore, Paul says, let the overseers that help oversee the church and labour in Word and doctrine be compensated. For the labourer is worthy of his reward (Mat. 10:10), as the Lord said, which Paul quotes. What we have in this verse is a timeless principle across all dispensations that God, both under the law and now under grace, would have his ministers compensated for their hard labor. The ox only treads out the corn for which they make the bread that perishes, but pastors feed the people with the Bread of Life that endures forever.

And now we get to some serious verses about handling a scandal.

Paul writes in 1 Tim. 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

When Paul writes elder here, many would consider this to include a pastor, as he’s typically viewed as an elder of the church as well.

Some have said this verse means that there must be two or three witnesses to testify that a certain accusation is true. However, I suspect this verse simply means that the serious accusation against a pastor or an elder must be heard in front of two or three witnesses.

Then it’s incumbent upon the church to investigate any serious accusation and take appropriate steps.

Look at 1 Tim. 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. Well, we first are told to not rebuke an elder but here we’re told Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

How do we make a distinction between when something should be rebuked and when something shouldn’t be rebuked?

We’re given a great example with Paul publicly rebuking Peter in Gal. 2:11-18. What Peter did was a public act seen before all, having a great influence upon all compelling the Gentiles to live as Jews. Thus, this error needed to be addressed publicly.

So, in our case, if we have some sort of egregious public misconduct taking place before everyone in a church, or even online, that misconduct should be addressed publicly.

1 Tim. 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. Paul challenges Timothy to do 2 things. First, he was to observe these things without preferring one before another, which is to investigate without prejudice. He is to not give any judgment beforehand without first considering all the facts. Second, he was to do nothing by partiality, which is to not lean in favor of one person over another when dealing with a serious allegation.

Paul then writes in 1 Tim. 5:22, Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. If an elder has been found guilty of an egregious error and has been removed from the board and that elder has repented of his mistake, don’t be too quick to restore him to the board. We’d make sure he’s sincere in not making this kind of mistake again. Restoring him too quickly could also be viewed as a whitewashing of that sin or even a tacit approval of that sin.

We also have the admonition to neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. With knowledge backed up by facts of an egregious sin, there comes responsibility on the part of church leadership to address it. If there was a serious accusation, which Timothy ignored or if he knew this accusation was true and did nothing to address it, or he took steps to whitewash it or cover it up, he will have taken part in that sin.

Thus, if you, as a pastor or an elder, whitewash that sin or cover it up, you are essentially enabling that individual to continue in that behavior causing untold damage in the name of Christ. When serious issues like these come up, the big point is that you are to always keep yourself pure by taking seriously any accusation, by not showing impartiality when investigating that accusation, and by taking the appropriate steps.

Sins Open Beforehand

Then Paul says in vs. 24, Some men’s sins are open beforehand.

Paul opens the chapter talking about how to rebuke an elder and others in the assembly who’ve sinned. Then Paul talks about the considerations Timothy needs to make about the fruitful or unfruitful walks of widows before putting them on a pension. Then Paul gets into the matter of dealing with an accusation against an elder. The entire chapter is about Timothy, as a pastor, dealing with sin in the assembly. Then Paul ends these thoughts with the overall guiding principle that while good works are visible, some men’s sins are open and some are secret.

This, to me, seems to be obvious but important to point out in the context of the chapter. When it comes to the matter of rebuking an elder or putting widows on a church pension or an elder who has been accused of something serious or when you’re considering if you should promote a man to the office of elder, the pastor should not be too quick to judge in these matters. He should do his due diligence before making a determination, because some men’s sins are open and some are secret.

As we grace librarians like to say, a book cannot be judged by its cover.

Paul says in 1 Tim. 5:24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand… Before what? Before the eyes of everyone. Then he clarifies: going before to judgment… Whose judgment? Timothy’s judgment. Because all the eyes of the church will be on Timothy to see how he handles this problem.

Paul’s saying that Timothy should remember that some men’s sins are open and some are secret before he makes a judgment about an accusation or promotes a man to the office of elder. This entire chapter is about Timothy making judgments related to widows and elders, and the pastor should not be too quick to judge in all these matters. Thoughtful, individual consideration is to be made in all cases, which should not be rash, but carefully considered after weighing the evidence once you have done your due diligence.

However, some matters won’t require a lot in the way of investigation, because some men’s sins are open. They are well-known, requiring little effort to find them out.

Then Paul writes, “and some men they follow after.” Is Paul saying that Christians are following other men when they commit secret sins? No, I think “they” refers to the sins themselves. Sometimes a man is still remembered for a horrible thing he did before he got saved. That sin still follows him even though he is now a new creature.

On the other hand, if an accusation has been leveled against an elder, and after a careful investigation, it’s been determined that the accusation is true, and the judgment has been made that that elder should be removed from office, that sin will follow him afterwards. He’ll be remembered for that sin. Like the boy at Corinth sleeping with his stepmother, even after he repented and was restored to the assembly, he’ll still be remembered as the one who openly slept with his stepmother, but with time and proper spiritual edification and growth, perhaps the saints will later say, “Look at how much he has grown.”

The fact that one will be remembered for that sin after a judgment has been made by the pastor means that all the more care and careful consideration must be given to an accusation leveled against a church leader. And if true, all the appropriate steps must be taken.

The Boy Sleeping with His Stepmother

Paul writes in 1 Cor. 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. Notice here how public their issues of fornication were, such that it was commonly reported. These were open sins being done publicly, and this boy sleeping with his stepmother was being carried on publicly and everyone was talking about it.

1 Cor. 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. In a matter of such an open sin being carried on before the whole assembly, it behooves the whole assembly to mourn the fact that this sin was being committed and mourn the fact that it has become necessary for this one committing this open sin should be put away from them.

1Cor. 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, Notice how Paul says he has judged already. In other words, he’s making the kind of judgment that a pastor should be making.

1 Cor. 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. To deliver one unto Satan was to excommunicate him. How is it that excommunication would lead to the destruction of the flesh of this boy at Corinth? Probably has to do with the type of sin. It’s been suggested that this boy may have been so consumed in his lust that if he pursued all his lust outside of the church, he may reap what he sows contracting some disease that could eventually lead to his death whereas in other cases, like that of Hymenaeus and Alexander, who were teaching blasphemous doctrines, the embarrassment of being put out from the church may teach them not to blaspheme.

Excommunication was for the sake of those who were being kicked out so they might learn to not do these things.

Excommunication was also for the sake of the flock at a local assembly to protect them from corruption.

Plus, excommunication was always done with a view to restoration.

The sins were open and public. The judgment about their excommunication had to also be open and public, but always with a view to restoration.

Why must they be publicly put out of the assembly? Look at 1 Cor. 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 1Co 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 1Co 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1Co 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 1Co 5:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

This wasn’t just the excommunication of the one boy who was sleeping with his stepmother. Paul exhorted them to break fellowship with everyone guilty of fornication, as well as covetousness, which is an inordinate desire for possessions, an idolater, or a railer, which is one who rages obscenely, or a drunkard or an extortioner.

This excommunication is after at least two admonitions (Tit 3:10–11).

These people, after having been admonished twice and who refuse to repent, which is to change their course, are to be put out of the assembly for their own learning and for the benefit of the assembly because toleration of these sins leads to corruption of the entire assembly.

Remember what happens to people who give themselves over to the deceitfulness of sin? Their hearts become hardened (Heb. 3:13).

This speaks to dedicated pastors and church leaders being protectors of an assembly, which is crucial because there are so few grace churches. We cannot afford to allow corruption to tear apart the bonds that so many have worked so hard to build in each of our local assemblies.

But putting out egregious sinners like these is always with a view to restoration so long as they have changed their ways.

Paul writes in 1Co 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 1Co 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. To be indifferent to the presence of openly egregious sin in the church is an offhand way of endorsing those very sins, which breeds corruption in the church. To be indifferent to egregious sin in the church is to literally be in contempt of His grace, of what the Lord’s sacrifice accomplished for you, and how you’ve been spiritually transformed by virtue of our spiritual identification with Christ. Rom 6:2 How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? If church leaders are indifferent to egregious sins in the church, then would not the saints, particularly weaker brethren, also become indifferent to sin in their own lives? And this, in light of the fact that we’ve been freed from sin and we’re to no longer live in sin being spiritually dead, buried, and risen with Christ.

The Most Important Thought of All

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Whenever it becomes necessary to address egregious sin in a local assembly, we must always try to restore that believer in a spirit of meekness, which is not weakness but strength under control, a softness of temper, mildness, gentleness, forbearance through injuries and provocations. We, in all humility, convince that one of his or her sin. We persuade through gentleness to that one to return to a proper walk as a believer, and having recovered that person, having restored that one overtaken in a fault, we confirm our love to them.

The manner in which this is to be done, is not in wrath and anger, but in the spirit of meekness, as those who rather mourn for them, with calmness and tenderness, with sincere affection and concern for the welfare of that individual. We address that fault in that tone because we’re to consider thyself, lest thou also be tempted. We ought not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think and we deal tenderly with those who are overtaken in sin, because we know we can also be tempted and be overcome by a temptation; and therefore, if we consider ourselves rightly, we will treat that individual rightly with the tenderness and love that becometh a saint.