"KEEP THYSELF PURE!"

1 Timothy 5:21-22                (KJV)
"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.
22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure."


The Apostle Paul was sometimes rather straightforward in getting his point across.   For Paul, the Sovereignty of GOD demanded nothing less.  Paul could not take time to make sure he wasn't hurting people's feelings.  The writer of Hebrews said it plainly when he wrote in chapter 4 and verse 12 "For the word of GOD is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the DIVIDING asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  Paul let the "the Word of GOD" divide the TRUTH from the pretenders.

In this letter to Timothy, Paul lets us know that we should "observe these things".  Scripture says we are not to have a predisposed idea of what an outcome should be.  One view of this scripture was "There ought to be judgment, but not prejudging."  We don't need to let the TRUTH be obscured by the way we are viewing the truth.

Paul then warns against "ordaining" men without "observing" their actions.  The enemy can, and will, place demonic spirits among us in an attempt to tear down what GOD is doing.  Paul warned against putting people in a position to where the church would be a "partaker" of their sin, rather to "keep thyself pure"!

We are made in GOD's image, but we have Adams nature.  We want to make excuses for our sins and not take responsibility for our actions. Adam blamed Eve for his eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, Eve blamed the serpent, and we ALL have followed suit.  JESUS came to give us HIS SPIRIT to replace our sin nature.  2 Corinthians 5:21 proclaims "For HE hath made HIM to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of GOD in HIM."  The Apostle Paul was teaching us to make certain we see the Spirit of CHRIST in men before we follow them anywhere.  Our chief goal in life should be to "KEEP THYSELF PURE!"