It All Comes Out In the Wash

156 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 1Ti 5:24 Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. 25 Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden. This almost sounds like a proverb, but in reality it is a word of consolation for Timothy as he goes about the business of ordaining elders for his ministry of planting churches. He has already been told not to lay hands on novices, (1 Tim 3:6) and to weigh charges against an elder very carefully (1 Tim 5:22) So, Paul is stating two facts here. First of all sin will find you out, and secondly good works will also find you out. Armed with this knowledge, Timothy and the church of today may ordain pastors confident that bad apples and good apples are sorted out by the evidence of fruit in their lives. Some are sorted out early by the evidence of sin, while others can be dealt with through church discipline if their sins show up later. Others have good works that are evident, making the decision to ordain easy, still others may appear to have good works only to find out later, that they weren't what they were cracked up to be. Take heart from this church, knowing in the matter of sin and good works, it all come out in the wash. Nu 32:23 says, "But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. Judah found this out in the matter of his sin with Tamar (Gen 38) David was found out with his sin with Bathsheba. (2 Sam 11,12) You just can't escape the evidence of fruit! Mt 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Even if our best efforts fool men, it's only because God is allowing it. He can expose your secret sins in an instant if He chooses, and quite frankly it would be better for the sinner to expose them now, and put them under the blood of Jesus rather than waiting until it's too late!