1 Timothy 5:22-25 -- Part 1: Take care of your body (v. 23)

To catch up on our adventure through 1 Timothy, click here and read from the bottom post up.

1 Timothy 5:22-25 (NIV):

"Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

"[23] Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

"[24] The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. [25] In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden."

In verses 22 and 24-25, Paul continues his thoughts that he began in verses 19-21 about evaluating leaders.

But let's first deal with the aside that Paul gives in verse 23. It is a different, parenthetical thought from the verses around it.

Realize that the purity of the drinking water in those times left much to be desired, and caused Timothy stomach ailments. Paul is encouraging him to drink a little wine instead of water for his health.

Of course, this verse is a card-carrying Baptist's worst nightmare. I've heard some try to say that the wine back then was more like grape juice--very little alcohol content--and that this was purely medicinal, like having a prescription today.

On the other end of the spectrum, this verse is not a license to go all out with alcohol. Going back to 1 Timothy 3:3 & 8 proves that.

The bottom line of this verse for me, just getting very practical about it and avoiding the whole issue of whether a Christian should drink alcohol, is this: Leader, take care of your body!

As a spiritual leader, I am much more inclined to focus on many other areas that I deem more important. But Paul takes a moment--out of context from what he was talking about-- to say: And, by the way, Timothy, take care of your body. You are of no use as a spiritual leader if your physical body is a wreck. So do what it takes to get healthy.

This really is hard medicine, and I have been taking steps this year to get healthier. It is difficult, but made somewhat easier when you think about it in the context of maximizing your physical body for greater spiritual gain.

Next time we'll look at verses 22 & 24-25 about not being hasty to appoint leaders.