Paul instructs Timothy not to be too hasty in "laying on of hands", ie in ordaining elders. Leaders need to mature in the faith, and to prove themselves before they are given church leadership roles. Being a leader in a church is not a position of status, but one of service, of service to Christ, and the people. It requires responsibility and will involve you being subject to great pressures. Your flesh will also rise up and seek to lead you in the wrong direction. So leaders need to be strong in the Lord. There may be times when Timothy felt pressured to ordain an unworthy man, he was to resist this, as to do so would be to share in his sins. We will also see others doing things that are not right, or having wrong attitudes, and seeming to get away with it, or seeming to do OK. We should not be tempted but focus on keeping ourselves pure. Christ is the One who we measure ourselves against.
Paul then gives some very practical advice. Water could be contaminated, so Paul advises him to drink a little wine as well. Now two things need to be said. This wine would be alcoholic (which is why it would be safer to drink), and any attempts to say that positive Biblical references to wine are to some form of non-alcoholic wine are nonsense. However, Paul tells Timothy to drink a "little" wine, he is to exercise moderation.
Some sins are punished in this life. Others seem to get away with it, but they will definitely receive judgement on the last day. Likewise, some good deeds are rewarded in this life, and those that are not will be rewarded on the last day. God is our judge, and the certainty of the day of judgement assures us that it is always worth doing the right thing.
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