1 Timothy

Sunday, 28 January 2018

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 5:17

The words of this verse are highly debated, and so they must be taken in context as to whom he is speaking of. The word “elders” can be referring to the aged in the congregation, but that is not the only intent of the word. In Israel, it was used “to denote the body of men that presided in the synagogue” (Albert Barnes). Others agree with this, and it is the logical extension of everything Paul has been saying. The church is a body led by men, regardless of their age. Instead, “elders” here is a positional word. It is those who rule and have authority. It is these who are to “be counted worthy of double honor.”

Those who rule within the church have a very tough job. They are not simply dealing with paper, numbers, valves, electric wiring, laying bricks, or a host of other jobs which are routine and stable. Instead, the church is a dynamic organism which changes constantly in its makeup, and which is comprised of individuals. Each individual has personal needs, each person has complicated emotions, and so on. For an elder to deal with all that comes his way, especially in matters of religion, there is a high level of stress at times. Because of this, Paul would ask that these leaders be given “double honor.” The term, based on the next verse, certainly indicates monetary compensation, but it is not limited to that. And the word “double” is not strictly intended in its literal sense. Instead, it indicates “more honor.”

With this understanding, he completes the verse with, “especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.” Studying, preaching, and teaching the word is the highest responsibility any person could have. In taking the word of God, and explaining it to those within the church, there is the truth that this person has become, in a very real way, responsible for the souls of those under him. If he teaches incorrectly, their lives may be completely erratic and chaotic. Or, they may never come to a saving knowledge of Christ. People in a congregation, especially before the modern printing press, were wholly dependent on what they were told. There may have been one copy of Scripture in an entire town.

Even today, people who have ten copies of the Bible in their home may have never read it even once. People commit their trust in what is stated by teachers, and they follow closely to what they have been taught, even if it is completely wrong. This is a real problem, but it is one which exists and cannot be ignored. Therefore, sound teachers are an especially important commodity, and they are to be given the proper honor for their efforts. This is stated by Paul elsewhere, such as in 1 Thessalonians –

“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.”1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13

Life application: When dealing with people, especially over spiritual matters, great divisions, great anger, and great bitterness can arise. People want to know if dogs are going to heaven, if the rapture will happen on a certain day, if one can lose their salvation, and etc. In such questions, most people have already decided on the answer, and it is usually based on emotions. When they ask an elder for an answer, they are not usually looking for an answer, but an affirmation of what they want to believe. When they hear something contrary to what they want to believe, they get upset and often nasty. This is a common thing, and it is debilitating to always be second-guessed by those who actually have no idea except one formed in their own minds. Understanding this, it is good to give elders the honor of their position. They have probably already received their daily dose of grief by the time you get to them.

Lord God, how often do we decide in our own minds about spiritual matters, and then go either to Your word, or to a pastor, and look for affirmation about the thing we have decided. Instead of letting You be God, and instead of accepting an explanation in the proper context from Your word, it is easier to go off and find a teacher who will tell us what we want to hear. No wonder churches today are so filled with perversion and other horrifying doctrine. Grant us the wisdom to not read into Your word what we want to hear, but instead to have drawn out from it what You have said. Amen.

Saturday, 27 January 2018

If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows. 1 Timothy 5:16

There is a dispute in texts as to whether this says “If any believing man or woman,” or if it says, “If any believing woman.” Apart from this, the issue remains the same. The church was not to be burdened with what the family could attend to. This follows along with the words of verse 5:8 then. Paul is stressing the importance of the care of one’s family, in particular needy widows, instead of passing it along to others. He is speaking to believers, and they are to pay heed to his word. As he is an apostle, his words were considered authority. As they are written, they continue in that same authority beyond the church at Ephesus to all churches. They are prescriptive, and they are expected to be attended to.

When a believer (woman/man or woman) has widows, “let them relieve them.” This specifically means “to support them.” There is no exception given by Paul. If there is a need, the need is to be met by the one who the Lord has placed in the position of nearness to the widow. They are to ensure the widow is cared for. As he then says, “and do not let the church be burdened.” To ignore this responsibility means that the church will then receive the burden. If it is a compassionate church as it should be, the people will ultimately pick up the tab, even if it causes an unnecessary weight to fall upon it. But this should not be the case. Instead, the church has another, greater responsibility which is “that it may relieve those who are really widows.”

This is referring to the widow who is “really a widow” of verses 3-5. Such a person has no one to tend to her. The church would certainly want to help such a poor, pitiful soul with its resources. The number could be larger than expected because the admonition to care for one’s widow is to believers. However, there could be believing widows whose only family were non-believers. In that case, there would be no authority by Paul to command the family care for them. If they had no desire to do so, she would be “really a widow” even though she had a family. This is why Paul is so adamant about the care of widows by believing family. He isn’t writing arbitrary rules, but rather he is looking at the circumstances of the world in which we live realistically. The church can only do so much, but it would do what it could for those who were truly in need.

Life application: It is not uncommon for people to come to church and ask for help from the church, but quite often this puts an undue pressure on the church. For those looking for assistance, there should be the careful consideration of other options for needs to be met before asking the church, or individual members, to carry a weight which is not at all their responsibility.

Lord God, thank You for the fellowship of believers, and for the joy that comes from sharing in life with them. But help us not to get overly dependent on others, and inconvenience them for our every need. Help us to remember that other people have lives, responsibilities, desires for private personal time, etc. And so help us to give them that needed space. May our desire to fellowship with others not turn into something that they will find overly consuming of their own lives. Amen.

Friday, 26 January 2018

For some have already turned aside after Satan. 1 Timothy 5:15

Paul now gives the result of what he warned against in verses 11 through 13. Some widows had left their profession of devotion to the Lord which they made when they became widows. Instead, they had turned, growing wanton against Christ. This is exactly the reason for having implored the younger widows to marry, bear children, and manage the house. In this, there would be no opportunity for the adversary to speak reproachfully.

What is important to understand, is that the very reason for writing these words to Timothy was because this situation had already arisen. Instead of following Christ, they had “turned after Satan.” This does not mean that there is a loss of salvation. It means that their lives would be judged according to their actions which were lived contrary to Christ. This is made explicit in the examples of 1 Corinthians 5, and which penalty is summed up in verse 5 of that chapter, and then Paul again uses the same terminology in chapter 1 of this epistle. In verse 20, Paul told Timothy that he had handed Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan “that they may learn not to blaspheme.” In both of those cases, no loss of salvation can be inferred. Rather, Paul’s words indicate a corrective measure.

In the case of these widows, they had left the path of the Lord, and they had turned after Satan. In following that path, they would suffer in this life, and they would suffer loss in the next, but a saved person is saved. To say that one must do something in order to “keep” being saved is to nullify salvation by grace through faith. Either salvation is by grace through faith once and for all time, or it is a false doctrine. And it is certainly not a false doctrine.

To grasp this, just be honest and answer the question, “Have you ever told a lie since coming to Christ?” The answer is probably, “Yes.” Pretty much every saved believer has. But is telling a lie following after Christ, or is it following after Satan? Jesus said of the devil, “When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 10:44). If one were to say that Paul’s words concerning these widows indicated a loss of salvation, then logically, he would be saying the same thing about himself. Whether one turns aside for a lengthy period, or one turns aside for a short period is irrelevant. If you have lied, you have turned aside after Satan. Doctrine matters, and doctrine is logical and orderly because God is logical and orderly.

Life application: Paul’s words are often so easily misunderstood because they are taken out of the greater context of his writings. Keep things in context, study the entire body of Paul’s letters, and use logic and order when considering the nature of God, the nature of salvation, and the consequences of being disobedient to the Lord. In having sound doctrine, you will also have soundness in your walk with the Lord.

It is a beautiful thing to have one’s sins atoned for, O God. To realize what You did in order for that to come about is the most amazing, the most humbling, and the most marvelous thing that we can ever consider. Thank You for the giving of Christ, our Lord that His work would satisfy Your righteous requirements of the law, and that His atoning death would satisfy Your wrath for our failure under that law. Thank You for the peace which is found in coming to the cross. Hallelujah and amen!

Thursday, 25 January 2018

Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 1 Timothy 5:14

Paul now continues to refer to the widows he has been speaking of. Some versions incorrectly state “younger women,” as if the verse is referring to all young women. This is incorrect. He has been speaking of the widows, and the conjunction translated as “therefore” continues to identify these widows now. Understanding this, he says “Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry.” In order to avoid the serious pitfalls which he has identified, Paul gives his will for them to consider. He does not state this as a command, but rather, as an apostle of Christ, guided by the Spirit, and with a detailed understanding of human nature, he explains what path he feels is best for the younger widow.

If they were to pursue a life of asceticism, and to openly renounce marriage in order to serve the Lord, and then if they failed at that high and noble calling, they would only bring discredit upon themselves, and upon the Lord, to whom they had made their vow. In order to keep from such a thing occurring, he would have them “marry, bear children, manage the house” according to the natural way of the world, fulfilling the role of a spouse and mother in a new family. In this, Paul definitively shows that a second marriage is in no way to be considered inappropriate or ungodly. Instead, remarriage in this case is to be considered the right and proper course. The natural state for a younger woman is to have children and to manage a home, and this is what Paul would recommend for the younger widows as well.

In doing these things, the widow will “give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” The word translated as “adversary” is one which is used for the last of eight times in Scripture, all by Luke or Paul. It means to “lie opposite” and thus to be adverse, contrary, or in opposition. Therefore, Paul is referring to those who would find a cause to slander the Christian faith because of the woman who made a vow to dedicate herself to Christ, and then who later took a path contrary to that vow. This would be one who fits the words of verses 11-13. In her specific actions, there has been a chance to bring accusation against the faith in general. The next verse will show where such an attitude is derived from, and why it is such an effective means of discrediting the faith.

Life application: Although Paul’s words are not a command, they reflect both the intent of God, and a right understanding of human nature. A widow may feel she is somehow betraying her dead husband by remarrying, but this is not the case. Instead, after her time of mourning is past, she is following the correct and proper path to pursue a reestablished family life, and to fulfill the role of wife, mother, and manager of the house as is right and proper for the woman of God.

How necessary it is, O God, to read Your word continuously. There are so many precepts in it that we can easily forget what is right and proper for the conduct of our lives. But by reading Your word daily, reflecting on it always, and applying it to our lives properly, we will continue on as rightly-established and faithful followers of You. Help us in this Lord. Give us a hunger and a desire to pursue you at all times through Your magnificent and superior word. Amen.

Wednesday, 24 January 2018

And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 1 Timothy 5:13

Paul’s words here are still speaking of younger widows. He had just noted that by marrying again, after having committed themselves to Christ, they are “having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith.” Now he adds to that with, “And besides, they learn to be idle.” If they were receiving their support from the church, it is possible that they would find it easier to simply receive the care of the church and to not go beyond that as far as productivity is concerned. Anyone who doubts this would be the case has never studied the effects of welfare, government housing, and food stamps. Such things, like care directly from the church, become inducements to laziness. Paul is not saying that this will always be the case, but it is the standard human condition, and it is to be avoided.

He then says what the effect of being idle will be with the words, “wandering about from house to house.” With nothing productive to do, an idle person will inevitably go looking for someone else who can fill their time. They will interrupt families, show up at any given time (even when the wife may be out, thus possibly bringing about inappropriate relations with the man inside), and carrying along whatever words will fill the hearers’ mind with their own thoughts. In the last case, Paul explains that such are “not only idle but also gossips and busybodies.”

This is the natural state of people with too much time on their hands. They have nothing productive to do, and so they put their noses into the affairs of others. They then pass these things on, stirring up the nest of hornets in the neighborhood. Just because a family has a fight, it doesn’t mean they are at the end of their marriage, but when that fight is broadcast around the neighborhood, it suddenly becomes an issue which is no longer tucked away and gone. Rather, it can explode into all kinds of other unnecessary and untrue accusations. And this is all because the idle widows keep “saying things which they ought not.”

The entire set of problems which Paul has noted stems from putting someone too young onto the roles of the church. As noted, this is no different than putting someone too young, and otherwise able, onto the roles of government welfare, food stamps, and public housing. One is deprived of their dignity by those who didn’t think through the consequences of handing out charity in an inappropriate manner. The intent may or may not have been good, but the end result invariably is one which is not good. People who are young enough to work and lead a normal life, and who are also healthy enough to do so, must be required to do so.

Life application: Not following the biblical model, as outlined by Paul here, has the highest probability of leading to disaster. Case in point: All such entitlement programs initiated by liberals in governments around the world. Their ungodly stand leads to unproductive people who are trained to be shiftless busybodies who only cause more harm to the society at large. The church should not be a participant in this unholy crusade, and yet it is the leader in it in many cases.

Lord God, we pray that the world will see the harm that government programs cause when they are applied inappropriately. Giving money to people who are fully capable of working for themselves causes them to be idle, busybodies, gossips, and unproductive members of society. Such programs deprive them of the honor and dignity of being productive. And our churches often take the lead in this unholy trek. Help us to not be a participant in such things, but to actively work for the dignity of all people by having them earn their own daily bread. Amen.