Monday, March 5, 2012

1 Tim 5:1-16

Chapter 5 is all about honor and treating other people right.

It starts out straight and to the point.  Those older than you, treat with respect as due a father or both.  Those younger as brothers and sisters.  Your relations with them should be of the purest purpose.

When he gets to widows though, there are two categories.  Widow and real widows.  The first has descendants to look after her and it is a chance for those descendants to demonstrate their faith by their action in taking good care of her.  Those who don't are denying their faith and "are worse than an unbeliever."

Those who are real widows are left for the church to care for.  They spend their spare time in prayer.  If it is spend in pleasure, then they are dead even while alive.

Then after this distinction, there is another.  If you are an old widow, you have had to have lived a good life fulfilling the duties as a faithful wife and mother in order to be worthy of assistance.  If your younger, remarry because if you rely on the church then you will fall away from the faith out of idleness.

This right here is a key to our faith.  If we don't keep busy with work and worship, then we are leaving ourselves open to be courted and lured away by the devil.

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