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I love working with my hands. I have built bookcases from wood, a bed, cutting boards, and other wooden items. I have put together wooden model boats, and created a variety of such items. I have performed repairs on our cars and our houses. Many people have done the same thing! When we try something for the first time, we usually ask someone for advice, or find directions that will guide us.

God has given us guidance and directions in the Bible too! The Bible provides information about how to have a great marriage, and how to protect the church against false teachers. But the important instructions that God has given us are how to be saved and how to grow spiritually. Throughout the New Testament, we are given bits and pieces of information about how to grow spiritually. 1 John 2:12-14 paints a picture of three stages of spiritual growth. The ultimate goal of spiritual growth is to know God the Father. Hebrews 5:11-14 tells us that in order for that to happen we must learn more than the basic truths of Scripture. We must learn both the simple and more difficult doctrines of the Bible.

Our study today is a wonderful passage because it combines many of these principles into one passage. The Holy Spirit gives us a manual about how to become a man of God. It is a wonderful set of instructions. We are going to be given five instructions in this and the next study. Each instruction is about one characteristic of a godly man. Each characteristic is simple because they assume the reader understands the fundamental principles. So, we will explore the simple directions so that we can understand how to become a man or woman of God. This study is from 1 Timothy 6:11. We will be given two directions in this study and the last two directions in the next one.

A Man of God will Flee from These Things

The first instruction about how to be a man of God is given to us in verse 11,

But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11 (NASB)

The first characteristic of a man of God is that he will “flee from these things.” But to what things is Paul referring? He told us in verses 9-10. He referred to wanting to get rich, the love of money, and all the sins and evil that follow. It would include the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-16). These sins include greed, evil desires, and the worst is drifting from the faith. So the things Paul is referring to result in a split devotion between God and money (Matthew 6:24).

Paul said to, “flee these things.” The Greek word for “flee” is pheugo. It means to “run away,” as if from danger. We get the English word “fugitive” from this word. That is, believers are to run from the love of money and all of the related evils as if we were fugitives trying to escape those running after us. In parts of the New Testament, we are told to flee other things such as immorality in 1 Corinthians 6:18. That would include all sexual activity before marriage or fornication, adultery, incest, homosexuality, and sex with animals. In 1 Corinthians 10:14, we are told to flee idolatry. What is idolatry? Colossians 3:5 defines it as,

. . . immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed. . . Colossians 3:5 (NASB)

Also, 2 Timothy 2:22 warns us to flee youthful lusts. This helps us understand the word flee. So in our study in 1 Timothy 6:11, we are told to flee from making money an idol and all the other sins that follow.

Another important piece of information about “flee,” is that it is in the present tense. That means we are to always be fleeing the love of money and all the other sins connected to it. Money should be used as a tool for basic needs, and at times some of our wants. It should also be used to spread the truths of the gospel. The man of God must not be consumed with himself, but with God.

Man of God Pursues Six Spiritual Qualities

The second instruction in the manual about how to be a man of God is also found in verse 11. It is that the man of God must,

. . . pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11b (NASB)

Here Paul says the man of God must pursue a number of spiritual qualities. The Greek word “pursue” has the meaning of “to run.” The man of God is to run after six spiritual qualities. The six spiritual qualities come in three pairs. Righteousness and godliness are connected. Faith and love are connected, and perseverance and gentleness are connected. So, let’s look at the first pair.

Righteousness and Godliness

Righteousness refers to external behavior, while godliness refers to our inward attitudes and motives. An important truth about these two is that righteousness flows from godliness. Jesus illustrated them for us in Matthew 15:15-20. Here is the passage,

Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.” Jesus said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” Matthew 15:15-20 (NASB)

What did Jesus say determines our external behavior? He said it is our heart or mind. That is, our inward attitudes and feelings determine our outer behavior. This is a good illustration of righteousness and godliness. Righteousness flows from our internal godliness.

That is why Scripture tells us that the external behavior of unbelievers will be used at the judgment to condemn them. Our external behavior reveals if we have been born again on the inside. Our external behavior reveals our true self. This reminds me of the movie called, “The Never Ending Story.” It is about a boy who was warned about a cave in which he would discover his true self on the inside. It was produced and released in 1984. I have remembered that part of the story because it illustrates the truth that our real self is on the inside. No one else knows our thoughts, attitudes, or motives, except for God Himself. Our outer behavior reveals our inner self. So, that is why Paul put these two virtues together.

So, how does a believer pursue righteousness and godliness? There are two answers. First, remember that throughout Scripture believers are urged to flee false doctrine. It is a constant theme of Scripture. Paul did that also in 1 Timothy 4:1-5. Then in 1 Timothy 4:6-8 we were urged to be constantly nourished on the words of the faith and sound doctrine. The passage also tells us to avoid false doctrine and wild ideas about Scripture, and to strive for godliness. Then in verse 13, Paul urged Timothy to read, exhort, and teach Scripture. In verse 15, he said be absorbed in these things—be absorbed in Scripture. Why does Scripture constantly urge us to read and study it? Because it is the very Word of God! God the Holy Spirit uses it to transform us on the inside to godliness which then produces righteousness on the outside. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 says,

For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NASB)

Notice the Holy Spirit says the Word of God performs a work in believers. Just reading Scripture performs a transforming work. The Holy Spirit uses that Word to change us.

The second major thing we have been told to do is walk in the Spirit. It is wonderful to know that when we study the Scriptures, we are already performing the first important and necessary step to walking in the Spirit. The second and third steps to walking in the Spirit are to confess our sins and to pray regularly. Why do we need to walk in the Spirit? Ephesians 3:16 tells us. The verse is referring to God the Father when it says,

That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man . . . Ephesians 3:16 (NASB)

This reveals that every believer needs help in the inner man. I need help and you need help. Walking in the Spirit gives power on the inside. To walk in the Spirit requires spending time in the study of Scripture, prayer, and confession of sins.

Philippians 2:12-13 is like a ribbon and bow on a package. It tells us how our sanctification works. Verse 12 urges every believer to work out their salvation. That requires self-effort on the outside and the inside. Verse 13 tells us that it is God who is doing the work in us according to His will. Together, these verses teach us that as we study Scripture, walk in the Spirit, and strive to obey, God makes it all work out according to His plan. As we do these things, we will be running after inner godliness and that will produce righteousness on the outside.

Faith and Love

The next two spiritual qualities are faith and love. Paul combines these two together regularly in his writings. Faith refers to trust in God, and love refers to the highest form of love, agape. So how does a believer pursue faith and love?

Scripture tells us that we receive faith as a gift from God Himself in Ephesians 2:8. The passage says,

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 (NASB)

Faith is not something we create by our own will. Faith is a gift from God and He uses the Word of God in the process. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes from hearing the Word of God. So, that is how we first come to have faith in Christ.

But how can we grow in faith? One answer is given to us by Jesus in Matthew 16:8-9 when He was talking to the disciples. In verse 8, Jesus told the disciples they had little faith. Then in verse 9, He told them why they had little faith. Here are both verses,

But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up?” Matthew 16:8-9 (NASB)

Notice that Jesus told them they had little faith because they did not remember the miracles that they had watched Him perform. This help sus understand that we will also grow in faith as we remember the miracles that God has performed in the Bible and in our lives. So, read Scripture and see what God has done in the biblical account. Remember and perhaps keep a list of the special things God has done for you in your own life!

James 1:1-4 tells us that God causes our faith to grow by testing us through trials. That is a painful way for our faith to increase. I would rather spend time remembering the fulfilled prophecies and miracles that God has done. Another way to pursue faith is to ask God to increase our faith. Mark 9:24 tells of a man who asked Jesus to increase his faith. So, those are some ways to have more faith.

Next, how do we grow in love? The place to start is Romans 5:5. The verse says the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5 (NASB)

That means that all of the love of God has already been poured into our hearts. So why do we have trouble loving others? The answer is there is unconfessed sin in our lives. As we confess our sins and study Scripture, we will be walking in the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit will grow. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that the first part of the fruit of the Spirit is love. We have been told to also love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We have also been told to love our enemies. That only happens as we walk in the Spirit. As we choose to show agape love to God and others, that love will flow out more and more. That is how we can pursue love.

So, faith and love are foundation principles for every believer. Faith and love are the first essential ingredients in developing our relationship with God Himself. Every believer is urged to trust and love God. As we love Him, we will love others. A lack of love for a wife, a husband, a family member, or an enemy can be traced to a lack of love for God.

Perseverance and Gentleness

The last two spiritual qualities are perseverance and gentleness. These two spiritual qualities are concerned with difficult situations. Perseverance is hypomone in the Greek. It literally means “to remain under.” That is, Timothy was to continue remaining committed to Christ even under difficult situations. John MacArthur writes that perseverance,

. . . does not describe a passive, fatalistic resignation, but a victorious, triumphant, unswerving loyalty to the Lord in the midst of trials.

This characteristic does not imply tolerance or a permissiveness toward false teachers, in difficult situations, or with sinful people in the church. Remember that Paul had already directed that sinning elders be removed from office, and Christ had already outlined the process of church discipline for sinning believers. In Titus 3:10, Paul urged the church to reject factious people.

Gentleness comes from the Greek word praupathia. It has the meaning of “kindness.” That is, while a man of God is persevering through a trial he was to be gentle toward others. So, both words describe how a man of God is to behave in difficult situations and toward difficult people.

Now we can understand the importance of these six spiritual qualities. The first two words, righteousness and godliness, have to do with the outer and inner man of a believer. Faith and love are about our relationship with God Himself. From these, perseverance and gentleness can then flow.

Conclusion

A man of God flees the love of money and the sins related to it, and runs after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. These are the marks of a man of God. There is a wonderful song titled, “The Mark of a Man of God,” by Jeremy Camp. Here are the lyrics of the first two stanzas and the chorus of the song.

Verse 1
A godly man is such a rarity today
So many start, strong and true, and quickly fall away
A godly man will take his stand he can’t be bought or sold
Hand to the plow, he won’t look back though other hearts turn cold

He keeps the faith and keeps his conscience clear
He lives this life of grace through all his years

Chorus
The mark of a man of God
Is what he’s faithful to
And what he’s fleeing from
And what he’s fighting for

The heart of a man of God
Is what he daily pursues
His family, friends, the Word, the church
and worship of the Lord

The godly man daily takes up the cross of Christ
And faithfully follows Him as a living sacrifice

Verse 2
He’s not ashamed of the gospel, his sufficiency is in Christ
The power of integrity is the passion of his life
Instead of reckless faith, he has proven that his faith works
The ultimate priority, the Master’s plan for the church
Saved without a doubt because his first love is the Lord
And the gospel according to Jesus is the truth he would die for.

A story is told about a man who was asleep one night in his bedroom. Sometime in the night, he was awakened by a noise and asked,

“Who’s there?” A voice from the shadows replied, “A burglar.” “What are you looking for?” asked the man, and the voice replied, “Money.” The man said, “Wait, I’ll get up and help you!”[1]

This humorous story illustrates the truth that some people steal to get money and others just want all the money they can get their hands on. We have lived long enough upon this earth to understand that money buys nice, pleasant things. Everything we own, eat, and the clothing we wear requires money. We have become accustomed to working every week to earn more money because we need it. It is a necessity of life. Without realizing it, we have gradually become accustomed to striving for money in order to live comfortably.

We understand the message of Proverbs 10:15 which says,

The rich man’s wealth is his fortress,
The ruin of the poor is their poverty.
Proverbs 10:15 (NASB)

Here the rich man is compared to the poor man. We are told that poverty ruins the poor, but wealth is like a strong city. That is, wealth is a great advantage in this life because it provides some financial security and it provides important things in life. But Proverbs 18:11 warns us that money is deceptive.

A rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own imagination.
Proverbs 18:11 (NASB)

It is like a high wall, but only in his imagination. It is not real protection. The patriarch Job discovered that truth. The book of Job tells us that God allowed Satan to destroy all that Job owned. 1 Samuel 2:7 tells us that God can take away the money that He has given to you,

The LORD makes poor and rich;
He brings low, He also exalts.
1 Samuel 2:7 (NASB)

God owns everything He gives us, and He can take it away. Job 1:21 says the LORD gives and He takes away. That is, we do not actually own the money God has given to us. He is the owner and we are simply stewards. This is an important application and principle that we must not forget. Money is simply a tool and we are to use it for His glory. So, Scripture tells us that we work hard all our lives for things that we cannot take with us. What a waste!

Godliness Plus Contentment Gives Great Gain

This bring us to our study about money. You will discover the principle to becoming wealthy. It is from 1 Timothy 6:6-10. It can be divided into five points or five principles. The first principle is given to us in verse 6. It says,

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6 (NASB)

This is an amazing verse because the Holy Spirit does not tell us to acquire as much money as we can so we can build a fortress. Instead, He tells us to pursue godliness and to be content. He does not say that godliness and contentment produce wealth or riches. Instead, He says “it produces great gain.” The meaning of the Greek words for “great gain” does not refer to money, but just simply to great profit. That is, godliness and contentment result in great profit. But what kind of profit?

In order to understand what the Spirit means by profit, we need to understand the meaning of godliness. So, what is godliness? The best definition is given to us in 1 Timothy 3:16. In that verse, Jesus Christ is an illustration of the word. It says that Jesus Christ is the mystery of godliness. That is, as we become more and more like Christ, we are becoming more and more godly. Godliness is increasing. In our study of 1 Timothy 4:1-6, we discovered that godliness increases as we exercise self-control, study the Word of God, and avoid ungodly teachings. Also, we must regularly confess our sins so that are we walking in the Spirit.

Now what about the word contentment? In Philippians 4:11, the apostle Paul said that he had finally learned to be content. This means that contentment is something that a believer must learn. We will learn the definition of contentment in verse 8. So, we will wait until we get there to learn its meaning. When we come to that verse, remember that contentment is something that we must learn.

So, when godliness is combined with contentment, we store up great gain or great treasure in heaven. The Greek word for “great” is megas. From that word we get the English word mega. In recent times, we have heard the expression “mega millions.” But the verse does not say mega millions. It says mega profit. So, godliness and contentment result in mega profit.

Now what does the Holy Spirit mean by mega profit? Is He referring to money here on earth? No! He is not referring to treasure in our very short life on planet earth. God has a different view of life than we do. He knows that our life on this earth is just the beginning. It lasts only for a moment in time. It is like a speck of dust in the vast universe. There is a great gospel song that reminds us the life we are living on this earth is temporary. The name of the song is, This World is Not My Home. The first and last stanzas say,

This world is not my home I’m just a passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Just up in Glory Land we’ll live eternally.
The saints on every hand are shouting victory.
Their song of sweetest praise drifts back from Heaven’s shore,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

The point is that this earth is only a train station. For believers, this is not our real home. We are waiting to climb onto the train that will take us home. Our final stop is eternity in heaven. Yet, some of us are striving to be wealthy at this train stop called earth. But our train will soon leave. When it does, we will leave all of our money behind.

That is why Jesus urges us to store up treasure in heaven in Matthew 6:19-21, 24. He urged us to be totally devoted to Christ and not to the wealth of this world. 1 John 2:15-16 says,

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (NASB)

Notice that verse 17 says the world and everything in it that we lust after is passing away. That is, all that we have been working for is going to vanish. Someone else will spend it, sell it, or do something with it after we die.

The mega profit the Holy Spirit is talking about is treasure in heaven. So, use self-control, study the Word of God, avoid ungodly teachings, and confess our sins. That results in godliness. Then mix in contentment, and you get mega profit. That is the first principle.

The World Cannot Make You Rich

The second principle is that the world cannot make you rich. That principle is given in verse 7. It says,

For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 1 Timothy 6:7 (NASB)

In the Greek text, the word “nothing” is placed first in the verse to emphasize the word. That is, “nothing” was brought into this world when we were born, and “nothing” will be taken with us when we die.

Job 1:21 says it this way,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb.
And naked I shall return there.
Job 1:21 (NASB)

John Stott said,

So, our life on earth is a brief pilgrimage between two moments of nakedness. We brought nothing with us, and can take nothing with us.[2]

I have performed a number of memorial services during my ministry. At some memorial services, the families wanted a viewing where the family members can walk by and look at the dead body of their dear, departed family member for the last time before the burial occurs. After the service, the body is usually placed in the grave. I have usually stopped by the coffin and looked inside and paid my respects. When I looked inside the coffins, the bodies were always dressed nicely. But I have noticed something very important. None of them have their houses with them in their coffin. Their car is not inside the coffin. None of them have their money, credit cards, stock certificates, bedroom furniture, clothes, or any of their possessions in that coffin. They did not take anything with them! Verse 7 says, “For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.”

Proverbs 27:24 captures this truth with,

For riches are not forever. Proverbs 27:24 (NASB)

The message is that earthly riches are of value only on this earth! You cannot spend your money in heaven. It does not work there. Yet, we work so hard to put money in our earthly bank, and fail to think of our bank in heaven.

So, the first two principles teach us that the only way we can store up mega profit in heaven is to pursue godliness and to be content in this life. Second, we cannot take anything with us when we die.

True Contentment Defined

Verse 8 now defines contentment. It says,

If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:8 (NASB)

The Greek word for “content” in this verse and for “contentment” in verse 6 both mean “sufficiency.” Since the Greek word in verse 8 for “covering” may include clothes and housing, we are being told to be content with the basics of life. We are content only when we are happy with what God has given to us, when the basics are sufficient or enough. Why? In Ecclesiastes 1:2 we are told that this world is empty. The verse says,

Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2 (NASB)

The Hebrew word for vanity means empty. Life is like a “puff of smoke.”

Verse 8 teaches us that we are never really satisfied with anything. It says,

All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
Ecclesiastes 1:8 (NASB)

That is, we will never be content with the things in this life. We will always want more and that will motivate us to want more money. The Wall Street Journal many years ago captured this thought. The paper said,

Money is an article which may be used as a universal passport everywhere except heaven and is a universal provider for everything except happiness.[3]

There is a Roman proverb that says we always want more! Here it is,

Money is like sea water. The more you drink, the thirstier you get.

So when 1 Timothy 6:8 says, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content,” we are being told to be content with what God has given us.

Let me give you five steps to being content with the basics of life.

1. First, we must remember that God has promised to meet our basic needs in Matthew 6:28-33. If He gives you above and beyond your basic needs, rejoice in God’s gifts.
2. Second, we must remember that God is the owner of everything. Psalm 50:10 says,
   

   For every beast of the forest is Mine,
   The cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10 (NASB)

   This means we are stewards of what He has given to us.

3. The second step leads to the third step, which is that money is a tool. He has given it to us to help us in this life and to use it for His glory.
4. Fourth, we should remember Matthew 5:6. It says,
   

   Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

   This verse tells us how to be satisfied or content. Ecclesiastes has already reminded us that we are constantly seeking happiness in the things of this world. It told us that the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing. We always want more. But this verse tells us how to be satisfied. We must long to be righteous. We must hunger and thirst to be righteous. That will result in godliness. Then we will be satisfied or content.

5. Fifth, we must always thank God for the little and the much He gives to us. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that we are to give thanks in everything.

So, the third principle is that we are to be content with whatever God has given us. We must remember that He has promised to meet our basic needs.

The Danger of Wanting to Get Rich Now

The fourth principle of becoming wealthy is that if you hunger and thirst after money, you will be ruined or destroyed in this earthly life. Verse 9 warns,

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:9 (NASB)

The Greek word for “want” is boulomai. The word is a present participle, which means we are being told this person constantly wants more wealth. This person is not content. As a result, they fall. The Greek word for “fall” is empipto. It is a very interesting word. A good illustration of this word would be a lion that is walking along a jungle path and suddenly falls into a trap. The lion did not expect that to happen and neither does the person who is chasing mega profit. That is, this person is repeatedly falling into temptation and a snare. The snare means he is constantly yielding to his sin. He is in a cycle.

We are also told what other things happen to him. This type of person is plagued with many foolish and harmful desires. This may mean the person longs for other things that he or she could not afford before. As a result the person is ruined, which eventually results in his destruction if the process continues.

One extreme illustration of this verse is a man I knew many years ago. He worked for a company that allowed him to ask for reimbursement for some of his travel expenses. At some point, he devised a plan to to use his expense account to gain more wealth. According to his plan, he claimed more travel expenses than he actually incurred. He lied, claiming that he had spent more on travel than he actually spent. After the company reimbursed him, he made a profit. But the company soon expected he was guilty of fraud and started to monitor his activities and expenses. Eventually, they fired him for fraud. He was a senior employee in the company. This man fell into the temptation of wanting to get richer. He yielded to the temptation. His desires motivated him to do more. In this situation, he at least lost a good, well paying job. I do not know if he was able to get another job. Maybe he was destroyed. Proverbs 28:22 describes what happened to him,

A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.
Proverbs 28:22 (NASB)

Some believers reveal they love money when they do not give to the Lord. For 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 tells us that we are to give to God. We must remember that when we give to a Bible believing and teaching church, God says we are giving to Him. Also, in Luke 16:9 Jesus tells us that we are wise if we use our money to spread the gospel. So, rather than hoarding our money at this train stop, we should be storing up great profit in heaven by spreading the gospel. Later in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 we are told to help the poor.

Root Problem of Wanting to Get Rich Now

Then the Holy Spirit gives us the fifth principle. While verse 9 describes the consequences of life in this world, verse 10 describes what happens to the person spiritually. Verse 10 says,

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10 (NASB)

We often hear that the money is the root of all evil. But notice that is not what this verse says. It says, “the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.” The love of money is the root problem. Then we are given the worst possible thing that can happen to a person who loves money. They fall away from the faith, or turn apostate. They also become very miserable people.

The parable of the sower of the seed helps us understand verse 10. The parable teaches us that some people respond to the gospel with great joy. They are so happy, that other believers think they are Christians. But later money pulls them away from Christ. Sadly, money also pulls believers away from Christ and to the world.

Conclusion

This passage of Scripture is urging us to look beyond this very short train stop, and think about heaven. We are urged to hunger and thirst after godliness and contentment, and not the world’s money. The result is great profit in heaven because that is where we will spend eternity. We must use the money God has given us as tool for His glory. Jesus has urged us to use His money to spread the gospel. Later in the chapter, we are told to help the poor.

References:

1. Roy B. Zuck. The Speaker’s Quote Book. Kregel. Publication. 1997. p. 260.
2. John Stott. The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus. The Bible Speaks Today. InterVarsity-Press. 1996. p. 150.
3. Ibid. p. 258.

We have discovered that the New Testament refers to the leaders of a church as the elders. We have discovered that God wants every church to have more than one elder. There should be a plurality of elders in each church. All of their responsibilities fall into two categories: overseeing the church and pastoring the church. In 1 Timothy 3, we were given a list of qualifications that help us determine whom the Holy Spirit has prepared to become elders of the church. If these qualifications are followed, the church will have the leaders that God wants to serve as elders. In this study, the Holy Spirit tells how the church should honor these men, and when we should remove one from office. We will learn a number of principles about elders.

Recently, the Holy Spirit has been telling us how to give honor to different groups of people. The first group of people we are to honor were described in 1 Timothy 5:1-2. In that passage we are told to honor the elderly and those who are younger than ourselves. We are to show honor by encouraging those who are older than ourselves. If we are dealing with a sin situation, then we are to appeal to them. We were also told to show honor to those younger than ourselves by treating them as if they are our brothers or sisters.

The second group of people we were told to honor are real widows. The command is given to us in 1 Timothy 5:3-16. Families were told to honor widows by financially supporting them, when necessary. The church shows honor by financially supporting true widows when they have no family who can. In this study we will be told to honor a third group of people, the elders.

When to Show Honor to Elders (v 17-18)

Our study is from 1 Timothy 5:17-25. We are going to discover four principles that will help us know how to show honor to elders. The first principle is found in verses 17-18. The verses say,

The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” 1 Timothy 5:17-18 (NASB)

There are three important parts to these verses. The first part is that we are told to give double honor to those elders who rule well. The second part is that we are told to give special honor to those who preach and teach. This means that God recognizes that some elders will perform their responsibilities better than others. Then we are given the biblical reason why we should give double honor.

So, let’s start with the first group, those who rule well. In verse 17 the Greek word for “rule” is proistemi. The root meaning of this word is to “put in front,” or “to stand first.” This word can also be translated as to be in charge or to manage. Then the Holy Spirit adds the word “well” because He knows some elders will do a better job than others. The Greek word that is translated as “well” is kalos. This word has the meaning of moral goodness mixed with beauty. Consequently, it has the meaning of “excellence.” That is, the elders who deserve double honor are those who perform their responsibilities with excellence or superior to most of the elders.

Even though all of the elders will have the spiritual gift of leading or administration (Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28), that does not mean every elder will have the same level of effectiveness (1 Corinthians 12:6). There can be two reasons for this. First, some elders will have the spiritual gift in greater supply. Consequently, some will perform their responsibilities better than others. Second, some elders will be more committed to serving Christ and excel in what they do. These are the individuals who must be given double honor. I said must because Paul is giving us a command. That reveals the Holy Spirit wants the church to be evaluating their elders. How else will the church know who deserves double honor?

Now, what is the meaning of to give double honor? The Greek word translated as double means two times. The Greek word for honor is tima. We have studied this word before in chapter five. It just means “respect.” So, an elder who excels in leadership is worthy of twice as much respect as the other elders. It is important to remember that 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 tells us that every elder should be appreciated. The passage says,

But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (NASB)

This means God wants us to appreciate all of the elders. But those elders who lead and manage with excellence are to be given more honor. Those who lead must do it in a godly way.

I know of a man who was the chairman of his church. The church decided to pay him some money to manage the church. I assume that initially he performed his task well. But later, it was discovered that he was not performing his management function for which he was paid. Yet, he continued to collect his monthly salary. His church attendance became irregular and in time stopped. Yet the church allowed him to continue as the chairman of the church. He is a terrible example of one who managed the church in an ungodly way. He was not worthy of any type of honor. He was not even worthy of appreciation. There are other men who are outstanding examples of how to lead and manage the church with excellence. But this man was not one of them.

The second important part of these two verses is about the elders who work hard at preaching and teaching. They are especially worthy of double honor. Notice the word “especially.” It comes from a Greek word which means “chiefly” or “above all.” That is, those elders who labor hard in preaching and teaching are the chief ones who deserve double honor. The reason these elders are especially deserving is that they work hard at preparing for preaching and teaching. The Greek word for “work hard” is kopiao. It has the meaning of working so hard that the individual becomes so tired, as if he was beaten. The Greek grammar is a present participle which implies that he keeps doing this. That is how he studies, preaches, and teaches the Word of God. These elders are constantly weary from their preparation and preaching or teaching. It is reported that Spurgeon was completely exhausted on Monday because he did this.

Now there are two important facts that we must remember about these two groups of elders. First, some elders are worthy of double honor because they make the commitment and are driven by their love for Christ to put in the effort. The second fact is that verse 17 reveals that preaching and teaching is the greater responsibility of an elder. It is what every elder should strive for. It is more important than making decisions for the church. Sadly, most men in church leadership think their most important role is making decisions. But that is not true. It is preaching and teaching. Any elder who is superior in preaching and teaching will be providing biblical leadership. This helps us understand that there are not two classes of elders—ones who manage and others who preach and teach. Every elder is responsible for leading and managing, as well as laboring hard to preach and teach.

The third important part of these two verses is found in verse 18. Here Paul quotes from two passages of Scripture that give us the biblical basis for the command in verse 17. The first quote is, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING.” It is from Deuteronomy 25:4. This quote reveals that God says the animals are worthy of a reward for their hard work. The next quote is, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” This is from Luke 10:7. This time God says that humans who work hard also deserve a reward. These two passages are the biblical basis for giving double honor to the elders who manage with excellence and those who work hard in preaching and teaching to the point of exhaustion.

We are to honor elders by rewarding all of them with verbal appreciation, a note of appreciation, or however else you desire to do that. But verse 18 also reveals that a few should be given honor with financial compensation. That has been the practice in Christian churches to financially support one or more elders so that they give themselves full time to preaching and teaching.

So the first principle is that we honor elders, giving double honor to elders who rule well, and especially to those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Show Honor by Being Fair to Elders (v. 19)

The second principle or the second way we show honor to elders is to be fair to elders when they are slandered. The principle is given to us in verse 19.

Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 1 Timothy 5:19 (NASB)

I think each of us have heard pastors and teachers being criticized. Someone thinks his preaching was too serious, and someone else thinks he tells too many jokes. Some of us have done that. We tend to criticize their preaching and leadership for various reasons. At times the criticism may be valid. Maybe the elder did not prepare well for his sermon, and it is obvious because it is disorganized and lacks depth in its content. Maybe he has not been studying the Word of God daily and growing in the truth. I have known a pastor who eventually left a church because his spiritual life was not what it should be. For months he had not opened his Bible for until he stood in the pulpit on Sundays to preach.

I know another pastor who left a church because his ministry was shallow, but he blamed his congregation. Hosea 4:9 warns us that a congregation eventually becomes like its leaders. If the leadership has a shallow relationship with God, then the people will too! Here is Hosea 4:9,

And it will be, like people, like priest;
So I will punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds. Hosea 4:9 (NASB)

Verses 17-18 tell us that such elders are not worthy of any honor.

But verse 19 is not about a shallow and anemic pulpit. It is about an elder who has been accused of a sin that could disqualify him from the office of elder. Now a pastor who is in sin will also have a shallow and anemic pulpit because the Holy Spirit will not bless his ministry.

Notice the first part of verse 19 says that we are not to receive an accusation against an elder. The Greek word for “receive,” is paradechomai. The Greek word literally means “to take in hand from” or “to accept.” That is, we are not to believe something someone says about an elder and immediately assume it is true. Sadly, this happens often! Someone hears an accusation and they believe it. Several people get together and speculate about the meaning of an elder’s behavior. They gossip! Sadly, they violate this verse. It says that an accusation can only be considered when two or three witnesses have witnessed the same sin. Two or three witnesses saw or heard the same sin at the same time.

This may seem like a high standard, but it is a safeguard against unfair accusations against an elder. Elders are very vulnerable. The principle requiring two or three witnesses also appears in Deuteronomy 19:15, and again in Matthew 18:16. It is only fair. Now sometimes an elder’s sin may escape our notice, but God sees it. Verses 24-25 will address this situation.

So, verse 19 gives us the second principle of how to show honor to elders. We must not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

Show Honor by Removing Disqualified Elders (v. 20-21)

The third principle or the third way to show honor to elders is to remove those who disqualify themselves. This principle is given to us in verse 20. It says,

Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. 1 Timothy 5:20 (NASB)

This verse assumes that several things have already occurred. First, there were two or more witnesses to the accusation, Second, an objective investigation has been conducted by the elders of the church of the accusation. If the accusation is found to be true, then the elder must be given an opportunity to repent and stop sinning. If he does not stop sinning, then verse 20 applies. If he does not stop sinning, then he must be rebuked in front of all the congregation. The Greek word rebuke is not the normal word for “rebuke” in the New Testament. This word has the idea of exposing the sin. His sin is to be described to the congregation. Why? So, that everyone will fear committing the same sin. The primary goal is holiness and not embarrassment or punishment.

Now this verse may surprise some since it is obvious the investigation discovered the elder was guilty, and then he was given an opportunity to stop sinning. The usual practice of many churches is to remove the elder immediately if the sin is something like adultery or murder. This is the correct response because it is not possible to stop those sins once they have been committed. Those situations cannot be corrected or undone.

What type of sins disqualify an elder? The sins that clearly violate the qualifications for elders are listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The sins also include any sin that is a habitual habit or practice.

There is another reason to remove a man who is disqualified from continuing to serve as an elder due to sin. His dishonor would tarnish the reputation of the other elders and of the church. He would tarnish the spiritual example of the elders as a group. 1 Peter 5:3 tells us that elders are to be an example to the congregation. Being an elder is not a reward for good behavior to the church. Elders are to be godly examples to the flock. Sinning elders bring dishonor!

Verse 21 tells us that we must always apply these principles equally to every elder. There must not be any exceptions.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality. 1 Timothy 5:21 (NASB)

Now we are told that we must maintain these principles or standards without bias or partiality.. That is, it does not matter if the pastor or some other elder is loved by everyone in the church. If the accusation is true, and he did not stop being a glutton, stealing, lying, being a Diotrephes (3 John 9), or whatever, then he must be removed. These principles are to be maintained in the presence of God, Christ Jesus, and the angels. The idea is that they are watching. Since the Holy Spirit uses the same Greek word for “in the presence” in both verses 20 and 21, this helps us understand the rebuke of a sinning elder must occur not just before the elders, but before the entire church.

Show Honor by Carefully Selecting Elders (v. 22-25)

The fourth principle or the fourth way to show honor to elders is to carefully select them. Verse 22 says,

Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. 1 Timothy 5:22 (NASB)

Here we are told to be careful about laying hands upon anyone. Earlier in 1 Timothy 4:14, Paul referred to the laying on of hands when Timothy was made a pastor. So, we should understand to lay hands upon anyone was giving approval to a man to serve as an elder, since this passage is about elders. This means that laying hands upon a man to appoint him as an elder expresses approval of the man and his calling to serve as an elder. It is equivalent to ordination.

Then Paul warns us to be cautious about laying hands on anyone. He warns that those who lay hands on a man share in their future sins. Then Paul commands, “Keep yourself free from sin.” That is, sharing the man’s sins while he serves as an elder in the church. This should cause anyone who chooses men to be elders to act carefully and slowly. Unqualified men will eventually cause harm to a church, and those involved in his selection and approval will share in his sins in some way.

Verse 23 is a side comment.

No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. 1 Timothy 5:23 (NASB)

Apparently, Paul was initially thinking about Timothy’s spiritual life, and maybe then he thought about Timothy’s physical health. Since it was a common practice at that time to use a little wine for stomach problems, Paul followed that advice. That suggests that Timothy had a stomach ailment.

In verses 24 and 25 Paul gives us four facts about selecting men to be elders that we must remember. In verse 24, Paul said,

The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. 1 Timothy 5:24 (NASB)

The first fact is that the sins of some men are obvious to everyone. Consequently, these men will be rejected immediately from being appointed to serve because their sins are obvious. The statement that their sins are “going before them to judgment” most likely does not refer to the bema seat judgment of believers, or to the great white throne judgment of unbelievers, because both events occur after the person dies. The idea is that their sins will become obvious after they have been appointed. So, this appears to refer to the church’s decision or judgment about the individual after he is appointed. That is, the church may make a mistake by an initial decision to appoint him, and then later discover his sins after he is an elder.

The second fact is that the sins of some other men will later become obvious. That is, the church must strive to select qualified men as elders, but they may not always be completely successful.

The third and fourth facts are given in verse 25. The verse says,

Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. 1 Timothy 5:25 (NASB)

The third fact is that the good deeds of some men will be obvious. As a result, it will be easier to determine that some of these men are qualified to be elders. The fourth fact is that the good deeds of other men are not as obvious, but in time they will become evident.

Conclusion

We have learned two ways to show honor to elders. First, we have learned that we must give double honor to those elders who rule well, and especially to those who work hard at preaching and teaching. This means we should seek ways to say thank you and express our appreciation. We should financially compensate those elders who serve the congregation full-time.

Second, we must be slow to accept slander against elders. We must require two or three witnesses to the sin before doing anything. We must give elders an opportunity to stop sinning.

Then in verses 20-21, Paul encourages us that the process is imperfect. We must not be discouraged if some men are appointed as elders who do not belong.

I have known pastors and elders who disqualified themselves. One man was an assistant pastor who was a friend. He was caught kissing his church secretary. I had to vote along with the other elders to revoke his ordination. Eventually, he was rebuked before the entire congregation for his sin. But who would have known that he would ever do that?

I knew a youth pastor who abused some of the teenage boys in a church’s high school ministry. He was a married man. He had children. Eventually, the church discovered that he was a secret homosexual. The church had to remove him from the ministry. I knew another man who was an assistant pastor. He was caught with pornography on his computer. His own son found it. The church had to remove the man from the ministry.

I know a man who served as an elder. After two years of service, he was removed as an elder because he had a critical spirit. I have known several men who disqualified themselves, yet the churches did nothing about them.

On the positive side, there are many good men who are worthy of double honor. We must not be discouraged if these fine men are overlooked. Some are especially deserving of double honor because they labor hard in preaching and teaching. It is these men who give life to the church. They are to be honored.

Each of us was born into this world because it was God’s will for us to be born. God gave us to our mother and father. Then Job 14:5 says that God determined the length of our days. At the end of those days, we will die or be raptured. Ecclesiastes 3:1 gives us the same news. It says,

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven — A time to give birth and a time to die. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NASB)

Most of the time one spouse dies and leaves the other spouse all alone. According to the United States’ Administration for Community Living, in 2021 there were more than 2.6 million widowers and 8.8 million widows in the United States.[1] It is reported that 700,000 women become widows each year in the United States. Widows live only about fourteen years after they lose their husbands and are poorer than widowers.

Now these are statistics for widows in the USA. These facts help us to understand that the world often does not financially provide for widowhood as they should. The situation for widows are even worse in many countries around the world.

It was even more tragic in the Old and New Testament times. In the Old Testament times, a widow had to depend upon her family for financial support, especially upon her oldest son to care for her. His birthright carried that responsibility. If a woman’s relatives and her oldest son did not want to help her, she was in serious trouble. The Mosaic Law allowed widows to receive some minor financial support from the welfare tithe collected every three years (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12). She could go into the fields and glean from the crops (Deuteronomy 24:19-21). The widow, Ruth the Moabitess, went into Boaz’s field and gleaned from his crops (Ruth 2:1-22). A widow could also participate in the religious feasts (Deuteronomy 12:17; 14: 22-27; 16:11, 14).[2]

Ralph Gower states that in the New Testament times,

A woman who survived her husband was in a very difficult position. She could not inherit from her husband. She could remain in her husband’s family if the next of kin would take her in marriage. More often the widow was without any financial support. . . . ln the early church, money was set aside to care for widows (Acts 6:1), because in the society of the day, prostitution was about the only way for women to obtain money to live.[3]

God’s Attitude Regarding Care for Widows

We should not be surprised that God defended widows. Remember in Isaiah 1:17 God said this to Israel,

Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:17 (NASB)

In Isaiah 1:23, God reveals that the wicked do not care for widows,

Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after rewards.
They do not defend the orphan,
Nor does the widow’s plea come before them. Isaiah 1:23 (NASB)

The message is that God, Himself, defends widows and the orphans. In the next four passages, God commands us to care for widows.

You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:22-24 (ESV)

He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. Deuteronomy 10:18 (NASB)

You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. Deuteronomy 24:17 (NASB)

The LORD watches over the sojourners; He upholds the widow and the fatherless, But the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. Psalm 146:9 (ESV)

Our Study — 1 Timothy 5:3-16

All of these verses reveal how much God cares for widows. The strongest passage about the care for widows in the New Testament is 1 Timothy 5:3-16. That is our study. This passage answers the question, when must the church support widows? In this passage, the Holy Spirit gives us five principles that help us answer this question.

Church Must Financially Support Real Widows

The first principle is given to us in 1 Timothy 5:3.

Honor widows who are widows indeed. 1 Timothy 5:3 (NASB)

Here we are told that the church must financially support real widows. In order to understand this verse, I want to define three words. First, the Greek word for honor is timao. It can mean to “show respect” and “to give financial support.” The later meaning is the correct understanding in this passage, as we will soon discover. Second, the Greek word for “widows” is chera. It refers to a woman whose husband is dead. The third word is “indeed.” The Greek word for “indeed” can be translated as “truly” or “real.” Now if we put all of these words together, we discover that the church is to provide financial support for women whose husbands are dead – if they really need financial support. This is the first principle. The church must financially support real widows.

Church Must Determine Who is a Real Widow

But must the church support every widow who claims to have a financial need? The answer is found in the second principle which is given to us in verses 4-8. Paul says in verse 4,

But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 1 Timothy 5:4 (NASB)

It is not enough that a widow claims she needs help. My wife and I knew a widow who lied to the government about her financial needs. She received medical support because she lied. She said that she had very little money, but the truth was she had hidden some of her assets. She willingly lied to save her own money.

That is, if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must provide some financial support. When we are told “they” Paul is referring to all of the relatives. Paul says they must “make some return.” The Greek word is apodidomi. It means “to pay back,” or “to repay.” That is, children are to repay their parents for having raised them and not just take from them. This pleases the Lord.

In Matthew 15:2-6 Jesus rebuked the Pharisees who did not want to financially help their parents. We will start with verse 2. The Pharisees asked Jesus this question,

“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” Matthew 15:2-6 (NASB)

There are two important insights to learn from this passage. First, the phrase “to honor your father and mother” includes financial support. The Greek word honor is timao. In 1 Timothy 5:17-18, this word includes financial support. The second insight is that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for not wanting to help their parents. This means that children must honor their parents by showing kindness and providing financial help when it is needed.

Verses 5-7 are a brief explanation about the meaning of a “widow indeed.” Paul gives us a definition of a “widow indeed.” He says,

Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach. 1 Timothy 5:5-7 (NASB)

First, she must be single. The Greek word translated as “alone” means that she is in a permanent state of being “single.” Second, she must be a believer. She is trusting God the Father to meet her needs. She has been making requests of God for her needs and constantly praying to God for others and worshiping Him. Third, she must be not indulging herself in luxuries and soft comfort while ignoring what is right and wrong. That is, she must be not given to high living. Why should the church support a widow who pursues a high standard of living? Then Paul commands Timothy to teach these things.

Verse 8 adds,

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8 (NASB)

The Greek word for “provide for” means “to foresee” or “to plan ahead.” That is, a believing child or believing grandchild who do not plan ahead to care for their widows have denied the faith and are worse than an unbeliever. This could include providing for any widow among your relatives, especially your widowed mother-in-law and your own widowed mother.

So, the second principle is that the church must determine if she is a godly widow who is in real financial need.

Church Must Determine if Widows Qualify for Support

The third principle is that the church must determine if widows qualify for financial support. Verses 9-10 give us some additional qualifications that must be satisfied before financial support is given.

A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work. 1 Timothy 5:9-10 (NASB)

First, Paul says that widows the church supports must be at least sixty years old. This is lower than the age required by Social Security in the United States. That is, the church is obligated to support widows who are sixty years or older if they are in financial need.

Second, she must have been a one-man-woman. That is the literal Greek. It is like an adjective. That means she must have been completely devoted to her husband. In verses 11-15 Paul commands younger women to remarry. This helps us understand that it is not a sin to remarry.

Third, she must be known for doing good works. This reveals she was not a self-centered woman. The church should only support widows who have been concerned for and have cared for others in the church. Fourth, she must have raised children. This assumes she was able to have children. Fifth, she must have shown a love for strangers. That includes opening her home for hospitality. Sixth, she must have washed the saints’ feet. This refers to the custom of washing the dirty feet of guests. This reveals that she humbly served others. Seventh, she helped those who needed help. The eighth and last qualification is that she was completely devoted to good works.

So, the third principle is that the church must determine if widows who need financial support also meet the spiritual qualifications.

Church Must Encourage Younger Widows to Remarry

The fourth principle is that the church must encourage younger widows to remarry. Verses 11-12 refer to widows who are still able to have children. These verses say,

But refuse to put younger widows on the list, for when they feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge. 1 Timothy 5:11-12 (NASB)

Paul says refuse younger widows. The Greek word for “refuse” has the sense of “to avoid.” That is, do not let this happen. Do not support younger widows. Why? It appears that when a widow was supported by the church she had to make a commitment to serve the church in some way. This helps us understand Paul’s concern. He was concerned these young widows would make a pledge to serve the body of Christ to gain financial support, and then break their commitment or pledge because they wanted to marry again. Their “yes” would not be “yes.” They would abandon their pledge due to overpowering sexual passions.

Paul also had another concern with younger widows. He added,

At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention. Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach; for some have already turned aside to follow Satan. 1 Timothy 5:13-15 (NASB)

Paul was also concerned that young widows would become idle “as they go from house to house.” This helps us understand the ministry that widows would provide to the church in exchange for financial support. It appears they would function as a deaconess, ministering to other women. Paul was concerned the younger women would turn these visits more into social times than ministry. They might gossip and be busybodies. Notice Paul says they might begin to talk about things they should not be talking about. This happens too often. But why is this an issue for younger women? It appears that younger women have a lot of energy but may lack the maturity that comes with time.

Having given his reasons for not adding them to the list for financial support, Paul now tells younger widows what they are to do. They are to get married, have children, and keep house. Notice that Paul did not tell them to get a job. He says keep house.

Titus 2:3-5 is an important passage. That may help us understand what the widows the church supported were to do. They were to encourage younger women to,

. . . love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Titus 2:4-5 (NASB)

Both passages reveal that younger women do not honor God when they refuse to follow these principles. Titus 2:4-5 tells us how they bring dishonor to the Word of God. 1 Timothy tells us that Satan brings the dishonor or reproach.

So, the fourth principle is that the church must encourage younger widows to remarry.

Church Must Encourage Children to Support Their Widows

The fifth principle is that the church must encourage children to support their widowed mothers and grandmothers. Verse 16 says,

If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed. 1 Timothy 5:16 (NASB)

Now Paul repeats the message that he gave in verses 4 and 8. He is emphasizing that believing, female children are to help support the widows in their own family. Why? So that the church does not need to help the widow.

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit has given us five principles that help us know when the church must support believing widows. First, the church must financially support “real” widows. Second, the church must determine who is a “real” widow. Third, the church must determine if widows qualify for financial support. Fourth, the church must encourage younger widows to remarry. Fifth, the church must encourage children to support the widows in their own family. The point is that family members must obey God and give honor to their own widows. The church must help, only when certain conditions exist.

James 1:27 tells us that,

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27 (NASB)

That is exactly what the early church did. Acts 6:1 reveals that the early church fed their widows. They were a great example to us and to every church. We must remember that orphans and widows have a special place in God’s heart. 1 Timothy 5:4 tells us that it is pleasing in the sight of God for us to help widows who are widows indeed.

References:

1. 2020 Profile Of Older Americans. The Administration for Community Living. May 2021. PDF.
2. Unger and Harrison. Widows. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Moody Publishers. 2005. p. 1364.
3. Ralph Gower. Bereavement. The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times. Moody Publishers. 2005. pp. 69-70.