Timeless Relational Advice 1 Tim. 5:1-16

1. Timeless Relational Advice1 Tim. 5:1-16 • 1. How To Relate to Each Other • (5:1,2) “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.”

2. Older Men. Respect them like your father. • Younger men. Think of them as brothers, as equals. • Older Women Appeal to older women as a loving son. • Younger Women Younger women were to be ministered to “as sisters, with absolute purity”.

3. 1 Timothy 3:15 “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” • 1Tim 2:3.4 “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

4. 2. How to Care for Widows (5:3-16) • Deut. 10:18 “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow” • Exodus 22:22, 23 “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.”

5. Mark 7:8-13 “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)—

6. 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” • James 1:26 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

7. Real Widows (x3) that Qualify for Church Financial Help • 1 Tim 5:3-7,16 “3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.

8. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame... 16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.”

9. Widows that the Family must Care For • v.4, 6-8, 16 “ 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God… 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

10. Providing for Widows Serving in Ministry • a. Older Widows • v.9-16 “No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.”

11. b. Younger Widows • “As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.”

12. Think of older men as fathers. • Think of younger men as brothers. • Think of older women as mothers. • Think of younger women as sisters in all purity. • When dealing with widows in the church: • Note: Widows included women who have had their husbands walk out and leave them. It also includes those who have been abused and have had to leave their husbands to save their lives and protect the children.

13. Think of real widows in real need. • Think of real widows who are spiritual. • Understand the place of the relatives in the care of widows. • Think of a special list of widows who should stay single to serve. • Encourage younger widows to marry, have children and serve their family, thus avoiding sin and damage to Christ’s church.