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Home , 1 Timothy 5

OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 1 Timothy 5:1-16 8/19/12

What is our social responsibility as individuals and as a church? What about the guy standing at the stop light with a sign, or your neighbor who is out of work, or your aging parents who can no longer function by themselves? Who are we individually responsible to help?

Who are we as a church to help and how?

In the Old Testament God made provisions for the Jews to provide for the poor within the nation of Israel. God called for His people to each individually help the poor. Proverbs 19:17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed. Proverbs 21:13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered. Proverbs 28:27 He who gives to the poor will never want, But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses. The corners of the fields were not to be harvested so that the poor could glean for food. The Jews were not to charge interest on loans to fellow Jews who were poor. There was a provision for indentured servitude for a period of up to seven years. Every 3 rd year a tithe was to be given to be distributed to the Levites and to the poor. This was administered by the priests Land was returned to the original families every 50th year (Jubilee) Land was the basic unit of production in that culture. This ensured equal opportunity, but not equal outcome No partiality was to be shown to either the rich or the poor. Leviticus 19:15 'You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. There are numerous OT passages that called for the Jews to individually care for the widows and orphans as well as for the foreigners and strangers among them. The also calls for us to individually assist the poor. told us that we are to love our neighbors. In the story of the Good Samaritan Jesus taught that our neighbor is anyone whose need we see whose need we are able to meet. (:25-37) James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress . . . The early church corporately cared for the widows in the congregation Acts 6:1-6 The churches in Macedonia and Achaia made a contribution for the poor persecuted Christians in Jerusalem. Romans 15:26 But the also says: :10 . . . if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. World Magazine 8/11/12 p. 12 In 1996 congress passed the Welfare Reform Act which was then signed by former President Bill Clinton. The law required that those receiving welfare checks be actively looking for work. Welfare rolls were cut in half within 4 years after the law was passed. 2.8 million families were able to get off of welfare There was increased employment for single mothers and the lowest poverty rate for black children in American history

2 The average amount of time a person spent on welfare decreased from 13 years to just 2 years. Sadly, in the last 2 months the requirement that people on welfare must be seeking work was dropped by the current administration. The Bible clearly attaches work (if possible) to welfare. Our passage this morning addresses our social responsibilities as individuals and as a church. 1. Christians are to treat one another like family members . 5:1-2 a. We are to treat all fellow Christians with love and respect . vv. 1-2a • We are not to sharply rebuke the older men This does not prohibit the correcting of an older man, but it should be done in a respectful manner. • We are to treat all fellow Christians with love and respect. We have a special eternal relationship with one another. b. We are to be morally pure in our relationships with one another. v. 2b Our Christian sisters are God’s daughters! We are accountable to Him for the way we treat them. 2. We are to individually care for family members who are truly in need. 5:3-8 The 5 th of the Ten Commandments reads: Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. One way we are to honor our parents is by helping to provide for their needs as they grow older. Jesus rebuked the Jews of His day for ignoring this commandment by not caring for their elderly parents. Cf Mark 7:9-13

3 a. Taking care of family members is godliness at work. vv. 3-4 God calls upon us to support our family members if they have no other means to provide for their daily needs. Fulfilling our responsibility to them is practicing piety. (godliness) b. “Widows indeed ” are those who have no other means of support. vv. 3, 5, 16 She is left alone and has no family to help her Since she has no one else, she pleads with God as her only hope. c. We are responsible for their needs , NOT their greeds . v. 6 We are NOT responsible to provide for those who are irresponsible and self-indulgent What if you have a retired mother who gambles and squanders her social security and pension? You are NOT responsible to provide more money for her to waste. There needs to be accountability. Dead even while she lives A widow who lives for wanton pleasure may be physically alive, but her lifestyle proves she is spiritually dead (unsaved). d. A Christian who fails to provide for a family member is worse than an unbeliever . vv. 7-8 Most non-Christians fulfill their responsibility to their parents. So-called Christians who do not provide for family members are behaving worse than unbelievers. Providing for your family members is a spiritual issue. Failure to do so is tantamount to denying the faith.

4 3. The church is responsible care for godly widows who are unable to meet their needs. 5:9-16 The early church (Acts 6) recognized its responsibility to provide for its widows. In 1 Timothy we find that there were too many widows on church welfare at Ephesus. Some apparently weren’t even Christians. The primary concern in this passage is to identify which widows should be supported by the church. Many think that this passage is referring to a special category of older widows who were set aside to minister in the church (cf Russia) a. The church is to care for older godly widows. vv. 9-10 • Not less that 60 years old • Having been the wife of one man Literally one-woman-man She was devoted and faithful to her husband when she was married. The Bible doesn’t discourage a second marriage after the death of a spouse (cf. 5:14; 1 Cor. 7:39) In fact, younger widows are encouraged to remarry. • Having a reputation for good works ♦ Brought up children This views the godly widow as a committed mother who has reared her children to followed the Lord ♦ Shown hospitality to strangers ♦ Washed the saints feet It is used both literally and figuratively of widows who have humble servants’ hearts ♦ Assisted those in distress ♦ Having devoted herself to every good work This list provides a model for all Christian women. 5 b. The church is NOT responsible to care for younger widows. vv. 11-15 They are capable of working vv. 11-12 They might break their vow These verses don’t condemn remarriage. Cf v. 14 The issue here is not clear. It may be concerned that either: 1) The widows who received support made a pledge to remain single and devote the rest of their lives ministering to others in the church. To remarry would be to renounce this pledge. 2) These younger widows might be tempted to marry unbelievers, and abandon the faith v. 13 They are enabled to waste their time and use it to become busybodies and gossips. v. 14 The younger women are encouraged to get married, have children and keep house. They are to live their lives in such a way that they give the enemy no occasion for reproach Titus 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. v. 15 For some have already turned aside to follow Satan Some of the young widows had given up their commitment to serve Christ and chosen to pursue “wanton pleasure.” They had abandon the faith. c. The church is NOT responsible to care for older widows who have other means of support . v. 16

6 Daughters are to look after the care of their mothers and mother-in-laws if necessary. The church is to render assistance only if the family is unable to do so. Truths That Matter 1) We are individually responsible to work to care for our own needs. 2) We are individually responsible to help family members who are truly in need. 3) We are individually responsible to help others whose needs we see and whose needs we are able to meet. 4) As a church we are responsible to help fellow members who are truly in need. 5) Jesus commissioned the church to preach the gospel and make disciples. Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ♦ Through evangelism and discipleship God changes people ♦ Through godly living we do impact society ♦ Through private and public obedience we honor God. Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The gospel is the Christ died for your sins and rose again that you might be forgiven of your sins and become a part of His kingdom. John 11:25-26 . . . "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. . .”

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