“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
1 Timothy 5:1-8 ESV
It’s no mistake that we take what seems at first to be an odd turn in Paul’s instruction to Timothy. Weren’t we just discussing sound doctrine over against the “doctrine of demons” and the great necessity to keep “close watch on ourselves?” Indeed. Then what’s this business about widows and old men? Did Paul lose his train of thought? Did he think, “oh…yeah, I probably wanna include something warm and fuzzy to break up all this dry doctrinal business so people won’t accuse me of being harsh”?
Oh, rubbish. The Holy Spirit doesn’t need an editor. This is the Lord’s word and the plain truth is that sound doctrine is exactly that which leads to true and non-contradictory care for the weak. False doctrine does the opposite and we see that in our false righteousness of the day. This chapter of holy Scripture shows the Lord’s ethics and true welfare versus the world’s.
As always, it’s the Lord who’s right.
First, real charity is rooted only in godliness. Bad theology sees the particulars of life and can’t properly categorize them all. In the main, humanism sees mankind’s central problem as economic, not moral; it views man’s circumstances as his primary challenge, not his behavior. Furthermore, unlike the Bible, humanism views man as an ethically autonomous being, his happiness being his own final standard. To the humanist, man’s politics are his theology because his politics tell him that his happiness is to be secured by the state, not God.
The Bible teaches that man is God’s creation and is ethically responsible to Him. Man’s highest standard is, therefore, God’s word/law and faithfulness is his highest goal, not personal indulgence (which is what happiness is outside of God). The modern American humanist preaches a false gospel of educational hedonism (a technically skilled slave to their appetites). It’s a false gospel because it discounts man’s actual problem, which is sin and sin always leads to slavery, misery and death. Only righteousness yields the fruit of joy and peace.
Real charity can’t discount theology anymore than medicine can discount things like stress and nutrition. As America has slid down the slope of moral sanity, gathering speed in the descent toward ethical nihilism, she’s turned both medicine and charity into modes of slavery. Indeed, our nation’s sons and daughters are just as addicted to debt and poverty as they are prescriptions, drugs and so-called vaccines. Real charity gives God the glory; real charity produces praise to Him who provides; false charity results in dependence, shame, and the glory of idols. The messianic state, in this case, gets the glory. All subjects in life come back to theology; they all come back to the question of Romans 4:3: what does the Scripture say?
So, yes, the Bible does command us to care for the poor. It shows how we’re to do it too. And, as always, ignoring the commands of Scripture, or altering them out of recognizable shape, is sinful.
The presupposition of this passage is that not only is God ultimate, but that man is placed by Him into families and then, through faith, adopted as sons and daughters into His church. The church is, biblically speaking, the super-family. Why? When seen in light of eternity, as well as the cost of redemption (the cross), we note that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ – all living, though through varied personal means, with one goal: the praise and glory of Jesus Christ. Thus, the purpose of our labors is to produce everlasting fruit for the kingdom of God. A janitor in a factory and a CEO of a corporation both endeavor, through the labor of their God-given talents, to produce fruits of thanksgiving and praise to the One through whom all gifts come.
The Bible presumes on every page that man is a worker in God’s world – answerable to Him for the gifts He’s given. No labor is insignificant. But, and we must listen to this carefully, man’s labors are not his primary work. A Godly business man cannot neglect his family life and church as a rule of life. A father’s work that causes him to neglect real heartfelt relationships with his wife and children has taken thirty pieces of silver and sold them over to temptation and the world. A man’s place is at work, yes; it’s also at the dinner table, at the bedside, and on his knees in the hallway praying over his child’s hard day at school. No, we never get the balance perfect…and this leads us to be praying men, men of broken hearts before the Lord. In all, if the family and the church do many great things but don’t show Christ, they have utterly and miserably failed. Likewise, an unreliable man, a healthy man who doesn’t work, is no man at all. The Bible says he deserves no charity whatsoever and to do so is to enable and encourage grievous sin.
There is, therefore, no meaningless anything on earth. In this way we’re all saved from depression and anxiety, though we certainly will be assailed by them throughout our journey to the promised land. Nevertheless, we walk by faith, not by sight.
Okay, but what happens when this glorious machine gets a flat tire? What happens when tragedy strikes? A young man has a stroke and can’t provide for his family? A woman loses her husband? Cancer. Death. Those consequences of living in a sin-sick world that drive us to our knees are still meant to cause us to flex the muscles of faith – even if in a way we’d prefer not to. The principles are shown in this chapter. And they’re shown because sound doctrine is based on God’s character and God is the protector of widows.
It’s written into the law: “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God…He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow” Deut. 10:17-18
“Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the desert— His name is the Lord—be in good spirits before Him. A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads the prisoners into prosperity, Only the stubborn and rebellious dwell in a parched land.” Psalms 68:4-6 AMP
Phillip Ryken points out: “Some of the most touching episodes in the Old Testament concern the care and feeding of widows. God fed Ruth during the barley harvest and placed a child on Naomi’s lap (Ruth 1:22–2:23; 4:13–17). He spared the widow of Zarephath in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:7–24). He provided an abundance of oil for a widow through the ministry of Elisha (2 Kings 4:1–7). Almighty God has earned the right to be called the Protector of Widows. And not surprisingly, Jesus also took special care for widows. He brought an only son back to life for the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11–15). He commended the persistence of the praying widow (Luke 18:1–8) and the generosity of the poor woman who gave all she had at the temple (Mark 12:41–44). He also rebuked Bible scholars who “devour widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40). Even on the cross, He made provision for his own mother in her widowhood (John 19:25-27)
Can you imagine hearing this in the ancient world where the restrictions of social life often meant that if the earning member of their family died it would be next to impossible to maintain their children. Widows needed special care and help.
We’re called to plead the widow’s cause
“Learn to do good. Seek justice, Rebuke the ruthless, Defend the fatherless, Plead for the [rights of the] widow [in court].” Isaiah 1:17 AMP
“You shall not harm or oppress any widow or fatherless child. If you harm or oppress them in any way, and they cry at all to Me [for help], I will most certainly hear their cry; and My wrath shall be kindled and burn; I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.” Exodus 22:22-24 AMP
““You shall not pervert the justice due a stranger or an orphan, nor seize (impound) a widow’s garment as security [for a loan]. But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing.” Deuteronomy 24:17-18 AMP
The principle is clearly that God expects the family and His church to protect the weakest of His children. For us to neglect these responsibilities/privileges is a serious sin.
We’re also to address the issues that arise carefully. And they do require work and thought. The consequences of applying the principles of charity outside of biblical prescriptions are seen in things like the welfare state and the statist schemes of Cuba, Venezuela, Soviet Russia and so on. Socialistic schemes are humanistic pride, contrary to the facts of reality – in that they produce more misery, not less – and a recipe for a different kind of government corruption. God is not mocked. If we’re truly to love our neighbor then we must truly love our neighbor’s Creator God.
We must also note that nowhere in Scripture does the Lord ordain His church or the civil magistrate to make charity compulsory.
“That is why I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you [before I come] and make arrangements in advance for this generous, previously promised gift of yours, so that it would be ready, not as something extorted [or wrung out of you], but as a [voluntary and] generous gift. Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed]. Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. As it is written and forever remains written, “He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!” Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love]. You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit]. For the ministry of this service (offering) is not only supplying the needs of the saints (God’s people), but is also overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God. Because of this act of ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to the gospel of Christ which you confess, as well as for your generous participation [in this gift] for them and for all [the other believers in need], and they also long for you while they pray on your behalf, because of the surpassing measure of God’s grace [His undeserved favor, mercy, and blessing which is revealed] in you. Now thanks be to God for His indescribable gift [which is precious beyond words]!” 2 Corinthians 9:5-15 AMP
Note the ultimate goal of giving…which is the glory of God, not man. Sound doctrine avoids the extremes of either ignoring the weakest amongst us or embracing socialistic schemes as the answer. Both are sinful and, therefore, wrong. Christians are called to be both compassionate and wise and the object of our compassion should be true relief from unavoidable suffering that abounds to God’s glory. The principle is that if the suffering is avoidable – that is, it’s being caused by sinful behavior – the church is not to provide material relief.
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