The Family of God
Part of 1 Timothy Notes
February 22, 2023

The Family of God – 1 Timothy 5:1-16

Our goal is NOT to talk about politics or other churches.

Main Idea: The church does not merely imitate a family; it is a family.

I. Respects Each Other | 1 Timothy 5:1-2

In the original letter, there was no such thing as chapter breaks. So, there is no real pause between the end of chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5. Paul continues to instruct Timothy in the role of pastoral ministry as well as the church by providing specific instructions for relating to the various groups in the church: moving from older to younger and from male to female. Scripture tells us that we find our identity in Jesus Christ: “He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12). Consider some ways in which the church is a family: every true believer has the same spiritual Father (God the Father); when we say our prayers, the Bible instructs us to start with the words: “Our Father in Heaven” (Matthew 6:9). At salvation, believers become members of the same family for God has adopted us by His Holy Spirit: “He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will” (Ephesians 1:5). Now that God has made us His sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, the church becomes the believers’ spiritual family (Mark 3:31-35). The church is not “just like a family” to those who become members of the Body of Christ; the church is the only spiritual family believers will ever have.

In the first two verses in this chapter, Paul directs his attention to the way people should treat one another as part of the family of God. Paul’s instructions to Timothy on dealing with various groups in the congregation are based upon principles established for the church as the household of God. Timothy is to treat older men as fathers and younger men as brothers. In the first instance, Paul adds that Timothy should not rebuke an older man harshly (Epiplesso–in a disrespectful way”), but encourage (Paraquelleo–to build up, to strengthen, to encourage) him as a father. There is a strong connection between Paraquelleo and Paraquelia (The word used to describe the Holy Spirit as an encourager, strengthener, and comforter of beleivers). The Family of God demands that older men, even if not in leadership positions, be treated with respect. If there is something our post-modern culture can learn from ancient cultures is the respect demanded from young people to their elders (age-wise).

In verse 2, Paul addresses Timothy about how older and younger women should be treated in God’s family: “Older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, in all purity.” In relating to younger women, men in the church should set the example by not getting entangled in any potentially compromising situations. It is vital to establish certain safeguards to minimize the potential for stumbling. That does not mean that men should not interact with women in the church; on the contrary, men and women should help build each other up, but that must be done in all purity. Churches are indeed a family, a faith family, and members should relate to one another accordingly. Jesus said that the world would realize that we are His disciples is we love one another (John 13:35). If we want to bear witness to the world and maintain unity in the church, we must treat one another with love and respect.

To Ponder:

  1. We live in a culture that (in many ways) values and encourages disrespect toward elders (age-based). Do you see that in the context of the church? If yes, how so?

  2. What are some “safeguards” we (men and women) can use to help minimize any potential to stumble as we treat one another in all purity?

  3. How can we intentionally invest in getting to know those who are part of our TCC Family?

II. Provides for One Another | 1 Timothy 5:3-16

Supporting widows was a matter of priority in the early church. In Acts 6:1-7, the apostles were burned out (in what marked the origin of the office of deacons) for having to take care of everything: teaching, praying, and serving the needy. And what had given the occasion for that situation was the fact that certain widows in the church were being neglected in the weekly distribution. The early church understood that one of the main ways the church was to be seen and noticed as the Family of God was by how it cared for those in need (widows being the leading group at the time). The Old Testament describes widows as of utmost importance among the people of God (Exodus 22:22-24; Deuteronomy 27:19; Psalm 68:5). In the New Testament, Jesus reveals the compassionate heart of God toward widows (Luke 20:45-47; 21:1-4). Widowhood was a difficult situation to be in the Greco-Roman world. Women were usually not the direct heirs of their husbands’ will at the time. They were poor and often destitute without any means of earning a living since women were barred from employment outside the home. Widows represented one the most neglected people group in Jewish societies. The hardship faced by widows is illustrated by Jesus in a rebuke toward the Pharisees and scribes in Luke 20:46-47, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Unsurprisingly, the first ministry to develop in the early church involved the care of widows (Acts 6:1-7). Biblically, the church’s responsibility extends only to those truly in need. In verse 3, Paul says: “honor widows who are truly widows.” The church is not obligated to support all people who claim to have a need. We want to cultivate a culture of generosity, but churches must also be careful in utilizing the resources God entrusts them to administer. In verse 4, Paul highlights the responsibility of immediate relatives in supporting parents and grandparents, “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household… for this is pleasing in the sight of God.” Caring for aging parents is a fundamental display of God’s love. The church is not intended to be the first line of defense for widows or those in need; this responsibility lies first on immediate family members. In verse 8, we see Paul direct his instructions to men as the ones responsible for providing for their families. As the head of his house, a believing husband has the mandated responsibility to provide for those in his household as God provides for those in His household, physically and spiritually. This does not mean that women can’t or shouldn’t work, or help with the family income, or even have better jobs than their husbands. The point in verse 8 is that the biblical mandate is for the man in the family to bear the responsibility to provide for their needs.

In verses 9-10, Paul highlights the importance of the church identifying those who have legitimate needs. By asking Timothy to not enroll women who were less than sixty years old, Paul refers to the age in which people would be considered as retired in first century culture. Unless in case of health issues, people with less than sixty years of age should still be able to work and support themselves. As he continues in verses 11-15, Paul’s advice for those who became widows at a young age was to remarry so that they wouldn’t go through the temptation of becoming “idlers, gossips, and busybodies (Periernos¬–given to superstitious activities). God has no responsibility for people’s laziness (Proverbs 6:6; 10:4), only for the vulnerable. The passage at hand provides a case study of the exemplary diligence of God’s family in respecting each other and caring for those who truly need help. The early church did not have an abundance of resources available to them, but they had a heart for the vulnerable that reflected the Father’s heart for those who are in need. May the heart of God, our Father, and the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ compel us to look out for the most vulnerable around us. May we see the church not only as a place where people gather but as one family of faith.

To Ponder:

  1. How can we as a church actively and responsibly help provide for the most vulnerable in our church?