1 Timothy 5 - Is It Wrong for Christians to Drink?
5 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.
Paul continues his first letter to Timothy by lifting up different groups of people, and why they deserve special attention, respect, and honor. Specifically, he starts with those who are older, who we often call our elders. Every older man or woman they should treat as if they were their own mother or father. Given the Fourth Commandment is to honor your Father and Mother, we see how important this is.
Paul exhorts Timothy to treat his peers and people younger than him as brothers and sisters. Since we are all children of God and have been adopted into his family, that makes any believer your brother or sister in Christ. Paul adds that Timothy (and the other men) should treat their sisters with absolute purity. When Paul uses the term "purity" he is usually referring "sexual purity".
We have all seen the problems that happen when brothers and sisters in Christ engage in inappropriate sexual behavior outside of marriage. Lots of collateral damage to all involved.
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. 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.
Paul calls them to care for widows, who are really in need. Paul says support should first come from their family members. Children, Paul says, have a duty to repay both their parents AND grandparents. Why? Because we wouldn't be there apart from them? How can you put a price on that?
As a pastor I have seen many widows neglected by their children. It is painful to watch. Paul distinguishes between women who put their hope and trust in God, and those who live for pleasure alone. Paul sets a boundary here. A similar situation is when people come to church who have wasted all their resources, and now want the church to bail them out even though they have no intention of changing their behaviors.
Many who come to the church for assistance are in need because they have lived their lives for the pleasures of alcohol, drugs, or whatever; now they are in need and they want the church to help. It’s legitimate to say, “No; you have lived in pleasure and now suffer the consequences. The resources of this congregation are not for your help in this case.” - Guzik
9 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.
You can tell widows were a big issue in Paul's time, as he devotes three whole paragraphs to them. Paul gives further qualifications for widows who would be deserving of financial help from the church. Note he is always referring to widows as "she". It seems as those is was the norm for the husband to die first.
I would say Paul's qualifications for who makes the "widow's list" are pretty stringent. My guess is that many widows were taking advantage of the church, especially those who were not walking with Christ. The other assumption is that widows under 60 may have been able to find work and provide for themselves. It is interesting that he picks the age of 60 for this.
11 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. 6 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.
Paul then gets very specific with the younger women and seems to have an even more stringent test for them. Paul seems to be against these widows getting remarried. But then he changes his tune to counsel them to get married, have children, and manage their homes. You see the patriarchal nature of his comments. Many today would have a huge problem with these instructions today, but this was the cultural norm in his day, especially in Jewish households.
What might be the reason for Paul seeming to give two sets of instructions to younger widows?
"Paul did not condemn young widows for wanting to get married, only observing that many unmarried women are so hungry for marriage and companionship that they don’t conduct themselves in a godly way in regard to relationships. Many people get into a bad romance or spoil a friendship, because they are desperately needy for relationship. It’s a common occurrence that Paul warned against." - Guzik
Seems extremely relevant for today doesn't it!
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”[a] and “The worker deserves his wages.”[b] 19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. 21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
Paul affirms paying elders in the church, especially if they preach and teach. In other places he lifts up the idea of being a "tentmaker", or working while serving as an elder. He was a "tentmaker" so as not to drain the resources of the churches he planted.
As a pastor who has been paid by the church for 30 years to be a full time minister, I don't know how I could do the type of work I do on a daily basis, if I had to work another job. I do know fellow pastors who do this. I have a tremendous amount of respect for them and encourage churches to support them so that one day they could give 100% of their time, energy, and efforts as a full time minister.
Bottom line some might say where does it say pastors should be paid in the bible. This verse would it.
Paul then gives guidance for disciplining an elder when accusations are made against them. First, he says this accusation needs to come from more than one person. When an elder is found to be guilty of sin and not willing to repent from it, they are to be publicly called out for their behavior as a deterrent to others.
Of course, we don't know exactly which types of and the severity of these sins that quality for this type of public admonition. We are all sinners and sin every day. This is true for pastors, leaders, and every member of the church.
Pastors and other church leaders have a higher degree of accountability though, because they are representing Christ before the whole church and in the community. People look up to their pastors and when they have a moral fallout, it can have a negative effect on the congregation, especially younger believers, or those who might be too dependent on their pastor.
James 3:1 says,
"Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
While we are called to pray for all people, we are called to pray for those in authority both in the church and in the world, because they will be accountable to God for the authority they have been given.
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. 24 The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
Paul gives a couple of random final instructions to Timothy. Interestingly he tells Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach. I guess wine had some medicinal properties, and it might be Paul telling Timothy not to be so legalistic about abstaining from alcohol. It is probably more of the former, yet Paul didn't not forbid drinking alcohol in moderation, nor did Jesus. Jesus was accused for drinking wine by the Pharisees, and we all know the wedding at Cana where Jesus brought out the best wine last. Though Paul doesn't forbid drinking, he does categorically condemn drunkenness.
Though drinking is not prohibited in the bible other passages give some guidance. In one passage Paul says, "If what I do causes someone to stumble, I will refrain from doing it for the sake of my brother or sister." Romans 14:20-21; 1 Corinthians 8:1
We are also warned not to be controlled by anything but the Spirit of God. Whatever we eat or drink we should do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Given all of the addiction that has affected so many families including mine, Christians need to be careful and discerning of their use of alcohol. I talk about my use of alcohol with my accountability partner, since I have a generic predisposition to addiction.
Does your drinking affect you or other negatively? You may want to consider either eliminating it or restricting it. It would be a wise thing to do before something happened you would regret later.
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