We Cannot Pass Off Our Responsibilities to the Church

Note from today’s Bible reading: 1 Timothy 5-6

In 1 Timothy 5, Paul gave instructions regarding how the church was to care for certain widows. He classified these individuals as “widows indeed” (1 Timothy 5:3) because they did not have family to care for them.

Paul explained that the ones with the primary responsibility to provide care for these widows were their “children and grandchildren” (1 Timothy 5:4). He also wrote, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). Caring for our families is a serious matter.

Paul concluded this section by saying, “If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed” (1 Timothy 5:16). The church was to care for certain widows, but not all widows. If the church tried to care for all widows, they would never be able to provide sufficient help for them.

Beyond caring for widows, this principle highlights the fact that we need to take care of our responsibilities personally. It may be tempting to add more and more works to the church; but not only is this often unauthorized, it also hinders the church from doing what God expects it to do.

So remember that we cannot pass off our responsibilities to the church. The Lord has given His church work to do and has given us work to do as individuals. Let us not burden the church with the work that we ought to be doing.