Tag: Responsibility
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Refusing the Responsibility – Genesis 38:8-10
Genesis 38:8-10 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he…
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When Do I Start Providing for My Own House? – Genesis 30:28-30
Genesis 30:28-30And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed…
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A Life That Stays Busy — 1 Timothy 5:13–14
1 Timothy 5:13–14 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. Paul now gets…
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Start at Home — 1 Timothy 5:7–8
1 Timothy 5:7–8 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Paul does not soften his words here. He tells Timothy to teach these things clearly…
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Piety Begins at Home — 1 Timothy 5:4
1 Timothy 5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Paul makes something very clear here. The church is called to care for widows, but the first responsibility belongs to the family.…
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Honoring the Forgotten — 1 Timothy 5:3
1 Timothy 5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. Paul now turns to a very practical issue inside the church. Widows. In the ancient world, a widow often stood on very fragile ground. There were no retirement accounts, no life insurance policies, no government programs waiting to step in. If a woman lost her husband…
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Created Order — 1 Timothy 2:13–14
1 Timothy 2:13–14 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Paul now explains his reasoning. He does not appeal to local custom.He does not appeal to first century culture.He goes back to creation. Adam was formed first. Then Eve. That is not…
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Idle Hands and Sharp Beaks — 2 Thessalonians 3:11
2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Paul connects two things we often separate. Not working.And meddling. He does not say they were resting. He does not say they were recovering. He says they were working not at all, and…
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Will Not, Not Cannot — 2 Thessalonians 3:10
2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. That verse gets quoted with a certain tone sometimes. You can almost hear the gavel hit the bench. “If any would not work, neither should he eat.” But slow down. Paul…
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An Example That Costs — 2 Thessalonians 3:6–9
2 Thessalonians 3:6–9 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;Neither did we eat…
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Work Quietly – 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. Let that first phrase sit for a minute. Study to be…
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Freedom Is Not a Free Pass – Galatians 5:12-14
Imagine a man rescued from a burning building. The fire department carries him out, oxygen in his lungs, life restored. Then he says, “You know, I think I’ll go back in. I left my favorite chair.”