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1 TIMOTHY CHAPTER 5 KJV WEB See previous page 1Tim 5-1,2 (73c) Authority >> Respect your leaders >> The ministry to the saints (95j) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Obedient attitude >> Positive attitude about authority -- These verses go with verses 17-21 (138d) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Reproof >> Reprove your brother in the right spirit – When people do wrong, we are to correct them according to their age, because old people have lived longer than us, and that counts for something. Their life experienced, their problems solved and their enemies conquered, the thing old people have over young people is perspective; they have lived longer and hence have a wider-angle view of the world, giving young people tunnel vision by comparison. Intrinsically there are things old people know that young people don’t know, and this is something that the youth in this generation mostly dismiss. They seem to think that because they’re younger, they’re smarter, because they live in a technological age, and that those who were not born in their generation are not in the know about the things they consider important. What young people don’t realize is that the ways people lived generations earlier were just as important as the ways people live in their own generation. Young people are not aware of the experiences older people have both suffered and enjoyed. Young people have the present and what's left of the future, but the aged have the past and the lessons learned from their experiences. Young people who are disrespectful to adults are promised to die before their time, unlike the aged who were taught to respect their elders. 1Tim 5-1 (3k) Responsibility >> To the Family >> God addresses both genders >> Good men 1Tim 5-2 (3h) Responsibility >> To the Family >> God addresses both genders >> Instruction about women (105a) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart >> A pure heart is a genuine heart KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5,3-16 (9k) Responsibility >> Strengthen one another >> Tend to the widows – Paul said, “Honor widows who are widows indeed,” and then he defined who was a widow. She was a devout Christian woman whose husband had died, who throughout her life devoted her time, resources and energy ministering to the saints, but she herself was abandoned by her unbelieving children (v 5). Paul provided a set of criteria that a widow must satisfy before she can be put on the list of women the Church will assist. She must be at least sixty years old, and she must be the wife of only one man, meaning she must not be divorced. She must have a reputation of good works and brought up children, and has shown hospitality to strangers and washed the saints’ feet, she has assisted those in distress and devoted herself to every good work. Paul is describing a type of social security, only instead of it revolving around money, the system is based on the principles of faith and love. It is the social security of good works. If a woman had lived a godly life and helped those in need, when she got old and could no longer provide for herself, the Church would take care of her. However, if she has children, then let them take care of their own mother and grandmother and not burden the Church. Paul added in verse 10 that the woman must have brought up children, so if the woman never had children, she cannot be put on the list, but if she brought up children, then let them take care of her. This suggests that in a perfect world there is no occasion for a woman to be put on the list. Nevertheless, there were respectable elderly women who needed assistance, and in these cases the Church would help. Paul then described her life while the Church is taking care of her; she should devote her life to the word of God and prayer. This is how she earned her living. (248k) Priorities >> God’ s preeminence >> Values >> The Highest Values >> Some things take precedence over others – Paul commanded us to honor old people, and especially mentioned widows who participated in the ministry of helps, which was something Paul deeply cherished, holding them in high regard. Widows were honored back then; women tend to live longer than men and they tend to be useful to the church both in their younger days and into their twilight years in all the services they provided. They maintained a service to the saints helping meet their daily needs, particularly missionaries and others passing through their area who were dedicated to the gospel of Christ; also they helped in the Church doing many things. Paul prized these helpers, himself being a recipient of their help. As a missionary he would arrive hungry, tired and poorly clothed, and the widows ran to his assistance and supplied all his needs and those with him. If they were sick, the women would nurse them back to health, and in Paul’s view, they were invaluable assets to the body of Christ, who provided essential services to the saints. When these widows got old and feeble, no longer able to continue their service to others or even supply their own needs, he didn’t want them forgotten, nor did he want women of age who cared only for themselves lobbying for the same benefits. It was Paul’s way of returning the favor for a life of ministry to the saints, not just meeting their needs, but also venerating them in the presence of all for services rendered. So it acted as incentive for widows to commit themselves to the cause of Christ. (250h) Priorities >> God’s prerequisites >> Sequence of priorities >> The first is a precondition for what comes after it (Cause and effect) – Paul was oddly advocating marriage, when in 1Corinthians 7 he adamantly advised against it, but he was writing to Timothy about women who couldn't live the single life successfully as a Christian. For them “it is better to marry than to burn” (with passion 1Cor 7-9). He said to be careful, though, and marry the right person, because divorce would make them ineligible to be put on the list when they got older. As for the woman whose father has died, let her take care of her aging mother, for a believing woman who does not take care of her own mother “has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel.” What about the case of married women who were barren, or women who followed Paul's advice and never married (1Corinthians 7), are they not to be put on the list in their older years? Going back to the early Church's social security system, if they remained single in order to "secure undistracted devotion to the Lord" (1Cor 7-35), they should be eligible for assistance from the Church in their older years. 1Tim 5-3,4 (1l) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Carrying a false burden >> Taking on responsibilities that are not yours -- These verses go with verse 8. Paul said that family members of widows should give some return to their parents, and not just let the Church take care of them. This was not a suggestion but a command. When we think of what is happening in the world today, the government taking over responsibility of caring for aging family members, the children just throw their parents and grand parents into a nursing home and forget about them. The nursing home takes everything, so when they die, there will be no inheritance, for this reason the children forget about them. They forgot that their parents and grandparents fed them and changed their diapers when they were infants, and they supported them to adulthood, providing a roof over their heads and a bed, but apparently they didn't teach them right from wrong. They made sure they received an education, but when it was their turn to return charity to their parents, they disappeared. (10a) Responsibility >> Bring order to the Church >> Dealing with problems in the Church – These verses go with verses 9-16 (14m) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers fill in the gaps >> They are always there when you need them -- These verses go with verses 9&10. Paul associated widow's ministry of helps with feeding and clothing the saints, washing their feet, meeting their needs and adding prayer. They used their left hand to do all they could for the saints and their right hand to reach for God in prayer for the things they could not do. Prayer is included in the ministry of helps. When she was not working to supply the needs of the saints, she interceded for them, and when she got older and could no longer provide for herself, she could still pray, and in her old age this became her ministry. (44j) Judgment >> Transformed >> Fulfill your ministry according to the will of God -- These verses go with verses 9&10 (130e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Committed to caring for the needs of the body >> Committed to holding up one another -- These verses go with verses 9&10 (248d) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> The will of God >> The will of God is acceptable to Him KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5-5 (2d) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Keeping your commitments >> Complete God’s calling in your ministry as Christ did (30l) Gift of God >> God favors you through your prayers (81m) Thy kingdom come >> Pray without ceasing >> For the Church >> Life of prayer (87f) Thy kingdom come >> Ministry to God through obedience >> The obedience of prayer – Paul is talking about faithful widows. The fact that she lost her husband probably means that their children are already grown, and so she is by herself. What is she to do? To those who live by themselves, both men and women, Paul has given the ministry of prayer. The foundation of every ministry is prayer. If we dedicate our lives to prayer, then we ought also to read the Bible, because the two of them go together. The Bible without prayer, can only get us so far, and prayer without the Bible is equally inadequate, but putting them together we can intelligently talk to God. Therefore, the foundation of every person’s ministry is Bible-based prayer. The fact that prayer is the foundation of every ministry means that it is the highest form of obedience. A ministry toward people that is built on the foundation of prayer will prosper, but without prayer, the ministry is just be a lot of activities without unction behind it, humanism. If we establish our ministry on prayer and seek to minister to people through our ministry toward God, our effectiveness will exponentially increase. That is what God does for us when we pray. We have all heard the term “prayer life”; if someone has prayed once in his life, that is his prayer life. God doesn’t want us to have a prayer life; He wants us to have a life of prayer. That will get things done and help establish the Church in the will of God and help develop unity and allow us to communicate to people through an anointing we receive from God through prayer. (97d) Thy kingdom come >> Attention >> Facing in the direction of the Lord >> Focusing your attention on God – Paul said two interesting things here: first he used the phrase “widow indeed”, and second he assumed she had fixed her hope on God, having dedicated her life to prayer. A widow indeed means she met the criteria for the Church to take care of her, and the reason thy agreed to do this is in regard to the value system of the Old Testament, which is filled with instruction about tending to the needs of widows and orphans. When we look at the criteria for widows, prayer is just one of them, so Paul is saying that prayer is the most important of all traits in any person! In the past she dedicated her life to serving the saints, washing their feet, making meals, and doing what she could, but when she became old and unable to care for herself, there was always one thing she could do, and that was to pray. When we think about what Paul says in the very next verse, “But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives,” it becomes clear that Paul was talking about widows of any age. The younger women who are still able to work should help the saints and contribute to the cause of the gospel in any way she can, including and especially in prayer. (120l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Contentment >> Content with your way of life >> Content with remaining single (121i) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Hope Based On Faithfulness >> Hope based on perseverance (187d) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man>> Die to the flesh >> Dying to receive the glory of God >> Die to self through prayer 1Tim 5-6,7 (194k) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Yielding >> Antithesis: Yielding to sin -- These verses go with verses 14&15 1Tim 5-6 (22j) Sin >> Lust (craving pleasure) >> Sexual lust -- This verse goes with verses 11-15 (26a) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death >> Dead to God through sin (53c) Paradox >> Opposites >> Of life and death >> Die trying to live (135b) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Immorality >> Fornication -- This verse goes with verses 14&15 (153g) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> God bears witness against the world >> Shame >> Walking in condemnation >> Walking in sin -- This verse goes with verses 11-15 (160c) Works of the devil >> Counterfeit >> Counterfeit God >> Counterfeit life (160e) Works of the devil >> Led by the devil into sin -- This verse goes with verses 14&15 (163j) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Used by Satan to destroy your own life -- This verse goes with verses 14&15. Those who give themselves to the bondage of sin are dead even while they live, alive in the flesh but dead in the spirit. Paul is not using doubletalk, as though saying they’re dead but saved. He is talking about people in the Church who are spiritually dead. This is what Paul wrote in Eph 2-1,2, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.” This is our state as sinners, and then we find God. These women who claim to be Christians but have given themselves to their sinful passions and desires have traded their salvation. Paul didn’t offer a remedy; he didn’t say they needed to repent and get right with God. The Bible says that sin is deceitful; it tells us that we are just dabbling in sin yet still believe in God, when in fact we jumped in with both feet and our faith has gone missing. (167a) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Carnality/Secularism (mindset of the world) >> The carnal mind is set on the flesh >> Lust of the fleshly mind -- This verse goes with verse 11 (168b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Do not conform to the world >> Do not conform to the world’s version of love -- This verse goes with verses 14&15 (172b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Tares among the wheat >> Devils among the saints >> Unrighteous among the righteous -- This verse goes with verses 14&15 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5,7-10 (142d) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Witnesses of Jesus >> Having a good reputation >> A reputation of good works 1Tim 5-7 (9a) Responsibility >> Prevent being blamed for something you did not do >> Prevent accusations – Being above reproach is a commandment and a safe way to live among so many worldly people who would love to get us in trouble if they could. In this world we don’t have to do anything wrong to get in trouble (though it makes it easier on your accusers). Being a Christian tends to incite most worldly people to hate us without a cause. (11f) Servant >> Bible is our standard of truth (239g) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Pursuing the knowledge of the kingdom >> Teachers >> Teachers are construction workers >> God raises up teachers to raise up the body 1Tim 5-8 (1l) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Carrying a false burden >> Taking on responsibilities that are not yours -- This verse goes with verse 16 (4f) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> From him who has shall much be required (21a) Sin >> Disobedience >> Demonstrating unbelief in the character of God – For thousands of years nursing homes didn’t exist; people took care of their aging parents and grandparents in their own homes; it was expected of them. Throwing our mother in a nursing home and forgetting about her describes the person who has "denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." Giving a return to our parents is not an option or a suggestion. People can make a case for their deep faith in God, but if they throw their mother in a nursing home and never visit her and she dies alone, all their beliefs, doctrines and views about God are just clanging cymbals (1Cor 13-1). Anyone who denies his mother has also denied the faith. Christianity is more than just affirming a set of doctrines in the Bible. God expects us to live and walk in the way we believe, and if we don’t, then He says we don’t believe. If we cannot prove our faith, then we don’t have any, but that is not what is being taught in the pulpit these days. What we hear in Church correlates with affirming a set of doctrines that will get us saved and on the trajectory to eternal life, regardless how we treat our "loved" ones. There are many cases when people have no choice but to place their mother in a nursing home; that is why they exist, so go visit her. (96o) Thy kingdom come >> Having a negative attitude about sin >> Having an abusive attitude (153i) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> God bears witness against the world >> Shame >> Walking in condemnation >> Walking in hypocrisy (167k) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Do not conform to the world >> The world’s unbelief (197b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Spiritual laziness >> Rebelling Against what God wants you to do >> Refusing to take on responsibility -- This verse goes with verses 13-15 (197i) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Man withers when he is in control >> Unfaithful to God -- This verse goes with verses 11-15 (199e) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Rejecting Christ >> Throwing God away >> Renouncing your faith (204c) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Back-slider >> Practicing sin >> Withdrawing from a righteous standard – When Paul said, “his own,” he was referring to the person’s relatives: cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, parents and grand parents; and “those of his household” refers to the his wife and children. If a man will not provide for his immediate family, Paul said he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. He was saying that it is impossible for a person to abandon his wife, children and parents and still believe in Jesus. This means unbelievers in Paul’s day didn’t often do this, though it is sadly common in the world today. What would be the cause of a man not providing for his own family? Drunks and bums do this; they’re unsupportive, and if anyone has a need, tuff luck. Providing financial support is far better than doing nothing at all, but there are other forms of support that are just as important, such as being present and paying attention to the people we love. Some people think they're Christians, while leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. We live in an age of apostasy and licentiousness. Now that Paul has said we are saved by grace through faith and not by works, it has given some people a green light to live and act however they feel, but the Bible teaches that an evil lifestyle is an indicator that we don't believe in God. We all sin and do things wrong and inadvertently hurt people, but we also repent and turn from these things. So we strive to lead a godly life and do what is right, but some people couldn’t care less about what is right; they only care about themselves and do what they want. They need to get saved, repent and believe in the gospel. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5,9-16 (10a) Responsibility >> Bring order to the Church >> Dealing with problems in the Church -- These verses go with verses 3&4 (206c) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to receiving in the natural >> Conditions to partaking in the natural realm (250l) Priorities >> God’s prerequisites >> Lists >> Terms of graduating to the next level >> List of prerequisites – This whole chapter seems to contradict Paul’s dissertation on remaining single in 1Corinthians chapter seven. In that chapter Paul wanted the disciples to remain single, though marriage had its benefits; in fact, if they didn’t get married, when they got old they couldn’t be put on the "list", so if they followed Paul’s advice in 1Corinthians, they would have been overlooked in their elder years. However, we need also remember that the whole point of remaining single was to promote undistracted devotion to the Lord, and that is what Paul was addressing in regard to widows. That is, the main point was not whether they had children but whether they served the saints. Were these rules so stringent that if their life was not a perfect match, they couldn’t be put on the list? No! Widows who did not serve the saints should not be put on the list; he didn’t mention women so dedicated to the faith that they didn't get married to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord (1Cor 7-35). If they dedicated themselves to the service of the saints, they would be put on the list, regardless of their marital or maternal status. Remember too that Paul advocated marriage in this chapter against the alternative of being “idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies” (v13). If we want to treat this list like the Law of Moses, then we should go back to Moses, for we have missed the whole intent of the list. 1Tim 5-9,10 (5l) Responsibility >> Discipleship tested >> The Church tests the disciples (14m) Servant >> Ministry of helps >> Helpers fill in the gaps >> They are always there when you need them -- These verses go with verses 3&4 (31b) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> He favors you as a servant – Widows who were eligible to be put on the list were some of the greatest women of their day, for to be put on the list they must have led a life of service to others. She had to devote herself to all three things: love, hospitality and service throughout their lives. This was the Church’s Social Security program. Instead of holding down a job for “X” number of years, they served the saints. There was no Social Security program in place for men, because they generally didn’t live as long as women. They took care of their women, but when they died, their widows continued their work assisting the saints in whatever they needed, and they were rewarded with service rendered to them after they had become too old to support themselves. (44j) Judgment >> Transformed >> Fulfill your ministry according to the will of God -- These verses go with verse 16 (130e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Committed to caring for the needs of the body >> Committed to holding up one another -- These verses go with verse 16 (218h) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> Reaping the harvest >> Reaping the harvest of obedience >> The harvest of righteousness 1Tim 5-9 (3c) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Instruction about marriage – Serving the saints was like Social Security and having children was like Medicare in the early church. The criteria for receiving Social Security was not whether a woman worked for a living and paid into it, but whether she helped those in need and was exemplar of those who believed. Another criterion was whether she raised children; if she didn’t, she was not to be put on the list. People had children back then so when they got old, they would have someone to take care of them, so the Church would not be burdened. Being a mother gave them practice serving the saints, but if they didn’t have children, they often lacked the required skills. It was an indicator that she didn’t want the drudgery that goes along with having children, signifying she didn’t have a servant’s heart. 1Tim 5-10 (13m) Servant >> Serve God faithfully (100m) Thy kingdom come >> Devotion >> In your ministry to people >> Devoted to ministering to their physical needs (127n) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Devote your life to doing good (131c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Brother depends on you >> To care for his needs -- This verse goes with verse 16 (235g) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Giving (your inner self) >> Hospitality (providing a temporary home) >> Being a good host KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5,11-15 (2b) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Keeping your commitments >> Fulfill your vows in marriage to your spouse (3d) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Marriage >> Advocating marriage (8n) Responsibility >> Prevent sin from coming between you and God – Compare this commentary to 1Cor 7,1-6. The "previous pledge" mentioned here is a pledge of remaining single, not a pledge from a previous marriage. Paul counsels the young women to get married because they get easily tempted to fall into sin, and it is better to marry than to burn (with passion 1Cor 7-9). (22j) Sin >> Lust (craving pleasure) >> Sexual lust -- These verses go with verse 6. Paul describes women who give themselves "to want and pleasure,” and he refused to put such women on the list. Paul had no time for them, or anybody who refused to serve the Lord. Young widows felt sensual desires in disregard of their previous pledge (to remain single). If they are going to disregard their pledge of celibacy, then it is better not to pledge at all. Rather, they should get married and forget about serving the Lord as a single person if they cannot control their sexual appetite. (153g) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> God bears witness against the world >> Shame >> Walking in condemnation >> Walking in sin -- These verses go with verse 6 (197i) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Man withers when he is in control >> Unfaithful to God -- These verses go with verse 8 (202c) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Running from God >> Running to your sinful nature >> Run from God by running to your flesh – The children of the widow who refused to take care of their mother in her elderly condition, Paul had great contempt for them. He also refused to put younger widows on the list, the cut-off point being age sixty. They made an oath to God to remain single to the end of their lives. It goes without saying that not every woman will make that commitment, but those who do at a younger age have a tendency to change their minds and remarry. The condemnation they incurred is not in getting remarried, but in breaking an oath they made to God to remain single. 1Tim 5-11,12 (26l) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Curse >> Deeds that return to the doer >> Words of your mouth (173g) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Catholicism >> Unholy sacrifice (Penance) >> Offering sacrifice without God’s approval >> Sacrifice against the will of God (203d) Denying Christ >> Dishonor God >> Lying to God (232c) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the kingdom >> Count the cost >> If you must count the cost, the price is always too high – The widow’s previous pledge was to remain single to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. Her husband died, and so she pledged to remain single, and then reneged after a man showed an interest in her. Therefore, Paul says not to put younger widows on the list, because they are young enough to support themselves with services they can render to the Church. Those on the list are those who cannot help themselves, who in past years were dedicated to helping the saints, who had counted the cost of what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus. Some might say this came from Paul’s fanaticism, but in days of revival as it was then, they could use people who were wholly dedicated to the cause of Christ, but not in our day of apostasy. 1Tim 5-11 (167a) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Carnality/Secularism (mindset of the world) >> The carnal mind is set on the flesh >> Lust of the fleshly mind -- This verse goes with verse 6 1Tim 5,13-15 (197b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Spiritual laziness >> Rebelling Against what God wants you to do >> Refusing to take on responsibility -- These verses go with verse 8. Young widows tended to become idle gossips and busybodies. For this reason Paul wanted younger widows to remarry, “bear children, keep house and give the enemy no occasion for reproach.” If they were married, they wouldn’t have time to be idle, for married people with children are always busy. Marriage is all about seeking happiness and fulfillment, so they look for a better house and better circumstances, and that all takes time, money and effort. Single people have more time to serve the Lord, but married couples usually have children, and then their time is spent raising them. Although Paul would rather they remained single, yet under the circumstances it would be better if they got married. The whole idea of remaining single was to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord, but if they don’t intend to serve the Lord, then they might as well get married. The decision to marry is about what people want to do with their lives. Do they want to serve the Lord? Then they should stay single, but if they just want to be Christians, they should get married. 1Tim 5-13 (84g) Gossip (Key verse) (84h) Thy kingdom come >> Words of your mouth >> Gossip >> Attacking a person’s character KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5-14,15 (89f) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom >> Deeds of wisdom -- These verses go with verse 22 (135b) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Immorality >> Fornication -- These verses go with verse 6 (160e) Works of the devil >> Led by the devil into sin -- These verses go with verse 6 (161e) Works of the devil >> Wandering >> Follow the wrong leader (163j) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Used by Satan to destroy your own life -- These verses go with verse 6 (163l) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Entertaining demons >> The Church entertains demons – Paul did not say Christians could follow Satan, and when they died they would go to heaven. Unbelievers follow Satan, and unbelievers go to hell. Unbelievers must repent of their unbelief and get saved, but if they return to their former state of unbelief and go back to Satan, they cannot return to Christ. The only people going to heaven are Christians who believe in Jesus and follow Him. If they turn against their faith and follow Satan, they must repent, or else eventually they will return to a state of unbelief in which they cannot repent. Once their faith turns to unbelief, Satan will not allow them to believe in God again, so there is a lot at stake. Salvation is like a ship at sea; some tie a lifeline to themselves and jump overboard to dabble in the sea of unbelief, and when they are done, they pull themselves back to the safety of the ship, but they run the risk of getting separated from the ship, and when that happens they are lost at sea with no hope of being saved again. "Born-again" is biblical; saved-again is not. Like the Prodigal Son, those who dabble in sin and return to their faith learn not to do it again. See also: Formation of the reprobate mind; Tit 1-15,16; 155d (168b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Do not conform to the world >> Do not conform to the world’s version of love -- These verses go with verse 6. Some of the widows have turned aside to follow Satan, committing sexual sins. In First Corinthians Paul urged Christians to remain single in order to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. He was always searching for giftedness and availability in people who were committed to the cause of Christ to employ them in the ministry to help promote the Kingdom of God by whatever means they could, but if they were not going to serve the Lord, then they might as well get married. (172b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Tares among the wheat >> Devils among the saints >> Unrighteous among the righteous -- These verses go with verses 24&25 (194k) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Yielding >> Antithesis: Yielding to sin -- These verses go with verses 6&7 (203h) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Back-slider >> Withdraw from obeying God >> Withdrawing from God 1Tim 5-15 (93m) Thy kingdom come >> Following Jesus >> Exception >> Following evil along the broad way 1Tim 5-16 (1l) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Carrying a false burden >> Taking on responsibilities that are not yours -- This verse goes with verses 3&4 (44j) Judgment >> Transformed >> Fulfill your ministry according to the will of God -- This verse goes with verses 3&4. The only people Paul wanted the church to help were those whose children either died or were unwilling to assist their own mothers. He didn’t mention sons but daughters helping their mothers and grandmothers. The sons were probably busy at work; back then men worked and women stayed home and kept house and raised the children, dedicating their lives to serving their husband and children, but they were not breadwinners. A woman’s place was to serve, but things are different now, not better. The reason women want to work is because they don’t want to serve, though it is the ministry of angels (1Cor 11-10). They don’t want to be defined as a servant; they would rather be defined as an employee, have a career, a chance at importance in a company and hopefully make a lot of money. Having angelic status is not good enough for women these days; they want to be like men, made in the image of God (woman was made in the image of man); that is, women these days want to be like God. Wasn’t that the original temptation in the Garden of Eden? The things women want these days represent the things we have lost. Now we have what we want but at great cost; no one is raising the children. Society is eroding faster than we can patch it, and we are at a point where we are about to lose it all, because women refuse to serve. See also: Adam was only given the earth; 1Pet 2-9,10; 213k (130e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Committed to caring for the needs of the body >> Committed to holding up one another -- This verse goes with verses 3&4 (131c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Unity >> Brother depends on you >> To care for his needs -- This verse goes with verse 10 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5,17-21 (10f) Responsibility >> Keeping order in the Church >> How to behave toward leadership – There are devils out there who spread rumors about those who are in charge of the word, who want to discredit and silence the men of God. It is harder to tell a lie when there are two or three witnesses involved than only one. They have to get their stories straight, and they all have to be willing to lie. For two or three people, this is not an easy task, and for this reason it is a relatively accurate means of attaining the facts. (95j) Thy kingdom come >> Attitude >> Obedient attitude >> Positive attitude about authority -- These verses go with verses 1&2 1Tim 5,17-20 (73b) Authority >> Respect your leaders >> Those in charge of the word – Paul worked for a living when he lived among the saints, because he didn’t want to be an undue burden on the Church. He always modeled his behavior for the sake of the believers. Everybody looked up to him, and he wanted to develop a reputation among the people as a servant. He didn’t just preach it; he lived it. So he worked for a living, but on his missionary journeys he needed support. He didn’t make this a requirement for all pastors; instead, they were worthy of double honor and the laborer is worthy of his wages, in reference to a salary. Some pastors work part-time, and some receive a salary large enough that they don’t need another job. If the assembly can afford it, the pastor can dedicate himself all the more to the ministry. Elders and pastors were constantly under fire; they had enemies, and there were people who had incentive to start rumors about them in attempt to destroy their reputation using lies and deception. If they could get an idea to become popular, people would more readily accept it as true without investigating the matter. For this reason we should not accept rumors about our pastors unless they can be corroborated by many witnesses. 1Tim 5-17,18 (32f) Gift of God >> Father will honor you if you die to self >> In His service – We respect those in authority because they are our leaders, but those who rule well we are to give double honor. Paul gives us an additional standard of honor when he said, “especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” If we are in a church where our leaders are not doing well at preaching and teaching, it is time to skedaddle. Most likely they will expect double honor, the lower quality service they render. We know a cult leader will do that, and they contribute nothing. In contrast, someone who works hard and does well in his preaching and teaching is worthy of double honor, especially when good leaders are hard to find, since nowadays the whole concept of teaching the word of God is almost unknown. Go to church nowadays and all we get from the pulpit are life lessons tailored to the contemporary issues of present society. It is difficult to find churches that center on the word of God, and if we find one and the pastor has sound knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures and works hard at preaching and teaching, hold onto him and treat him with double honor, so he doesn’t leave, because we probably won’t get an equal to replace him. (71f) Authority >> Ordained by God >> Worthiness of man >> Preachers are worthy of their support – The Scriptures encourage the congregation to financially support their pastor, especially those who are truly men of God. Some think they should lead on a volunteer basis without any support from the congregation, but how is he supposed to live? He would need to get another job and divide his attention. That is not wrong or bad; a person could run a church that way; a pastor could hold down a secular job while he also leads the Church, since this is what the first and second century leaders usually did, and if it is good enough for them, it is good enough for us. Nevertheless, a good preacher is worthy of his support. (72k) Authority >> Hierarchy of authority >> Authority makes you accountable >> You are accountable to the one who gave it to you (101l) Thy kingdom come >> Ambitious to promote the Kingdom of God >> Preaching the gospel (226c) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Rewards of the Kingdom of Heaven >> Reserved in heaven >> God crowns us with glory for sharing our rewards (235j) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Giving (your inner self) >> Taking on the role of a priest in your giving 1Tim 5-17 (150j) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Works of the Church bear witness of Jesus >> Speak the word >> Preaching the word to the Church (239f) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Pursuing the knowledge of the kingdom >> Teachers >> Teachable students >> The teachable are a blessing to their teachers (239i) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Pursuing the knowledge of the kingdom >> Teachers >> The gift of teaching >> Teachers are a gift to the body – There is a difference between preaching and teaching. There are lots of preachers who can preach a good sermon, but those who teach the word of God are a necessary gift to the body and one that is lacking today. Preaching is a matter of going over what we have already learned, reiterating the same topics and reminding the people of proper priorities and values, but teachers help the people understand Scripture in ways they had never known. Teachers uncover truths in Scripture that were previously overlooked. Preachers preach about things the congregation already knows, while teachers attempt to add to the people’s knowledge, so that preachers can later preach about them, but they cannot preach about things until they are first taught. In the Church today there are only a handful of things we really know, and every week the preacher harps on the same topics over and over without ever really going beyond them. This is why we need teachers to expand our knowledge, so the preacher can expand His preaching. The preacher and teacher work together; sometimes they are the same person; other times they work as a team, bringing to our remembrance the things we have learned, so we don’t forget. 1Tim 5-18 (141i) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Old Testament bears witness to the new >> Old Testament is for our instruction >> Teaching from the Old Testament 1Tim 5-19 (206d) Salvation >> God makes promises on His terms >> Conditions to promises >> Conditions to receiving in the natural >> Conditions to participating in the natural realm KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5-20 (12e) Servant >> Bad examples (21l) Sin >> Premeditated sin >> Making no provisions for the flesh (88j) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God causes repentance – There are some people who don’t think they need to fear God, because He loves us, but Paul would disagree with them. There is room to fear even in the new covenant. As children we feared our parents, yet they loved us, making use of negative reinforcement. In our society we think that negative reinforcement is bad and that it doesn’t work, though in the old days the way parents mostly related to their children was through negative reinforcement, and those generations seemed to be brought up better than they are nowadays. If we see examples of this in Scripture, how can negative reinforcement be a bad thing? (138c) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Reproof >> Reprove your brother for sinning – Rebuking someone in the presence of all if they continue in sin was Jesus’ instruction about sinners in the Church: first rebuke them in private, and if they continue in sin, bring two or three as witnesses, and if they still continue in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all (Mat 18,15-17). This is for the preservation of the body and for the individual. Our salvation is based on grace through faith, and if we lose our faith, we lose our access to His grace (Eph 3-12). (143c) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Witnesses of Jesus >> The public >> The disciples ministered publicly – Paul is saying they had already gone through the process of taking the person aside one-on-one, and when he didn’t repent take him aside again with a second or third witness and demand his repentance, and if he refuses to repent, "rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning." We have positive reinforcements in place for those who are willing to obey, and we have negative reinforcements for those who are unwilling. It is good to have both positive reinforcements and rewards for doing what is right, and there are plenty of them outlined in the Scriptures, and it is just as important to have negative reinforcements for those who refuse to repent. Both positive and negative reinforcements working together is usually enough to maintain order. Take one away and now we have only half a motive obey Christ. We need the other half to guarantee faithfulness. If those refuse to repent after rebuking him publicly, the Church is to treat him like a tax gatherer and a sinner (Mat 18-17). Since he has probably already heard the gospel, there would be no point in attempting to convert such a one to the faith; therefore, when he comes to church, we should shun him until he repents; then we can receive him back into fellowship. (178f) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Hypocrisy >> Hypocrisy of the Church is rebuked >> The Church is rebuked for sin (180i) Works of the devil >> Practicing witchcraft >> Rebellion >> Rebelling against God’s narrow way >> Rebelling against the will of God (203k) Denying Christ >> Man chooses his own destiny apart from God >> Back-slider >> Practicing sin >> Living in sin 1Tim 5-21 (15g) Servant >> Angels >> The presence of angels denotes authority – Lucifer was an angel, the highest in heaven (Isaiah 14-12). “Lucifer” means Light bearer; morning star. He was the brightest star in the sky before he became full of himself. God created the angels before He created man, and gave them ownership of the creation, just as He later gave that ownership to man, so we are in joint ownership of the creation with the heavenly angels. Lucifer was leader of the angelic host, so the inheritance fell chiefly to him, and it immediately went to his head, just as it did with Adam and Eve. The entire creation belonged to Lucifer, until he decided that since all these things belonged to him, he must therefore be god. Lucifer, though he was much greater in might and power than the next angel in authority, still he was utterly impotent compared to God and incapable of creating the universe, yet by his own volition he willfully deceived his own heart. God maintained ownership of the creation; the only thing that passed to Lucifer was the title. In the same way, we can possess the title to our house, but if it is not paid in full at the bank, that title means nothing. The bank retains the right to take back the house in the event of foreclosure. This means that the creation belonged to Lucifer so long as he remained responsible with it, but when he fell into transgression, instead of repossessing it, God cursed it. Once Lucifer decided that he was now god, he tried to formulate a plan to usurp God's throne and turn his idea into reality. Such an idea was rooted in futility. Of course he failed, and God threw him to the earth (Lk 10-18). Compared to his former power and authority, being confined to the earth was a prison sentence, he and the angels that followed him in rebellion. He was able to talk many angels into believing that together they had a shot at God’s throne. See also: Fall of man/Satan; 183ea / God cursed the creation through Satan; Heb 1,4-7; 15k (51i) Judgment >> Judging the Church with the world >> Do not show partiality to one another – It was important to Paul that the Church did not walk down the blind ally of favoritism, knowing that if the Church is not managed properly, it will deteriorate, just like the government that takes money from Social Security and gives it to those who never worked for it, and before long, the account is bankrupt. We the people of God are not to be partial with anyone in regard to the principles Paul outlined in this chapter. Bias and partiality will destroy the Church, simply by raising up the wrong people as leaders. It has two corrosive effects: it eliminates incentive for the saints to obey Christ, and it leads to corruption of the true faith. When we show partiality, it turns the Church into a social club, and those fit for leadership, adorned with faith and truth, are denied the ministry, since these positions were given to people who hardly know God. See also: Cults (Jehovah Witnesses); Col 1-15; 248f (183ea) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Spirit of Error (Anti-Christ / Anti-Semitism) >> Nursery for the spirit of error >> Selfish ambition >> Seeking to control the Church – God created man in the Garden of Eden, and man fell to the temptation of Satan, so that God is now testing man in much the same way that he tested the angelic host, only there are differences between the fall of Satan and the fall of man. Each person is born in sin through no fault of his own; therefore, the sins he commits in ignorance God can forgive through the blood of Christ, whereas the fall of Satan occurred in heaven in the very presence of God, from which there was no repentance. Also, there was no one who tempted Lucifer except himself, elucidating the mystery of lawlessness. The angels were given a single choice to either side with God or with Lucifer, and those who sided with Lucifer were condemned with him, and those who sided with God were glorified all the more. The angels committed one act of sin and were condemned, whereas man commits many sins in ignorance and can be forgiven. There is an angelic elect, just as there is the elect among the saints. See also: Fall of man/Satan; 15g (219h) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> The elect >> God chooses us as we choose ourselves >> God chooses us through our faithfulness – This concept of the elect is based on the fact that predestination is completely an act of God, for “The Lord knows those who are His,” but the verse goes on and says, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness” (2Tim 2-19). Consequently, this concept of predestination has incorporated within it man’s free will. Therefore this statement: God chooses us as we choose ourselves, is true. That is, we prove we are part of God’s elect by willingly serving Him and remaining faithful to the end. Scripture depicts this life as God’s testing ground to determine whether we are worthy of eternal life. This is a cold and harsh reality about God and is difficult to accept and understand. God predestines certain people for eternal life, and that predestination is hinged on the fact that they pass the test of faithfulness. God does not credit anyone with faithfulness if their faith does not carry them all the way to the end. If they give up on God, they have failed the test and have proven they are not part of the elect. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5-22 (4i) Responsibility >> The choices you make >> Accountable for your sinful nature (62h) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Being clever >> Do not commit yourself too hastily – Paul is warning us not to treat everybody as a brother if we don’t know the person. Laying hands on someone too hastily thus endorsing their lifestyle is not wise. When people see that we approve the behavior of sinners, those watching will be tempted to join their sin. When it comes to money, people usually don’t commit themselves too hastily but are very careful how they invest, but in Christendom we lay our hands on whomever and pray for them or shake their hand. Some of them are devils in disguise, and we are unaware of it because we don’t have our antennae fully extended. (89f) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom >> Deeds of wisdom -- This verse goes with verses 14&15 (115i) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Working the grace of God >> Laying on of hands >> Ordaining people to the ministry (119c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Freedom >> Freedom from satanic influence >> Free from sin – John said something similar in his second epistle, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds” (2Jn-10,11). Both Paul and John make sin sound like a contagious disease. Shake a stranger's hand, let him into your house, show him favor in the presence of others, and people will get the idea that he can be trusted, when in fact maybe he can’t. People seeing us trusting other people will learn to trust them too, and if allowed to cavort under a false affirmation of trust they will fleece the saints, and it will be partly our fault. If a stranger visits our assembly and immediately asks for a ministry, the answer should be no, for they're asking too hastily, and that is inappropriate. (126m) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Patience >> Be patient in your circumstances (162j) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Bondage >> Being slaves of men >> Bad company >> Do not associate with people who practice sin – Paul was a real stickler about controlling how people perceive us. He was very careful to protect his image and reputation in the Church and among the heathen. He didn't approve a person he didn’t know, because it could lead to the saints being victimized. If somebody exploits the saints after we have approved him, we will share responsibility in their sins. (171h) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Decorating the outside to simulate the inside >> Simulating the outer man to portray the inner man (218e) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> Reaping the harvest >> We choose our actions, not their consequences >> Reaping the harvest of our works 1Tim 5-23 (108g) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Balance >> Do all things in moderation – Paul advocated using alcohol as a medicine. Some might say that he was referring to nonalcoholic wine, but don’t fool yourself. Alcohol taken in the right dose is just as good as medicine, though it is easy to overmedicate. There are some who consider any amount of alcohol to be evil, and to them it is evil, but to Paul there is no substance on earth that is intrinsically evil (Rom 14-14). If we drink enough wine to deaden the pain of an ailment, it is more than enough to catch a buzz. So Paul does not condemn catching a buzz, but he does condemn getting drunk (Eph 5-18). The person who uses alcohol to inebriate himself is seeking a spirit to replace the Holy Spirit. Drinking a little alcohol is not bad, but abusing it is destructive to himself and to his family and others. Buying alcohol is relatively cheap, but those who abuse it will go through his life-savings. Some will live on the streets begging for bread, and if anyone gives him a nickel, he would prefer to go without food and put the nickel toward his next drink. Alcohol has destroyed many families throughout the ages, but it is not illegal and neither is it a sin when one uses it in moderation. (162h) Works of the devil >> Being a slave to the devil (Addictions) >> Bondage >> Addicted to sin >> Being a slave to the nature of sin – Eph 5-18 says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” Compare that with this verse and we find balance. Paul advocated the medicinal effects of wine when used in moderation. The question is how much is enough and how much is too much? Getting a reprieve from our frequent ailments is enough, but getting drunk is too much! Wine can disagree with some people’s stomachs. Rather, the ailment may be bursitis, arthritis or any number of chronic pains of the body; it is good to get a little relief from these annoying miseries. If a person drinks enough to dull the pain, it is enough to feel the buzz, for the buzz comes before any medicinal value. It is a known fact that the First Century Church regularly drank wine for dinner, probably because it was safer to drink than the water. There were no doubt many strengths of wine back then as now, and the wine they drank for dinner was probably weaker than the wine they drank for medicinal purposes. Nowhere does the Bible say we should drink alcohol for the express purpose of catching a buzz, but nor does it say that catching a buzz is evil; alcohol is a lot like money; they both have an addictive quality; we must be careful how we use it. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Tim 5-24,25 (48e) Judgment >> Levels of judgment >> Judged according to your deeds >> In the day of judgment – Some people whom we figured were Christians, will not make it to heaven. Many will have confidence even on their deathbeds, but when they begin to sink into the ground, when they don’t hear music, instead hear screaming, weeping and gnashing of teeth and growling of demons, and when they don't see angels coming for them, but hands anxious to see their souls to their eternal dwellings, then they will begin to question their faith. They will wonder why this is happening to them, until their sins follow after them and cover him with a self-made curse born of unbelief. Some make the point that because they aren’t overt sinners, they won’t have such a bad time in hell, but that is highly questionable. They learned the language of Christianity and fit into church culture so no one suspected them as unbelievers, steeped in religiosity. Jesus said the slave “who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few” (Lk 12-47,48). There is the obvious deviant who might as well have the word “sinner” stamped on his forehead; and then there is the Christian impostor who has a veneer of righteousness; compare the two. Their judgments may appear opposite, but eternal judgment revolves around our knowledge of the truth, so that the terrible sinner who may have been completely unchurched, will receive fewer stripes than the church imposter who knew the truth but never took it to heart. (153d) Witness >> Validity of the Father >> God bears witness against the world >> Shame >> Hiding under a cloud of guilt >> Your sin will find you out – For obvious sinners, everyone knows their fate when they die, but for pretenders they haven’t fooled God. When they die, their sins will catch up with them. They will die under the guise of self-deception, bearing the face they showed the public, but God will kindly remove their mask and judge them for the sins underneath the facade that no one saw but his Creator. (172b) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Tares among the wheat >> Devils among the saints >> Unrighteous among the righteous -- These verses go with verse 6. Some people even the world knows are sinners, and there are others only the Church knows, and there are still others who mask their sins so well that only God knows. What does it mean to be a sinner anyway? Technically, everybody is a sinner. There is an old saying, ‘Sinner saved by grace;’ that is a true statement as some of our favorite hymns testify, i.e. Amazing Grace. A “sinner” is someone who has never been saved, who has never asked Jesus in his heart, who doesn’t have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. There are many religious people in the world today who go through the motions of Christianity; they go to church every week, but they are not members of the true Church; their names are not written in the Lambs book of Life. These are people who are Christians in name only, but “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness” (2Tim 2-19). (174i) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Form of godliness >> Form of a servant but denying God your loyalty (196a) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Idolatry >> Lord, Lord >> Pretending to be a disciple (212i) Sovereignty >> God is infinite >> God is all knowing >> Nothing hidden >> God knows your secrets – Some people are obvious sinners and others appear righteous, but God knows their hearts. A person can play their games and fool everybody, but when their life is over, their sins will follow them straight to hell. God will judge them based on what they did, not based on good intensions or appearance. The same is true for the righteous; some are never rewarded in this life for all the good they did. They go unnoticed, but God says that it is not necessary that man recognizes the good in us. He sees everything, and he will reward those who have loved and obeyed Him. There is a reward, and in heaven there will be many surprises; those we thought were great Christians will make it into heaven by the skin of their teeth, and others whom we thought were just regular Christians will be exalted into high positions in eternity, and we won’t understand what they did for God to exonerate them, because we never bothered to notice them. God will reveal all the good they have done, their kindness toward others and their dedication toward God, the people they won to Christ, their perseverance in doing good, and their endurance in the face of adversity. All these will come to light in eternity for all to see. (218j) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> Reaping the harvest >> Reaping the harvest in eternity – For the wicked, everything is being recorded, and God is able to take the book of their deeds and transform it into a heavy weight that will pull them into the liquid-hot magma. All their sins will be judged and all their righteous deeds will be forgotten. The same will be true for those in heaven. All their deeds are recorded, but instead of using that knowledge in judgment, all our sins will be forgiven, and all our righteous deeds will be rewarded. God will transform our works into a robe that He will drape over us that we will wear forever. Those whose good works were unknown cannot have an ulterior motive. Those who die in the Lord, who’ve been well known for their good works and righteous living will receive the reward that everyone expects, but those who were unknown and have died in the Lord, whose righteous deeds were less evident, God knows all about them, and He will reward them accordingly, often more than those whose righteousness were well-known. (246hh) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Demonstration of God’s kingdom >> God demonstrates His glory >> Materializing the inner man 1Tim 5-24 (156K) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of being hell-bound >> Living an ungodly lifestyle >> Practicing sin 1Tim 5-25 (127j) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Rewards for doing good >> Doing good is the prerequisite to going to heaven (155ka) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of salvation >> You will know them by their fruits >> You will know them by their good deeds >> Good works prove our faith See next page