But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to
wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
Younger widows, Paul clearly commands are to be refused assistance
because their new found time not spend praying and laboring for their needs to
be met will not result in devotion to the Lord, but rather wantonness. Based on
Webster’s 1828, wanton carries with
it idea of being frolicsome, given to excess, lustful, and extravagant. Younger
women who have the ability to provide for themselves and have more energy
should take care of themselves and even move back in with their parents. For if
their needs are provided by a system, they will simply still be wanting to
marry. This is not wrong, as we shall see. However, Paul very wisely says that
a younger widow should not be cared for by the Church like the older and truly
in need because doing so would create a cycle of the Church taking care of the
young widows simply till they marry again and thus creating an unhealthy system
that de-emphasizes personal devotion, hard work, and devotion to Christ.
For a good example of why providing for
young widows is a bad idea, look no further than the welfare system of today
for it has created a dependent culture and become a heavy burden for tax payers
to haul around while it is really doing no one any real good based on the fact
that it continues to grow and has created an entitlement mentality. At college,
I even heard young women talking about how they wanted to have kids and how
much the government would give them because they had them.
12 Having
damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.
Damnation carries with it the meaning of condemnation in addition to
its’ hell-related meaning. In this passage I believe Paul is using both meaning
s of the word. Let me explain. A young woman who is cared for by Church
“welfare” would condemn herself as she pursues lusts and frolicks around,
taking no heed to loving God 1st and foremost and out of that love
serving others; instead, she has exchanged a relationship with God for pride
and self-centeredness by attempting to fulfill her own deepest longings. She
eats her bread that has been provided for her and worries about how she will
find a husband and what she will do tomorrow. This type of life style not only
condemns her but does put her in danger of completely walking away from the Faith
and thus receiving a stricter judgment in Hell for falling away than those who
never came to Christ (See Revelation 2, especially verse 4, 2 Peter 2
especially verses 20-21).
1 Tim 5:11-12 (KJV)
