The Family of Faith

1 Timothy 5. The church is described in the NT by a variety of metaphors and analogies: The Body, Bride, Army, Royal Priesthood, Flock (that is led and fed by our Great Shepherd 1 Pet.5:2-3). But there is one more metaphor of the church that fits the context of this passage: Family. We are of the household of faith. We are the Family of God. If we take God as our Father, then we take other Christians as our brothers and sisters in Christ. Just as you were born into your physical family, you are born again into your spiritual family. And this family will spend all eternity together around the throne of God.
So in this chapter, Paul describes how we should relate to one another and treat one another. First,

I. How To Treat People:

• How to treat older men. 5:1a
• How to treat younger men. 5:1b
• How to treat older women. 5:2a
• How to treat younger women. 5:2b
• How to treat widows with children. 5:3-4
• How to treat widows without children. 5:5-10
• How to treat young widows. 5:11-16

II. How To Treat The Preachers:

• Compensate them well. 5:17-18
• Do not accuse unjustly. 5:19-20, 24-25
• They must be impartial. 5:21
• They must be proven before ordained. 5:22a
• They must keep themselves pure. 5:22b
• They must take care of themselves physically. 5:23
  
• [Timothy in particular...(a little wine for the stomach)...remember, they didn't have any Maalox or Tums back then.]
  

If churches would take heed to these instructions , it would produce a healthy church family--a healthy family that any lost person would love to be a part of!