1 Timothy 5:16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
This is a re-iteration of the sometimes abused principle that charity begins at home. The principle is established earlier in the chapter in verses 3-8 (Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. ... Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.) Paul was quite happy for the church to provide for those in need but not where there were family members who were Christians who could do the job just as well if not better. The order is for the widows to look after themselves, if they could and remarry then rely on other family members if necessary with the church as a last resort. Today the state seeks to playa role in all this too. Such instructions are never intended to be applied in some wooden way so that the church says "we have no responsibility now, the family is taking care of it" there will always be a mix. The point for pastors and churches is to see that they have some responsibility but not sole responsibility.
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