I suggested this text as a theme for Paul’s letters to Timothy. It is

I Timothy 3:14-15:

"These things write I unto thee hoping to come unto thee shortly. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

The three letters to Timothy and Titus instruct these young ministers concerning their work in a local setting. Paul said many helpful things to them about being a minister of God’s Word. Last Sunday, we discussed briefly some aspects of preaching. There is so much more that needs to be said. Much misunderstanding abounds about the role of the minister. The atmosphere in the church today is filled with such tension, confusion, suspicion and distrust that preachers of the Gospel are leaving their posts. According to recent publications, the churches of Christ are losing about 600 Gospel preachers per year. All the training schools and universities combined are producing less than 300 preachers per year. We are, therefore, losing over 300 ministers each year. That number is staggering. In addition, we are losing many of our more experienced men. This indicates that something serious is wrong. The climate of distrust, legalistic hairsplitting, writing about fellow preachers in brotherhood papers, preaching about what others are preaching, and destroying ministers with the tongue must cease! If we want to have preachers in the church, it must cease. And yes, there is a lot of blame that can be laid at the feet of preachers. But the church today is like a shark feeding upon itself. It is not only destroying preachers, elders, deacons and Bible teachers, we are "biting and devouring one another." (Gal. 5:15.)

There is not much said in these letters about the church treasury. But there is an important statement made in the context of supplying the needs of "widows indeed" in the church. (1 Tim. 5.) In years past, much was preached and debated about the use of the church treasury. As is customary with issues, too much time was spent on the subject and it divided us as a brotherhood. Think of the good that could have been accomplished if that time had been spent on developing the attitude of Christ. If we had the mind of Christ, many of the harmful things in the church would have been avoided. What good does it do if we have every "I" dotted and every "t" crossed, if our hearts are unChrist-like? The Bible wants us to believe and teach what is right, but it also wants us to grow to maturity spiritually. As a friend of mine, Harvey Starling, has said, "We can be doctrinally as straight as a double barreled shot gun, and just as empty spiritually!"

Why am I saying these things? Because Paul wrote to Timothy about how we should behave ourselves in the house of God! How valuable it would be if each time we discussed a "doctrinal matter," we also discussed the proper attitude in embracing that doctrine! We will be condemned faster for being wrong in the heart, than being wrong in the head.

Articles in the Gospel Advocate date back to 1866, 1952, 1907, 1922, 1901, 1857, and 1856. The articles were written by Tolbert Fanning, David Lipscomb, H. L. Boles, J. E. Dunn, Gus Nichols, and W. L. Butler. Rarely today is anything printed about the use of the Lord’s treasury.

Let not the church be charged

In I Timothy 5, Paul wrote about five different widows. They are widows indeed (verse 3), widows with believing relatives (verses 4 & 8), widows with unbelieving relatives (implied in verse 16), a worldly widow (verse 6), and young widows (verses 9 & 11).

The point of this chapter is to describe the widows who should be taken "into the number," or catalogue, for support from the church. Only those who are widows indeed should be supported from the church treasury. The younger women were encouraged to marry. (5:14.) Widows with family should be supported by them. Paul used strong language toward those who do not take care of their own. He wrote,

"But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel." (5:8.)

The "widows indeed" were described as faithful women who had washed saints feet, threescore years old, wife of one man, desolate, and one who trusts in God. The church should take financial responsibility for those who fit this description. But believing relatives should take care of their own.

"If any man or woman that believes have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." (5:16.)

God is concerned about the needy. The Bible says: "God is a father to the fatherless and a judge of the widows." (Psalm 68:5.) He sets the solitary in families. (Psalm 68:6.) "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27.)

I want to point out the phrase, "and let not the church be charged." (5:16.) The contribution from the church can and should be used for the needy. But the contribution should not be used for some purposes. There are two groups of people with opposite attitudes about the church treasury. One group is so cautious, even when they have legitimate needs; they do not accept help from the church. I am convinced that the ones who deserve our help the most do not let their needs be known. These are often members of the church who have deep respect for the church and the funds contributed for the Lord’s work. Another group feels that the contribution is theirs and available for almost any financial need. Someone said, "The balance in the treasury is ours; we gave it. If we need it, we should be able to use whenever we need it." This shows a serious misunderstanding. The principle taught by Paul could be summed up this way. If I have a financial need, I should, first of all, go to my family and relatives. The need should relate to food, clothing, shelter, or medical needs; it should not include non-necessary things like airline tickets to visit sick family members, bus tickets to go to Florida, money to repair the automobile, holiday gifts, etc. Many do not understand the work of the church and the purpose of the treasury. This is evident by the requests that are made to the church.

A contribution to Judea

Many of the New Testament texts that deal with giving relate to a special effort of the churches to relieve the saints in Jerusalem after a famine. A prophet named Agabus foretold that a famine would occur. The Christians purposed to send relief to them.

"And in those days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. There stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the Spirit that there should be great death throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to this ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea, which also they did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul." (Acts 11:27-30.)

This contribution was gathered from Gentile churches to aid the churches in Judea. Paul used this gift to bind together the Jewish and Gentile Christians.

"But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things." (Rom. 15:25-27.)

The contribution was planned because the saints were suffering during the famine in Judea, but non-Christians were also suffering. Was any of the money to them? This has been hotly debated in the church in the past. However, the Bible answers it quite plainly.

"For the administration of this service not only supplies the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God. While the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal contribution unto them and unto all men." (2 Cor. 9:12-13.) The NIV reads: ". . . and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." The money was raised due to the need of the saints, but it was given to both saints and non-Christians. Jesus taught this principle in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, "If you salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?" (Matt. 5:47.)

Spiritual matters, but not social?

Some argue that the church’s sphere of work is only spiritual. As a congregation, we should not announce social gatherings, have meals at the building, or have church organized ball games. They argue that all such is physical and social without any spiritual significance.

This argument is not valid. Christianity deals with the whole person. God is interested in the physical well-being of people. Pure religion is to take care of orphans and widows among us. (James 1:27.) The story of the Good Samaritan shows the concern of God for those in physical pain. Jesus healed people of all kinds of infirmities. He healed people, even on the Sabbath Day, in the face of complaints by the Pharisees. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 6:19.) The body will be raised. God is concerned about the whole person. Paul prayed that God would sanctify Christians wholly, in body, soul and spirit. (1 Thess. 5:23.) It is not possible to separate a person and compartmentalize him. Christianity applies to the whole person. God is concerned when people are hungry and hurting.

The fellowship hall is rejected by some on these grounds. Yet, in the Bible every religious group practiced the eating of meals before their gods. The Jews had their Passover meal; the pagans ate the meat offered to their gods (1Cor. 10:27); Christians had their agape meals (1 Cor. 11, Jude 12).

Note this please. The church treasury in the first century supported both the preaching of the Gospel and the care of those in need (1 Tim. 5:16).

Individual responsibility or church?

Some to this day maintain that individual Christians should use their money to support orphans and widows, but that the money cannot be taken out of the church treasury. They argue that James 1:27 is an "individual responsibility." But 1 Timothy 5:16 makes it clear that the church is to relieve the needs of those who are widows indeed. Is it not sad that preachers who live in houses paid for by the church treasury and eat food provided from the treasury stand opposed to taking money out of the treasury to assist orphans and widows??

Those who argue for individual responsibility do not really believe that it is really individual. They practice "family responsibility" because they take some orphans into their homes. Do single Christians among them take orphans and widows into their homes? No, families do. Therefore, James 1:27 becomes a "family text" not an individual text.

The Bible does not provide a detailed pattern for all these activities. It gives us some guidance and principles to follow, but a detailed pattern does not exist. When we "behold the Bible, a pattern does not exist here!" We do not have a right to make rules and draw a pattern for God when he has not done so. God allows churches and its elders to make many decisions that will be best for the needs of people. There are no qualifications for the treasurer in Scripture. Judas was the first among the apostles. I suppose the first rule should be honesty. The elders in Jerusalem received the funds from the Gentile churches, but still no qualifications for a treasurer. Many such things are not detailed in the Bible.

Conclusion

The Pharisees argued against Jesus healing people on the Sabbath Day. They would have condemned people who were not priests for eating the showbread out of the temple, even if they were hungry. Legalism leaves out mercy and compassion. Rules, their own rules, are more important to them than people. Jesus said, I desire mercy and not sacrifice. Go learn what this means. Any rule is wrong if it argues against compassion for the needy and destitute.

The Great Commission and the Great Benevolence will never be accomplished unless we work together as a brotherhood. Just as a great nation exists by uniting its resources, so must we co-operate if we are to accomplish the mission given to us.