Page 64 - Pastoral Epistles student textbook

• In your culture, what precautions do you need to take when it comes to
dealing with the opposite sex?
• In what ways does your church help widows? How does this fit with any
government programs that are available?
• What criteria does your church use in helping to determine if your pastor is
doing his job well?

It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge
and my job to love. ― Rev. Billy Graham

9.4 Let’s Practice…

1. What is the difference between a worthy widow and an unworthy widow?

2-4. Name three qualifications of a worthy widow:

5. What is Paul’s council to younger widows?

6. What is Paul’s advice about accepting an accusation from one person toward an elder?

9.5 Let’s Personalize this Lesson…

Activity: Paul told Timothy to use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent
illnesses. Obviously, he was telling Timothy to use the wine as a medicinal solution to his
sick stomach. Whether this wine was alcoholic or not, we do not know for certain.

Some Christians use this verse to support the practice of drinking alcoholic wine, beer, or
even harder liquor. In the Old Testament, alcoholic wine was called “strong drink” (Leviticus
10:9; Numbers 6:3; Deuteronomy 29:6; Judges 13:4, 7, 14; Proverbs 20:1; 31:4; Isaiah
5:11, 22; 24:9; 28:7; 29:9; 56:12). There were two types of wine in Biblical days: grape juice and
fermented (alcoholic) grape juice or wine. Obviously drinking too much wine can lead to drunkenness,
which is strictly forbidden in Scripture (Ephesians 5:18, Prov. 23: 29-35). Christians are also
commanded to not allow their bodies to be “mastered” by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19).
Drinking alcohol can become undeniably addictive.

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