Fitting Conduct for God's Family

Aaron Birk September 27, 2026 1 Timothy 5:1-16
Outline

I. How to Exhort in God’s Family (v. 1-2)

A. Older men as fathers

1 Timothy 5:1 - Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as a father.

B. Younger men as brothers

1 Timothy 5:1 - …to the younger men as brothers…

C. Older women as mothers

1 Timothy 5:2 - …the older women as mothers…

D. Younger women as sisters

1 Timothy 5:2 - …and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

II. How to Honor Widows by Fulfilling Family Responsibilities (v. 3-16)

A. Immediate family is first responsible to support the widow

1 Timothy 5:4 - …but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

1 Timothy 5:8 - But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timothy 5:16 - If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed.

B. The church is responsible to respect and support certain widows

1 Timothy 5:3 - Honor widows who are widows indeed…

1 Timothy 5:16 - …the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed.

1. Widows who are left alone with no relatives to support

1 Timothy 5:5 - Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.

2. Widows who demonstrate godliness

3. Widows at least 60 years of age

4. Widows that agreed to be enrolled on the church’s list

C. A widow is responsible for being worthy of respect

1. Avoiding dishonorable conduct

2. Exemplifying godly conduct

Authors

Aaron Birk

Roles

Pastor of Faith West Ministries - Faith Church

Pastor of International Ministries - Faith Church

Bio

B.S. – Accounting and Management, Purdue University
M.Div. – Faith Bible Seminary

Aaron is married to Tirzah and has four children: Zemirah, Boaz, Keziah, and Isaiah. Aaron is the Pastor of Global Missions for Faith Church and Pastor of Faith West Ministries. Aaron oversees Faith Church West, international student and family ministries, missionaries, and short-term missions. He teaches in Faith’s Biblical Counseling Ministries and is certified as a biblical counselor through the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).