After writing
many instructions concerning “widows” within the church in
Ephesus, Paul the apostle shared one more conclusion about them. In
chapter five and verse fifteen of his letter to Timothy, Paul shared
the condition of some of the “younger widows” who had
“already turned aside after Satan” where we read:
For some
are already turned aside after Satan.
The verse says, “For
some are already turned...” Paul
began with the word, “For”
which means “truly therefore, as, because or verily as the case
stands” “some”
which refers to “a few, certain or certain ones” “are
already turned aside”
which is the Greek phrase “ektrepō
ede ektrepō” and
means “to turn or twist out, turn away from, shun and avoid
meeting”. The idea is like a bone that is twisted out of joint or a
dislocated limb.
The
verse continues, “...after Satan.” As
though it was not enough for these “younger widows”
to turn aside from Christ and His church, Paul wrote to whom they
turn, “after Satan”
or “towards or back to the prince of evil spirits and
inveterate adversary of God and Christ”. Not only did these
“widows” turn and twist away from the church, but they
returned to their old lives which followed after Satan.
While we
meditate upon these words of Paul, perhaps we should once again
review all the verses concerning “widows” which Paul
penned. The seriousness of this need within the church can be seen by
simply looking at the volume of time Paul spent sharing with Timothy
about it. When we consider that some of these “widows”
were in the church, part of the church, and once worshipped among the
other believers and were now “turned aside after Satan”,
we understand the reason for Paul's great concern. Let us be aware of
those who are “widows” within our churches, and may the
Lord Jesus give us discernment if we should ever leave the spiritual
things of God and twist toward His adversary as we live before His
eyes.
Next
time Paul tells anyone who believes to help widows, so read ahead,
and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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