1 Timothy 5:8

‘But if any does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.’

Meanwhile the menfolk mentioned in 1 Timothy 5:1 are to ensure that they play their full part in caring for their own relatives, and especially those nearest and dearest to them. Not to do so would be to deny the faith, for under the faith this is their responsibility. ‘The faith’ is the whole body of Christian belief, although not necessarily in credal form. It signifies ‘what we believe’. It would be to deny the very traditions of the church based on the teaching of Jesus. Indeed they would be worse than unbelievers, for in the ancient world care for ageing parents was seen as obligatory by all.