1 Timothy 5:11-12

‘But younger widows refuse, for when they have become lax against Christ, they desire to marry, having condemnation, because they have rejected their initial dedication of faith.’

But younger widows were to be refused. They were not, of course, refused the opportunity of doing good works. What was refused was their dedicating themselves to a ‘permanent full-time commitment’, and that was because understandably they might wish eventually to marry again, at which point they would then be unable to maintain their full-time commitment to the work of the church to which they were irrevocably committed. As bearing children was also very much in the purpose of God for women (1 Timothy 2:15) it must not be hindered by having made a commitment which would then have to be broken. For Paul recognised that if they subsequently began to feel an urge to fulfil their calling to produce children (1 Timothy 2:15) they might then break their commitment and marry, and thus come under the charge that they had failed in their dedication In Paul’s words, ‘they would have become lax against Christ’. Thus it is clear that the commitment once given was seen as binding them permanently in a world where people were used to being ‘bound’ by their obligations. If we took our commitments as seriously as Paul did these women’s commitment, the church today would make a much greater impact on the world. But today we think we can treat God as though He must fit into our plans.

There is no suggestion here that marrying and having children was in any way second best. Indeed that was God’s requirement for women of suitable age (1 Timothy 2:15). It was simply a recognition that once a person had made a firm commitment to a particular Christian service it was seen as permanently binding, as something that God had called them into.