提摩太前書 6:17-19

6:17 你要囑咐那些今世富足的人，不要自高，也不要倚靠無定的錢財；只要倚靠那厚賜百物給我們享受的上帝。
6:18 又要囑咐他們行善，在好事上富足，甘心施捨，樂意供給（或譯：體貼）人，
6:19 為自己積成美好的根基，預備將來，叫他們持定那真正的生命。

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

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    有許多人以為財富是這輩子最可靠的，於是努力於財富的累積來提高身價，以為有錢就萬事通。其實人生真正的倚靠是上帝，不僅是今生還包括將來，是勝過金錢的！所以保羅要提摩太讓富有的人知道：「你要囑咐那些今世富足的人，不要自高，也不要倚靠無定的錢財；只要倚靠那厚賜百物給我們享受的上帝。」

    保羅在此更告訴提摩太，如何讓錢財發揮更大的作用，就是要「行善，在好事上富足，甘心施捨，樂意供給人，為自己積成美好的根基，預備將來，叫他們持定那真正的生命。」

    所以真正的富足乃是使用錢財行善，讓自己積財寶在天上，這樣才會是真正富足與穩當，使短暫的財富變成永恆的基業，就是將財富投入福音的宣揚中，讓人透過耶穌基督成為上帝的兒女！

提摩太前書 6:3-5

6:3 若有人傳異教，不服從我們主耶穌基督純正的話與那合乎敬虔的道理，
6:4 他是自高自大，一無所知，專好問難，爭辯言詞，從此就生出嫉妒、紛爭、毀謗、妄疑，
6:5 並那壞了心術、失喪真理之人的爭競。他們以敬虔為得利的門路。

³ If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

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    保羅在此勸戒提摩太，不可以敬虔為得利的門路！因為，敬虔是要討上帝喜歡，要從上帝得著真正得福氣，不要要讓人來尊敬而給須多的錢！要是做如此想，必定失去上帝的賜福！

    許多人在教會的服事沒有想到是要榮耀主的，反倒覺得用服事來博得人的敬重，這是非常不恰當的想法！因為我們在教會是要將榮耀歸給上帝，不是將榮耀歸給自己！所以，無須用敬虔來的人的敬重！

    求主保收我們的心懷意念，不是要得人榮耀，而是要得上帝的喜悅，要榮耀上帝的名！領受上帝的恩典，然後歸榮耀給上帝！

提摩太前書 6:1-2

6:1 凡在軛下作僕人的，當以自己主人配受十分的恭敬，免得上帝的名和道理被人褻瀆。
6:2 僕人有信道的主人，不可因為與他是弟兄就輕看他；更要加意服事他；因為得服事之益處的，是信道蒙愛的。你要以此教訓人，勸勉人。

All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. ² Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.

These are the things you are to teach and insist on.

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    保羅這樣的教導讓人覺得：保羅並沒有反對奴隸制度。因為他要僕人敬重主人，不管主人是不是基督徒，都要敬重不可以輕視。而在現在的主雇關係也當以此為原則，我們被雇用的時候，就要敬重我們的雇主，不管他（她）是怎樣的學歷和身分，我們都要敬重！

    人與人之間應是平等的，但是上帝願意我們和人有好的關係，寧可我們多敬重人不要輕視人，寧可我們對人良善和恩慈，不要對人苛刻和無禮，這反而讓人看不起，不管是對於職位高或低的人，我們都應當如此！

    求主保守，讓教會也是充滿和和氣氣，大家以恩慈相待，同心合意來見證基督的榮美！

提摩太前書 5:9-16

5:9 寡婦記在冊子上，必須年紀到六十歲，從來只作一個丈夫的妻子，
5:10 又有行善的名聲，就如養育兒女，接待遠人，洗聖徒的腳，救濟遭難的人，竭力行各樣善事。
5:11 至於年輕的寡婦，就可以辭她；因為她們的情慾發動，違背基督的時候就想要嫁人。
5:12 她們被定罪，是因廢棄了當初所許的願；
5:13 並且她們又習慣懶惰，挨家閒遊；不但是懶惰，又說長道短，好管閒事，說些不當說的話。
5:14 所以我願意年輕的寡婦嫁人，生養兒女，治理家務，不給敵人辱罵的把柄。
5:15 因為已經有轉去隨從撒但的。
5:16 信主的婦女，若家中有寡婦，自己就當救濟她們，不可累著教會，好使教會能救濟那真無倚靠的寡婦。

⁹ No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, ¹⁰ and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
¹¹ As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. ¹² Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. ¹³ Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. ¹⁴ So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. ¹⁵ Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.
¹⁶ If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

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    保羅教導提摩太如何管理「寡婦」的事務，而且交代提摩太真正算為寡婦是要在六十歲以上。對於年輕的寡婦，保羅沒有鼓勵守寡，反倒是鼓勵要再婚，繼續生兒育女，治理家務。

    從保羅的教導可以知道教會是明理的地方，不鼓勵虛假沒有人性的規條。讓人可以透過教會的教導，活出生命真正的意義，就是讓人感受到上帝的恩典，將榮耀歸給上帝！

    教會不是以人的道德的高低為衡量，而是要人真正與上帝和好，享受上帝在基督裡的恩典，並將榮耀歸給上帝為第一要務！正如《韋斯敏斯德小要理問答》的第1問答說到：

問1：人的主要目的是什麼？
  答：人的主要目的就是榮耀上帝，永遠以祂為樂。

提摩太前書 5:3-8

5:3 要尊敬那真為寡婦的。
5:4 若寡婦有兒女，或有孫子孫女，便叫他們先在自己家中學著行孝，報答親恩，因為這在上帝面前是可悅納的。
5:5 那獨居無靠、真為寡婦的，是仰賴上帝，晝夜不住地祈求禱告。
5:6 但那好宴樂的寡婦正活著的時候也是死的。
5:7 這些事你要囑咐她們，叫她們無可指責。
5:8 人若不看顧親屬，就是背了真道，比不信的人還不好，不看顧自己家裡的人，更是如此。

³ Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. ⁵ The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. ⁶ But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. ⁷ Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. ⁸ Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

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    真正的寡婦事指那些真正無依無靠的寡婦，她們無所靠，只能仰賴上帝，晝夜不住的禱告！因為，在保羅的時代不比今日，寡婦是找不到工作，教會是她們在那個時代為一的避難所，得供應之處。所以，保羅在這裡提到寡婦的照顧事工。

    說到初期教會對寡婦的照顧，就讓我們想到今日的基督教會也要進行慈惠的事工，不可在此缺席！傳統的長老教會，在聖餐禮拜時有另外的慈惠奉獻，來幫助社會弱勢的族群，這是很好的見證，今日應該繼續維持這樣優良傳統！

    幫助與關懷弱勢，是敬畏上帝重要的表現，我們不可以讓這樣優良的傳統從基督教會失去，我們不在乎禮拜堂多麼美輪美奐，而是我們有沒有關懷到需要關懷的弱勢族群！