Jeff Englund

June 25, 2026June 24, 2026

1 Timothy 5:15 – How God Sees, Part I

Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.

Summary: This passage provides an excellent opportunity to explore how God sees us and compare God’s view of humanity with our own.

How do you react to Paul’s words in this passage? Does it feel like God is losing the battle and Satan is winning? Do you fear that someone is bound for hell who should have been saved?

This passage provides us with an excellent opportunity to talk about two important things:

First, God “sees” us differently than we see ourselves.

Second is the importance of church discipline. (We will tackle this topic in Part II.)

Let’s begin with how God “sees” us.

First of all, the Bible tells us that God is not human (Numbers 23:19). (I realize that this statement opens up a can of worms when it comes to the question of Jesus, but bear with me for a few minutes as we work through this.)

Secondly, the Bible tells us God is Spirit (John 4:24).

Third, the Bible explains how God “sees” us:

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

God sees our hearts.

That is the deepest part of our inner being. It is like God’s eyes can penetrate through all of our thoughts and pretense and see every aspect of who we are. We can only see the outside of a person, what they say and do. We can sometimes guess at what lies beneath the surface, but we cannot know as God knows.

In the Parable of the Weeds (aka – The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares), Jesus explains what God sees when he looks at humanity (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).

He sees us as seeds, planted in God’s field, where we grow until it is time for the harvest. God’s enemy, Satan, also plants seeds in this field (v 28). To protect the good seed, God instructs his servants to let them grow together until the harvest (v 30). He wants to make certain the wheat is not uprooted with the weeds (v 29).

Now let’s return to today’s passage.

Paul is talking specifically about younger widows, but the principle applies to all of us. When we break our pledge to Jesus and turn to indulging the things of the flesh, we are no longer walking with God. Some go so far as to end up following Satan.

Does this surprise God? Was God unable to “see” the “seed” in the person’s heart? Of course, he can see what is inside us! All of us!

Can we “see” what God sees? No, of course not. We are not God. All we can see is what a person does or says, and the hints of what is in their heart and mind that sometimes show beneath the surface.

Application: Trust God. He knows.

Food for Thought: If we cannot “see” people’s hearts the way God sees them, how does that limit what we can do and know?

Please click ‘’Continue Reading” for comments.

June 24, 2026June 25, 2026

1 Timothy 5:14 – Antidote

Picture of a candle flame, courtesy of Pixabay.

So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.

Summary: Life is hard. Adam and Eve’s sin left us with a genetic defect that opened our eyes to sin (Genesis 3:5). In this passage, Paul provides an antidote.

Paul’s missive to Timothy has so far ranged from passionately personal to highly technical. This section on caring for widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16) is one of the more technical aspects of his letter.

June 23, 2026June 24, 2026

1 Timothy 5:13 – Sound in the Faith

A greasy blob descends through clear water leaving a trail of contamination (Grok)

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.

Summary: This passage, at first glance, sounds like an offhand comment about bad behavior. Digging deeper, we find an existential threat beneath the surface.

Our last meditation on 1 Timothy 12, “Serious Stuff,” emphasized the spiritual risk of turning our back on Jesus. In this verse, Paul talks about something that seems insignificant by comparison. In verse fourteen, he counsels young widows to do things that “give the enemy no opportunity for slander.” Finally, in verse fifteen, he notes that some have turned to follow Satan.

June 22, 2026June 24, 2026

1 Timothy 5:12 – Serious Stuff

A warning sign says "DANGER AHEAD" (Grok)

Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge.

Summary: This passage is an extremely blunt warning against turning our back on the Lord.

One of the things that I find interesting about the Bible is not so much what it says, but what is not said. For example, an Old Testament prophet might be given a prophecy, but we, the readers, are not told what it is. Then later, when the prophet delivers the message, we hear the rest of the story (1 Kings 14:1-20).

June 20, 2026June 22, 2026

1 Timothy 5:11b – A Beautiful Thing

For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry.

Summary: Digging into this passage reveals the kindness behind Paul’s age restriction on the “Widow’s List.”

This is an interesting passage because Paul begins to explain the reasoning behind the “over sixty” age limit we have discussed already.

June 19, 2026June 21, 2026

1 Timothy 5:11a – Age Limit

Image is of a line between he numbers "60" and "61" (Grok)

As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list.

Summary: In this passage, Paul gives Timothy and subsequent church leaders a specific instruction related to the ‘widow’s list.’

Looking back at verse nine, we find Paul’s age limit for the “Widow’s list.” Only widows “over sixty” need apply.

June 18, 2026June 21, 2026

1 Timothy 5:9-10 – Brass Tacks

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 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.

Summary: This is a long passage, but worth looking at as a whole. In it, Paul lays out very specific requirements for a widow to qualify for support from the church.

In this passage, Paul gets down to what used to be called “the brass tacks.”

June 17, 2026June 18, 2026

1 Timothy 5:8 – Loving God

The words "Do you care?" are in white letters against a blurred background of a country lane. (Grok)

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Summary: Once again, Paul’s words challenge traditional thinking about what it means to be saved.

Once again, Paul’s words challenge us to question how we think about our relationship with God.

June 16, 2026June 17, 2026

1 Timothy 5:7 – Avoiding Blame

Picture of a hot stove. Next to it is a sign that says, "Don't touch hot stove!" (Grok)

Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame.

Summary: Paul’s instruction to Timothy and the believers is really a command

At first glance, this verse might be understood as a ‘passing comment’ on Paul’s part. Actually, it is much more.

June 15, 2026June 17, 2026

1 Timothy 5:6 – Taking God at His Word

A scientist stands next to a box marked "Schrodinger's Cat" and wonders "what would happen if we put a widow in the box?" (Grok)

But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

Summary: Paul’s words in this passage bring to mind the parable of the Prodigal Son.

This verse is profoundly blunt and deadly serious.