[kjv] Why are the young widows so damned ? They can remarry so what is the big deal ?

Question

1Ti 5:11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;


1Ti 5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.

Answer 1

Let's try the recovery version. It's much easier to understand.

1Tim 5:9-14

Let a widow be enrolled, not under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,

Well attested for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' fefet, if she has assisted the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

But younger widows refuse; for when they follow their passions in disregard of Christ, they desire to marry,

And thus have condemnation because they have set aside their first pledge.

And at the same time they also learn to be idle, going around from house to house; and they are not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

I will therefore that younger widows marry, bear children, keep house, give no opportunity to the opposer for reproach;

Let a widow be enrolled, not under sixty years old, having been the wife of one man,


So a widow 60 years old can be assigned to pray and petition day and night for the saints, (v. 5).

These enrolled older widows, if they are attested for good works, raised children, nursed the ill, may be, together with other elderly ladies, pray diligently for the brothers & sisters. (v.10)

But younger widows refuse.They cannot be accepted into the group of praying sisters. They are too young; their natural desires rise up, they desert the prayer group--their heart will leave Christ for a man they wish to marry.(v.11)

And then they'll feel condemned in their own hearts, because they had pledged to pray for the saints, and broke that vow to pray in order to marry. (v.12)

Now in v. 13, those younger widows who did not pledge to pray, and have not remarried are causing trouble among the saints. They become busybodies and gossipmongers. Therefore the Apostle Paul's advice is that the younger widows marry, have kids, keep happy, be busy.

I don't know who came up with damnation in v. 12, because it should read condemnation and it's personal condemnation, not damnation to hell.

SO: The widows are not damned and if they are, it's in their own heart. They regret casting their prayer ministry aside to remarry. They are condemned in their heart because they cast off their first PLEDGE, not faith. They didn't leave the faith, they just left the prayer ministry--so she is not damned to hell, she's condemned in her heart.

You really need a new Bible--a study Bible that explains these things. Go to http://www.biblesforamerica.org. They will send you a great study Bible--the recovery version. It's free, and they will never ask for any money from you. This is that passage in the recovery version (the footnotes, explanations were too long to put in here).

I hope this sheds some light about these verses. If not, e-mail me and I'll send you all the information you need to fully disseminate this passage.

Keep on reading the Bible. There is no other single influence in your life that will change you, transform you, illuminate you, saturate you. That's growing in God, and there is nothing on earth that compares to that.

TX Mom
Debbie

Answer 2

Maybe you're just having a problem with the English of the KJV. Here's a more modern translation:

But refuse to enroll younger widows; for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry, and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. [HCSB]

See also Paul's comments in 2 Cor 6:14.

Answer 3

1Ti 5:12 gives you the answer but there is a lot more to it than that so read and study and remember to seek and you shall find the answer.

Answer 4

Surely because when marrying, they vowed to love their husbands for ever, and to be faithful to them. And many people do not believe in re-marrying because they made that promise. So they are damned to spend the rest of their life alone. And don't forget, in biblical times, no one would marry a widow, and a woman could not work, therefore they would have no income and would become a beggar, their life would be damned.

Answer 5

Concerning young widows the Bible says that “when their sexual impulses have come between them and the Christ, they want to marry, having a judgment because they have disregarded their first expression of faith.” Does this mean young widows who marry are unfaithful?—

Such a conclusion could not be correct, for two verses later Paul says, “I desire the younger widows to marry.” An appreciation of the setting is necessary; so let us read 1 Timothy 5:3-14, NW:

“Honor widows that are actually widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let these learn first to practice godly devotion in their own household and to keep paying a due compensation to their parents and grandparents, for this is acceptable in God’s sight. Now the woman who is actually a widow and left destitute has put her hope in God and persists in supplications and prayers night and day. But the one that goes in for sensual gratification is dead though she is living. So keep on giving these commands, that they may be irreprehensible. Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.

“Let a widow be put on the list who has become not less than sixty years old, a wife of one husband, having a witness borne to her for right works, if she reared children, if she entertained strangers, if she washed the feet of holy ones, if she relieved those in tribulation, if she diligently followed every good work.

“On the other hand, turn down younger widows, for when their sexual impulses have come between them and the Christ, they want to marry, having a judgment because they have disregarded their first expression of faith. At the same time they also learn to be unoccupied, gadding about to the houses, yes, not only unoccupied, but also gossipers and meddlers in other people’s affairs, talking of things they ought not. Therefore I desire the younger widows to marry, to bear children, to manage a household, to give no inducement to the opposer to revile.”

When Paul said to honor widows he had in mind providing for them materially, and Jesus indicated that honoring parents included material provisions. (Matt. 15:1-6) Paul showed that such honor by material provisions was to be shown by close relatives, and if there were no relatives to provide for an older widow of good report in the congregation then the congregation was to put her on the list it kept of those deserving of congregational help or support. Then he goes on to show that younger widows should not be put on this list, for after they had expressed faith in maintaining a single state and declared their determination to serve Jehovah with the full, exclusive, undistracted devotion their singleness would allow, they would end up heeding their sexual impulses and marrying anyway. So it would be better for younger widows not to make this expression and be put on the list for congregational help and then fail, bringing an adverse judgment upon themselves. Better for them to marry and busy themselves with raising children and managing a household. Hence we see 1 Timothy 5:11, 12 is not arguing that young widows who marry are unfaithful.

Yes, they are free to marry

Answer 6

They are damned because they have been used. Nobody wants sloppy seconds!

Answer 7

You're nuts. You sound cold. It's not that easy to find someone to share your life with.

Answer 8

I do not get your point at all.

Answer 9

OMGosh...are you kidding?

Losing your partner is never easy, except maybe if YOU were my partner.

Answer 10

huh