Ability to Provide For One's Family (1 Tim 5:3-16): A Surer Sign of Being a True Believer

Abstract

Man is the head of his family. He prepares before looking for a partner (wife). This goes a long way to show that the basic truth is that no man marries without proper preparation (Mark 10:6-9) unless he wants to leave like an unbeliever (1 Tim 5:8). It is more the sole responsibility of the head of the family to provide for his family. Whenever he fails in this responsibility, he is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim 5:5). There is every possibility that Paul does not just mean food, shelter, and money (Matt 6:25), it involves spiritual nourishment of his family. This article affirms that the responsibility of a father towards his family is more than material needs but also involves spiritual and moral necessities. This article argues that if fathers were true to the above, then the majority of family disputes would have been visibly reduced and controlled. The method we intend to use is library research which is mainly the exegetical study of 1 Tim 5:3-8. This article is relevant in our today's communities because we are running short of ideal families.