1Timothy ◦ Chapter 5
1 When dealing with an older man who is in error, don't treat him like a child, but reason gently with him, as if he were your father. Treat the younger men like brothers,2 and older women like mothers. Treat the younger women like sisters–with constant concern for their purity, protecting their reputation.3 Help the widows who need help.4 But if a widow has children and grandchildren, they need to live in harmony with the law of love and care for their own family members so that the circle of love may be complete in returning the love they received from their parents and grandparents back to their parents and grandparents, for this is how God designed life to operate: a never-ending circle of giving.5 The widow who can be benefited by assistance is the one without family and who, keeping her heart in communion with God, trusts him with her future. The help given will be a blessing to her.6 But the widow who seeks merely to gratify self is in the process of dying, and any aid given will only assist in her self-destruction.7 Educate the people in these matters, so no one will misrepresent God.8 If people don't use their resources to bless and uplift their family, then they misrepresent the Remedy and basically deny that it transforms the character, which makes them worse than those who never claim to have taken the Remedy.9 A widow over sixty may be enrolled into the church's subsistence program if she was faithful to her husband,10 and if she represents God accurately by loving others with her actions: helping with orphans, welcoming and assisting others, humbly ministering to Christ’s friends, working to rescue those in trouble, and seeking the good of others.11 Younger widows don't need to be on permanent subsistence, because their God-given desire for a family will lead them to remarry (rather than continuing their full-time commitment to Christian ministry),12 and if they break their pledge, they will suffer from a guilty conscience.13 Not only that, but idleness is destructive and we want to protect them from boredom which leads to gossip, meddling in others' affairs, and instigating conflict in the church.14 So I recommend that younger widows use their abilities successfully: remarry if well matched, have children if they so desire, but certainly take over management of the household and don't give enemies any basis for criticism.15 Sadly, some have already turned away from loving others and instead followed Satan into selfishness.16 Anyone who has taken the Remedy, and has widows in the family, needs to exercise their new heart of love and help those women, rather than turning to the church for assistance: the church can then minister in love to other widows who have no other means of support.17 Spiritual leaders who are especially effective at organizing and promoting the health and growth of the church should be considered for bonuses, especially if they are–in addition to their administrative and organizational duties–also preaching and teaching,18 for the inspired record says, "Don't prevent the ox from eating while it grinds the grain," and "The employee deserves to be paid."19 And please don't listen to allegations against a spiritual leader unless it is brought by at least two or three witnesses.20 Those who choose to live by persistently breaking God's design protocols for life–commonly called sinning–need to be publicly confronted and educated, so that others may also see how destructive it is to violate the law which life is built upon.21 With the support and approval of God and Jesus Christ and the loyal angels, I charge you to carry out these instructions in loving equality for all people: show no prejudice or discrimination.22 Don’t place new converts in positions of leadership too quickly; don’t collude with others’ self-destructive choices, and keep yourself pure and healthy.23 As you travel, don't be so insistent on drinking water only–impure water may be causing many of your digestive problems. Drink a little wine, as it will often kill the contaminants and reduce your risk of sickness.24 The violations of God’s law — the protocols he constructed life to operate upon — are so obvious in some people that they are easily diagnosed; in others, the breaches in God’s design for life are hidden, and it may take years before the damage manifests itself.25 Likewise, living in harmony with God’s design brings obvious health benefits to one’s body, mind and relationships, even if the healthy practices are not publicized but done in private.