“For some have already turned aside after Satan” (1 Timothy 5:15).
This passage serves to focus our attention upon the consequences that may occur whenever we fail to make God-honoring choices. Here in 1 Timothy 5:11-15, that scenario likely involved those who had broken their vows or entered relationships with those who had little or no interest in serving Christ. Unfortunately, these choices were much like exit roads that ultimately led to the same destination: “…some have already turned away to follow Satan” (NASB).
So how can we explain this response? Well, perhaps some of these individuals had come under the negative influence of false teachers. It’s also possible that they had been persuaded to abandon Christ through their relationships with spouses who were outside the faith. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that negative consequences had already started to spread within the church.
The most serious of those consequences involved a decision by some members of the church to forsake God’s path to follow Satan, their spiritual adversary. Since the Scriptures identify Satan as a being who is evil (Matthew 6:13), wicked (1 John 2:13), a liar and murderer (John 8:44), and a deceiver (Revelation 20:10), nothing good can ultimately result from that choice.
This also serves to remind us that our decisions often lead to tangible repercussions for better or worse. In the worst-case scenario, some of those decisions might lead to consequences that resonate eternally. In the case of the church at Ephesus, those ramifications likely assumed multiple forms…
“Some of the young widows had given up their commitment to serve Christ… perhaps either by following false teachers and spreading their false doctrine or by marrying unbelievers and bringing disgrace upon the church.” (1)
Much like those mentioned here in 1 Timothy 5:15, we also make real choices in real time that lead to real consequences that carry a real eternal impact. Perhaps this is why Ephesians 5:15-18 tells us, “Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”
Finally, this section ends with some closing instructions: “If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows” (1 Timothy 5:16). If we follow the practical instruction given to us in 1 Timothy 5:3-16, we are sure to make good, God-honoring decisions regarding family members who genuinely need our support.
(1) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Ti 5:15). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.