Paul spells out 15 qualifications so that there are no doubts as to what spiritual maturity entails. Before we examine the qualifications in more detail, several things need to be said:

First, most of these qualities are prescribed elsewhere in the Bible for every Christian, including women. So we all should be seeking to grow in these areas. The moment we became a member of the body of Christ we are in the ministry, and we are given gifts for ministry.

 It is not the elders who are to do the work of the ministry: We are!

 Second, spiritual maturity takes time, effort, and discipline (1 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 

There are no shortcuts. We live in a day when we’re used to instant everything. But there is no such thing as instant godliness. The crucial question is, Are you involved in the process?

Third, no one is perfectly qualified to be a church leader. These qualities, for the most part, are not the kind of thing where you can say, “I’ve arrived!” There is always going to be room for growth. If you require perfection, no one would qualify as an elder. But at the same time, an elder should not be in glaring violation of any qualification. If he is weak in any area, he should be aware of it and should be working on that area.

2 Corinthians 2:16 (NIV) To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?

 (2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (NIV) Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant–not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Elders are to be watching for this. That is what the word for elder, episkopos, means — “looking over.”

Elders are to be looking to see what the Lord is doing with his people, and utilizing the opportunities that arise on every hand. They are to be instructed in what the Lord has said in his Word so as to be able to guide this new and exciting thing that is coming into being, correcting it if need be. That is the work of elders. So it is a “noble task,” as Paul says.

Elders are to know and to seek the mind of the Lord, to guide the burgeoning ministry of the congregation as it develops, in direct inspiration of the Spirit of God, as each one in the congregation finds what the Lord wants him or her to do. The elders are to oversee that, to guide it, to correct it, if need be, along the lines of what the Scriptures teach and what the Spirit of God has led them to understand as they seek the mind of the Lord in prayer.

Those are the things you look for:

First, an elder’s reputation. “Above reproach” (KJV, NKJV = “blameless”).  That does not mean he must never have had anything gone wrong. If that were so none of us would make it. It means that when something did go wrong he handled it rightly, dealt with it openly, giving every indication of desiring to be a godly, righteous man.

Second, he is to be a “one-woman man,” literally. It is to be very evident that an elder is committed to one woman, his wife, whom he loves.

A third requirement is that an elder be known for a number of good habits he has formed:

First, “Temperate” (KJV = “vigilant”) Basically, that means to be calm. He is not to be flighty or nervous, constantly jumping from one thing to another.

“Prudent” (NIV = “self-controlled”; KJV = “sober”; NKJV = “sober-minded”): A kind of inner peace governs him; a discipline of life keeps him level and steady.

“Respectable” (KJV, NKJV = “of good behavior”): The word really means “orderly,” to have an orderly life, not to have everything going helter-skelter, unable to lay his hands on anything and not knowing what is happening.

“Hospitable” (KJV = “given to hospitality”): Literally, the original means, “a lover of strangers.” He is quick to open his heart and home to others. He is not afraid to meet new people. He’s able to make them feel relaxed and welcome. All Christians are exhorted to pursue hospitality (Rom. 12:13) and to be hospitable without complaint (1 Pet. 4:9).

An elder must be able to teach. He must be able to expound the Scriptures, to correct those who are misusing them and recognize error when it appears.

An elder is not to “not given to much wine.” The fact that our Lord and the disciples did drink wine was a common experience in that day. But it was not to be over-indulged; there was to be no reproach in this area.

Another requirement is that an elder be “not violent,” i.e., not a contentious, angry man who is always attacking others.

Then he must not be “quarrelsome.” The word really is  “stubborn,” not insisting on his own point of view at all costs.

He must not be in it for what he can get (not a “money lover”). He must not be out to keep up with the Joneses, but must maintain a simple lifestyle, without undue affluence evident.

Then an elder has to have a certain record of accomplishment in three specific areas.

First,  He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God’s church? {1 Tim 3:4-5 RSV}

The first thing you look for is whether the man has a well-managed family. Look at his children. Are they obedient, or are they the scandal of the church, nobody can control them? I know that ministers’ and elders’ children are under more inspection than others. (They get that way from playing with the children of the other members of the church!)

But his children are to be obedient and courteous in their responses, learning how to address life. This does not necessarily govern the children after they have grown up and left home. The word used here is “small children.” This is a test of a man.

This does not mean he is not to have any problems ever come in his family.  What this urges us to observe is how he handles those problems. Does he evade them by busying himself in his business, or does he tackle those problems?

He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. {1 Tim 3:6 RSV}

“A good reputation with those outside” (KJV = “a good report”; NKJV = “a good testimony”): He should be recognized in the community as a man of moral character and proper conduct. His business dealings should be honest and right. This should be true of all Christians, but especially of leaders. Non-Christians should not be able to bring the charge of “hypocrite” against a church leader.

Servants: Official & Otherwise (1 Timothy 3:8-13) All Christians are servants; some should be “official” servants. Christ is our supreme example of servanthood.

A farmer had a team of horses in which one horse consistently worked harder than the others. The farmer said, “They’re all willin’ horses. The one’s willin’ to pull, and the rest are willin’ to let him.”

Sadly, that’s how it often is in the local church. Everybody is willing: a few are willing to work and the rest are willing to let them.

A. The office of deacon is recognized in Scripture.

Most scholars agree that the office of “deacon” (= “servant”) finds its roots in Acts 6:1-6. There were a number of widows in the church without any means of income who were served food on a daily basis. But a problem arose when the Greek-speaking Jews felt that their widows were being neglected in favor of the native Hebrews. They needed some fair administrators to handle the situation so that the apostles would be free to devote their time to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Men deacons: There are eight qualifications:

(a) “Dignified” (KJV = “grave”; NKJV = “reverent”; NIV = “worthy of respect”). The word is the opposite of being a goof-off or clown. A deacon should have a seriousness of purpose about him, so that those he serves sense that he is concerned for them and so they trust and respect him.

(b) “Not double-tongued” (NIV = sincere). He cannot be a man who tells one person one thing, but another person the opposite in an attempt to please everybody. Since the deacon was involved in handling church finances, he had to be a man of his word.

(c) “Not addicted to much wine”. Since wine was commonly served as a gesture of hospitality, it was important for a deacon, making his rounds from house to house, to exercise control or else he could become a drunkard.

(d) “Not fond of sordid gain” (NKJV = “not greedy for money”; NIV = “not pursuing dishonest gain”). Since a deacon’s duties often involved the distribution of money and gifts to the needy, there was always the possibility for embezzlement. A deacon could not be a man who would pursue dishonest gain.

(e) “Holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience” (the NIV’s “deep truths” is misleading). A deacon must be a man of conviction regarding the central truths of the Christian faith. In addition to sound doctrine, he must be sound in obedience (“clear conscience”).

(f) “Tested and found beyond reproach” (NIV = “if there is nothing against them”; KJV, NKJV = “blameless.” It means, literally, “not called to account.” This is to be determined by “testing,” which means that a man has an observed track record before he is put into office. You don’t put a man into office and then test him to see if he’s trustworthy. Test him first and then recognize him.

It’s obvious that the church should never recognize someone as a deacon in order “to get him involved,” or because he’s “willing to work.” The real issue, as far as holding office in the church is concerned, is proven spiritual maturity, both for elders and deacons.

Wives:  “Not malicious gossips” (KJV, NKJV = “not slanderers”). If they went from house to house with juicy tidbits of private information, they could ruin a church very quickly. They must be able to control their tongues.

“Faithful in all things.” She must be trustworthy. She must follow through on assigned tasks. If an elder knows of a family that needs care of some kind, and assigns it to a deaconess, he needs to be able to trust her to follow through. We must commit ourselves to know, live by, and defend God’s Word of Truth.

 1 Timothy 2:1-7 (NIV) “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone– {2} for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. {3} This is good, and pleases God our Savior, {4} who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. {5} For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, {6} who gave himself as a ransom for all men–the testimony given in its proper time. {7} And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle–I am telling the truth, I am not lying–and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.”

 1 Timothy 2:1-7 (MSG) 1 The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. 2 Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. 3 This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. 4 He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: 5 that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, 6 who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. 7 This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.

As Paul begins to tell Timothy how to conduct oneself in the local church (3:15), he puts prayer as the first priority (2:1, “First of all”). But Paul is not just talking about the need for prayer in general. He is talking about the need for prayer as it relates to the salvation of the lost

 1. Prayer that all be reached with the gospel is in line with God’s plan (2:1-2, 8). Prayer is not a nicety, but a necessity. God is sovereign, yet His sovereign plan includes the prayers of His people. If we are involved with God’s plan for the world, then we will be praying in line with His plan.

 A. God’s plan involves all kinds of prayer for all kinds of people.

• “Entreaties” = prayer stemming from a sense of need. Sensing our lack and God’s sufficiency, our impotence and God’s omnipotence, should move us to pray.

• “Prayers” = a general term for prayer to God….refers to requests for needs that are always present, in contrast to specific and special needs.

• “Petitions” = means to converse freely; it pictures someone who can go into the presence of the king and talk freely with him on your behalf.

• “Thanksgivings” = this points to the fact that we must express not only our petitions, but our gratitude to God for His gracious answers.

Not only do we need all kinds of prayer, but also we need to pray for all kinds of people. In his case, this included the cruel maniac, Nero, who later executed both Peter and Paul, who lit his gardens in the evenings with Christians covered with pitch, burned as human torches. Prayer is God’s means for removing tyrants and establishing peace.

It is extraordinary to trace how all through its early days, those days of bitter persecution, the Church regarded it as an absolute duty to pray for the Emperor and his subordinate kings and governors.

Justin Martyr writes: “We worship God alone, but in all other things we gladly serve you, acknowledging kings and rulers of men, and praying that they may be found to have pure reason with kingly power” (Apology 1: 14,17).

B. God’s plan involves the spread of the gospel so that all may be saved. We should pray that those in authority would govern so that we might enjoy a tranquil and quiet life. But the purpose for such a life is not that we might be comfortable and happy, but so that we can grow in “godliness and dignity” with a view toward the maximum spread of the gospel.

C. God’s plan designates men as taking the leadership in prayer.

God wants “men” (the Greek word in 2:8 means “males,” men in contrast to women) to take the leadership in the prayer life of the church.

2. Prayer that all be reached with the gospel is in line with God’s pleasure (2:3-4).

Note the words, “good” (beautiful, pleasant), “acceptable,” and “desire.” God’s desire is for the salvation of all men. The Lord told Ezekiel (33:11), “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

3. Prayer that all be reached with the gospel is in line with God’s provision (2:5-6) and God’s procedure (2:7).

That one way of salvation involves a mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. In order for God to be reconciled to sinful man, man had to pay for his sin. The price was death, because the wages of sin is death. But God provided a representative man to be the substitute for all other men through His death. He became the ransom, the one who paid the price to release us from bondage to sin and judgment. This ransom is sufficient for all who will receive it.

The Conduct Of Women In The Church (1 Timothy 2:9-15)

I didn’t write the Bible. I just try to report what it says. But sometimes people get upset with me because they don’t like the forecast. For some that’s the case when I tell you what the Bible says about the conduct of women in the church.

Being a Christian means obeying apostolic doctrine, not changing the message to be more compatible with our times. The conduct of women in the church should be marked by godliness and submission to male leadership.

1 Timothy 2:8-15 (NIV) I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing–if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

(MSG) 8 Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. 9 And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions 10 but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it. 11 I don’t let women take over and tell the men what to do. 12 They should study to be quiet and obedient along with everyone else. 13 Adam was made first, then Eve; 14 woman was deceived first—our pioneer in sin!—with Adam right on her heels. 15 On the other hand, her childbearing brought about salvation, reversing Eve. But this salvation only comes to those who continue in faith, love, and holiness, gathering it all into maturity. You can depend on this.

1. The proper attire of Christian women: not focused on outward appearance, but on godliness (2:9-10).

When a woman dresses for the worship service to attract attention to herself, she has violated the purpose of worship.

Our grooming and clothing says a lot about our values and the way we think. If a woman dresses in a sensuous manner or if by inordinate attention to grooming she emphasizes external beauty, it reveals that her emphasis is on the superficial and worldly rather than on that which is significant from God’s perspective. He is not prohibiting a woman from looking attractive, as long as she is not seductive or showy. Nor is he putting an absolute ban on a woman’s braiding her hair or wearing modest jewelry. He’s talking about emphasis. He was correcting women who went to great expense and effort to braid jewels and expensive ornaments into their hair. Their clothing was showy and expensive.

2. The proper attitude of Christian women: not assertive, but submissive to male church leadership (2:11-15).

When it comes to the roles of men and women, the Bible is clear that both male and female reflect the image of God (Gen. 1:27). Men are not superior over women nor women over men. In Christ, men and women are equal (Gal. 3:28), but at the same time, they are to fulfill different roles.

A. The realm of submission involves activities where a woman would exercise authority over a man (2:11-12).

Paul wants women to learn as long as their attitude is marked by two qualities: “quietness” and “submissiveness.”

The word translated “quietly” doesn’t mean absolute silence, but rather to have inner tranquility or peace (see 2:2). When the church gathers, however, women are to listen to the men who teach quietly … with entire submissiveness. Heôsuchia appears at the beginning of verse 11 (quietly), and the end of verse 12 (quiet), thus bracketing Paul’s teaching on the role of women with the principle of silence.

Order in the Church #3

The Priority Of Prayer (1 Timothy 2:1-7)

 

1 Timothy 2:1-7 (NIV) “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone– {2} for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. {3} This is good, and pleases God our Savior, {4} who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. {5} For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, {6} who gave himself as a ransom for all men–the testimony given in its proper time. {7} And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle–I am telling the truth, I am not lying–and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.”

 

1 Timothy 2:1-7 (MSG) 1 The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. 2 Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. 3 This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. 4 He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: 5 that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, 6 who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. 7 This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.

 

As Paul begins to tell Timothy how to conduct oneself in the local church (3:15), he puts prayer as the first priority (2:1, “First of all”). But Paul is not just talking about the need for prayer in general. He is talking about the need for prayer as it relates to the salvation of the lost

 

1. Prayer that all be reached with the gospel is in line with God’s plan (2:1-2, 8). Prayer is not a nicety, but a necessity. God is sovereign, yet His sovereign plan includes the prayers of His people. If we are involved with God’s plan for the world, then we will be praying in line with His plan.

 

A. God’s plan involves all kinds of prayer for all kinds of people.

• “Entreaties” = prayer stemming from a sense of need. Sensing our lack and God’s sufficiency, our impotence and God’s omnipotence, should move us to pray.

• “Prayers” = a general term for prayer to God….refers to requests for needs that are always present, in contrast to specific and special needs.

• “Petitions” = means to converse freely; it pictures someone who can go into the presence of the king and talk freely with him on your behalf.

• “Thanksgivings” = this points to the fact that we must express not only our petitions, but our gratitude to God for His gracious answers.

 

Not only do we need all kinds of prayer, but also we need to pray for all kinds of people. In his case, this included the cruel maniac, Nero, who later executed both Peter and Paul, who lit his gardens in the evenings with Christians covered with pitch, burned as human torches. Prayer is God’s means for removing tyrants and establishing peace.

 

It is extraordinary to trace how all through its early days, those days of bitter persecution, the Church regarded it as an absolute duty to pray for the Emperor and his subordinate kings and governors.

 

Justin Martyr writes: “We worship God alone, but in all other things we gladly serve you, acknowledging kings and rulers of men, and praying that they may be found to have pure reason with kingly power” (Apology 1: 14,17).

 

B. God’s plan involves the spread of the gospel so that all may be saved. We should pray that those in authority would govern so that we might enjoy a tranquil and quiet life. But the purpose for such a life is not that we might be comfortable and happy, but so that we can grow in “godliness and dignity” with a view toward the maximum spread of the gospel.

 

C. God’s plan designates men as taking the leadership in prayer.

God wants “men” (the Greek word in 2:8 means “males,” men in contrast to women) to take the leadership in the prayer life of the church.

2. Prayer that all be reached with the gospel is in line with God’s pleasure (2:3-4).

Note the words, “good” (beautiful, pleasant), “acceptable,” and “desire.” God’s desire is for the salvation of all men. The Lord told Ezekiel (33:11), “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

 

3. Prayer that all be reached with the gospel is in line with God’s provision (2:5-6) and God’s procedure (2:7).

That one way of salvation involves a mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. In order for God to be reconciled to sinful man, man had to pay for his sin. The price was death, because the wages of sin is death. But God provided a representative man to be the substitute for all other men through His death. He became the ransom, the one who paid the price to release us from bondage to sin and judgment. This ransom is sufficient for all who will receive it.

 

The Conduct Of Women In The Church (1 Timothy 2:9-15)

I didn’t write the Bible. I just try to report what it says. But sometimes people get upset with me because they don’t like the forecast. For some that’s the case when I tell you what the Bible says about the conduct of women in the church.

 

Being a Christian means obeying apostolic doctrine, not changing the message to be more compatible with our times. The conduct of women in the church should be marked by godliness and submission to male leadership.

 

1 Timothy 2:8-15 (NIV) I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be saved through childbearing–if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

 

(MSG) 8 Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. 9 And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions 10 but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it. 11 I don’t let women take over and tell the men what to do. 12 They should study to be quiet and obedient along with everyone else. 13 Adam was made first, then Eve; 14 woman was deceived first—our pioneer in sin!—with Adam right on her heels. 15 On the other hand, her childbearing brought about salvation, reversing Eve. But this salvation only comes to those who continue in faith, love, and holiness, gathering it all into maturity. You can depend on this.

1. The proper attire of Christian women: not focused on outward appearance, but on godliness (2:9-10).

When a woman dresses for the worship service to attract attention to herself, she has violated the purpose of worship.

 

Our grooming and clothing says a lot about our values and the way we think. If a woman dresses in a sensuous manner or if by inordinate attention to grooming she emphasizes external beauty, it reveals that her emphasis is on the superficial and worldly rather than on that which is significant from God’s perspective. He is not prohibiting a woman from looking attractive, as long as she is not seductive or showy. Nor is he putting an absolute ban on a woman’s braiding her hair or wearing modest jewelry. He’s talking about emphasis. He was correcting women who went to great expense and effort to braid jewels and expensive ornaments into their hair. Their clothing was showy and expensive.

 

2. The proper attitude of Christian women: not assertive, but submissive to male church leadership (2:11-15).

When it comes to the roles of men and women, the Bible is clear that both male and female reflect the image of God (Gen. 1:27). Men are not superior over women nor women over men. In Christ, men and women are equal (Gal. 3:28), but at the same time, they are to fulfill different roles.

 

A. The realm of submission involves activities where a woman would exercise authority over a man (2:11-12).

Paul wants women to learn as long as their attitude is marked by two qualities: “quietness” and “submissiveness.”

 

The word translated “quietly” doesn’t mean absolute silence, but rather to have inner tranquility or peace (see 2:2). When the church gathers, however, women are to listen to the men who teach quietly … with entire submissiveness. Heôsuchia appears at the beginning of verse 11 (quietly), and the end of verse 12 (quiet), thus bracketing Paul’s teaching on the role of women with the principle of silence.

Adam was there ‘with’ Eve

Genesis 3:3-24 (NIV) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Adam was ‘passive’ in that situation and it ‘encouraged’ Eve to take upon herself a role not intended…with terrible consequences.

God expects the man to lead the relationship.