Sunday, September 6 · Faith Church
Living as Jesus Intended: Qualified Elders
The congregation is responsible for identifying, encouraging, and electing men who desire the noble work of overseer and whose character matches Scripture's qualifications.
The passages
This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work. The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?) not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1 Timothy 3:1–7
The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
1 Timothy 1:15
…of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
1 Timothy 1:20
…holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.
Titus 1:9
Go deeper
What does it actually look like for a man to be above reproach at home before he's above reproach at church?
The qualifications start in the living room, not the pulpit. Paul says the man who cannot manage his own household cannot care for the church of God, which means the person closest to him sees the truth first. A wife and children know what a man is when no one is watching.
…one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence; (for how could someone who doesn’t know how to rule his own house take care of God’s assembly?)
1 Timothy 3:4–5
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect. Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly, because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife. Then the two will become one flesh.” This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and the assembly. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Ephesians 5:25–33
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting. He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear! You make Yahweh’s people disobey. If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.
1 Samuel 2:22–25
Can I want to be an elder without it being about ambition or pride?
Paul calls the desire for overseer a noble work, not a red flag. Timothy had been sent into a church full of conflict, and the trustworthy statement stands right there in the middle of it. The role was weighed and found worth wanting.
This is a faithful saying: someone who seeks to be an overseer desires a good work.
1 Timothy 3:1
The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
1 Timothy 1:15
When pride comes, then comes shame, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2
Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. Whoever of you wants to become first among you shall be bondservant of all. For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:42–45
Why does God care so much about whether the people outside the church respect a leader?
Some outside the church hate it and their opinion is worthless, but not every unbeliever is unreasonable. Paul says a leader's reputation in the neighborhood and at work matters because Satan sets a snare there. A good name among those who do not yet believe is part of the protection.
Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1 Timothy 3:7
A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
Proverbs 22:1
He came to Derbe and Lystra; and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed, but his father was a Greek. The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.
Acts 16:1–2
Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
What happens when a man becomes an elder before he has the maturity for it?
New converts often come in on fire, telling everyone what they have been rescued from, and the zeal looks like readiness. Paul says it is not. Zeal outrunning wisdom leaves a man exposed to the same pride that took the devil down, and the church is the one that gets hurt.
…not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
1 Timothy 3:6
Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18
Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.
1 Timothy 3:10
Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility and subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,…
1 Peter 5:5–6
How is a leader supposed to stay gentle when the conflict is aimed at him personally?
Paul tells Timothy to silence an elder teaching falsely, and he knows how that conversation will go. The overseer is told not to be violent or quarrelsome but gentle and peaceable, and Paul himself hands men over to Satan while still being gentle. Gentle is not weak. It is strength that has decided how it will act.
The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;…
1 Timothy 3:2–3
…holding faith and a good conscience, which some having thrust away made a shipwreck concerning the faith, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they might be taught not to blaspheme.
1 Timothy 1:19–20
The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient, in gentleness correcting those who oppose him. Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,…
2 Timothy 2:24–25
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1