1 Tim 3:4-7 Qualifications of Elders (Part 2)

• The theme
• Titus and Timothy are Pastoral letters
• These letters expound on church order not church doctrine
1. The greeting 1:1-2
• Not personal but rather formal -- emphasizes Paul's authority
2. Timothy's Mission 1:3-20
1. The task Timothy faced 1:3-11
• He re-iterates his verbal instructions to Timothy (written out)
• Timothy is to charge (parangello--to order or command) certain persons
• Purpose of charge / command -- Love (seeks the best of the other person)
• Problem -- Certain persons teaching --- Vain (mataiologia - empty) discussions (useless)
• How to avoid "empty" discussions? Good teaching should result in application
2. Exhortations 1:12-20
1. A positive encouragement 1:12-17
1. God is patient with the worst of sinners (see Paul)
2. God is merciful for those who repent (see Paul)
2. A negative warning 1:18-20
1. It will be a battle
2. You will face opposition (even from believers)
3. Instructions concerning the life of the local church -- "order" (2:1-4:5)
1. The priority of prayer 2:1-7 -- It is good to pray -- we need prayer
2. The primary responsibilities (roles) of the men and women in church meetings (2:8-15)
1. The men have failed to take a spiritual leadership role
2. There is no argument on the capability of women, only where she should teach and lead
3. The qualifications for Church leaders -- Elders and Deacons 3:1-13
4. The nature of the local Church 3:8-13
5. The problem of apostasy in the Church 4:1-5
4. Instructions concerning leadership of the local Church 4:6-5:25
5. Instructions for groups within the church 6:1-19
6. Concluding charge and benediction 6:20-21


Quickly Review 12 Previous Qualifications


1 Timothy 3:4–7 (ESV) —
4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.


• We've reviewed 12 of the 15 requirements for an overseer (elder, pastor), what are the next ones and what do they mean?
13. Manage his own family well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive
• Manage, Greek word proistemi, meaning to lead (with the idea of 'over')
• There is a difference between leadership and management and Greek word seems to put both of them together
• Why would this be important?
• In context, the men were not spiritually leading the church
• The spiritual leaders of the church need to be the spiritual leaders of their own home
• Also argued in verse 5
• Dignity is the Greek word semnotes, and carries the idea of gravity, respect, seriousness
• In context, I think this is in regards to spiritual things
• His children are supposed to submit
• The word references to a child
• The word for submit only occurs 4 times. It is not the same word used for husbands and wives submitting to each other
• I don't think the idea is that the children are perfect, but rather that you have clearly sought to exercise control
• In today's culture, there are so many examples of children just running wild and the parents saying nothing
• Also, if you do correct a child, the parents or someone else will take great offense at you
14. Not a recent convert
• This would seem obvious but there is a reason given that explains the concern, what is it?
• He could become prideful (puffed up with conceit) and Satan can use that to destroy his witness
• I've seen this happen when a young person who grows phenomenally when he first comes to Christ and he is so eager that he is pushed into leadership, and his pride just ruins him spiritually
• One thing I hated about the Navigators and I still do, people grow tremendously fast because they dig deep in the word, but they become so prideful and they can't seem to recognize it
• The latest thing is "coaching" but the Navigator problem is they take everything to an extreme. In their goal of listening, they become self-important gurus
• What is the condemnation of the devil?
• The answer is found in answering the questions, why did the devil fall?
• He became so prideful, he thought he was God
• God condemned Satan for his pride and cast him out of heaven
• We don't have that danger, but we certainly have the danger of being cast out of leadership in the church because we get so prideful and then we take an action that destroys our witness
15. He must be well thought of by outsiders
• What does that mean?
• Does he pay his bills?
• Does he follow through on his commitments?
• Do people enjoy being around him or can't stand him because he only talks about himself?
• Does he take care of his property? Of other people's property?
• What is the snare of the devil?
• It is disgrace (Grk idea of public reproach) -- since that is what it is modifying
• The word means a trap or snare
• Essentially, we can bring great disgrace to the church and its' ministry by bringing the wrong person into leadership in the church
• APPLICATION:
• Men: we need to lead our families spiritually
• We all need to grow in our relationship with God
• We all need to aim for an excellent reputation outside of the church as well
• It is a good thing to aspire to leadership, but we must prepare ourselves