THE BODY OF CHRIST
THE
ORDER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST – PART 17
The
Elders – Qualifications
In these
lessons, we will look at the Divine qualifications for the ones who would be
shepherds of the Lord’s body. Please note, and use the
“Quick Glance chart of the Qualifications of Elders” also
provided with this portion of this study.
We will
look into these qualifications in a semi-organized way; looking at some of
the basic elements first (A Man, Desires the Work), then the domestic
qualifications (Husband of one wife, rules his own house well, number of
children required, and faithful children), and finally all the other
qualifications.
With
these things in mind, let’s get started!
Of Good
Behavior –
1 Timothy 3:2
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one
wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to
teach”
The word
“Orderly”, is from the Greek “Kosmos”,
which is the root word for the word
“Modest” as it is often translated in scripture. All of this describes
someone who is moderate, regular, orderly, well-behaved, modest,
well-arranged, or a man living a well-ordered life (I like to describe it as
a life without extremes of behavior).
The
qualification describes a man who has organized and is living his life in a
well-arranged manner. This is to be seen as one looks at his family,
business, and use of time, conduct, and his habits. This man does not
conduct his affairs in a haphazard or careless fashion. A man who is never
on time, behind with payments owed, disorganized in is family life is not
the one being described. In fact, if he cannot order his own life, how can
he order the Body of Christ?
Given
to Hospitality –
1 Timothy 3:2
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one
wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to
teach”
Titus 1:8
“but hospitable, a lover of what is good,
sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled"
The term
“Hospitality” literally means
“Lover of strangers”. The
candidate for this work “Must be”
of an attitude of acting in the best interest of strangers when he comes
into contact.
Hebrews 13:2
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing
some have unwittingly entertained angels.”
Paul
commands that all Christians are to walk in wisdom towards those on the
outside (in this case the strangers are not of the
Body of Christ –
Colossians 4:5;
1
Thessalonians 4:12); and Peter commands all Christians to be
hospitable to one another (as members of the
Body of Christ, stranger or not
–
1
Peter 4:9). If all Christians are to demonstrate hospitality to
one another and the stranger, how much more the shepherds of the flock. In
addition, it is impossible to be hospitable unless one is first
approachable!
Not
Violent –
1 Timothy 3:3
“not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for
money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous”
Titus 1:7
“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not
self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not
greedy for money”
I am always
amazed by the fact that many Christians are surprised by this obvious
qualification, as if it need not be said; however, consider how easy it may
be for brethren to see a wise man in scriptural knowledge, and overlook
obvious character flaws, predicated on this previous fact. We have always
said that there is a big difference between knowledge (accumulation 0f
facts) and wisdom (practical application of these facts), and thus a man may
easily be disarmed from the knowledge he may have by unconquerable flaws in
his character.
This
qualification is translated in the King James as
“No Striker”.
“Striker” is an older English
term that means “Bruiser, ready with a blow, pugnacious, contentious, or a
quarrelsome person”. In order to not be violent or a striker, a man being
considered for the eldership must be in control of his physical reactions
based on anger, all of which results in an individual otherwise being given
to contentions.
Any man
given to always arguing and getting himself into angry volatile situations
is hardly fit to lead the children of God in Christ.
Ephesians 4:26
“Be angry, and do not sin”:
do not let the sun go down on your wrath”
2 Timothy 2:24-25
“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle
to all, able to teach, patient,
25
in humility
correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them
repentance, so that they may know the truth”
James 1:19-20
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20
for the
wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
It is a
tremendous responsibility when we consider that there are going to be times
when people are going to rebel against God, who will willingly become
unfaithful. These men are going to have to go to them sit down and hopefully
discuss and even admonish these brethren. They may have to knock on doors
where they are not going to be welcome, where they may have to speak through
screen doors, and even if the doors are opened they may be greeted with
gritted teeth and treated coldly. To be called names, yet, to so care about
the souls of these way-faring sheep that they would gladly go through such
treatment rather than see these sheep fall to the adversary. Certainly, we
can see why God in His wisdom didn’t want a pugnacious striker to be the one
who goes to these erring sheep.
Gentle
–
1 Timothy 3:3
“not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,
but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous”
The term
gentle is one of the most important qualities of an elder, and yet is one
which is sadly neglected in much of our teaching and practice in general
today.
“Gentle” means “Fair,
reasonable, kind, mild, equitable, and gentle in practice”. This does not
mean that he cannot stand firm for the truth and be openly opposed to error,
as is God; but while opposing the error he must be patient and considerate
of those entangled in sin, as is God (all wanting repentance).
A gentile
man of faith is a man of conviction that does not offend others easily nor
is he easily offended. He can be approached easily by brethren knowing that
he will truly care for their service and needs.
Paul taught
that gentleness is a quality that everyone who handles the word of God must
develop.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle
to all, able to teach, patient,
25
in humility
correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them
repentance, so that they may know the truth”
In
1
Thessalonians 2:7, Paul stated that he was gentle towards these
Christians as a nursing mother (as was Silas and Timothy). Paul had the
ability to deal with people of different dispositions and circumstances.
Some people are easy to teach, some are difficult. Some are receptive to the
truth while others love not the truth. A gentle person realizes that all
people are not the same, and doesn’t try to deal with them the same way.
Gentleness is the ability to deal with a man where and how he is, to bring
him where God wants him to be.
Next: “Still More Qualifications!”