The Requirements of Elders, Part 3

Review of Elder Qualifications: Blamelessness and Aptness to Teach

0:01 Let us turn again to 1 Timothy chapter 3, 1 Timothy chapter 3.

0:15 In the light of the fact that all but probably a half a dozen of you were here this morning, it will not be necessary to give a lengthy review, simply to bring some loose ends together and then pick up the train of thought where we left it very abruptly this morning at the end of verse 2 of 1 Timothy chapter 3.

0:40 The apostle declares that a man who aspires to the office of a bishop or an overseer desires a good work, but he must evidence the proper qualifications for that work. Therefore, he begins this list in verse 2 by saying a bishop then must be. These requirements. These requirements must be met, they must be evidenced, first of all, within the church and the list that considers those virtues that are judged and evaluated by those within the church extends from verse 2 all the way down to verse 6 and then in one general statement in verse 7 he mentions those virtues that must be discerned by those without the church. Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without. So the virtues. The gifts and graces of those who meet the requirements will be discerned by those within and those without.

1:44 As we began our study of those virtues that will be manifested particularly to those within the church, we saw that the canopy virtue, the one that acts like an umbrella under which all the others are clustered, is the requirement of a blameless life.

2:02 Demonstrable, practical, contagious godliness. He must be blameless and then blamelessness is described in terms of some positive virtues. One wife's husband, no question as to his sexual purity and morality. And then these other virtues that we considered this morning which ought to be translated temperate, sane, orderly, hospitable.

2:32 And then we come to that peculiar requirement he must be apt to teach. Which involves? At least those three things that we studied this morning. A basic grasp and submission to the content and doctrine of scripture.

2:46 A proven ability to communicate that content to others. And then such a love for truth and for people which will put these first two in operation. Not enough to have the grasp and the ability but there must be that spiritual quality of love for truth and for people which will cause a man to respond. To the demands of such a ministry.

3:11 Now we begin tonight some of the negative virtues that come under that general canopy of blamelessness. And at the conclusion of these four negative virtues then you have this very extended treatment of his domestic life. And there seems to be a pattern here. He gives these positive virtues then he ends up with this gift of ability to teach.

3:37 Then he gives the negative virtue and ends up with this ability to rule. And we have seen in our study that an elder's peculiar gifts must be that of teaching and that of ruling. And so I never saw this structure until this afternoon. In doing all the work on it, it didn't fit together this way.

3:56 And I don't believe it's artificial. I believe it's the natural structure of the passage. He must be blameless. Positive virtues culminating in this peculiar ability to teach.

4:06 He must be blameless. The negative virtues culminating in this proven ability to rule. For the whole function of the elder comes under those two headings of teaching and ruling. Therefore, he must not only have general piety but he must have peculiar gifts and proven abilities both to teach and to rule.

Negative Virtues: Not Given to Wine

4:29 So much then for the general structure and the connection of these things. Let's move down now to verse 3. These negative virtues. And in the original it's very emphatic.

4:40 All of these phrases, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre. They're just one word. And you can see how Paul moves from positive virtues to these negative statements. The first one is literally translated, not one who lingers by his wine.

5:01 The same word used in chapter 3 and verse 8. The requirement for the deacon. He must be one not given to much wine. It's the same word used in Titus 1.7.

5:15 Now wine was readily available in that day and was drunk by most people. And wherever wine with alcoholic content, be it 7% or 10% or 12% or 20% or more, is readily available. There is always the danger of excess. There is always the danger of excessive attachment to the wine.

5:39 So because wine was readily available and generally drunk by most people, the apostle lays out as one of the requirements for the elder, he must be a man who doesn't linger by his wine. If he drinks his wine as a part of his meal or a part of his daily experience, he must be one who evidences that he controls his wine and not the reverse. That his wine controls him. It's sort of like motorcycles.

6:10 A friend of mine, one time in his rather reckless days, rationalized himself into buying a motorcycle. He had all kinds of good reasons why he felt it was the Lord's will. But down underneath, I think he would admit today, it was simply an itch for that tremendous bundle of power beneath him. And so he got his motorcycle and kept it about three months.

6:33 And then after he got out to the Midwest, going to Bible school there, he wrote a letter to the man from whom he purchased it and was still making payments. And he said, Dear Mr. So-and-so, I ask your permission to sell this machine. He said, There are two kinds of people.

6:45 Those that control the machine and those whom the machine controls. I happen to be one of the latter. I've got to get rid of this thing before it kills me. Well, you see, here was this tremendous potential.

6:57 Nothing sinful with a motorcycle. Just a piece of machinery for transportation. But you see, the potential had become a curse in that he could not control that bundle of power. It had controlled him.

7:09 Now, that's what Paul is saying about the wine. Anyone who tries to build a case for total abstinence on the basis that the partaking of alcoholic beverages in any form, under any circumstances, is prohibited by Scripture has no grounds to stand upon, especially when you face a passage like this. If anyone would have to be a complete abstainer and a peacemaker, a totaler, it should be the elder. But even for him, it is not required that he be a total abstainer.

7:38 It simply declares he is not to be given to excess. He is to control his wine, not his wine control him. In fact, if drinking alcoholic beverages is positive sin, then, of course, Paul encouraged Timothy to sin when he told him in 1 Timothy 5.23, Drink no longer water, but drink a little wine, for thy stomach's sake and thine oft infirmities.

8:05 Now, granted, that's a command to a medicinal use of wine. And if you have a better medicine than wine, use it. But saying all that, you still can't get around the principle that here the apostle commands Timothy to use a little wine. But wherever it's readily available, there is this tremendous danger to excess.

8:29 Therefore, the elder must be marked by wine. By this principle of temperance and self-control. Now, what application is there to us? For all of these things, remember, except the peculiar gift to rule and teach are required of all believers.

8:44 Why, this is God's requirement of all of us. Ephesians 5.17 says, Be not drunk with wine, I'm sorry, verse 18, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Don't be drunk with wine.

8:57 Now, Paul does not say don't ever let wine touch your lips. When you say, Pastor, have you got a few bottles on your shelf you're trying to justify? No, I do not. I am perfectly free to drink wine.

9:10 Now, I don't drink it, but I'm free to. And I don't believe I would be apostatizing from the faith if I were to do it. But I cannot make what is a principle for me a rule for all of God's people when Scripture does not. But the command is clear, we are not to be drunk with wine.

9:28 The command is very clear in Proverbs 23.30 and 31. Where it speaks of who hath redness of eyes and sorrow. They that carry long by their wine.

9:38 And God says don't look upon the wine when it stirreth in the cup. Don't sit there until you see the bleary-eyed man who just stares into his glass and has just enough senses to guzzle down more. God definitely forbids that to all of God's people. But in a peculiar way, He requires this of an elder.

9:57 Why? Well, the reason is very obvious. If he is known to be a man and the wine controls him, you can't respect him. Not only can you not respect him, you can have no confidence.

10:07 Who knows what he'd spill out in a drunken stupor. He might be one of these who begins to get very talkative. Not only dead drunk, but some people with just enough alcohol in their system kind of loosens them up at the joints and they'll begin to tell all kinds of things. So how could you have confidence in the elder?

10:24 You wouldn't. So he must not be given to much wine because there'd be no respect, no confidence and certainly he would bring positive news. He'd be repulsed and reproached to the cause of Christ. How would you like it to be known that one of your elders was a man who found it hard to make a straight line getting home any night in the week?

10:40 Well, you wouldn't like it at all. But I believe there's a principle that even goes back behind this. And the principle is that of the man controlling his appetites for that which is perfectly legitimate. The elder must be marked as a man who has all of his appetites under control.

10:59 I believe with all of my heart that the whole principle of gluttony, comes in here, because more positive harm can be done to the body by gluttony than by a man who had a beer once a week. Might do some positive good if it was good beer. And again, I don't have beer in my closet and I'm not asking you to go out and fill your shells with valentine. But the principle is there that the elder, as an expression of his piety, an expression of his practical godliness, must be known as the man who controls his motorcycle and not the motorcycle him.

Negative Virtues: No Striker but Gentle

11:33 All right? That's negative virtue. It says he must be no striker but gentle. See that little word further on in verse 3?

11:43 But patient. It should be up alongside no striker. He's defining this negative virtue by a contrast. No striker but gentle.

11:55 Literally means a man not given to blows. This is the picture of the man with the hair pressure trigger. Any of you have ever shot a rifle or a gun? I remember one time being with a pastor friend who had quite a collection of pistols.

12:08 And he had a target pistol, a .22 target pistol, .22 caliber, and he had a range set up in his basement. And as you come up on that target, you just begin to squeeze the thing.

12:19 And I couldn't hit the target because he had it so sensitive. It was hair pressure sensitive. You just begin to squeeze as you got a bead on the target and boom, the thing would go off. Well, that's the thing he's talking about here.

12:33 He must not be that hair pressure trigger type individual that it takes just the slightest pressure, you see, to boom and he's blown and he's fired at you. How many of you know where the expression a chip on his shoulder came from? You know where that came from? There used to be a time in lumbering days when some of the big, brawly, brawny, pugnacious lumberjacks loved to fight.

12:58 Nothing better pastime than a good fight. So they'd pick up one of the chips that had fallen when they fell of the tree and they'd actually place it on their shoulder and then go around. And anybody who wanted to fight would just come up and flick it off and that was a signal to square off and come to blows. Hence the phrase, that guy's got a chip on his shoulder.

13:17 What do we mean? Well, we mean precisely what that whole figure connotes to us. The person who's ready and willing to come to blows either physically or verbally. It's the opposite of this other word, no striker but joker.

13:33 It's the opposite of being gentle. Now, what does gentleness mean? Well, perhaps the greatest expression of it is found in our Lord Jesus Christ where we read in 2 Corinthians 10 and verse 1 and this is the same word used, I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. Now, what is gentleness?

13:57 Well, look at our Lord. He was gentle. He was meek. And immediately, we strip away from that word all of its effeminate characteristics for our Lord was not effeminate.

14:13 When a principle of truth was involved, our Lord dared to stand and speak in the most scathing terms and this was never a contradiction of His gentleness. But where does gentleness come to light? I'll tell you where gentleness comes to light. It comes to light especially where our own personal rights and likes are at stake and the gentle man is willing to bend.

14:39 Gentleness comes to light in dealing with others who are in legitimate need and who might legitimately be cut off. But grace prompts us to bear with them in their suffering, in their sin, in their problems. You see, this person who is a striker forgets that people are bundles of flesh and blood and sensitivity and feeling and he would treat them like stones. I'm amazed.

15:09 Even in the ministry, I see brethren of mine in the ministry who just run roughshod over people. They fail to remember that people are sentient beings. They have feelings. They can be wounded.

15:22 They can be hurt. Now granted, some of them ought not to be so sensitive as they are, but the fact remains they are that way. And you can't deal with them in terms of what they ought to be. You've got to deal with them in terms of what they are and try to bring them along to what they ought to be.

15:37 But if there's no gentleness that comes and meets them in their present situation with a view to leading them on, but simply strikes back, then you see you've lost all ability to tenderly care for the flock of God. Remember the whole analogy of the shepherd with his sheep. The shepherd must be gentle. Now if that crazy sheep is determined to ruin himself, he's not going to stand there and whistle a sweet little song while he goes down a path that's going to lead him into a den of spiders.

16:07 He may have to stick his crook out and wait for explanations later and bring him back. And there are times when the servants of God, the elders, the ruling, teaching elders, must act very quickly and forcefully, but never with any motive but that of gentleness. Now again, the application. This is a grace that should mark all of us as the people of God.

16:31 1 John 2, 6, He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk, even as he walked. As we behold our Lord dealing in gentleness with a woman that nobody wanted. Don't you know she's a sinner? She's got a reputation with a capital R.

16:49 The Lord says, I know all about her. I know all about her. But I've come to seek and to save people like that. And in gentleness, he woos and wins this woman to himself.

16:59 That's what this quality is. All of us ought to have it. But it's a virtue that elders must manifest. Why?

17:08 Because elders have got to exhort people. They've got to take the lead in the discipline of people. That takes gentleness. If they are strikers, you see, then the discipline will lose all of its authority because of the way it's administered.

17:21 Another thing, because the elders stand in the place of leadership, they're exposed to the whole volume of accusation, misrepresentation of motive. I never seriously have any doubts about God's call to the ministry, nor do I ever have any serious doubts about ever leaving the ministry. But you know about the only time I ever really feel like leaving? You know when it is?

17:43 It's when people misread and misrepresent your motives. When before God you've sought to be as clean as the snow by His grace in what you're doing and why you're doing it, and people turn around and put an entirely different motive upon what you've done. I can take people getting mad at what I preach and storming out of meetings and the rest. I've had that.

18:09 But you know, frankly, I'm just clay enough. Clay enough that that strikes to the very core. And if there's anything that makes me want to strike, it's that. Ah, no striker.

18:21 No chip. No chip. The elder must manifest that characteristic. All of us ought to.

18:29 Elders must. How much pressure does it take to send your trigger shooting bullets? Verbal or physical? How many pounds?

18:43 Ounces? Grams? Milligrams? Hmm?

18:52 How's your trigger set? Every one of us is to be no striker. That's God's standard for all of us. Ought to be.

Negative Virtues: Not Contentious and Not Fond of Money

19:02 Elders must be. Third negative virtue. Not contentious. No lingerer by his wine.

19:11 No striker. That's translating to King James a little bit further down. Not a brawler. Literally means not contentious.

19:21 Averse to fighting. See, some would not come to physical blows like the woodsman with the chip on his shoulder, but they love a good verbal fight. This word literally translates and means averse to fighting. Here's the person who doesn't like the involvement of a good scrap.

19:41 Why? Because passion comes to the surface. Reason goes out the window. Christ-likeness is forgotten.

19:49 Now again, this virtue is clearly required of every one of us. In Titus chapter 3 and verse 2, Timothy tells Titus that he's to put the believers in mind to be, verse 1, subject to principalities, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers but gentle. See the contrast? Every believer is to avoid this brawling spirit, but he's to be gentle, showing meekness unto all men.

20:20 Every believer is to be averse, to fighting. Why? Well, only then does he manifest the characteristic beatitude spoken in Matthew 5 by our Lord. Blessed are the peacemakers.

20:32 How can we claim to be children of a God who's reconciled us to himself, who's cleared away the enmity that existed between us and him, and love the climate of enmity, and love the climate of fighting? No. God would have all of his peace, peace-loving people, peace-loving people. And though all believers ought to be this kind of person, not contentious, averse to fighting, the elder must be.

21:02 Why? Again, the answer's obvious. If you know that an elder teaching, ruling, or simply a ruling elder is contentious and likes to fight, then such a person doesn't inspire your confidence. How would you like it?

21:21 If you knew that a certain area, as some of our boys in Vietnam do, had recently had a bunch of mines laid by the Viet Cong, and they could be triggered by opening a gate, they could be triggered by simply walking down a path, and there's a wire about two inches above the ground, maybe buried in the tall grass, and any one of those things you know could set off one of these mines and blow you into a thousand pieces, would you like very much the thought of taking a Sunday afternoon stroll, down such an area? Why, of course not. You don't know what move, with the hands or feet, is going to blow this whole thing to pieces. Well, you see, if people sense in the elders, teaching, ruling, or simply ruling elders, that they are not averse to fighting, that they kind of like the involvement of debate and of argument, well, you see, they don't want to walk down that mined path. They will not feel free to come. They will not feel free to unburden themselves. They will not feel free to express differences.

22:20 They will not feel free to come with questions if they sense that to do so is to walk into a mined area. Therefore, it's an absolute requirement that the elder be marked by this virtue, not contentious, and then it says, not fond of money, not greedy of filthy lucre. I kind of like the strength of the old King James expression. Not fond or greedy of money.

22:51 Greedy of filthy lucre. Now, maybe that isn't good translation for us today, but I venture to say, maybe these people in 1600 had a better evaluation of what money was than we do in our day. Now, Hebrews 13.5 gives us some light on this passage.

23:10 Let's look at it for a moment. What does it mean, not greedy of filthy lucre? Does it mean when the church treasurer gives the pastor his check, he ought to say, well, you see, I'm so free of greed for filthy lucre, he just tears it up and blows it to the wind? Say, I trust the Lord?

23:29 Is that what it means? Notice Hebrews 13 and verse 5. Let your manner of living be without covetousness, content with such things as ye have. Now, notice the connection between things and covetousness.

23:46 And the word covetousness here is the same. What is covetousness? The love of money, but not money in itself, but money as a means to obtain things. What are things?

23:58 Material things. Home, clothes, cars, shoes, privileges, vacations, or the absence of them, the length of them, the luxury of them, anything, you see. Where money can be the means to obtain that thing, the man whose heart is set upon things, who loves things, is a man who is disqualified, disqualified for the eldership. He must demonstrate that though he has...

24:35 You can silence the corner of his mouth by putting a few more dollars in his pocket. I've actually heard of churches that have really controlled their pastor by means of his right rear pocket. Is he getting a little bit too forceful? Give him a raise.

24:54 I know others who have tried to threaten the pastor into more work by cutting his salary. You know the old philosophy, the Lord will keep him humble, he'll keep him poor. This actually goes on in churches. Yes, it does.

25:07 You see, if he's a truly God-called teaching, ruling elder, or one who is not supported by his teaching, ruling ministry but puts in his tent-making hours, he still must be marked as a man who is liberated from the love of money as a means to attain things so that as the elder he might set the example of what it means to obey Matthew 6.33, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto him. So those then are the negative virtues that come under the general heading of blameless. Not one who lingers by his wine, no striker but gentle, not contentious, not fond of money, and now this is climaxed by this second great positive virtue and requirement that relates directly to the task of an elder. He must not only be apt to teach, but now in verses 4 to 5 we deal with the matter of his aptitude to rule and this must be a proven aptitude. Notice the wording in Timothy and then we shall read the passage, parallel passage in Titus

The Proven Aptitude to Rule One's Own House

26:29 and then seek to expound the passage word for word. 1 Timothy 2.3 I'm sorry, 1 Timothy 3, verses 4 and 5. Now it's interesting isn't it?

26:41 All the other virtues, and we've covered already 11 of them, were covered in two verses. Now this one is covered in the next two verses. Same amount of verses in almost the same number of words, a little bit shorter, to focus upon one where it's taken the same amount to cover 11 must be pretty important just in terms of the space and the size given to him. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. Now verse 5 gives the reason for this requirement. For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Titus says in Titus 1, or Paul says in Titus chapter 1, and verse 6, if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly. Now what do these words mean? I want to take them apart one by one. It says in verse 4 of 1 Timothy 3, he must

27:52 be one that ruleth his own house. Now the word rule means exactly what it says. It's the word rule. It's the word rule. It's the word rule. It's the word rule. It's the word rule. In Romans 12, 8, it's the same word where it says he that ruleth must rule with diligence. 1 Thessalonians 5, 12 applies it to the elders. Know them that have the rule over you. It's the same word used in chapter 5 and verse 17. The elders that rule well are worthy of double honor. It means to superintend, to govern, to direct. Therefore the elder must be a man who knows how to rule, to superintend, to govern how? Notice, to govern well. That

28:40 is, in a commendable, exemplary way. The word well means something better than just the normal. Paul says in Galatians 5, 7, ye did run well. Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? Same word used in 1 Timothy 5, 17. The elders that rule well. You know, in other words they simply don't rule, but there's a positive expression of good rule. Now the requirement is that the elder must rule well, that is, in a commendable way. It's not enough that there simply be the absence of scandal in the way he rules, it's not enough that you can simply say, well his kids aren't brats, and his wife isn't a rebel. But no, you must be able to say the way that the elders do, well, that you must rule, that is, in a commendable way.

29:30 he rules his house is a positive example for the entire flock to behold, and a living proof that he has gifts to rule in the assembly of God. Now, where must this rule extend? One that ruleth well, what? Well, his own house, that is, his household. That has nothing to do with brick and mortar, it's speaking of people. All who come under the sphere of his rule in that day, it would mean in general, the wife, servants, any transients who happen to come through. In our day, it would mean particularly wife and children. Now, I almost am reluctant to have to deal with this thing in so brief a way, but let me try to give you the heart of what I trust is the mind of the Spirit of God in this passage. The

30:31 elder is to be a man who is to be a man who is to be a man who is to be a man who is to be a man who is to be a man who is to be a man who is to be a man who is to be a man who rules well his own house. In general, we mentioned that must mean, first of all, his own wife. We read in Ephesians 5, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Granted, it's a rule of love, a rule of patience, but it is a rule nonetheless. Just as Christ's rule over the church is a gracious rule, it's a tender rule. It's a condescending rule. It's a considerate rule, but it never becomes anything less than a rule. And you can't bleed the concept of authority and government out of the word rule.

31:23 And though it's contrary to the thought patterns of our day, the Bible hasn't changed, and the requirement for every elder is that he be marked as a man who rules his own house. His wife knows. His children know. Everybody knows that he wears the pants, not only physically but in reality. That's what it's saying. That the governing decisions of that home, that the general direction and climate of that home are determined by the rule of that husband. And ideally, there's a wife so submissive to Christ and to the rule administered, through the word of Christ, by the husband that they move together. . . . . in every aspect, 방송 . . . . . . . . . in every aspect, asking Christ forneo and

32:10 expression of that rule. But God seems to allow certain things to arise where they may not see together just to test the husband's willingness to rule, even if his wife gets miffed, and to test the wife's willingness to submit, even when she thinks it ought to be otherwise. And it's at those points where the rule is really tested, where you don't see eye to eye who makes the decision. If the wife can pout and threaten and get her away, the husband doesn't rule. Just that simple. And this must be something that is marked in the relationship of the husband to wife. It would apply to any servants, any domestics. I don't know of anyone who's received such sizable wage increase in the past few months that has allowed you to have full-time domestics. But should that come, that would be included. You must rule the servants, so that if you have family devotions, when you

33:13 have relatives and friends, any transience. Borders who are, in that sense, living with you. You're not just giving them a room, but they're serving at your table. It's obvious that the order of that home is under the direction of the man. Now, in particular, there's one area of this rule that is enlarged upon. Notice, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection. With all, full of a elder in his home must be marked not only by his children, but by his children. By the submission of his wife and servants, but particularly by the subjection of the children to him as the head. Now, the word here means, again, just what it says. Having

34:03 his children in subjection. It means submission. It's the word used of Christ in Luke 2.51.

34:10 And I never saw this in this light until preparing for the message. It says of our Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God. With no indwelling bent to evil, that Jesus went down with Mary and Joseph and came to Nazareth and was subject unto them. And the thing that amazed me was Mary and Joseph didn't say, well, since you are the sinless Son of God, you don't need the rule of your parents.

34:43 Therefore, we'll let you do as you please, for you do always the things that please your father. No, sir. The sinless Son of God. The sinless Son of God submitted to people whom he created. Because that was God's order.

35:01 He subjected himself to them. And they exercised that authority over him. The negative form is used in Romans 8.7. The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God. It's just the opposite of that. The disposition of the rebel sinner is, I'm going to do as I please. The mark of a submissive child is, I'm going to do what pleases my father. Now, it says they will do this with all gravity. Now, what's that mean? Well, it can mean either a reference to the children or a reference to the parents. The word gravity means that which entitles to reverence or respect. And my own feeling is that the meaning of the verse is this. He has his children in subjection with all

35:52 gravity. They see in that man such qualities. That so command their respect that they submit to him even though they may not understand his requirements. Just as a believer submits to his Lord out of reverence for his grace and wisdom and his being, so in a little way the child submits out of respect for this father who exemplifies the graces and character of Christ.

36:28 In his life. Or it could refer to the children. They submit with all gravity. That is, they submit with an attitude that commends respect. But be that as it may, the word subject and submit is very clear. And this man has been able to bring his brood under the wing of his God-appointed room. Now, Titus adds a thought. And we want to look at it. I said we would jump over to Titus wherever a thought was added that throws light or amplifies the requirement of Timothy. Titus 1 and verse 6, if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, literally translated, having children that believe, not accused of riot or unruly. Now, we must determine, did Paul mean they must be professed believers? In the sense that we say he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, I don't believe this is his meaning, because the word believe is used in a very loose way in other places in Scripture. You notice in John chapter 2, it says, and it's the same word in the

37:48 original, verse 23, Now when he, Jesus, was in Jerusalem at the Passover, at the feast, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them. He did not commit himself unto them. He did not commit himself unto because he knew all men, and needed not that he should testify of man, for he knew what was in man.

38:05 In other words, their faith was something short of saving faith. This is used in James 2.19. Thou believest that God is one, the demons also believe, and they tremble.

38:16 You see, if this means saving faith in the mature way, then it limits the eldership only to those whose children have come of sufficient age to have consciously accepted or rejected the saving message, and who determines what that age is?

38:35 No, I believe his meaning is clear in the context. Notice, having children that believe not accused of riot or unruly. In other words, there is at least this external submission to the framework of divine truth that is not contradicted by these two things, riot or unruly. The word riot.

38:58 Riot refers to this attitude of absolute profligacy, an abandoned life. The prodigal, giving himself up to the lust of his flesh. Unruly means an uncontrolled life. It's the picture of the horse with the bit in his mouth and the reins flowing down by his side.

39:16 Now, any child, you see, of a believing parent, who has given himself over to profligacy, and has the bit in his mouth and is unruly, is obviously casting off the faith that is, that is, his father. So that what is required here, putting it in the context, or putting it in connection with 1 Timothy 3, is that the children evidence a respect for the Father's God, a respect for the Father's truth, and that he has sufficient control over those children that they are not rightly accused either of profligate, wicked, immoral living, or of rebellion to the authority of God and of his parents. Now, in the fifth verse, the Apostle gives us the reason for this requirement. Why should he make this requirement that if a man is married and if he has children, he must rule them well? He must have his children in subjection with all gravity. Here's his reasoning, verse 5.

The Rationale: Lesser to Greater Sphere of Rule

40:19 For if a man know not how, there's the key word, if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Here comes a young man, broad-shouldered, all muscled up, athletic-looking, and he says to me, he said, Mr. Martin, I'm trying to find my niche in life, and I think I can make it to the big leagues. And I say, well, have you played any baseball?

40:45 He says, yeah, I played baseball in high school. I played a little minor league ball. I say, well, how'd you do? He said, well, I do real good.

40:51 I can pull in a fly like crazy, and I can run the base pass. And I say, well, how do you do against pitching? And he kind of changes the subject, you know, and I bring it back around again. And I say, how do you do?

41:00 He says, well, how do you do against the pitching in high school? What was your batting average? He says, well, nothing too much to brag about. Well, what was your batting average?

41:08 Well, I like to talk about my fielding. I say, look, Buster, what's your batting average? And he says, well, it was .087.

41:16 Oh, for you who don't know anything about baseball, that's real bad, real bad. I say, well, you say you played a little bit minor league ball, class D ball. What was your batting average there? He said, well, not too good, .056.

41:30 And I say to him, my friend, if you can't hit push league pitchers, what makes you think you're going to hit major league pitchers? You see, I will argue from his inability to handle the lesser to his obvious inability to handle the greater. See, now that's what Paul is doing here. He's saying if you can't hit minor league pitching, you'll never make it in the big leagues.

41:53 That's what he's saying. For if a man does not know how, if he lacks either the theoretical knowledge or the proper knowledge, practical insights, or the moral fortitude of the house, how can he rule the house of God? That's obvious. How can he be a father to the larger family and oversee that family if he cannot rightly oversee the smaller family?

42:25 Now, in this knowing how, it involves those three things that I mentioned. The theoretical knowledge. A man's got to know what's involved in ruling the house. Setting up right standards.

42:36 Reasonable standards. Then sticking to them with reasonable tenacity. He's not only got to have the theoretical knowledge of how to rule the house. That's no small thing.

42:48 I'm amazed at how many parents never give any real mental sweat to the whole matter of how to be a good parent. They just think that because they're old enough to get married and have kids and the kids come along, just do what comes naturally and all of a sudden you're a good parent. Some of the hardest mental agony my wife and I go through is over this matter of what's it mean to be a good parent. Sweat!

43:08 Years, hours of talking together and sometimes with our children.

43:15 Now, if a man doesn't know how to gain the theoretical knowledge necessary for his brood of three or four, five, if he doesn't have the practical insight as to how to apply that knowledge, I'm amazed at how many psychologists and maiden ladies can run around the country giving lectures on how to raise a family.

43:37 I'm amazed. That all theoretical knowledge. Well, it's one thing to have it floating around up there. That's another.

43:43 It's another thing to get it down right here where you live. That's the second thing that requires. If a man doesn't know either the theoretical knowledge or how to apply it or if he doesn't know how in the sense of having the moral fortitude to stick it out,

43:59 I don't know how difficult that is. Hard to say no and know that your kid's going to call you a stinker for the next three weeks.

44:08 Run that risk. Run that risk. To know that maybe he's going around with a general pout. I think of my parents that I rise up to bless their name.

44:25 Imagine telling a high school senior he has to be in by 11 o'clock. All those stupid things. Brother, I was in. I gave you a hundred reasons why it was unreasonable and shouldn't be there.

44:36 But as long as that rule was there, I knew I'd better mind it or else.

44:40 Imagine telling a fellow who's a sophomore in high school he's got to scrub the floor Saturday before he can go to a football game and then let him shed enough tears that he could wash the floor with his tears but not let him go if he didn't scrub the floor. I have all the unreasonable things in the world. I ought to stick. Parents like that behind bars.

45:00 That's the philosophy of our day. And it's inundated the church. We've lost our biblical perspective. If a man doesn't know how in terms of theoretical knowledge, practical insight, and moral fortitude to rule his own house, Paul says, if he's bad at 057 in high school in the minor leagues, he's never going to make it in the big leagues.

Addressing Problems with the Household Rule Requirement

45:21 He argues from the lesser to the greater, from the smaller to the larger sphere, and says if he has not, proven his ability to rule here, what makes you think he'll demonstrate it here? Now, I foresee some problems. And I can just see them popping out of your heads in a hundred directions. What are some problems then with this requirement?

45:47 Indicating clearly that a man must rule well his own house if he's to qualify to be a ruling, teaching, or teaching ruling elder. Problem number one, what if a man isn't married or if he's married and has no children?

46:03 Well, some would like to take this passage. I'm not referring to any in our assembly. I was discussing this with some. I'm not referring to either of you two gentlemen with whom I've discussed this.

46:12 I'm saying some generally. And say, well, it's obvious. The bishop must be, and since it says that, if he's not married, and if he's married and doesn't have children, he can't be an elder. Now, if you can apply that kind of reasoning, let's apply it to another area.

46:26 Notice what it says in verse three. He must not linger by his wine, but it means he spends some time by his wine.

46:36 Conclusion? If you're a total abstainer, you can't be an elder. Because this verse said the bishop must be one who doesn't linger by his wine. But it says that you do spend some time by your wine.

46:49 So if this is a rule to be set up in a legalistic way, nobody can be an elder unless he's proven that he can be temperate with wine. Why, that's ridiculous. No, Paul is assuming that the average man who would be considered for the eldership in that day would not only be of sufficient age to be married and therefore deals in general with the married state, but he would be in the context of that society a man who drank wine as a commonplace activity of life and assuming it, he says, if that is so, he must not linger by his wine. He's nowhere saying that you must be a moderate drinker of wine to qualify.

47:27 He's simply saying if you drink wine, you must be moderate. And in the same way as I tried to point out last week, he is not saying that unless a man is married, he cannot be an elder, but assuming that he is married, he says it better be obvious to everybody there's only one woman in his heart and in his life. And assuming that most married people do have children, he assumes that this would be the most natural opportunity for him to prove his teaching, I mean, his ruling abilities.

47:58 Now, if an elder, a potential elder, can demonstrate in another sphere that he has ability to rule, if he has no wife and can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the assembly that they're putting over them a man who has ability to rule, I don't see that that's a violation of the requirement. The principle is he must be a proven ruler, a proven governor. I don't believe it means if a man is married and has no children, he's disqualified, but it does mean a church better have some indication from some sphere that he has ability to rule and govern in a lesser sphere, at least govern his wife well. And if he's a child, not foreman, or if he's a teacher, or if he's in some other sphere of responsibility, there is evidence that he has ability to rule. You see? There's the thing Paul is driving at, that you must not put an unproven ruler over you. And in most cases, the proof of that ability is seen, or the lack of it is seen, in the context of the home.

49:03 So, that's the way I would dispense of the first problem. I trust to the satisfaction of all of you. Second problem. What if there are children who are grown and have left the coop, left the house, and they are not believers?

49:18 They are now accused of riot or unruly. Does this apply when it says having children in subjection? Does that mean in subjection till the day they go into an old folks' home? Or does that mean children in subjection while they're under your roof?

49:35 Well, I believe it means both. Here's the principle now. Follow it. Some people were saved later in life before they ever had any regard for scriptural patterns for rule.

49:48 And maybe the children were all out of the home. So that since being converted, they have cultivated some ability to rule, maybe brought their wives in line with the scriptural teaching and principles. And in other areas have proven their ability to rule. Those unruly children out there who were never under the roof since he was converted, are no proof or lack of proof is his ability to rule.

50:13 They're simply a living witness of the fruits of his sinful days. But, now follow me. If those children were under his roof while he was a professing believer and professed to be governed by the word of God, and if their present condition is a continuous witness of his inability to rule within the home, therefore, the state of those children out there now does disqualify him. You see?

50:38 If you follow my line of reasoning now, what does the unruly state of the children indicate? Does it indicate simply that God called him later in life? Or does it indicate that he had no ability to rule? And you as a congregation would have to determine that.

50:52 The individual aspiring to the office of an elder would have to determine that. And I would not dare to make pronouncement in any case as to where the lines were drawn. But you as a people must determine in your own minds before God and you who would aspire to this office is the state of my children now a witness to my failure to rule? If so, I've not proven my ability.

51:18 Or it could be that their state now is not an indication of this. Third problem, what if the home is divided with an unsaved wife that makes hospitality impossible, that makes rule impossible?

51:39 And I wish, beloved, I had an answer for that and I don't. I frankly don't know. I've asked God for light. I've studied the passages.

51:47 I don't know. My own feeling is it would be the part of wisdom that wherever possible where there's doubt,

51:58 steer clear of it. But I would not arbitrate and say that this might never in any case not be the will of God. I don't know. It's a problem.

52:08 I wish I had the answer. I can't legislate. I don't have the answer. So I see those three problems but I don't think they're unresolvable.

Not a Novice and Having a Good Report from Outsiders

52:16 If a man is not married or married and has no children, I hope we've answered that sufficiently. What if the children are grown and away from the home and not believers? And then the last two requirements are very simply stated. Not a novice.

52:29 He must not only have gifts to teach, evidence, ability to rule, but he must have sufficient experience to wisely oversee. Not a novice. Not a newcomer to the faith. For there will be not only the inability to rule and govern properly, but it says he runs the danger of being, puffed up with pride and falling to the condemnation of the devil.

52:54 First Timothy, Paul says to Timothy, chapter 5, lay hands suddenly upon no man. And then he says that last requirement is concerning those without. Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. He must have a good report amongst those whom he works.

53:18 What will happen if on Monday morning you go into the place of employment of a certain person and say, hey, do you know what happened at our church last Sunday night? What? The church chose so-and-so to be an elder. Who?

53:32 Well, so-and-so. You know, a fine Christian man, Mr. So-and-so. He says, fine Christian man?

53:39 He can take material out of the shop just like the rest of us. He blows his stack like the rest of us. He can laugh at a dirty joke like the rest of us. So-and-so an elder?

53:50 Some church you must run. That's what he's saying. A good report of those that are without in the place of employment. What about the neighbors?

53:58 If we should choose those to be office bearers, elders, and bishops, suppose the next day we were to go to the neighbors of each one and say, hey, do you know what happened at the Trinity Church last night? What? Mr. So-and-so was elected to be an elder.

54:11 Be an elder? What's his responsibility? Well, to be a spiritual overseer. A spiritual overseer?

54:17 You better get somebody to oversee him. I hear it. Summer days and the windows up. Hollering and shouting at his kids.

54:26 Go down to the neighbor's store. Tell him, huh, that guy? Never pays his bill. He runs up a bill.

54:34 Now you carry it on. But see, in the realm of work associates, neighbors, relatives, even though they may not want our God and may hate our God, they must be forced to confess that man lives when he preaches. I don't like when he preaches and I don't like the way he lives because it shows me up. But for one thing, I've got to admit, his lips match his life.

54:55 As Bunyan so quaintly says, in Pilgrim's Progress, the old Puritans saw analogies. There's a difference between a type and an analogy where the clean animal had to do two things. It had to split the hoof and what was the other?

55:12 Chew to cut. That's right. So he said, now the true Christian must not only talk right, that's the cut, but he must walk right. See?

55:21 There's the evidence of the cleanness in the throat and in the foot and in that beautiful way. So that's the problem with talkative. Talkative have a good way but he didn't split the hoof. You see, he could talk up a good storm but he says his religion is not set up in his heart, his home and in his conversation.

Ensuring a Good Report and Concluding Thoughts

55:39 So he must have a good report. In the light of this, I actually wonder, folks, and I throw it out for you to think about and pray about. Should we also make it a requirement that not only when someone's name is put in nomination for the office of an elder or a deacon that we discuss freely those requirements as discerned by the church but I wonder if we ought not to send an impartial committee to the place of such a person's employment and to his neighbors. How can you tell if they have a good report from those that are without unless you do some checking?

56:11 I don't know. I'm throwing it out for you. I'm not, again, legislating. I'm not thinking.

56:15 How can you tell? How do I know what kind of report my son's got at school? I get a report card. Somebody checks up on it and sends me the report.

56:24 If not in reality, beloved, we must, if we are to see that this requirement is met, we must be careful to discern those whose report is good not only within the church but without. Oh, that God may grant us such office bearers in this assembly. May God make me such an office bearer so that the cause of truth and of Christ may not be reproached and might be advanced by the power of truth embodied in blameless lives. Now, is this idealism to expect that God will give us that kind of office bearers?

57:00 Yes, it is. It's biblical idealism. By the grace of God it can become realism within the Trinity Church if you as God's people, if I as a servant of God are willing to simply mind the Lord and do what he says. Well, I hoped I'd aimed to be done by quarter after.

57:20 Maybe some of you feel you want to move right on. Maybe I better just close in prayer and then any who feel they must leave right away and want to leave may do so and then we'll just wait a moment and we'll be back. And then say we'll quit right at quarter of have some questions and answers. Will that be all right?

57:39 I trust it will be. Because you may have questions and answers because I want to move in next week, God willing, to what is required of a congregation to its elders. That'll be next Sunday morning. And then the Lord willing Sunday night the office of a deacon, its functions, the requirements, and that we can cover quite quickly.

57:58 Well, let's pray, shall we?