How to Live in God’s House, Part 4
In our message, THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH (1 Tim. 3:1-16), we continued to look at the book of First Timothy, which focuses on the structure God wants His “house,” the church to have (1 Timothy 3:13, etc.). After speaking of the roles of men and women in the church (1 Tim. 2:8-15), the Lord then explained qualifications He wants to see in church leadership…
The term “bishops” (Grk. epískopos, e.g. Act 20:28), “elders” (Grk presbýteros, e.g. Acts 20:17), and “pastors” (Grk poimḗn, e.g. Eph. 3:11) are used interchangeably in the New Testament to describe the SAME OFFICE (1 Tim. 3:1; Titus 1:5, etc.). In the first century, Jesus had the apostles establish “elders [plural] in every city” (that is, in every church) to oversee and manage the affairs of each local body of believers (Titus 1:5, 9; Acts 11:30; James 5:14-15; 1 Pet. 5:1-4; 1 Tim. 5:17-25; Phil. 1:1; Heb. 13:17; 1 Thes. 5:12-13, etc.). These men were gifted to serve in this way by God (Eph. 4:11), and the Bible says they are also put there by the Holy Spirit (i.e. God) in each church (Eph. 20:17, 28). “There is absolutely no biblical evidence that a single overseer presided over an individual house church” -Alexander Strauch. Churches should seek to follow this biblical design from the Lord today in their church government.
The requirements for the office of elder are very high by the Lord (James 3:1, etc.), and listed in the pastoral epistles to include 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Elders are to be Christian men whom God has laid this desire to serve in that capacity upon their hearts (1 Tim. 3:1). And they are to be thoroughly tested, like candidates for the office of deacon are (1 Tim. 3:10; 5:22) as well as “blameless” (1 Tim. 3:2). When the Bible says they “must be blameless,” it does not mean sinless (since no man is sinless- except Christ), but they are to be mature with consistent Christian conduct that gives no reason for anyone to accuse them of anything (1 Tim. 3:2; 1 John 1:9, etc.). Elders also “must be… the husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2). The Greek here precludes the possibility of women holding this office and is consistent with all of chapter 2 that spoke to this order and design established by God from creation (e.g. 1 Tim. 2:12-14, etc.). The Lord does not say ‘the partner or male of one spouse.’ He says an overseer, pastor, elder in His church “MUST BE… the husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2, caps my emphasis). This means not only must the Christian man be a man as well as not be a polygamist, but also he “must not be divorced and remarried” -Dr. Warren Wiersbe. The second and third century church even prohibited a widower from serving as an elder because (they argued) remaining single provided a better example for the church of what it means to be Spirit-controlled and totally depended on God’s grace. [Note: 1 Tim. 3:2, like 1 Tim. 2:15 speaks to the normal scenario from creation where men and women typically marry and have children (Gen. 1:27-28), so a person bestowed with the gift of celibacy by the Lord for His kingdom (1 Cor. 7:7) is not excluded by Him from holding that office and can, in fact, serve God in special ways other married elders may not be able to (1 Cor. 7:8-9; Matt. 19:11-12, etc.).]
The additional qualifications of an elder seem to agree with the second and third century church’s view as a pastor must also be “temperate, [and] sober-minded” speaking of a person who is self-controlled or self-possessed (1 Tim. 3:2; Gal. 5:23b; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 5:18; Luke 9:23, etc.). Elders should be “of good behavior” (AKA organized in their lives and with God’s Word as they teach and preach the Bible… BTW this is the same word ‘modest’ used of the ladies in 1 Tim. 2:9) and “hospitable” (e.g. sharing time, resources in love as led of the Spirit with others- 1 Tim 3:2b). The “self-control” of elders (Gal. 5:22b; Eph. 5:18, etc.) is to extend to their bodily appetites (i.e. “not given to wine,” “not greedy for money,” not “covetous”) and their emotions (i.e. “not violent [or] quarrelsome” but “gentle”, 1 Tim. 3:3). And they must rule their house well (1 Tim. 3:4-5) and not be new to the faith (i.e. “a novice,” 1 Tim. 3:6) as well as have an honest reputation with those who look on from outside the church (1 Tim. 3:7). Deacons, a second office in the church in the first century, are also held to a very similar standard by the Lord (1 Tim. 3:8-13; Phil. 1:1, etc.).
The church is “THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH” and as such we alone have and can declare “the mystery of godliness” to the onlooking world:
“God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.” (1 Tim. 3:15-16).
*For more information on the importance of church leaders, their roles in the church as well as in our local church at Springhill, please see the July 20, 2025 service above.