March 17th

I Timothy 3 – 4

Everything rises or falls with leadership, whether it be a family or a local church.  The Holy Spirit imparts gifts to believers for ministry in the local church and among those gifts are pastors and teachers.  Eph. 4:11  As we noted last week, the church is an organism but it must be organized of it will die.  Leadership is a part of spiritual organization. 

In this section, Paul described the bishop, the deacon and the church itself. 

1.     The Pastor v. 1-7 bishop, pastor and elder are synonymous.  Bishop means overseer and the elders had the responsibility of overseeing the work of the church.  Elder in Greek means “an old man.” Elders and bishops – two names for the same office – were mature people with spiritual wisdom and experience.  Pastor means shepherd, one who leads and cares for the flock of God. Bishop had to be qualified.  Christian character and meet these requirements:  v. 2 Blameless …nothing in his life that Satan or the unsaved can take hold of to criticize or attack the church.

Husband of one wife means that a man must not be divorced and remarried.  It is clear that a man’s ability to manage his own marriage and home indicate ability to oversee a local church.  Vigilant temperate or sober.  “keep your head in all things” sober a serious attitude and be in earnest about his work.  Suggests that he knows the value of things and does not cheapen the ministry or the Gospel by foolish behavior.  Of good behavior  Orderly would be a good translation.  Organized in his thinking, living, teaching and preaching.  Given to hospitality Loving the stranger.   Apt to teach – main ministry.  A pastor must be a careful student of the Word.  A pastor who is lazy in his study is a disgrace in the pulpit.  V. 3 Not given to wine  Wine was watered down…water unsafe.  There is a vast difference between the cultural use of wine in Bible days and supporting the alcohol industry of today.  A Godly pastor would certainly want to be the best example and not be an excuse for sin in the life of some weaker brother.  No striker “not contentious, not looking for a fight.”  Not greedy of filthy lucre.  The ministry is an easy way to make money, if a man has no conscience or integrity.  Patient “Gentle”…pastor must listen to take criticism without reacting.   Not a brawler Peacemakers and not troublemakers.  Not to compromise their convictions, but they must disagree without being disagreeable.  Short tempers do not make for long ministries.   Not covetous You can covet other things besides money but this work centers mainly on money.  V. 4 -5 A Godly family  The pastor cannot be one thing at home and another at church.  “to preside over, to govern, and suggests that he                    directs the business of the church.  V. 6 Not a novice – one newly planted.  Needs time for study and growth before he accepts a church.  V. 7 A good testimony outside the church pay bills? Unsaved people give a good reputation? 

 

2.   The Deacon v.8-13 word means servant.  Their qualifications

v. 8 Grave – worthy of respect..one whose character is worth imitating.  Not double-tongued – does not gossip…you can depend upon what he says.  Not given to much wine.  Not greedy of filthy lucre.  V. 9 Doctrinally sound…the word mystery means truth once hidden but now revealed by God.  Deacons must know and understand doctrine and obey it with a good conscience.  They must base their decisions on the Word and they must back up their decisions with Godly lives.  V. 10 Tested and proved “An untested Christian is an unprepared Christian.  V. 11-12 Godly homes   The reference here does not state WIVES but women.  It could be speaking of the qualities of ALL the women in the church/ the helpers-servers, but is not describing deaconesses.  v. 13 A willingness to work   It is a serious matter to serve the local church.  Each of us must search his own heart to be certain that he is qualified by the grace of God.

 

3.    The Believers v. 14-16  v.15 The house of God “household” …to be treated as members of the family.  must be fed, discipline in love, encouragement and example.  Spiritual leaders must have the gentleness of a nursing mother and the strength of a loving father.  The assembly … Church officers must not become religious dictators who abuse the people in order to achieve their own selfish ends.  The pillar and ground of the truth … the local church puts Jesus Christ on display in the lives of faithful members.  The church protects the truth and makes sure it does not fall. 

HOW TO BE A MAN OF GOD  Chapter 4

Paul emphasizes three qualities that a minister must possess if he is to be successful in serving God.  1.  A good minister, preaching the Word v. 1-6  The false teachers were energized by Satan (demons mentioned) …Paul warns that false teachers would arise from within the church Acts. 20:30; They lead people astray “a willful turning away from the truth of the Christian faith.”  A true church seeks to win converts to Jesus and to build them spiritually; conversely, a cult proselytizes, steals converts from others, and makes them servants of the leaders of the cult.  However, not all apostates are in cults; some of them are in churches and pulpits, teaching false doctrine and leading people astray.  They are hypocrites v. 2 teach one thing and practice another.  Tell others what to do but they don’t do it. 

One of the marks of the true servant of God is his honesty and integrity…he practices what he preaches.  Maintains a clean, good conscience. 

An apostate is not just wrong doctrinally, he is wrong morally.  His personal life became wrong before his doctrines were changes.  Believing and behaving always go together.

They deny God’s Word v. 3 – 5 Beware of any religious teaching that tampers with God’s institution of marriage.  And beware of any teaching that tampers with God’s creation. 

Paul reminded young Timothy of his great responsibility to study, teach, and preach the Scriptures, and to spend time in prayer.  Timothy had certain responsibilities in the light of this growing apostasy:

TEACH THE CHURCH THE TRUTH v. 6  God’s people need to be warned about false doctrine and religious apostasy.  A minster should teach all the counsel of God.  But not ignore these two.  A pastor must teach positive doctrine so that people will know what they believe and where they are going.  But he must also expose false doctrine so that people will not be seduced and led astray.

NOURISH HIMSELF IN THE WORD  Every Christian ought to feed daily on the Word, but it is especially important that a pastor grow in the Word.  The good minister preaches the Word that he himself feeds on day by day.  But it is not enough to preach the Word, he must also practice it. 

A GODLY MINISTER, PRACTICING THE WORD v. 7 – 12

Athletic illustration…”spiritual exercise”. 

3 levels of life:  The bad – “profane and old wives’ fables V. 7  A believer cannot rediscover new doctrines.  Paul said “the good doctrine which you have closely followed up to now.  He warned not to “give heed to fables and endless genealogies.”  QUOTE:  A chemist must handle poisons, but he must not permit them to get into his system.

The temporary – bodily exercise v. 7-8 Care for our bodies, exercise…we are God’s temples, to be used for His glory.  Benefits us only during this life; Godly exercise is profitable now and for eternity.  Paul is not telling Timothy to choose between the two but to practice both.  A healthy body can be used of God, but we must major on holiness.

The eternal – Godliness v. 7-12  Paul challenged Timothy to be as devoted to Godliness as an athlete is to his sport.  We are living and laboring for eternity.  Spiritual exercise is not easy; we must labor and suffer reproach.  A Christian who wants to excel must really work at it, by the grace of God and to the glory of God.  Not only do we profit but others profit as well…good examples.  In word, in conduct, in love, in Spirit, in faith, in purity…Godly living does not only help us and other believer, it also has its influence on the lost.  

The local church is a unit in God’s spiritual army, and its leaders are to pass God’s orders along to the people with authority and conviction.

A GROWING MINISTER, PROGRESSING IN THE WORD  V. 13- 16

A pioneer…clearing the land…removing obstacles.  As a Godly pastor, Timothy was to grow spiritually so that the whole church could see his spiritual progress and imitate.  No pastor can lead his people where he has not been himself.  In his living, teaching, preaching, and leading, the minister must give evidence of spiritual growth. 

SPIRITUAL PROGRESS IS POSSIBLE:

Emphasize God’s Word v. 13 Public reading of the Word is important!!!  The pastor was to read the Word, explain it and apply it.  Doctrine means teaching and is a major emphasis in the pastoral letters.  A growing minister of church member must be a student of the Word.  Before he teaches others he must teach himself.  His spiritual progress is an example to his flock and an encouragement to others. 

Use your spiritual gifts v. 14  It is encouraging to know that the God Who calls us also equips us to do His work.  We have nothing in ourselves that enables us to serve Him, the ministry must ALL come from God.  However, we must not be passive, we must cultivate God’s gifts, use them, and develop them in the ministry of the local church and wherever God puts us.

Devote yourself fully to Christ v. 15  Too many distractions prevents the minister from his main business.  Paul said, This one thing I do. 

Take spiritual inventory v. 16  Examine your own heart in the light of the Word.  A servant of God can be so busy helping others that he neglects himself and his own spiritual walk.  Moral problems, divorces, and other kinds of shameful conduct have destroyed many of God’s servants.  “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

The building up of the saved and the winning of the lost are the purposes for our ministry, to the glory of God.  But God must work IN us before He can effectively work THROUGH US .  As a Godly minister…practice the Word, as growing ministers, progress in the Word.