Further Qualifications of Elders

Transcript

GR 2284
03/08/2020
Further Qualifications of Elders
Titus 1:6-10
Gil Rugh


We're going to Titus 1 in your Bibles. There is much going on in the world these days and now we have a virus these days that is upsetting the world and causing concern and fear. There is always turmoil of one kind or another within the nations and within our own nation. And I was thinking as I was working on Titus this week, reflecting, where God directs our attention is to what we are to be and to do as His people. We have to be careful we don't get so caught up in all the confusion and turmoil of the world we fail to appreciate what God has planned and appointed for us. And the most important thing is we as God's people, as God's church, function as He has instructed us. And that enables us to have a life of tranquility and inner peace in the midst of turmoil. It enables us to share the message that can bring life and hope and peace to the hearts of a world that is in turmoil, that is uncertain, that is unsecure for those who don't know the God who rules over all.

What God is doing in the book of Titus is instructing a young man that has worked with Paul on what would be necessary for the churches on the island of Crete to function as God intends for them to function, in the midst of that uncertain and unsure world, a world that could be difficult, a world that had pressures Those pressures were affecting the churches at Crete, yet it is important that the church functions as God intends it to function. It is His family, it is the pillar and support of the truth, it is the only stability in an unsettled world, a world that is in rebellion against God, that is experiencing the judgment of God, a world that lives in ignorance and darkness. Yet the church is established to be a light in the darkness and to give forth the message of life.

That is what is happening in the book of Titus. Paul has been on Crete with Titus but we're not told why Paul felt it necessary to move on. But there are organizational things and things that need to be adjusted and corrected so that the churches will be all that God intends them to be as His family in that place. That's what is going on in Titus 1. Verse 5 told us, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city.” It's interesting and important for us to grasp that God intends there to be organization in His creation and right now He is functioning on the organization of His people in local churches. And key to that is appointing the leadership for those local churches, to have oversight, to give care and protections, as we will see as we develop further.

So elders are to be appointed. Paul wrote the same thing to Timothy in 1 and 2 Timothy, particularly in 1 Timothy. Timothy had been left at Ephesus, the church there, to help organize and correct things. And elders and deacons were to be appointed at Ephesus because there were things that needed to be set in order that would require godly leadership. It was Paul's pattern, and we looked at Act 14. On his first missionary journey he went through and preached the gospel and established churches, and on the return he visited those churches and appointed elders in every church. This is just not organizational things, it has to be done God's way. As we are going to see, we are stewards of God, we are entrusted with responsibility and we must be faithful to that responsibility.

So Titus is to appoint elders in every city. There were a variety of cities on Crete at this time and I take it churches were established in various cities. And then he gives the basic qualifications of an elder. We noted that's the same as an overseer or a pastor, words used interchangeably, but give a little different perspective on the responsibility. “If any man is above reproach,” and that's the basic overarching qualification, above reproach. He'll repeat it in verse 7, “for the overseer must be above reproach.” What he is doing is giving some of the details of what it means to be above reproach, things that cannot be brought out against a person, charges that cannot be made against him. And we're not talking about false charges, slanderous accusations that can always be floated, but we're really talking about an elder must be a person of godly character. And that character must have been demonstrated over some period of time. Now for newer churches there will be lesser time, particularly started in new areas. But these are the basic qualifications. There is a balance, these are godly men, and only men are appointed to the position of elder, overseer, or pastor. That has been adjusted in the thinking of these days, even in evangelical circles. But the Bible hasn't changed on the subject, and we don't change the scripture to fit the mood of the day. We accept the scripture as authoritative in every day, in every culture.

So these are men who are appointed who are of godly character. It doesn't mean every man of godly character is to be an elder, but it does mean everyone who is going to be an elder has to be of godly character. And something of the details of this are set out. We've looked at the beginning of these, in verse 6, “If any man is above reproach.” What does that mean? He is a one-woman man. We have it translated the husband of one wife. And we looked at several of the possible views of this, there are five, I concentrated on the first four. And some of you asked what then is the right view? It's number five. Some hold it means you must be married. I don't think that's the point. That he can't practice polygamy. In spite of some commentaries that say polygamy was a common practice, it was not in this period of time in the Roman Empire. Now having mistresses was rather common, but polygamy, the Romans had some rather strict laws on marriage. But I don't think it is talking about not practicing polygamy because the similar expression is used of a widow who is to be enrolled in 1 Timothy 5. She is to be a one-man woman. And no one thinks that there was the practice of polyandry or multiple husbands and one wife. I don't think that's the view. Cannot be a remarried widower, we looked at why I don't think that holds, no reason a widow or widower couldn't remarry. Cannot be divorced, I don't think that is in view either, there are biblical allowances for divorce. And let me say as we stress there, I don't think these are lifetime qualifications. I was a little concerned as several commentators, including one written by a professor I had when I was studying in seminary that I have great respect for, but he along with others holds that these are lifetime, this is a lifetime qualification. I don't think any of these are lifetime qualifications. I think as we work through these, these have to be demonstrated as the character of a man who is a believer in Jesus Christ and has manifested godly character for a reasonable period of time in his walk with the Lord. So I don't think any of these is, including this one.

Basically number five I think is just what it says, demonstrated faithfulness to his wife. Or if he is not married he couldn't have been a man who was noted for running around with multiple women. Now again I take it this is a qualification as a believer for a reasonable period of time. I don't think anybody qualifies for these qualifications and I see no reason to make some a lifetime qualification and others just shorter. And if you are going to make them all lifetime qualifications, nobody would meet because none of us have lived a godly life all our lives. And it has to allow for growth and development as believers, because there are failures in believers' lives. I read you one commentator who said David and Solomon would not qualify as spiritual leaders because of their failures, but I don't find that supported by scripture. I think we are talking about men who have demonstrated godly character as believers for a reasonable period of time. And what is a reasonable period of time? That might vary with congregations. For example, in Acts 14 when Paul appointed elders in the churches he had just established as he traveled out on that missionary journey, on his way back he appointed elders. There wouldn't have been men who had been believers and walked faithfully with the Lord for 25 years so obviously a younger church. There will be perhaps men who have been believers a shorter time but manifested godly character in that time.

But these qualifications, by the same token we don't want to lower them. I find two extremes. Some keep stressing how high these qualifications are, and we have to keep them very high, and we have to keep them biblical. Sometimes they set them so high you think these are the holiest of holy men. But I look at some of these qualifications we are going to see, and they are rather basic. Don't beat anybody up with your fists, well, that's a pretty low qualification. Don't get drunk, that's pretty low. So you'll see, I think there is a balance. We went through a period of time as a church in our past history where we had a hard time getting men to be considered as elders because they thought, I don't qualify. Well, they were the most godly men we could find in the congregation but they didn't see themselves that way. There is a balance to be held.

He is a one-woman man. He has children, I take it, who are faithful, I don't think believe. Come back to Ezekiel 18, we looked at this but I just want it to be in your mind, the prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament. And God is pretty strong on this. I say this because when you say that an elder must have children who believe, you put it out of his control and yet he is responsible for it. There are some men who read, an elder has to have led his children to the Lord, if he can't lead his own children to the Lord how could he ever lead other people to the Lord. That's not a valid comparison, in fact God rebukes Israel for having that kind of thinking.

Look at Ezekiel 18, “The word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel?’ ” I mean, God calls them on the carpet. What do you mean using this proverb? “The fathers eat the sour grapes but the children's teeth are set on edge.” That proverb means what? The father eats sour grapes, the children's teeth are set on edge, the children are blamed for the father's sin, the reason I am being punished is for my father's sin. See what God says. “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.” Why? It's a denial of individual responsibility. Look at verse 4, “Behold, all souls are Mine, the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine. The soul that sins will die.” The father is not responsible for the actions of the son, the son is not responsible for the actions of the father, and that's what he does down through.

Come down to verse 20, “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” So you can read the whole chapter, we won't take time for that, but that's the point. So to say I am responsible for whether my children are saved or not is not so. I am responsible for my decision. Now I am responsible for their conduct as they are growing up and for their behavior while they are in my home. When they move out of that, they are responsible for what they do and what they do not do.

When I was moving out of our home, the night before I got married, my father sat me down with a series of instructions and one of them was, I am not going to take blame for anything you do from this point on. I'm not going to be responsible and you are not going to blame me for what you do. It will be your decision, regardless of how you feel, how you've been raised in this home, you are responsible for your decisions from this point on. And he was right.

That's what God is saying. So if my children are not believers, I've raised them, I've kept them under control, there is a responsibility there. If you don't have your children under control as they live in your home, then you can't be an elder. And it's the mark of a godly person. Children can be controlled, they must be controlled. But when they become adults, they are independent. There are a lot of times I wanted to blame my father, but I couldn't because it was my decision. Yes, but if he had raised you differently. Well, you realize if he had raised you differently you would be different, so function differently, do what you are supposed to do. That's Ezekiel 18.

Come back. You have to have children who are faithful, the word can be translated faithful or believe. I think faithful is more… While they are in the home, as 1 Timothy 3 says, then they must be under your control, that may take persistent, systematic discipline. I am responsible for the order of my home while my children are in my home. As I got to be an older teenager, I was living at home, my dad reminded me of two things. We used to arm wrestle, he says, I just want to tell you the first time you beat me you have to move out. Then he also reminded me when I would get frustrated with rules that he set, he said you are free to move out and live on your own. That's the decision, you will either do what you are supposed to do in this home or you can move out and live on your own, period. But he's talking about children who are faithful, who obey, who are under control. If you don't know about that, read the book of Proverbs, learn how to discipline. Fathers, your responsibility.

Children who are faithful, “not accused of dissipation or rebellion.” Now most of the commentators, and I have held this, take it this is referring to the children. They are not to be accused of dissipation or rebellion. But more recently I have read a commentary that I have appreciated very much, and he has a different view and I want to mention that because he is the only one I've found with the view, but I have great respect for him. It happened to be William Mounce, he has what I believe is the most helpful commentary on the pastoral epistles. He has written some Greek grammars and some of you have studied those who have taken the Greek classes. He says, really, this is referring to the elder. So what he is saying is the elders are to be above reproach. That means they are to be a one-woman man, they have their children functioning as they should, they are not accused of dissipation or rebellion; their life is in order. So he takes it as referring to the elder. I've gone through many commentaries, he's the only one I have found who holds that, so I want to present it to you tentatively. But I think it makes sense, that he is really talking about the elder. Now if it talks about the kids, that would fit with 1 Timothy 3, they have to be in order. But this word, not accused of dissipation or rebellion seems to me to be an overall summary of the negative things he is going to start out with when he comes to verse 7. “For the overseer must be above reproach.” So he is really focusing on the overseer, and he is not a man who could be accused in any way of a life that is disordered, unruly, improper. Now he'll go into more detail here. So I think verse 6 gives you basic qualifications of the elder and his home life and in his personal life. He is not a man who is out and around and about, doing things he shouldn't do, not living an orderly… That would be part of the overall view, things that would not be above reproach, he can't be accused of dissipation or rebellion. The same word accused used over in 1 Timothy 5 where you don't bring an accusation against an elder except with two or three witnesses. So he can't be accused, be what it means to be above reproach, nothing can be charged against you, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.

We say, those seem like givens. Nothing is given, this was a rough world. We think our world is difficult, some parts of our world would be more difficult, but the life in those days, certain things were acceptable that could not be acceptable in the church. We're finding more and more of that in our day. So can't be accused of dissipation or rebellion. So I would think a better view of that, you can take it under consideration, is he is talking about the elders.

“For the overseer,” now he is talking about elders here because he called them elders, “appoint elders” in verse 5. Now he says “the overseer must be above reproach,” that's what he said about the elders, that's why we say these words are used interchangeably. An elder has to do with the dignity of the position, the respect due to the position, doesn't necessarily mean an older man in age, but generally that would be true. The leaders in Israel were appointed from the elders of Israel. Age does bring some maturity, not only physically but should bring it spiritually, some weathering with life's experiences, Some of the challenges I've had as a pastor, now getting older, is sitting and having young men lecture me on what I ought to do and how I ought to function, and I'm amazed at how smart they got in so few years. And we all went through that as we were growing up, and then we joke about how we are surprised how much our parents learned when we got older, and we just realized. So there is something to be said, we want men who have some life experience, have those rough edges smoothed off. But an elder is a person of dignity and respect. An overseer denotes his responsibility, he has responsibility for the oversight of the congregation, that means he is going to be a leader there. As well then as the word pastor as we have talked about.

“Must be above reproach,” that's the general qualification. It means to, 1 Timothy 3 says, including unbelievers. In other words if he has a terrible reputation at work as being someone lazy, undependable, even though they are unbelievers there, that reputation is poor, it would hinder him from being an elder.

He “must be above reproach as God's steward,” talking about the individual here. An important statement, we are God's steward. Understand the order here, this is divine appointment. We looked in Acts 20 in our previous study, the elders of the church at Ephesus are instructed about their responsibility over the church, over which God has appointed you. So what we seek, when we look for men, is not every qualified man because we have many, we are blessed as a church with godly men, but those men that God has appointed for this time to serve as elders. Similar when Moses was seeking help, God told him to select 70 men from among the elders to serve as the governing elders over the other elders, along with Moses. So here he is God's steward.

I want to look just at a few references of this word translated “steward.” It mean someone who has administrative responsibilities. Sometimes we see some emphasis on, it's a compound word, house law, it is someone who maybe had the responsibility for administering a house. In those days a wealthy person could have a house steward and he was responsible for managing the house, household affairs.

Come back to 1 Corinthians 4. Paul says in verse 1, “Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” There is our word, someone who is responsible for the care and the giving out and the faithful ministry of God's word. We are “stewards of the mysteries of God,” truth from God has been committed to us Paul says and now I am responsible with that truth to give it out. Not to change it, not to alter it, but to be faithful with it, so verse 2, “In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful.” That's key, the prime responsibility is to God, and that's where he goes. Verse 3 he says, “it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court, (ultimately) I don't even examine myself.” That doesn't mean that he doesn't become aware if he does the wrong thing. I don't know of anything that I am doing that is wrong, but that doesn't mean I am okay, because God has to do the final evaluation. My evaluation isn't the final, God's will be. “The one who examines me is the Lord.” So we need to be very careful about examining someone else's steward. We are God's stewards, elders have to recognize this, it's not a popularity contest. This is the failure of church governments that are congregational, and I was part of that for a number of years, married in such a church and there were many positive things. But congregational government, not everybody can carry our the responsibility that God has appointed to the stewards, those who have the administrative oversight. And to reject that leadership is to reject the leadership of God. Just like husband and wife, the wife is to submit to her husband as to the Lord and when you rebel against the husband's leadership, you rebel against the Lord.

The principle is so simple, but it's amazing we seem that we justify ourselves if we're not. You have to be faithful, keep this in mind, because it applies to everyone of us because we are all stewards, not with the same responsibility. Paul says here his prime responsibility as an apostle was to receive revelation from God. Ephesians 3, the mysteries that had not before been revealed have been revealed to me, Paul said, now I have a stewardship to administer that, to give it out faithfully. And elders have to remember their first accountability is to God. It doesn't matter. They don't say what will the people think if we do this? We maybe think how do we bring the people along to understand what the Scripture requires, but we can't decide we'll do what the people want when we know it is not biblical. So as those entrusted with the Word of God, we don't receive it directly but now indirectly as we have it through Paul and others, we have the scripture. As we will see as we move further along, the prime responsibility of the elders is to sort things out and make sure the church stays on track, that's a stewardship entrusted to them. Paul emphasizes that in Acts 20, he is going to emphasize it shortly in Titus 1.

Look at another reference, come to 1 Corinthians 9. Paul said he has been entrusted with the gospel. We've been studying Romans and you see him unfolding the details of the gospel, it has to be accurate, it has to be correct, because a stewardship was entrusted to him. He says in verse 16, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I don't preach the gospel,” I would fail in my stewardship, I would be disqualified, as he says later in 1 Corinthians 9. Verse 17, “If I do this voluntarily, I have a reward,” I willingly, readily am about doing what God has entrusted me to do. “But if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me,” I have no choice. This is a responsibility placed upon me by God, I can do no other, I do it when I feel like it, I do it when I don't feel like it, I have no choice. Paul didn't pick this for himself, God appointed it for Paul, that's what a stewardship is.

There are other references but come over to 1 Peter 4, we'll just take one more, because this broadens it out to everyone of us, 1 Peter 4, and we're going to see some of this. In verse 9 you have “Be hospitable to one another without complaint,” we refer to this passage because he is going to talk about a qualification of an elder being hospitable. But we're here for verse 10, “As each one has received a special gift,” and each one has, there is no such thing as an ungifted believer. Every believer has been gifted by God so that he can function as an effective part of the body of Christ. So this local church has a number of people, but every single one has a special part to play. Just like our bodies, our physical bodies, that's the analogy, has a variety of parts but every part plays a role so that the body can function effectively. “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards,” there is our word, “good stewards of the manifold grace of God,” the multifaceted, multicolored grace of God, its diversity in giving a variety of gifts so we can all function together. Paul told the church at Corinth in chapter 1 of his first letter, you don't come behind in any gift because you have every gift necessary for you to function the way God wants you to function. That's true of our church, but it's a stewardship entrusted to each one of us individually, a stewardship for which we will give an account. If I do not function faithfully, if we had gone on in 1 Corinthians 9, Paul says you end up disapproved, disqualified. This is a serious matter. It's not I don't feel like it, I'm not that interested, I don't feel like getting involved. Like Paul said, I don't have a choice, a stewardship was entrusted to me, I wasn't voted into this, I didn't pick it out from a variety of choices, a stewardship was entrusted to me. That happened to every one of us when we believed in Christ.

So we have a stewardship, which is a solemn responsibility, to exercise the gift God has given us. We're back to Titus 1, being an elder is a responsibility, God's appointment. As Acts 20 says, the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

So the process goes on, we look for men who meet these qualifications who are ready and willing to serve and can do so, and they are appointed. And this is a result of prayer, of consideration, of evaluation, and then we accept these are the men God has appointed. Now they have a stewardship entrusted to them. You understand their first responsibility is not to you, their first responsibility is to God and to be faithful in their oversight and care of you as a congregation in the way that God has ordained. That is serious, that's why we're going to work through these qualifications just briefly, but they are of utmost importance. That's why Paul made such an issue of it in writing to Timothy for the church at Ephesus, in writing to Titus for the churches at Crete, and then for the Spirit of God to preserve it so we would have it.

This stewardship of oversight is crucial if the church is to be what God wants it to be. I stress that because I've been here a long time, we've been through a number of major battles, it becomes an issue. I don't agree with the elders, I don't think the elders are right. Okay, that's fine, you don't have to, and it wasn't your decision to make. Now in all of these, they are not decisions that are requiring of you something unbiblical. We're back to the list I gave you. Are the elders requiring of you something unbiblical? No. Are they forbidding you to something that is biblical? No. Then what's your problem? I don't agree with their decision. Isn't it amazing? I can't tell you how many conversations and some of them relatively recently, where people… Why do you think God gave you all the wisdom for the decision and yet he didn't appoint you an elder? But you appointed yourself over the elders that the Holy Spirit appointed because you know more, you are wiser. Then you ought to go back and read Numbers 16 when Korah got 250 men of renown to decide Moses and Aaron should be replaced. God takes it seriously. This is God's household and we are God's steward, whatever level it is, it's not just elders. But here we are talking about elders who are God's stewards with the responsibility entrusted to them. First thing they have to do is go to the scripture, what is biblical here. People don't realize how many hours have gone into, how many weeks and months gone into working through matters to be sure it is biblical, that's an elder's responsibility. What is your stewardship, what is your area, are you carrying it out? How many people I've said, get on with what God has entrusted you to do, you can function exactly as you believe God would have you function, do it. Quit taking upon yourself the responsibility that God hasn't give you. I've had several men I've visited with, they said, I'm frustrated. No wonder you are frustrated, God didn't give you the responsibility of being an elder, but you've taken it on yourself, of course you are frustrated. I'm always frustrated if I try to take on responsibility for something that is not my responsibility, I can't do anything about it but be frustrated. We ought to be careful, we end up not modeling. We're going to model for our children order, obedience. I'm the father, you follow me. Well, dad, you don't follow the elders. Well, I didn't agree with them. Well, dad, I don't agree with you. Well, that's different.

Let's look at some of the details. God's steward cannot be self-willed… And I don't think these are too high, I don't think they are too low, I just think we are talking about a godly person, not a perfect person. These have to be men, as I said. “Not self-willed,” means a person who is about pleasing himself, (I'm just reading you some ways it has been defined or used) they are obstinate in their own opinion, always concerned that he is right, so he doesn't work well with other people and that could be at work. If we had somebody, well, I've talked with some people who work with him and they say he is very difficult to work with, he doesn't respond to authority very well and he always is complaining about authority and he always is convinced he is right. That kind of person would not make a good elder, he is not a godly person. That's a self-willed, self-centered, we call opinionated. We all have opinions, this is a person who just thinks his opinion is always the right one.

“Not quick tempered,” doesn't lose his temper. That's why I say some of these qualifications, some of them seem like they are awfully low. Would you want an elder who is noted for losing his temper? These are basic things, the reality of life. He is “slow to anger for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God,” James 1:19-20 says. So this is a man who is noted. Now you have to be careful, he can lose his temper, something can set him off, that kind of person is not a godly man, qualified to be an elder. That's where you are concerned about his home, does he lead his home with dignity? He lets things go until the kids get under his skin and then he loses his temper, well, not qualified.

“Not addicted to wine to.” Again this is not talking about having a glass of wine, that's another discussion. But it means he drinks too much. The word wine and the preposition “to be” beside, someone who spends his time with the wine bottle. When I lived in Philadelphia we had skid row and we called them winos, people whose life was the bottle, that's the idea here. He's not a person who over indulges in drinking. Well, he doesn't drink a lot but when he does he really gets out. Now we have some qualifications for elders, for example, at our board (since we are on this one, just mention) that are not biblical, that we have decided as elders for our testimony we will function. But we recognize these are not biblical qualifications so we review them from time to time. One of them is alcoholic beverages so we ask those elders who are going to serve as elders that during the time that they are elders, they abstain from alcoholic beverages. Now I'm not convinced that the Bible teaches total abstinence, so I don't think that has to be a qualification for everyone, I don't think it has to be a qualification for an elder particularly, but it may be better. I personally have never used alcoholic beverages because going into the pastorate I just thought it's just an issue I don't have to deal with. Besides, there were times I thought I could get to like the bottle and then be guilty. So what it is talking about here is not a drunkard, not one who drinks too much. But we also have other qualifications, you have to be able to meet at certain times when the board of elders meets. Otherwise how are you going to function as a member of the board if your job keeps you from attending the meetings. So those are non-biblical qualifications. There may be others but those come to mind, two. So he can't be a person who drinks too much.

“Not pugnacious.” Sometimes we talk about how high these qualifications are. This means somebody who strikes another person with his fists, literally means “not a striker.” Refers to a person who would resort to physical violence under pressure, basically denotes a pugnacious person who strikes back with his fists when annoyed, we don't want that kind of person as an elder, I'm too old to get in fist fights. You think, what is this? We're talking about a person whose life is controlled, who wouldn't be, the end of verse 6, “not accused of dissipation or rebellion,” these kinds of things. He gets in drunken brawls, obviously you don't want that kind of person. Maybe he doesn't hit another person, yeah, we have some holes in our drywall at home where he put his fists through when he got upset. That kind of person is not a godly person, he hasn't learned the control that is necessary. Well, my father lost his temper and I lose my temper. You can't blame your father. We're talking about being made new in Christ and now what you can do in the power of the Spirit.

“Not fond of sordid gain.” This is a person who is not a lover of money. Doesn't say he can't have money, doesn't say he couldn't be very well off, but we have to be careful that he is not noted for having his life built around money. He's a person…, I think he lives for the “almighty dollar.” So that would be the kind of reputation you are talking about, not in it for money. This was a problem in the church at Crete, was a problem in the church at Corinth and other places as well. But he is going to talk about teachers who are adjusting their teaching for money. If you'll do it in other settings, you'll do it with the word of God, too. I read one of the infamous preachers who used to have his television program, no sense in my mentioning his name, but he just had been rebuked by one of the officials in New York City because now he has a radio program and they are advertising silver that will cure the virus that is going around, it will cost you $125, but they say there is no way that it cures anything. Shysters are shysters.

Look at verse 11, there are false teachers “who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.” There is our word, for money, they are in it for the money. You can pay the worker or the laborer, we've done that on other occasions, but they are in it for the money, they don't belong in the ministry. Remember to be giving in my ministry. When I was still in Indiana I said Lord, I would rather be poor and be in the ministry than do anything else. And I have to live with that, and God blesses and I have more than I need. But you don't want to be there for the money. The laborer is worthy of his hire and all of that, but you want to sift out men who would make money a driving thing. We'll talk more about that as we get there.

“Be hospitable,” be hospitable. Lover of strangers. In those days, remember Jesus sent out his disciples and said you don't have to make arrangements where you stay, believers will welcome you into their homes. And gives instructions. 3 John warns about welcoming false teachers into your home, encouraging them. You don't have anything to do with them, you don't want to make their ministry easy because it's a ministry of falsehood. So this has concern for others, basically, a willingness to provide for others, meeting needs of others, generous people. These days we can do it differently, we have hotels, we have motels, we may put up a speaker in a hotel or motel instead of a home, we still hare making provision for them in that sense. And hospitable to one another without complaint, in other words, we are willing to take care of one another in the body and we are gracious that way as a body. And you have given so that we might have funds to share with others, some of you get involved in preparing meals for people, taking care of fellow believers, that kind of thing.

“Loving what is good,” “what is good” is that thing consistent with the character of God. That person devotes his life to good things, they build their lives around good things. They are “sensible,” sound judgment, a good thinker, a rational person, makes good decisions. One person said that person is in his right mind. I mean, a person has to be able to think things through, he's a good sound-minded person, he is a person I would go to for advice if I have an issue I'm dealing with. Demonstrate the ability to make good decisions, sound-minded. The elders meet together, you are working through things, you have to have a person who is able to think well.

Who is “just,” that's the word righteous, his conduct is righteous, he is a godly person, he is a righteous person, he is devout, holy, righteous, that's the characteristic of his life. Now don't put that standard so high up there that all he does is get up in the morning and pray and read his Bible. No, we're talking about a person whose lifestyle would be characterized as a godly, holy person. He has to function out in the world for much of his time, but there his character is consistent with who he is in Christ.

“Self-controlled” is the person who has control over himself. This is why I say this would fit the qualification for elder on the negative side at the end of verse 6, “not accused of dissipation or rebellion.” This is a sound-minded, self-controlled person. Paul said I bring my body under control, the end of 1 Corinthians 9, that's what I preach to others, I would be disqualified. Self-control, and that would fit with some of these other things, you don't get drunk, you don't lost your temper. You can see they overlap, they are not separate boxes. The self-controlled person has his bodily appetites and desires under control, he is not “I couldn't help myself,” no, he is controlled, he has his body under control. I discipline my body, Paul says, and bring it under control. I want to be careful, things don't begin to control me, that I am in control. Well, I couldn't help myself, I just felt like doing it. That's not a characteristic of godliness. In the first place that is not true for a believer, I have the enabling power of the Spirit so I need to develop and mature.

So these are marks of godly character, now this is just an overview, there are others. I think when we put the two lists together from 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 we come up with 21 or 22 qualifications. You can get an elder questionnaire if you want to see what we ask those men who are being considered for elder to fill out. It just lists these as well as some other things associated with being an elder at this church, that's what we look at. When men come up to be considered for elder we are praying about it because we have many men who may be qualified, but we look for those men that we might agree on, the Spirit seems to be directing us to. And we pray about that. Then we may get to the point where we approach them to see if that's something they believe the Lord may be leading them to, because 1 Timothy 1 says if any man aspires to be an elder, desires that. And if they go through that then we give them a questionnaire to fill out. Then we'll each review, we get a copy of that questionnaire and we review it. Then we talk about it, we find if there are any questions that need to be resolved before we interview them, then we bring them in for an interview if there is agreement. After we have interviewed them, we have them give their testimony. We do the same for deacons, tonight Ben will be giving his testimony, he has gone through all that process to this point. Then we'll ask you for the next couple of weeks before the elders meet to give any input you might have because you might know this person in a different setting, in a different context, or know something you think the elders should know. That has happened on occasion, then the elders take that and certain elders will be with the person if it is something that has to be resolved, something that has to be dealt with. That's the process that we go through.

The purity of the body is at stake, both doctrinally and in its conduct. So we come to verse 10, I just want to mention this, verse 9,that will lead us into verse 10 and following. They are to be “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching,” they have to be men who have a firm grasp on the word of God. Understand, when we get into issues, particularly those that may involve the church broadly, there is a lot of pressure because everybody has opinions. And we can get pretty worked up and passionate and emotional about our opinions. The elders have to be men who have a firm grasp on the Word, and we can sort through all the confusion and all the smoke that is blown out there and say here is what the word of God says. Here is what the Word of God says we must do, we will do that regardless of the consequences. If not, the truth gets compromised, and once the truth gets compromised, conduct gets compromised, once that is all compromised, the church becomes compromised.

So they must be “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching,” with the truth that has been taught that is now brought together. Titus just had it as Paul was teaching it and writing it down for him, now we have it all put together. You have no idea how many hours the elders spend wrestling through these things, evaluating, when they become issues. How should it be handled? What does the scripture say? How many things we've read and looked at, that shed light on scripture, that may help us understand it with more clarity, that's the elders' responsibility. It can be time consuming. But if you don't have a grasp on the word of God, you're trying to bring an elder along. You need an elder, not that they know everything, but has a good grasp on the Word and is able to look at challenges being presented. I don't know how many people have said we are not being biblical, and people come to that. I've been accused so many times of not being biblical. I've called men who have accused me of not being biblical, I'd like to sit down and talk with you, I'm open, I won't even respond, just explain to me what I have said is not biblical. I can't even get a response sometimes. Sometimes they come in and say I just disagree with you.

So elders have to hold fast the Word “so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine,” that's the positive side, explain sound doctrine, “and to refute those who contradict,” show the error that is not biblical. That's a part of being an elder, you need godly men who will do that. Now you can see the need, this is a stewardship entrusted to elders, it's a solemn responsibility. It's also a responsibility for the congregation. There is a word of warning from God in Hebrews 13 where it says you obey those who have the authority over you, they'll give an account for you, it would not be good for you if they do it with groaning. Like Moses had to do with Israel, they always complain, they are always resisting, they are always finding fault. That wouldn't be good. Now if you can point out the elders haven't been biblical, but be careful. All of a sudden I have notes from people, so commendatory, what elders we have, such godly men. Then something comes up they disagree with, they are bouncing off the walls. Wait a minute, what changed? You have recognized they are godly men, you have no complaint about them all these years, now all of a sudden they make a decision you don't like, they are not godly anymore. We want to be careful. You don't have to agree with every decision. The Lord will call them to account. What are they requiring you to do that would compromise your life before the Lord? It doesn't come up to that.

So we want to be sure we are organized because otherwise we'll have the same problem they are having at Crete, they had at Ephesus, Paul has with Corinth. God provides godly leadership, we want to be sure the men we appoint are godly and then we want to trust them. And the time comes, remember what I always say, the test of leadership is when you disagree, that's in every area. Your kids don't have any problem obeying you when you say go down there and get some ice cream and candy, no, but when you tell them clean your room, do your homework, they disagree. Well, you're not going out tonight. The test of leadership is always when you disagree and that's true in the church as well.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for the riches of Your word, thank you for the clarity You have given. Thank you, Lord, that You have presented to us these truths so that we as Your church, 2000 years after Titus was at Create, have the precious treasure of Your word, understand how we should be organized and structured with godly men to function as Your stewards, overseeing the ministry here. Thank you for the godly men that You have appointed to that responsibility in this congregation, for godly people who support their leadership and oversight and exercise their gifts, being faithful with their stewardship so that together we are a body that is growing, maturing, and bringing honor to You. May that continue to be true in the days ahead. We pray in Christ's name, amen.