Read with Me
1 Timothy 3:1-7 (HCSB)
This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy — one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil. Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s trap.
Listen with Me
Even though later scribes inserted a chapter break here, in the letter itself there is no break in thought between 2:15 and 3:1. Paul had been talking about those who wanted to have positions of responsibility in the Church, but who were trying to attain them because of their wealth, their social standing, or their reputation in the world. So, he now outlines the actual qualifications he looks for in raising someone to a leadership role in the Church.
First, Paul recognizes that desiring to become a leader in the Church of Jesus is a good and honorable thing, not a matter of pride, but a desire to grow and to do more in helping others to grow. However, it is not enough just to desire that more responsible position. The Church is not a social club or a civic organization. Is the Body of Christ in the world, charged with rescuing those trapped by the enemy, spreading the light of the knowledge of God, and expanding the reach of Gods holy kingdom.
That being the case, men who desire to be a leader in God’s Church must already be living in accordance with His moral and ethical requirements. They must be the husband of one wife, not adopting the local customs or traditions where multiple wives or mistresses are seen as acceptable. Those are a corruption of God’s original design for marriage (Genesis 2:23-24; Mark 10:5-9), and they are disqualifying.
In addition, they must be living moral, temperate lives, showing a strong contrast to the lives of those who do not know God or His commandments. Any intemperance, any lack of self-control, fits of temper, drunkenness or greed are all disqualifying, because they demonstrate that that person has important areas of their lives and hearts that have not yet been surrendered to Jesus and are not yet under the control of the Holy Spirit. Those un-surrendered areas are places where the enemy can easily gain a foothold and from which corruption can and will spread to other parts of their minds and hearts, and from there into God’s Church.
The men wanting to lead must also first demonstrate leadership in their own homes. As Paul clearly points out, if they cannot lead in their own family, they will not be effective leaders in God’s Church.
Those wanting to lead should not be recent converts, new or immature Christians. They need to grow in knowledge and experience in the faith before they are able to lead effectively. Sometimes a new convert seems to show such promise, and sometimes that promise is in an area where the Church badly needs leadership. And in those cases, it is tempting to allow them to fill that position. But all too often, that leads to dangerous pride, to a misleading of those who are following them, and ultimately to their falling away. Let new believers grow before they are given those kinds of responsibilities.
Finally, those who are being considered for leadership must have a good reputation with outsiders. It is all too easy for people to put on a good face in Church, but be known to outsiders as dishonest, crude, and the very opposite of a man of God. What a man is when he is out in the world is what he is in his heart, and that must be strongly considered before raising someone up to a leadership position.
Pray with Me
Father, I can see why we are often tempted to put people into leadership positions who don’t meet these qualifications. We put need for positions to be filled or other considerations ahead of the ultimate direction and spiritual health of Your body. Help us to do better, Lord, to clearly see all that is at stake in these decisions, and to understand that the effectiveness of the Church is always going to be either helped or limited by the quality and character of its leaders. Amen.