Bishops and Deacons
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
It is a good thing requiring men of high qualifications full of the Holy Spirit.
1 Tim 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
If you thought the role of women in church was severe, then see the requirements for Bishop, (Pastor) and deacon. Blameless, and who has never sinned? I see this as blameless in correctly teaching God's word and living by this standard. Many Pastor's feel as if they live in a glass house. This is why they put on a smile and their best suit and seek to appear without blame of sins. People look at the outward appearance, but God and Spirit filled believers look on the heart. Many choose to dress and act as the world to fill the church, this is not being blameless. We are to follow God, not the people. God has set these standards as a guide for leadership.
The husband of one wife, not having multiple wives as the Mormon's had done. Some denominations take this to mean if a man has ever divorced and remarried that he cannot be a Pastor. Perhaps this is a greater sin to them than murder? For murderers who are forgiven by Christ Jesus can be preachers, but not a divorced man who has been forgiven?
Vigilant, watchful, sober, abstaining from alcohol. Sober, a sound mind with the impulses of the flesh under control, not always joking and making light of the things of God. Of good behavior, self control and modest. Given to hospitality, loving to entertain with food and or fellowship, greeting others with love, friends and strangers. Apt to teach, able to teach God's word in truth, opening up the Bible and making it come alive.
1 Tim 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Not a drunk, not a quarrelsome person picking a fight with another, not greedy after money, but patient, gentle like Jesus, not looking for trouble, not greedy, desiring anothers things.
1 Tim 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1 Tim 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
He leads his own house well, there is order in his home and his children are under control and he is respected. The children learn to obey authority.
1 Tim 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Novice means "newly planted," someone knew in the faith. He must be learned in the word of God and experienced in life, so that he will not be lifted up with pride and speak from his own thoughts and not the message from God. Now Timothy was a young man, but trained by Paul, not a novice, he had roots in the faith.
1 Tim 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Purity of the word taught and the life lived without shame.
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
1 Tim 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
His affairs in the world must be without fault. He must pay his bills, keep his promises, not live a life of sin or anything else that would bring a reproach to the name of Jesus.
1 Tim 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Deacons also are to be of a high moral standard, filled with the Holy Spirit. The first Deacons were to serve tables.
Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
1 Tim 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
1 Tim 3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
The standard is similar to the requirements of the Bishop.
1 Tim 3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
No gossiping wives, they are to be respected and faithful in all things. The wife shares in the responsibilities of the husband in the role of help meet. They should both be Christians serving God with a clear conscience.
1 Tim 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
1 Tim 3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
An example of boldness in the faith was the first of the deacons, Stephen who died as a martyr. His witness would lodge in the heart of Saul, who would be chosen as the apostle Paul. Stephen spoke boldly to the hypocrisy of those who accused him.
Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Acts 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Acts 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Acts 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Acts 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
Acts 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Acts 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
1 Tim 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
1 Tim 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
This was about church order. The church is a place of following God's word in all truth. If God's truth is not found in the church building, there are serious problems in the land. Church is not a personal palace for a Bishop to rule, it is to be God's house, a place of prayer and truth, a reflection of the order in a home.
1 Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
The mystery of godliness; Jesus came in the flesh, was justified in the Spirit, he had the Spirit without measure. (John 3:34) Angels announced his birth and ministered to him. He preached to Jew and Gentiles, was believed on and received up into glory. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, being our advocate. Jesus was a mystery revealed, hidden from those of Jewish religious thoughts, but found in their scriptures. When a religion does not teach all the Bible and the truth of Jesus, it is not of God's perfect will and truth. The requirements for a Bishop and Deacon are similar, because they represent God to the Church. If they teach, it is to be his word. If they serve it is as Jesus would serve, examples to all of the glorious gospel truth.
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