Written ~ 10-24-2024
Read 1 Timothy Chapter Three
1 Timothy 3
In our chapter today Paul is narrowing his instruction to that of church leadership, primarily the Pastor (or Elder – the term used in some translations) and to the Deacons (or Associate Pastors and other church leadership). The specific qualifications are quite clear, there really isn’t any room for deviation. Let’s look at the qualifications for the Pastor of the church…
1 Timothy 3:1-7…
1 “This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” 2 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
6 A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. 7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.”
When looking over this list of qualifications, I think these are attributes that any man should strive for, not just the Pastor of a church. But let’s look at this list as it pertains to the Pastor of a church…
First Paul says that “if someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” Being the leader of a church is a monumental responsibility, this man is in charge of a body of believers who are relying on him for Bible teaching and training, for spiritual guidance and counsel. A man who chooses to be the leader of a church will have a greater consequence if he were to lead his congregation astray with false teaching or if his life does not remain faithful to the Lord and reflect the attributes listed in this passage.
Let’s go over each attribute that a Pastor must have…
- His life must be above reproach (above disgrace, above dishonor, above scandal)
- He must be faithful to his wife
- He must exercise self-control
- He must live wisely
- He must have a good reputation
- He must enjoy having guests in his home
- He must be able to teach
- He must be gentle
- He must manage his household well
- His children must respect and obey him
- He must be well spoken of
Now for the attributes he must not have…
- He must not be a heavy drinker
- He must not be violent
- He must not be quarrelsome
- He must not love money
- He must not be a new believer
I think Paul has made it very clear that to be a lead Pastor is a heavy responsibility and whoever is yearning for this position should not take these attributes lightly. The sacrifice and devotion it takes to serve the Lord in this capacity is great. Verses 3:6-7 talk about the possibility of a Pastor falling into the devil’s trap. One of the reasons a lead Pastor should not be a brand-new believer is because they yet to have the full knowledge of Scripture, false teaching could easily throw a new believer off track. The lead Pastor of any church (large or small) should have a solid grasp of Scripture and only speak the truth from Scripture. If a brand-new believer takes on the responsibility of a church, it’s quite possible because of his lack of training that the power of the position could go to their heads, and he could become prideful. Another way a Pastor can get caught in the enemy’s trap is if people outside the church don’t speak well of him. If his name is disgraced it could cause a disruption in his ability to lead a church congregation effectively.
Next is the list for the deacons or associate pastors and other church leadership it isn’t as lengthy or specific, but I would imagine the qualifications placed on the Pastor should apply to the rest of church leadership.
1 Timothy 3:8-10 and 12-13…
8 “In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.”
When Paul starts the instructions for what attributes are to be found in a deacon with, “In the same way…” leads me to believe that all the things listed for the Pastor are the same for the deacon. A few of the attributes are reiterated for the deacon…
- He must be well respected
- He must have integrity
- He must be committed to the mystery of the faith
- He must live with a clear conscious
- He must be faithful to his wife (vs.12)
- He must manage his children and household well (vs.12)
- He must not be a heavy drinker
- He must not be dishonest with money
Though the lead Pastor has a weightier role than the deacon, it’s obvious the deacon’s role is just as important, just in a different capacity and the pursuit of this role should again, not be taken lightly.
The next verse talks about the wives of the deacons, it doesn’t mean the wife of a deacon must be in ministry, but it does mean her integrity must be kept intact…
1 Timothy 3:11…
11 “In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.”
Again, Paul uses the words, “in the same way,” to begin his instruction about the role the deacon’s wives play within the church. Though a deacon’s wife or a Pastor’s wife for that matter, is not required to serve in a leadership role, it is still just as important that her conduct follow the same guidelines as the Pastor or deacon. That way she does not disgrace her husband. Plus, if she does take on some kind of leadership role, she will be well respected in whatever capacity she does hold.
It is also important that both the husbands and wives in leadership roles be supportive of their spouse in whatever role they are serving in. It is important because the time it takes to be a servant of the Lord (especially for the lead Pastor) will sometimes require extra patience. So, the support to one another is highly desired to keep harmony within the household.
After Paul gives these instructions, he moves onto talking about the distinct truth and mystery of our faith…
1 Timothy 3:14-16…
14 “I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:
Christ was revealed in a human body
and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
and taken to heaven in glory.”
I absolutely love what the Life Application Study Bible says about verses 3:14-15, so I have to share it here…
- The Bible is the written form of what God expects us to know and do. God chose Paul to carry out one phase of His plan and inspired him to record these teachings. As such, God’s Word was passed to Timothy. Then it was passed on to others. Later, it was passed on to us. Times have changed, but the original authority remains. The Bible is from God and by God, and believers must study it seriously, understand it thoroughly, and apply it faithfully. Paul intended this letter to teach God’s people how to conduct themselves. We would do well to read it carefully and then put it into practice.
You and I have been given the same kind of responsibility as Paul; God chose us to be His children. When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we gained the privilege to teach and preach the Good News that changed our own hearts. The way each believer spreads that message may look a little different, but God’s plan has always remained the same, we can trust in that solid foundation and through us God’s message will continue to extend its reach to all people.
In verse 3:16 Paul uses the phrase “…the great mystery of our faith…” What is that great mystery? The mystery is how Jesus came down from Heaven to become man yet remain fully God and fully man. The mystery is how Jesus walked this earth without sin and preached a message of grace, mercy and forgiveness. The mystery is that after He died and rose again, He ascended to Heaven and reigns Supreme at the Right Hand of God. The mystery is that by our acceptance of Him, by our faith in Him, we are to become more and more like Him each and every day.
Chapter three spoke mostly about the desired attributes of a Pastor and deacon of the church. You may not be pursuing the goal of lead Pastor or even deacon for yourself, but why not pray for your church leadership that they would uphold each responsibility and attribute listed in this chapter, so their integrity remains intact.
Stay faithful to the Word of God and pursue His presence in your life, study His Word and deliver the Good News of Jesus Christ to everyone you come in contact with…
~AMEN~