Category: Elders
Subject: Elders
Sermons: Equipping the Local Church
What is the church? And how did God organize and equip it to do His will in the world?
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What Christ Gave the Church
We know that the church belongs to Christ, created for us that we might serve Him as He desires. He established His church, accomplishing it by dying on the cross for those who He chose through the gospel. Jesus gifted to us our salvation, as He Himself paved the way to heaven through His own resurrection from the dead. Consider Paul’s words, “‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now this, ‘He ascended’ – what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)’” (Ephesians 4:9-10).
The Holy Spirit used the word church (ekklesia), referencing God’s people, in two basic ways in scripture. The first is referred to as the universal use of the word church. It is that to which Jesus refers when He promised in Matthew 16:18, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” In this sense it refers to the relationship that each saved person has with Christ when He comes to Him in faith. “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them … And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:41,47). Simply put: every person who has been saved in the past, is saved now in the present, or will be saved before the Lord comes again, — he or she is added to His church. This references our relationship with its privileges. There is no passage of scripture than activates this universal church in any way. Continue reading “What Christ Gave the Church”
Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesians Elders
There is much we can learn from the life of Paul. His previous life, his apostleship and his writings contain much to encourage, teach and admonish us in our own lives.
While our examination of his epistles supply us with much of the doctrine that accords with Christ, there is likewise much to be taken from Luke’s account of his life and ministry. Here we wish to consider his final address to the Ephesian elders in Miletus before going on to Jerusalem. He had spent much time in Ephesus (cf. Acts 19), and no doubt had a close relationship with these men to whom he spoke in Acts 20:18-35. Continue reading “Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesians Elders”
Sermon: Shepherds Who Scatter
A discussion of Jeremiah 23, with a call for leadership with integrity, and we emulate Jesus Christ.
Sermon: Seeking Counsel
Speaker: Ian Tilley
Ian describes the importance of recognizing the benefit of counsel, or own need of it, and the importance of humbling ourselves that we might receive advice that others might give.
Having His Children in Submission
Having discussed the question, “Does one child constitute children” in Paul’s list of qualifications, we now turn our attention to the qualification itself, listed in 1 Timothy 3:4-5.
“One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)”
Is a Single Child … Children?
In our study of the qualifications of elders we have researched all of the qualifications other than the two that deal with a man’s children. These two qualifications, listed in 1 Timothy 3:4, (“one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence”), and Titus 1:6, (“having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination”), are the most difficult for Christians to understand.
We have already mentioned the importance of avoiding speculation. It is a mistake to try to determine the “Why?” of a qualification, unless that “Why?” is stated in the text itself. Of course, there is an indication of this in 1 Timothy 3:5, “for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?”
The Husband of One Wife
The final three qualifications for elder that we will be discussing in our series are the domestic qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. These qualifications are the most disputed in the list. So, we will use longer articles to fully address them.
A few things to consider in our discussion. First, there is a danger in speculation. We can get caught up in our own personal views of the why or how things should be, and actually read into the text something that is not there. Please distinguish between what the text says, and what we might think it should mean. Second, as in all things we must be patient in the midst of disagreements. Our call as Christians is to unity. The study of truth should never cause division between those who love it.
Self-Controlled
The Greek word translated self-controlled in Titus 1:8, is egkrates. This adjective only occurs here in the New Testament, though the noun form enkrateia is found numerous times (ex: Acts 24:25, Galatians 5:23, 2 Peter 1:6).
Thayer defines the term: having power over, possessed of (a thing). Mastering, controlling, curbing, restraining. Strong defines the term: strong in a thing (masterful); self-controlled (in appetite, etc.) temperate.
An elder needs to have mastery over his desires and inclinations. When God created us with desires, He intended us to interact in accord with His will. We are told to “be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). That the marriage bed is honorable and “undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). That we are not to walk as the Gentiles walk, “in the same flood of dissipation” (1 Peter 4:4). An intemperate man is not worthy of the eldership.
In the New King James translation, the Greek term is translated “self-controlled” primarily because in modern English the term “temperate” (as found in the KJV) is used primarily regarding the use of alcohol. It is important to note that control over ourselves and our inclinations should be present in everything. “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). It is a fruit of the Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:23), to be added to our faith (cf. 2 Peter 1:6). It will be present in every Christian who is pleasing God.
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Holy
The Greek term hosios is found in Titus 1:8, as one of the qualifications for elders, and is translated holy. This is one of 8 times the term appears in the New Testament manuscripts (Acts 2:27; 13:34,35; 1 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 7:26; and Revelation 15:4; 16:5). As Vine notes in his definition of the term, it is used to refer to God, Jesus, certain Messianic promises to David, and to the character of Christians. It is found 41 times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint).
In Titus 1:8, the reference is to a character trait that must be present in those who would serve as elders. Strong defines it as proper, right, pious, hallowed. Thayer says it refers to those pious toward God, with a special and preeminent sense in which it refers to the Messiah Himself. Vine states that it refers to being religiously right, holy (as opposed to that which is unrighteous or polluted).
All Christians should have this character trait. When we consider that Jesus is perfectly holy, as His disciples we seek to be as He is. This requires us to acknowledge His authority, and to seek to submit to His definition of rightness and piety.
It is not enough to be religious. We must be religiously right. It is not enough to be pious, our piety must be toward God and His will. It is not enough to act as others see to be proper. We must act as God determines is proper. Then, and only then, are we holy. “Because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I [the Lord] am holy’” (1 Peter 1:16).
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Just
The word “just”, translated from the Greek term dikaios, is a common word in the New Testament. It occurs 81 times in 76 different verses. The primary definition of the term is, according to Thayer: righteous, observing divine and human laws, one who is such as he ought to be.
This term, dikaios, is translated “righteous” a total of 41 times in the KJV of the New Testament. It is this wide sense of the term that is most common. A righteous (dikaios) person is upright, virtuous, and keeps the commands of God.
For example, in Luke 6:1, the term is used to describe the parents of John the Baptist, Zacharias and Elizabeth, “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”
In Titus 1:8, the term is found as one of the qualifications for elder. The term is translated “just” here, and seems to have a narrower definition than that found in the verse above.
Thayer states of the term dikaios: In a narrower sense, rendering to each his due; and that in a judicial sense, passing judgment on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing with them.
So an elder should be a just “judge” in his dealings with the flock. Here there is found the need for compassion and fairness in the exercise of oversight. Consider the destructive nature of a man in that position that does not deal fairly with brethren. His actions must instead be right, or just.
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A Lover of Good
The NKJV phrase, “a lover of good” appears only in Titus 1:8, as one of the qualifications of an elder. It is translated from the Greek word philágatho ).
This Greek term is from the root philos (fond of) and agathos (that which is good). Though the KJV translates the term, “a lover of good men”, it is important to note that there is nothing in the definition of the word or the context that limits it only to men. An elder is to be fond of all that is good. Here, the RSV, NKJV, ESV, and numerous other translations rightly leave off “man.”
The lexicographers all offer simple definitions of the term. Strong — fond of good; Thayer — loving goodness; Vine — loving that which is good. The term is plain, and easily understood.
Interestingly, the negative aphilágathos is found in 2 Timothy 3:3, when referring to ungodly people of the last days. Here the translation reads, “not loving good.”
The elder should have this as a part of his character because every Christian should have it as a part of his character! One of the identifying characteristics of the child of God is that he hates darkness, and loves the light. As Paul wrote in his treatise on love, that “it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6).
We are children of the light. Each of us are to love righteousness, and reject sin.
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Not Quick-Tempered
This interesting phrase consists of two Greek terms, the familiar (me), translated “not”; and the word (orgilos), translated in the NKJV “quick-tempered”.
The word orgilos, an adjective, only appears in Titus 1:7. It appears four times in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), in Proverbs 18:48, 21:9, 22:24, and 29:22.
Though the adjective only appears once, the verb forms (orgizo and parorgismos) and the noun (orge) also are found in the New Testament. Of interest is the verb (orgizo) in Ephesians 4:26, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.” “Be angry” indicates provocation, and Vine states in this passage it indicates a “just occasion for the feeling.”
Everyone gets angry, but is there a legitimacy to the anger? If so, one may be angry, but is not allowed to let that anger cause him to sin — “do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
It is not acceptable, though, to be prone to anger, or soon angry (Thayer and Strong’s definition of our word). In the KJV the phrase is translated “not soon angry.”
This should be true with every Christian. “For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife” (Proverbs 30:33).
For an elder, to be quickly provoked to anger leads to destruction rather than edification. Overseers are to feed and protect the flock. This takes patience, and a mildness of manner that is incompatible with being “quick-tempered.”
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Sermon: Biblical Leadership – Lesson 3 of 3
The third of three lessons using Nehemiah as an example to establish what constitutes leadership that is acceptable to God.
Not Self-Willed
The word self-willed comes from the Greek term (authades), that is found two times in the New Testament. In Paul’s list of qualifications for elders in Titus 1:7, it is preceded by the word “not”, i.e. – “not self-willed.”
Thayer defines the term: self-pleasing, self-willed, arrogant. It comes from the root words autos (self) and hedomai (to please).
In 2 Peter 2:10, the word is used to describe the ungodly character of false teachers, and is coupled with the word presumptuous.
W.E. Vine states that it, “denotes one who, dominated by self-interest, and inconsiderate of others, arrogantly asserts his own will.”
Biblical leadership necessitates an attitude of service rather than entitlement. Peter establishes this in his admonition in 1 Peter 5:2-3, that the elder is not to serve “for dishonest gain” nor “as being lords over those entrusted to you.”
The self-willed person is not particularly concerned with how his decision affects others, because he is focused on his own pleasures and desires. It is an inherently selfish characteristic, and has no place in the Christian’s life. God calls us to humble ourselves, and to be selfless in our love for God and man.
There are few things as destructive to the welfare of God’s people than a self-willed man serving as an elder.
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