THE QUALIFICATIONS OF CHURCH OFFICERS.
THE officers of the church named in Scripture are, as we have shown, bishops and deacons. The bishopric or eldership of a church is a most important office. This is evident from three considerations: First the Scripture says so; secondly, it is the highest office in the church; and thirdly, it is evident from the number and nature of the qualifications which the Scriptures require shall be found in him who is to be chosen to the office. These qualifications we shall notice fully and in detail as they are given in the directions to Timothy and Titus: 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1. 1. "A bishop then must be blameless." This word in itself tells all that it means. It cannot be made much plainer than it is. The definition of the Greek word is, "not open to be attacked." Webster's definition is: "Without fault, innocent, guiltless, not meriting censure." "We speak of a thing being blameless when it is free from blame, or the just imputation of fault, as a blameless life or character." "A bishop then must be blameless" signifies therefore one whose life is so fully conformed to the rules of right that no one can justly lay blame upon him, or find fault with him. 2. "The husband of one wife." This needs no explanation. We might however observe that we do not think that the meaning is that he shall be a married man; but that he shall not have more than one wife. 3. "Vigilant." That is, "attentive to discover and avoid danger, or to provide for safety, wakeful, watchful, circumspect." The word "circumspect" is from two Latin words, circum, around, and specere, to look; that is, to look all around a thing. "A man who is circumspect habitually examines things on every side, in order to weigh and deliberate."536This idea is in the Greek word rendered vigilant in the text. The importance of this qualification is evident at once in view of the many different dispositions that are brought together in church relation-ship, and the readiness with which so many accuse one another. The one who is chosen to deal with all these, as for those for whom Christ died, must be one who will not only be attentive to avoid danger and provide for safety, but who will examine things on every side before he decides or acts in the premises. 4. "Sober." This word signifies one of sound mind, a well-regulated mind, collected, discreet, self-controlled. "Sober supposes the absence of all exhilaration of spirits, and is opposed to flighty." One who is "not wild, visionary, or heated with passion," but who exercises "cool, dispassionate reason" in all things. 5. "Of good behavior." The Greek word here is kosmion, from kosmeo, which signifies "to adorn, decorate, embellish;" and it conveys the same idea as is expressed in Titus 2:10, "adorn the doctrine." The meaning of the expression, "of good behavior," therefore, is that he must be one who is "desirous of order and decorum; one who is "modest, orderly, decent, and becoming;" one who will so conduct himself as to "dignify," and "be an honor to" the position to which he is called: not exalting nor magnifying himself, but exalting his calling and magnifying his office. 6. "Given to hospitality." This word signifies, literally, "loving strangers," "kind to strangers." Thus he must be "one who receives and entertains strangers, with kindness and without reward;" "with kind and generous liberality." 7. "Apt to teach." He must be one who is skillful in the word of knowledge, so that he may be able to instruct by proofs, and "show by argument." 8. "Not given to wine." The word here rendered wine is defined by Liddell and Scott, "the fermented juice of the grape." Therefore he must be one who does not drink the fermented juice of the grape. 9. "No striker." Not "one who is contentious, or given to reproaches." 10. "Not greedy of filthy lucre." Not a lover of money. Nor is this all, the word signifies not a lover of wealth or abundance of any kind; or, as is said further on in the verse, "not covetous," close, or stingy, but "liberal and generous." 11. "Not a brawler." Not disposed to fight, not quarrelsome or contentious; not a complainer, nor one who scolds. 12. "But patient." Reasonable, fair, kind, gentle, yielding. 13. "One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;" or, as is said to Titus, "Having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly." And the reason for this qualification is plainly given: "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" The man who will allow his children to be disobedient, or unruly, or self-willed, and allows them to domineer in the family, will allow the same elements to rule in the church; and under such a man the church will be just anything but what the church ought to be. Upon this point God has given to fathers a lesson for all time. Eli was descended in the right line in a house which God had established in the priesthood, but his two sons were a pair of hoodlums. And "the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord." This is another great evil that would spring from having a man as elder who did not govern his own children. Their unruly conduct brings reproach upon his office, and other men seeing it are led to despise the worship and service of the church. Because of the wickedness of Eli's sons, "men abhorred the offering of the Lord." "And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house; when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not." 1 Sam. 3:11-13; 2:12-36. 14. "Not a novice." Not a new convert, not one newly come to the faith; and here also the reason is given, "Lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil." Let him grow up, and build up, in the faith, but never do anything that will tend to puff him up. "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity buildeth up." 15. "Moreover he must have a good report of them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." The church must have a care for the opinion of those who are outside of the church. We must "walk in wisdom toward them that are without." "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." Eph. 5:15. It is a most proper—yes, a necessary—question to ask in choosing a man for a bishop, How does he stand toward those who are without? How do his neighbors look upon him? We do not say, How do they look upon his faith? for they may despise his faith; but how do they look upon him as a man, and as a neighbor? Is he neighborly? Is he kind, gentle, and accommodating? Is he straightforward and honest in all his dealings? Does he pay his bills promptly? or is he careless about running into debt? "He must have a good report of them that are without." 16. "Not self-willed." Titus 1:7. Not governed by his own will; "yielding to the will or wishes of others; accommodating or compliant;" not dogged, stubborn, nor presumptuous. 17. "But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." Titus 1:8, 9. There are the qualifications which the word of God requires in him who is to be an elder of the church of God. The qualifications to the office of deacon are much the same, for says the word:— "Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 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." 1 Tim. 3: 8-13. It is very likely that many, as they have read the foregoing, have said within themselves, "Where can such a man be found?" Well, he ought to be found in every church in the land. He ought to be found in the very church to which you belong. He ought, in fact, to be found in yourself. See: These are the qualifications which the word of God requires that there shall be in the officers of the church. The officers of the church are to be chosen from among the membership of the church. Therefore these are the qualifications, these are the virtues, which the word of God requires shall be found in every member of the church. If these qualifications are not found there, then whose fault is it? It is your own fault. And if such persons as are here required are not found in the church, then whose fault is that? It is still the fault of the individual members. For every member of the church of God is required by the word of God to be just such a person as is described in these scriptures. J.