Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
The verse sets the character required of a bishop as blameless and self-governed, free from drink, violence, quarreling, greed for money and covetousness, but patient, peaceable, meek and of sound influence. It calls for proven Christian character with a good reputation, sound judgment, knowledge of Scripture and experience in faith, and ability to teach, correct sin meekly, instruct opposers and honor Christ in life and conduct, with no novice entrusted with the flock. It requires him to govern his household well in the fear of God, with children in obedience, order and right habits, since one who cannot rule his own house cannot care for the church of God. It requires that leaders be carefully examined, tried and proved before being trusted, with no hurried placing of untested men in eldership or ministry.
Character Required of Leaders
1 Timothy 3:3 sets out part of the character required of a man who desires the office of bishop, who must be blameless and proved free from drink, violence, quarreling, greed for money and covetousness, and instead be patient and peaceable. The same requirement forbids being controlled by wine, being a striker, being greedy of dishonest gain, being a brawler, and being covetous, while enjoining patience, peaceableness, meekness and self-government. These specifications are an important subject needing careful study and daily practice, and they define sound character and good influence as qualifying for grave responsibility in the ministry and eldership. To place men in eldership hurriedly when they lack proper self-government, good influence and sound character violates this standard, and the defective character of such a leader brings continual trouble upon the church.
Those entrusted with the flock for the holy work of ministry must be tried and proved, of sound judgment, and able to correct sin meekly. Those entrusted with oversight must have proven Christian character, patience and meekness, and the ability to teach, and must not be novices but intelligent students of Scripture who can instruct others and honor Christ in character, words and conduct. An overseer must also have a good reputation, knowledge of Scripture and experience in faith, with a character suited to instructing those who oppose the truth.
The qualifications required of deacons apply equally to elders, and elders must remain faithful to true principles despite opposition and trial. An overseer must not be violent or greedy but patient and peaceable, and a man whose frantic conduct does not commend him cannot be trusted with influence as overseer or preacher until he is changed and made fit for that responsibility.
Proved in Home and Church
The verse belongs to the qualifications that require a leader to govern his own household well and wisely in the fear of God. His children are to be in obedience, order, and under control, trained, educated and disciplined in right habits and practices. The order is children under father and mother, and father and mother under God, giving both church and world an example of a well-disciplined family. For one who cannot govern his own household cannot care for the church of God, and parents must fulfill this work faithfully, without hypocrisy or deception, in reverence for God.
Home training is the beginning of the education for every office connected with the church. Remissness in responsible home duties reveals the same defective character in managing church duties. Refusal to see the necessity of this home work blinds to the necessity of obedience in other lines, and neglect to set the home in order is neglect to set the church in order, eclipsing the light so it cannot shine in correct example in eating, in dressing, and in working in right lines. A man who accepts the work of a minister must therefore not only preach the Word but give it power by practicing the Word. One who keeps God's love and fear from shaping his life is unfit even to be a local elder.
The verse requires that leaders be carefully examined, tried, proved, and tested before being trusted. Its requirements are to receive greater consideration in granting ministerial licenses. No one is to be put hurriedly into eldership, and no untested and untried person is to be placed in a position of trust. A prospective teacher's history since professing the truth, Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture and present truth, and real living experience with God must be known. Those entrusted with the flock must be of sound judgment and able to correct sin meekly, for defective leadership brings continual trouble upon the church, and some local elders when proved by this standard are not fitted to serve as ministers in the pulpit.
The standard reaches beyond the pulpit to stewardship in the church, to publishing work, and to teaching students in schools. It also applies to men and women chosen to carry responsibilities in sanitarium work at its beginning. No mistake must be made in the choice, especially of the business manager, who must daily be managed by the Lord, understand the Lord's will, and discern and prayerfully do what needs to be done. He must possess dignity and knowledge together with a clear sense of how to use authority, with adaptability, reveal Christ, justice, judgment, and the love of God in words and acts, give religious instruction and exert spiritual influence, know how to deal with minds while his own mind is controlled by the Spirit, speak wisdom in words of encouragement, know how to discern and correct mistakes, harmonize with fellow workers, and speak the points of faith as occasion requires. Evangelical work is to be given first and intelligent attention in connection with all lines of medical missionary work, so that past mistakes are not repeated of placing too much confidence in self and allowing cultivated and hereditary tendencies to wrong that ought to have been overcome to bear away the victory. Anyone who would teach God's Word must in the same way be carefully examined, and none accepted as a worker for God without a real, living experience with Him.
The verse sets the character required of a bishop as blameless and self-governed, free from drink, violence, quarreling, greed for money and covetousness, but patient, peaceable, meek and of sound influence. It calls for proven Christian character with a good reputation, sound judgment, knowledge of Scripture and experience in faith, and ability to teach, correct sin meekly, instruct opposers and honor Christ in life and conduct, with no novice entrusted with the flock. It requires him to govern his household well in the fear of God, with children in obedience, order and right habits, since one who cannot rule his own house cannot care for the church of God. It requires that leaders be carefully examined, tried and proved before being trusted, with no hurried placing of untested men in eldership or ministry.
Character Required of Leaders
1 Timothy 3:3 sets out part of the character required of a man who desires the office of bishop, who must be blameless and proved free from drink, violence, quarreling, greed for money and covetousness, and instead be patient and peaceable. The same requirement forbids being controlled by wine, being a striker, being greedy of dishonest gain, being a brawler, and being covetous, while enjoining patience, peaceableness, meekness and self-government. These specifications are an important subject needing careful study and daily practice, and they define sound character and good influence as qualifying for grave responsibility in the ministry and eldership. To place men in eldership hurriedly when they lack proper self-government, good influence and sound character violates this standard, and the defective character of such a leader brings continual trouble upon the church.
Those entrusted with the flock for the holy work of ministry must be tried and proved, of sound judgment, and able to correct sin meekly. Those entrusted with oversight must have proven Christian character, patience and meekness, and the ability to teach, and must not be novices but intelligent students of Scripture who can instruct others and honor Christ in character, words and conduct. An overseer must also have a good reputation, knowledge of Scripture and experience in faith, with a character suited to instructing those who oppose the truth.
The qualifications required of deacons apply equally to elders, and elders must remain faithful to true principles despite opposition and trial. An overseer must not be violent or greedy but patient and peaceable, and a man whose frantic conduct does not commend him cannot be trusted with influence as overseer or preacher until he is changed and made fit for that responsibility.
Proved in Home and Church
The verse belongs to the qualifications that require a leader to govern his own household well and wisely in the fear of God. His children are to be in obedience, order, and under control, trained, educated and disciplined in right habits and practices. The order is children under father and mother, and father and mother under God, giving both church and world an example of a well-disciplined family. For one who cannot govern his own household cannot care for the church of God, and parents must fulfill this work faithfully, without hypocrisy or deception, in reverence for God.
Home training is the beginning of the education for every office connected with the church. Remissness in responsible home duties reveals the same defective character in managing church duties. Refusal to see the necessity of this home work blinds to the necessity of obedience in other lines, and neglect to set the home in order is neglect to set the church in order, eclipsing the light so it cannot shine in correct example in eating, in dressing, and in working in right lines. A man who accepts the work of a minister must therefore not only preach the Word but give it power by practicing the Word. One who keeps God's love and fear from shaping his life is unfit even to be a local elder.
The verse requires that leaders be carefully examined, tried, proved, and tested before being trusted. Its requirements are to receive greater consideration in granting ministerial licenses. No one is to be put hurriedly into eldership, and no untested and untried person is to be placed in a position of trust. A prospective teacher's history since professing the truth, Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture and present truth, and real living experience with God must be known. Those entrusted with the flock must be of sound judgment and able to correct sin meekly, for defective leadership brings continual trouble upon the church, and some local elders when proved by this standard are not fitted to serve as ministers in the pulpit.
The standard reaches beyond the pulpit to stewardship in the church, to publishing work, and to teaching students in schools. It also applies to men and women chosen to carry responsibilities in sanitarium work at its beginning. No mistake must be made in the choice, especially of the business manager, who must daily be managed by the Lord, understand the Lord's will, and discern and prayerfully do what needs to be done. He must possess dignity and knowledge together with a clear sense of how to use authority, with adaptability, reveal Christ, justice, judgment, and the love of God in words and acts, give religious instruction and exert spiritual influence, know how to deal with minds while his own mind is controlled by the Spirit, speak wisdom in words of encouragement, know how to discern and correct mistakes, harmonize with fellow workers, and speak the points of faith as occasion requires. Evangelical work is to be given first and intelligent attention in connection with all lines of medical missionary work, so that past mistakes are not repeated of placing too much confidence in self and allowing cultivated and hereditary tendencies to wrong that ought to have been overcome to bear away the victory. Anyone who would teach God's Word must in the same way be carefully examined, and none accepted as a worker for God without a real, living experience with Him.