Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
Likewise must the deacons meet God's required character qualifications for deacons as church officers, defining fitness to serve and to bear the grave responsibilities belonging to every office connected with the church. To be grave means to be grave in conduct, and not to be doubletongued means not to speak fair words to a person's face while criticizing and disparaging them behind their back. Such two-faced speech shows absence of the faith that works by love and purifies the soul, and it comes from selfishness and self-confidence. Not to be given to much wine and not to be greedy of dishonest gain requires an upright and temperate character marked by temperance and freedom from deceit and greed.
These qualifications for deacons are equally essential for elders. The verse involves a process of education beginning with home training, binding deacons to the command to rule their households well. That ruling is done by educating, training, and disciplining children in right habits and practices, keeping children under the control of father and mother while father and mother are under the control of God. It is to give the church and the world an example of a well-disciplined family with correct habits in eating, dressing, and working.
Failure and remissness in ruling the home produces the same defective character in managing church duties. Neglecting this home work is neglecting to set the church in order and eclipses the light so it cannot shine in right example. Refusing its necessity blinds a person to the necessity of obedience in other lines. Those described must first be proved by faithfulness in smaller and less responsible Christian duties, giving evidence that they fear God and walk continually in humility and love of the truth and are willing to be counseled. By that trial they are better prepared for the increased obligation of deacons found blameless, so no one is to be put in a position of trust without being tested and tried.
The standard in the verse and its context applies to choosing men and women to carry responsibility at the beginning of sanitarium work, where no mistake must be made in placing them. Those chosen must understand the divine will and be able to discern what needs to be done and prayerfully do it so past mistakes are not repeated. The business manager chosen under this standard must daily be divinely managed, possess dignity and knowledge with a clear sense of how to use authority, reveal Christ in life, give religious instruction and exert spiritual influence, and know how to deal with minds while his own mind is controlled by the Spirit. He must speak wisdom and encouragement, discern and correct mistakes, harmonize with fellow workers, possess adaptability, speak the different points of faith as occasion requires, and reveal justice, judgment, and divine love in word and act. The verse calls for following Bible teaching on temperance and approaching health reform intelligently, without making particular foods or diet a test of faith, while educating people to understand and practice health reform. Ministers and church members are to obey God's Word in practice in these duties, not merely profess it.
Likewise must the deacons meet God's required character qualifications for deacons as church officers, defining fitness to serve and to bear the grave responsibilities belonging to every office connected with the church. To be grave means to be grave in conduct, and not to be doubletongued means not to speak fair words to a person's face while criticizing and disparaging them behind their back. Such two-faced speech shows absence of the faith that works by love and purifies the soul, and it comes from selfishness and self-confidence. Not to be given to much wine and not to be greedy of dishonest gain requires an upright and temperate character marked by temperance and freedom from deceit and greed.
These qualifications for deacons are equally essential for elders. The verse involves a process of education beginning with home training, binding deacons to the command to rule their households well. That ruling is done by educating, training, and disciplining children in right habits and practices, keeping children under the control of father and mother while father and mother are under the control of God. It is to give the church and the world an example of a well-disciplined family with correct habits in eating, dressing, and working.
Failure and remissness in ruling the home produces the same defective character in managing church duties. Neglecting this home work is neglecting to set the church in order and eclipses the light so it cannot shine in right example. Refusing its necessity blinds a person to the necessity of obedience in other lines. Those described must first be proved by faithfulness in smaller and less responsible Christian duties, giving evidence that they fear God and walk continually in humility and love of the truth and are willing to be counseled. By that trial they are better prepared for the increased obligation of deacons found blameless, so no one is to be put in a position of trust without being tested and tried.
The standard in the verse and its context applies to choosing men and women to carry responsibility at the beginning of sanitarium work, where no mistake must be made in placing them. Those chosen must understand the divine will and be able to discern what needs to be done and prayerfully do it so past mistakes are not repeated. The business manager chosen under this standard must daily be divinely managed, possess dignity and knowledge with a clear sense of how to use authority, reveal Christ in life, give religious instruction and exert spiritual influence, and know how to deal with minds while his own mind is controlled by the Spirit. He must speak wisdom and encouragement, discern and correct mistakes, harmonize with fellow workers, possess adaptability, speak the different points of faith as occasion requires, and reveal justice, judgment, and divine love in word and act. The verse calls for following Bible teaching on temperance and approaching health reform intelligently, without making particular foods or diet a test of faith, while educating people to understand and practice health reform. Ministers and church members are to obey God's Word in practice in these duties, not merely profess it.