But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Titus 1:8 sets the character required of bishops and elders set in charge of the flock as stewards of God, given for ordaining elders in every city in Crete to set in order what was lacking, a standard that also measures ministers, deacons, officers and teachers of the Word. Those chosen are to be welcoming and hospitable, loving good people and what is good, and clear-minded and sober, just and righteous, holy, and self-controlled and temperate. These qualities belong together with blamelessness, faithfulness in marriage, faithful well-governed children, and freedom from self-will, quick anger, wine, violence and greed for dishonest gain. Such character fits a leader to hold firmly to the faithful teaching learned and by sound doctrine both to encourage believers and to refute opposers, so that the truth is presented in purity and many become sound in the faith in opposition to unruly empty talkers who subvert households for dishonest gain. Fitness is proved at home, for one who does not govern his own house and train his children wisely cannot govern the church wisely, and choosing leaders therefore calls for close examination of living Christian experience with much prayer rather than hurrying men into office.
Setting and Required Character
Paul left Titus in Crete to set in order what was lacking by ordaining elders in every city, and this verse gives part of the character required of a bishop in that work. It lays down the qualifications for elders and bishops placed in charge of the flock of God as stewards of God. The same standard applies to ministers, deacons, officers, and teachers of the Word who are entrusted with leadership in the church. Those chosen are to be men of experience who have a knowledge of the truth and are sound in the faith, because a decided work is to be done in the churches.
The required character is welcoming and hospitable toward others and caring for guests. It is to love good people and what is good. It is to be clear-minded and sober, just and righteous and upright, holy, and self-controlled and temperate. Together these qualities express the piety and justice expected of those entrusted with leadership.
These positive qualities belong together with blamelessness as steward of God. They belong with faithfulness in marriage and with faithful, well-governed children. They belong with freedom from self-will, quick anger, wine, violence, and greed for dishonest gain and filthy lucre.
Protecting Truth and Unity
The character described fits a leader to hold firmly to the faithful teaching learned, so that by sound doctrine he is able both to encourage believers and to refute and convince opposers. The bishop as steward of God must be welcoming, loving toward good people, clear-minded and sober, just and righteous, holy and self-controlled, together with blamelessness, freedom from self-will, quick anger, wine, violence and greed for dishonest gain. Those who meet this standard belong to the class who present the truth in its purity as contained in God's Word and preach the word of eternal life, so that many are made sound in the faith. This stands in opposition to the class of unruly and empty talkers and deceivers who subvert whole households by teaching what they should not for dishonest gain, bringing in a spurious religion to counterwork the work God said must be done.
That same character fits the leader to preserve order and unity in the church by stopping the mouths of unruly and vain talkers and deceivers and confronting deceptive and disruptive speech. Where members sow doubt, evil-surmising and disaffection and counterwork the minister, the standard requires faithful personal labor with them. If after the steps required by Christ they will not change, separation from church fellowship follows.
Choosing leaders by this standard calls for close examination of Christian experience and conduct for a real living experience in the things of God. More regard must be given to these requirements in granting license to preach to men expected publicly to preach the Word and in choosing teachers of the Bible. Men must not be hurried into office without due consideration and much prayer that God by His Spirit will designate whom He will accept.
Fitness for this trust is proved at home, for one who does not show wisdom in managing the church in his own house and governing and training his children cannot show wisdom in managing the larger church outside and bearing its responsibilities. If he has shown piety at home and brought up his children in nurture and admonition to be kind, obedient, pure, respectful and reverent toward sacred things, it evidences fitness; if he has neglected their education and training he sets church members a defective example and God's blessing will not rest upon his work. The same influence exerted at home will be exerted in the church, and one self-willed, self-sufficient, unyielding ruling element countenanced in office will destroy its peace, unity and prosperity.
Hospitality and Saving Influence
Love of hospitality is a required mark of one entrusted with responsibility in the church. The same call reaches the whole church, so that every believer is to welcome one another willingly. Each member is to use the gifts received to serve one another as a steward of God's grace.
Love of hospitality is an excellent Christian trait that, together with love for the truth and for those who believe it, qualifies a person to exert a saving influence on others. When love, affection, and tenderness abound in the heart, and when joined with fortitude, courage, and firmness of purpose, that fitness for saving influence is complete. It is exercised by controlling the words, studying their effect, and speaking never merely for the sake of talking but for the edification of the hearers. Yet this qualifying influence is counteracted, and usefulness is greatly injured, when it is marred by reckless talking and jesting.
Titus 1:8 sets the character required of bishops and elders set in charge of the flock as stewards of God, given for ordaining elders in every city in Crete to set in order what was lacking, a standard that also measures ministers, deacons, officers and teachers of the Word. Those chosen are to be welcoming and hospitable, loving good people and what is good, and clear-minded and sober, just and righteous, holy, and self-controlled and temperate. These qualities belong together with blamelessness, faithfulness in marriage, faithful well-governed children, and freedom from self-will, quick anger, wine, violence and greed for dishonest gain. Such character fits a leader to hold firmly to the faithful teaching learned and by sound doctrine both to encourage believers and to refute opposers, so that the truth is presented in purity and many become sound in the faith in opposition to unruly empty talkers who subvert households for dishonest gain. Fitness is proved at home, for one who does not govern his own house and train his children wisely cannot govern the church wisely, and choosing leaders therefore calls for close examination of living Christian experience with much prayer rather than hurrying men into office.
Setting and Required Character
Paul left Titus in Crete to set in order what was lacking by ordaining elders in every city, and this verse gives part of the character required of a bishop in that work. It lays down the qualifications for elders and bishops placed in charge of the flock of God as stewards of God. The same standard applies to ministers, deacons, officers, and teachers of the Word who are entrusted with leadership in the church. Those chosen are to be men of experience who have a knowledge of the truth and are sound in the faith, because a decided work is to be done in the churches.
The required character is welcoming and hospitable toward others and caring for guests. It is to love good people and what is good. It is to be clear-minded and sober, just and righteous and upright, holy, and self-controlled and temperate. Together these qualities express the piety and justice expected of those entrusted with leadership.
These positive qualities belong together with blamelessness as steward of God. They belong with faithfulness in marriage and with faithful, well-governed children. They belong with freedom from self-will, quick anger, wine, violence, and greed for dishonest gain and filthy lucre.
Protecting Truth and Unity
The character described fits a leader to hold firmly to the faithful teaching learned, so that by sound doctrine he is able both to encourage believers and to refute and convince opposers. The bishop as steward of God must be welcoming, loving toward good people, clear-minded and sober, just and righteous, holy and self-controlled, together with blamelessness, freedom from self-will, quick anger, wine, violence and greed for dishonest gain. Those who meet this standard belong to the class who present the truth in its purity as contained in God's Word and preach the word of eternal life, so that many are made sound in the faith. This stands in opposition to the class of unruly and empty talkers and deceivers who subvert whole households by teaching what they should not for dishonest gain, bringing in a spurious religion to counterwork the work God said must be done.
That same character fits the leader to preserve order and unity in the church by stopping the mouths of unruly and vain talkers and deceivers and confronting deceptive and disruptive speech. Where members sow doubt, evil-surmising and disaffection and counterwork the minister, the standard requires faithful personal labor with them. If after the steps required by Christ they will not change, separation from church fellowship follows.
Choosing leaders by this standard calls for close examination of Christian experience and conduct for a real living experience in the things of God. More regard must be given to these requirements in granting license to preach to men expected publicly to preach the Word and in choosing teachers of the Bible. Men must not be hurried into office without due consideration and much prayer that God by His Spirit will designate whom He will accept.
Fitness for this trust is proved at home, for one who does not show wisdom in managing the church in his own house and governing and training his children cannot show wisdom in managing the larger church outside and bearing its responsibilities. If he has shown piety at home and brought up his children in nurture and admonition to be kind, obedient, pure, respectful and reverent toward sacred things, it evidences fitness; if he has neglected their education and training he sets church members a defective example and God's blessing will not rest upon his work. The same influence exerted at home will be exerted in the church, and one self-willed, self-sufficient, unyielding ruling element countenanced in office will destroy its peace, unity and prosperity.
Hospitality and Saving Influence
Love of hospitality is a required mark of one entrusted with responsibility in the church. The same call reaches the whole church, so that every believer is to welcome one another willingly. Each member is to use the gifts received to serve one another as a steward of God's grace.
Love of hospitality is an excellent Christian trait that, together with love for the truth and for those who believe it, qualifies a person to exert a saving influence on others. When love, affection, and tenderness abound in the heart, and when joined with fortitude, courage, and firmness of purpose, that fitness for saving influence is complete. It is exercised by controlling the words, studying their effect, and speaking never merely for the sake of talking but for the edification of the hearers. Yet this qualifying influence is counteracted, and usefulness is greatly injured, when it is marred by reckless talking and jesting.