Its Offices (Continued)

4. THE OFFICE OF A BISHOP (Continued)
2. The Qualifications of a Bishop (1 Timothy 3:1-7 [1] This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. [2] A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; [3] Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; [4] One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; [5] (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) [6] Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. [7] Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
   See All...; Titus 1:5-9 [5] For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: [6] If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. [7] For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; [8] But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; [9] 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.
   See All...)
1. He must be a man (1 Timothy 3:1This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
   See All...).
1. “If a man” desire the office (1 Timothy 3:1This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
   See All...)
2. The husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...)
3. Ruleth well his own house (1 Timothy 3:4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
   See All...)
4. “If a man” know not how to rule (1 Timothy 3:5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
   See All...)
2. He must be blameless (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...; Titus 1:6If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
   See All..., 7).
1. Forms of the word blame
1. The word blame occurs four times (Genesis 43:9I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
   See All...; Genesis 44:32For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
   See All...; 2 Corinthians 8:20Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
   See All...; Ephesians 1:4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
   See All...).
2. The word blameless occurs fifteen times (Genesis 44:10And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
   See All...; Joshua 2:17And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
   See All...; Judges 15:3And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
   See All...; Matthew 12:5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
   See All...; Luke 1:6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
   See All...; 1 Corinthians 1:8Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
   See All...; Philippians 2:15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
   See All...; Philippians 3:6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
   See All...; 1 Thessalonians 5:23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
   See All...; 1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All..., 10; 1 Timothy 5:7And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.
   See All...; Titus 1:6If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
   See All..., 7; 2 Peter 3:14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
   See All...).
3. The word blamed occurs two times (2 Corinthians 6:3Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
   See All...; Galatians 2:11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
   See All...).
4. The word unblameable occurs two times (Colossians 1:22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
   See All...; 1 Thessalonians 3:13To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
   See All...).
5. The word unblameably occurs one time (1 Thessalonians 2:10Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
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2. A general definition would be a guilty responsibility concerning a matter .
3. We can only be perfectly blameless in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:8Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
   See All...). Therefore, the bishop must be one who is saved.
4. However, there is also a practical side of being blameless.
1. It means to have no fault that others can righteously condemn.
2. A man of God must be one who has done all that can be done to make wrongs right.
3. If he has wronged someone, he has made/is making it right.
3. He must be the husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...; Titus 1:6If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
   See All...).
1. The controversy introduced
1. Does this mean only one marriage ?
2. Does this mean only one wife at a time ?
3. Does this mean only one scriptural marriage at a time ?
4. Does this mean a single man does not qualify ?
2. In some circles this is the most controversial of all the qualifications. Perhaps it is because:
1. The phrase is open to multiple interpretations.
2. The interpretation deeply affects people’s lives.
3. Is this qualification an argument against bigamy?
1. One of the most common interpretations is that the phrase refers to bigamy; that is, a man being married to two wives instead of just one.
2. The language of the phrase would allow for this interpretation.
3. However, there are serious problems:
1. The problem referred to in 1 Timothy and Titus had to be a common one because of the prominence given to it in the lists of qualifications.
2. No other verses in the entire New Testament say anything about the sin of bigamy.
3. Historical records show that neither the Romans nor the Jews of New Testament times commonly practiced bigamy.
1. Both groups preferred to divorce and remarry.
2. The Romans would have mistresses in addition to their wife, but she was not considered a wife.
4. Is this qualification an argument against divorced pastors?
1. The connection with blamelessness points to a connection with divorce and remarriage. In both lists, the first qualification is to be blameless and the second is to be the husband of one wife. Very likely, being the husband of one wife is one of the ways to be blameless. Consider the following:
1. God speaks of divorce and remarriage (except in certain cases) as a commission of the sin of adultery (Mark 10:9-12 [9] What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. [10] And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. [11] And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. [12] And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
   See All...). This would certainly bring blame on the guilty parties.
2. After divorce and remarriage has been committed, there is no way to go back and fully make up for the blame.
2. A pastor and his family are to be “ensamples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
   See All...).
1. A pastor is to live such a life before his people that it can be used as a pattern for the lives of the church members.
2. One of the most common problem areas in ministry is that of marriage problems. A man who has been divorced and remarried, for whatever reason, will have little credibility when he tells his members that they must remain together in their marriage in order to be right with God.
3. We know that God holds the testimony of those who have married only once as more worthy of honor.
1. The “widow indeed” in 1 Timothy 5 is a widow who was worthy of support by the church. She must have a strong spiritual testimony and be truly destitute. One of her qualifications was that of “having been the wife of one man” (1 Timothy 5:9Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.
   See All...).
2. This poses a problem for the bigamist interpretation of “the husband of one wife” phrase. If the restriction given to bishops does not refer to serial marriage, then the widow supported by the church in her old age was required to have higher standards than the pastor of the church.
5. Considerations concerning this matter
1. Good men have and will continue to disagree over this matter.
2. Honest differences of interpretation are possible from the text.
3. Others are not responsible to you, but to God, for what they do (Romans 14:4-5 [4] Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. [5] One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
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4. The choice of a pastor is between the man of God, the church that calls him, and the Lord.
4. He must be vigilant (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...).
1. The word vigilant only occurs two times in Scripture (1 Timothy  3:2O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
   See All...; 1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
   See All...) and means to stay alert to danger or trouble .
2. This quality is especially important for a pastor. He will have to protect the flock from wolves without and traitors within (Acts 20:29-30 [29] For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. [30] Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
   See All...).
5. He must be sober (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...; Titus 1:8But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
   See All...).
1. This word and its variations are used only in the New Testament and means to be seriously minded .
2. A pastor must take his life and his service to God seriously. His calling is a holy calling, and it cannot be taken lightly.
6. He must be of good behaviour (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...).
1. The word behaviour has to do with a person’s external actions.
2. God uses men with many different personalities, but He expects a pastor to know how to behave himself.
7. He must be given to hospitality (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...; Titus 1:8But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
   See All...).
1. Hospitality is the act of being friendly, kind, and helpful toward others.
2. The qualifications in Titus require the pastor to be “a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men” (Titus 1:8But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
   See All...).
3. This requirement is expected of Christians in general (Romans 12:13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
   See All...). The widow indeed is judged by “if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet” (1 Timothy 5:10Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
   See All...).
4. The pastor must be one who reaches out to others in order to strengthen them in their walk with the Lord. He must be ready to minister to their needs and show them kindness.
8. He must be apt to teach (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
   See All...).
1. Apt refers to being able and willing to do something. It also means that you are inclined to do it. It comes naturally as a part of your way with others.
2. If the pastor is apt to teach, he must:
1. Have a good knowledge of the Bible and the Christian life (Titus 1:9Holding 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.
   See All...)
2. Have an understanding of how to teach God’s truth to others
3. Tend towards teaching the truth of God in many different situations
4. Be patient and gentle towards others while they are learning (2 Timothy 2:24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
   See All...)