Qualification Of Elders “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:1,2).

Qualification Of Elders “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:1,2).

Qualifications Of Elders: Character Desire Holy Just Gentle Good Behavior Lover Of Good

Qualifications Of Elder – Reputation Blameless Good Testimony Hospitable Not Quarrelsome Not Greedy Not Covetous Not Violent

Qualification Of Elders – His Habits Self-controlled

“but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled” (Titus 1:8).

“but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled” (Titus 1:8).

Self-controlled 1) Word defined (KJ temperate). “mastering, controlling, curbing, restraining”: “controlling oneself, temperate, continent” (Thayer, p. 167). AMG says, “Having power over, being master of. Used metaphorically, meaning self-control, continence.”

Self-controlled 2) A virtue to be added by all disciples. “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Self-controlled 3) Additional thoughts. “An elder must maintain control over all his passions. Not all men attain such heights. Some are controlled by circumstances, emotions, desires, and even other men. Elders must be above all such and maintain mastery over self” (Patton, Truth Commentary, p. 270). “I have known some who profess to be elders who could neither control their temper nor their tongues. Nothing is farther from a qualified elder than the man who lets himself fly into a rage when things do not go his way. This is one quality that can not be hidden. His speech and actions will show whether he has self-control or not” (H.E. Philips, Scriptural Elders And Deacons, p. 163).

Qualification Of Elders – His Habits Self-controlled Sober-minded

“but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled” (Titus 1:8).

“but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled” (Titus 1:8).

Sober-minded 1) Definition. “Discreet, sober, temperate, of a sound mind; self-disciplined in one's freedom, self-restrained in all passions and desires” (AMG). We can see how closely related sober-minded and self-control are. H.E. Philips says, “Sober-minded considers temperance (self-controlled, JRM) from the standpoint of CAUSE” (Scriptural Elders And Deacons, p. 163).

Sober-minded 2) Same word or form of it used. “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things--that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded” (Titus 2:1-6).

Sober-minded 2) Same word or form of it used. “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things--that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded” (Titus 2:1-6).

Sober-minded 3) Comments on this word. “Obviously the word sober-minded does not just mean one who is not drunk with liquor, though that idea is in the term, but it is much more inclusive and comprehensive than that. It means that quality to be calm, even tempered, cautious, circumspect, and wise in the full use of the mind and body under all circumstance to the point that good sense is shown in all judgment, reason and understanding” (H.E. Philips, Scritpural Elders And Deacons, pp. 163 & 164). “…that one must be prudent and self-controlled under emotional and inflammatory situations; one whose words and actions evidence wisdom at all times” (M. Patton, Truth Commentary, p. 269).

Qualification Of Elders – His Habits Self-controlled Sober-minded Not Quick-tempered

“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money” (Titus 1:7).

“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money” (Titus 1:7).

Not Quick-tempered 1) Definition (not soon angry, KJ). “prone to anger, irascible” (Thayer, p. 452). Bullinger says, “prone to anger, revengeful” (p. 53).

Not Quick-tempered 2) Must be slow to anger. “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29).

Not Quick-tempered 3) Not a sin to be angry. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26). “And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other” (Mark 3:5).

Qualification Of Elders – His Habits Self-controlled Sober-minded Not Quick-tempered Not Self-willed

“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money” (Titus 1:7).

“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money” (Titus 1:7).

Not Self-willed 1) Meaning of this expression. “self-pleasing, self-willed, arrogant” (Thayer, p. 84); AMG says, “One who is pleased with himself and despises others, insolent, surly, the contrast of courteous or affable. A person who obstinately maintains his own opinion or asserts his own rights but is reckless of the rights, feelings, and interests of others. He regulates his life with no respect to others.”

Not Self-willed 2) Must be concerned about others. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3,4).

Not Self-willed 3) Elders are warned. “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2,3).

Not Self-willed 4) An example. “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church” (3 John 9,10).

Qualification Of Elders – His Habits Self-controlled Sober-minded Not Quick-tempered Not Self-willed Not Given To Wine

“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money” (Titus 1:7).

“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money” (Titus 1:7).

Not Given To Wine 1) Word defined. “given to wine, drunken”: 1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7; (others give it the secondary sense, ‘quarrelsome over wine’; hence, “brawling, abusive”) (Thayer, p. 490). Vine defines this term under the word “brawler.” “an adjective, lit., tarrying at wine, “given to wine,”, A.V. probably has the secondary sense, of the effects of wine-bibbing, viz., abusive brawling” (p. 148).

Not Given To Wine 2) A warning! “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?” (Proverbs 23:29-35).

Not Given To Wine 3) Additional thought. “The man for the eldership must not be subject to wine or other intoxicating liquors of any kind, but abstain completely from fermented juice of grapes and other berries or fruits that would cause drunkenness. He must not participate in strong drinks so that he becomes a drunken brawler. His reputation and mind must be free from all influences of evil and intoxication; nothing must unbalance the mind or body. But the kind of wine spoken of in the Bible as not causing intoxication is not forbidden here” (H.E. Philips, Scriptural Elders And Deacons, p. 172).

Not Given To Wine 4) If a man abstains – (a) Could he become addicted to wine? (b) Could he become drunk? (c) Would his reputation be questioned? (d) Would he set a good example? (e) Would his judgment be obscured? (f) Would he be more Christ-like?

Qualification Of Elders – His Habits Self-controlled Sober-minded Not Quick-tempered Not Self-willed Not Given To Wine