I Timothy Chapter 3 {Leadership Qualifications - Chapter 3} {Qualification for Pastors Verses 1-7} {Paul's favorite Hymn quoted again} 1~~FAITHFUL IS THE WORD -- If, and it is true, anyone aspires to the office of guardian of the local church {episkopos} . . . he has desired an HONORABLE office. {Note: 'Episkopos' which is sometimes translated 'bishop' was the Greek word used for an overseer of a plantation or a factory. It means 'guardian' and is another word for pastor-teacher . . . only it emphasizes the additional 'responsibility' of the pastor teacher as the policy maker of the local church.} {Qualifications for the Pastor of a Local Church- verses 2-7} 2-3~~The guardian of a local church {pastor} therefore {absolutely} MUST be:   above reproach {anepileptos},   the man/husband of one woman {no polygamy for the pastor},   temperate {may drink but not one who gets habitually drunk},   of sound mind {good common sense},   honorable/well disciplined {consistent teaching thereby   establishing his authority},   hospitable {concern for his congregation and their privacy rights   - live and let live}, and   skillful in teaching, 3~~   not {'me'} abusive/quarrelsome inebriation {drinking is not a sin,   but drunkenness is a sin},   not {'me'} a bully {no mental coercion or physical violence},   but fair and reasonable,   not contentious {doesn't pick fights or let his prejudices enter   into things},   not {'me'}avaricious/'a lover of money' {not greedy or   covetous}. {Note: Anepileptos is a leadership word not morality word. It means 'not arrested', blameless, and unrebukeable. So it is conservatism . . . pro-establishment . . . pro-doctrine . . . pro-military . . . staying out of all evil and 'humanistic' social reforms.} {Note: 'Me' again is the qualified negative - door is not closed here interestingly enough!} 4~~ He {a qualified pastor} should be ruling his own household in the right way . . . holding children in subordination . . . associated with all respectfulness. 5~~ In fact, if anyone {category - pastors} does not know how to rule his own household, how can he take care of the church of God? Answer - He can not! 6~~ Not a neophyte {spiritually immature} . . . lest having received blind arrogance, he might fall into the condemnation of the devil {divine discipline}. 7~~ And, he must also be having an honorable reputation from those outside {of the local church} . . . in order that he NOT fall into disgrace {under influence of evil} and a snare of the devil {reversionism}. {Note: Reinforces that pastor should be respected in the community. A supporter of the local police and other establishment authorities.} {Qualifications for deacons verses 8-13} 8~~In a similar manner {adverb of similarity}, deacons {deputies/administrative assistants - plurality, male and of good quality} must:   be worthy of respect {honorable - operating under Grace   Apparatus for Perception,   not be given to double-talk {hypocritical in speech},   be guarding against much wine {can not be drunk and lead},   not be having a fondness for dishonorable profit/gain, 9~~ with a pure {katharos} conscience, be having and holding the mystery {church age doctrine} . . . even doctrine. {Note: Katharos is the Greek word from which we get catheter. It means to be pure by flushing out of your 'conscience' or system of norms and standards the standards of the Cosmic System replacing 'human viewpoint' with 'divine viewpoint'.} {Deacons must pass an Adversity Test} 10~~Moreover, these {deacons} also must be tested {dokimazo} first {before serving} . . . then afterwards let them serve as a deacon . . . provided that they are blameless under the laws of establishment. {Note: Dokimazo is the assayer's term to test ore to see if it is valuable (gold) or not!} 11~~In the same manner, wives of deacons must:   be worthy of respect/honorable {some advanced level of   spiritual growth},   not be malicious gossips/slanderers { avoid sins of the   tongue},   be temperate in the use of wine {not a lush/sober},   be faithful in all things. {Marital and Family standings of the deacon} 12a~~Deacons, KEEP ON BEING {command}, Noble man {manly man/husband} of one wife. [Note: In the Old Testament, kings were told to have only one wife. In the Church Age, those in Christ are all royality. Here we have a specific command to those of responsibility in the church to only have one wife. Click here to see more on sex and marriage.] 12b~~They should be ruling well their children and their own household   {anyone living under their roof is under their authority}. {Special rewards in Time and Eternity for the Deacon} 13~~For they who have served honorably as deacons have obtained/acquired for themselves a noble rank/profitable standing {rewards} and much confidence by means of doctrine {resident in their souls} . . . associated with their being in Christ Jesus. {Authority in the Royal Family of God - Verses 14-16 - verse 14 - Authority of the Word} 14~~These things {doctrines and applications} I {Paul} am writing to you {Timothy} - for your advantage - though expecting {old English 'hope' means a confident expectation} to come face to face with you without delay. {Authority of the Pastor} 15~~But if I am delayed {old English 'tarry'} - maybe I will, maybe I won't - I write in order that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the house of God . . . which category of local church keeps on being the church of the living God . . . that is the pillar and foundation . . . even the doctrine. {Note: In this analogy, the foundation of the church is salvation - faith in Christ. The pillar is doctrine. It builds in the soul of SuperGrace believers and gives the Church its support. Teaching sound doctrine is the basis for the authority of the Pastor of the local church.} {Authority of Christ . . . also the Mystery of Godliness} 16~~ And by consent of all . . . great is the mystery {church age doctrine} with reference to godliness. The One God {the Unique One - Jesus Christ} WHO:   became visible by means of the flesh,   was vindicated by means of the Spirit,   was carefully scrutinized/observed by angels,   was proclaimed among the nations,   was the object of faith in the world, and,   was taken up to {the place of} Glory. {Note: The term 'Godliness' therefore relates to living as our Lord Jesus lived in the Prototype Spiritual Life -- given as an example to us. The basis for godliness is the strategical victory of Jesus Christ in the first Advent.} ************************************************** Joshua_Sozo™ and Syndein ™ are the Trademarks of Syndein a California DBA of Kenneth Sidley & Associates, Inc., a California Corporation. All rights reserved. Copyright© Syndein 1982-2010. All rights reserved. This page is sponsored by Kenneth Sidley, CPA, an Orange County California CPA (949) 706-3133. Please call Ken for high quality, low cost CPA services in Orange County California. This includes audit, review, compilation, tax returns, Quickbooks, and business consulting services. This page is sponsored by Moxxor For Pain Free Living. Moxxor is a highly concentrated Omega 3 product that has reduced inflammation in this writer. Please go to this website to read more about Moxxor.