Timothy chapter three, we've been looking at the qualifications of elders in verses one to seven. We noted the man's desire for the eldership in verse one. We saw the man's personal conduct according to verses two and three. Third, the man's domestic faithfulness in verses four and five.

The man's experience in the faith, verse six, not a new convert. The next was the man's testimony toward outsiders in verse 7. Now, tonight we'll take up what we find in verse 2. All of these, for the most part, describe the man's character.

It describes virtue. There is one specific gift that the man must have and that he must exercise for the good of the church. It's at the end of verse 2 where Paul says, able to teach. So I want to read the section, and then we'll pray, and then we'll get to this particular aspect of the qualifications 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, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?

Not a novice, lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise, deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.

Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children in their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly.

But if I am delayed, I write, so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. Amen.

Well, let us pray. Our Father, thank you for this list, this description of a qualified man to function in the context of the eldership in the church. Give us grace, Father, to receive these things. Give us grace to apply them in our lives as we consider men for eldership or for the diaconate.

And God, we pray again that you'd raise up a multitude of such men that would be servants in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. faithful to teach the whole counsel of God, faithful to proclaim the gospel of free and sovereign grace. And may you be glorified in this. Again, forgive us now for all of our sin and its darkening influence in our minds and hearts, and guide us by your Holy Spirit. And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Introduction

Well, before we unpack this statement, able to teach, notice a couple of things by way of reminder. Look at what Paul says in verse one. This is a faithful saying. If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

We don't force men into service. We don't make men engage in service. We don't simply say, look out among you, find the most hapless soul and put him into this office for a space of two or three years. No, he must desire, there must be within him that understanding of what Scripture says at the point of qualification and function, and he wants to be able to take that on.

So there is that desire that is operative. But then the fact that the apostle gives a list of qualifications underscores that the desire is not sufficient in itself. In other words, a man might want to be an astronaut, but if he's afraid of heights or he has problems with pressure, then he's probably not going to engage in that particular endeavor. A man might want to be a cowboy, but if he can't ride a horse, then that's not the job for him.

So desire alone does not make a minister of the gospel. And one of the reasons why Paul gives this list of qualifications is so that the subjective desire that a man has in his bosom can be checked objectively by the church. In other words, if a man has aspiration, if a man has desire, it is the church's task and responsibility to make sure that is, in fact, a legitimate desire. And it will be evidenced to be a legitimate desire if he is the things that Paul describes here in 1 Timothy 3, verses 1 to 7.

Notice again, verse 2, a bishop then must be. Now the list of virtues that the apostle describes are those things that every Christian should be pursuing. Every man, every woman, every boy, every girl should strive to be blameless, should strive to be gentle, should strive to live in a manner that is consistent with this list of qualifications. but it must be demonstrable in the lives of those who we are considering for gospel ministry. They're not going to be perfect men, they're not going to be sinless men, but they must be this manner of men.

And then one other observation before we hone in on verse 2, Look at what Paul says in verses 14 and 15. He says, these things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly. But if I am delayed, I write. Now notice what he says, so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God.

We refer to this as the regulative principle of worship. Worship is not a free-for-all. It's not up to the worshiper to define the approach taken to God. No, the Apostle Paul specifically says, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

One of the things that should have jumped out at you in the reading of Leviticus chapter 8 is that they did as the Lord had commanded them. They didn't make this approach up. They didn't just kind of innovate the idea of sacrifice in order to get to the deity. No, God commanded how He wanted His church to approach Him in the sacrificial system in the Old Covenant.

Well, God commands us today how the church is to conduct herself in the house of God. He regulates our worship. He regulates our approach. He regulates who it is who will function in the capacity of elder and deacon.

So let's now hone in on Paul's statement in verse two. that he must be able to teach. Now I want to back off from that for just a moment to try and show why this is inevitable. In other words, this shouldn't be a surprise that in the eldership in the church of Christ, A primary function, the primary function, is to teach. It is to preach the word of the living God.

If you start in the book of Genesis, and you read to the book of 1 Timothy, and you read beyond the book of 1 Timothy, you'll notice the centrality of the word of God in biblical religion. the centrality of the Word of God in biblical religion. I want to flesh that point out. And then secondly, consider the importance of the Word of God for the Church of Christ. And then thirdly, the preaching of the Word of God as the function of the man of God.

Centrality of the Word in Biblical Religion

But first, the centrality of the Word in biblical religion. You can turn back to the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy chapter 5. This is a thumbnail sketch.

We're not going to deal with every aspect relative to the centrality of the Word in biblical religion, but just a few key notes for us to appreciate that when we get to 1 Timothy 3.2, we shouldn't be surprised. We shouldn't say, wow, I can't believe there needs to be a class of men who serve in the Church of Christ and whose primary function is to teach the Word of God. No, this is a no-brainer. This necessarily follows with those who understand the centrality of the word in biblical religion.

The First and Second Commandments

Notice in Deuteronomy chapter 5, specifically verses 6 to 8. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.

For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands to those who love me and keep my commandments. These two commandments, these first two commandments are inextricably connected. The first one demands that we worship the true and the living God. It forbids Molech, it forbids Asherah, it forbids Baal, it forbids the gods of the nations.

Rather, it demands that we worship Yahweh of Israel, the one who delivered his people from bondage in Egypt. The second commandment is closely related. You need to worship the true God in the true way. So it's not only necessary that we have the right object of worship, but that we obey the manner prescribed on how we enter into the worship of God Almighty.

This brings us to the point, the centrality of the word in biblical religion. God never was for persons erecting an idol. fashioning an image, engaging in some sort of frenzy or ecstasy at the base of that particular idol. The Bible tells us that the religion of God is word-based. In other words, God is incorporeal.

He's without body. The fact that he is invisible demands that for him, to engage in, or for us rather, to engage in proper worship, we must be instructed by His Word. Now look back at Deuteronomy chapter 4. Remember that the commandments had already been given.

It's not that they're just now being given in chapter 5, they've been given in Exodus chapter 20. So they're conscious and mindful of that first and second commandment, that we come to the true and living God and we come in the manner prescribed by Him. We're not free, we're not left on our own to just conjure up any old way whatsoever that we enter into the presence of God. Notice in Deuteronomy 4, verse 11.

Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness cloud and thick darkness. And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. Note the language. The Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire.

You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form. You only heard a voice. Why is that? Because Yahweh's not Baal, Yahweh's not Asherah, Yahweh's not Molad, Yahweh's command, Yahweh's voice, Yahweh's word is determinative of Yahweh's people's conduct.

They're not innovators, they're not creators, but rather they are obedient. Verse 13, So He declared to you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments, and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. And the Lord commanded Me at the same time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess. Now on the heels of that exhortation, there's a caution against idolatry.

Again, you saw no form, but rather you heard the voice. The Word of God is determinative for the conduct of God's people. A second observation is later in the book of Deuteronomy.

The Prophetic Ministry in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy chapter 18. The function of the prophetic ministry. Deuteronomy chapter 18, under the big heading of the centrality of the Word of God in biblical religion. It's necessitated because of the first and second commandments.

But as well, notice the function of the prophetic ministry in Deuteronomy chapter 18. I'll just give you a summary of what the chapter is dealing with. In the first place, it deals with provisions for priests and Levites. We're already seeing this in Leviticus.

As the priests bring the sacrifice to Yahweh, they get to keep a portion for themselves that they may be able to eat. Because the priest in Israel did not live on love and fresh air. He, like everybody else, needed protein. He, like everybody else, needed fat.

He, like everybody else, needed complex carbohydrates. So the provision for priests and Levites. Secondly, there is a prohibition from following the abominations of the nations, specifically occultism, in verses 9 to 14. Notice specifically at verse 10.

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. In other words, you need to recoil from horror at the way that the Canaanites make contact with the supernatural. Thirdly, there is the purpose of God in the prophetic ministry in verses 15 to 19. This sets the stage for the prophets that follow after Moses and terminates ultimately in the prophet that God raises up from among them, namely our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter tells us in Acts 3 at verse 22 that this is applicable to our Lord Jesus. As well, on the Mount of Transfiguration, the same language comes up that we find in this chapter. Notice in 1815, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly saying, let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore lest I die.

Look at what it says at verse 15. Him you shall hear. Here, on the Mount of Transfiguration, the voice of the Father comes from heaven and says, this is my beloved Son, Him you shall hear. So this not only is the foundation for the prophetic ministry in Israel, but it also, as I said, terminates in our Lord Jesus Christ.

It substantiates a succession of prophets leading to one specific prophet. Meredith Klein says, Jesus was the anti-typical prophet whom the Old Testament prophetic institution foreshadowed. So this is a crucial text. Then, of course, in verses 20 to 22, there is a condemnation of those who would speak false prophecy.

So the prophetic function of the nature of the prophetic ministry in Israel was to teach them, was to instruct them, was to inform them concerning what God demanded from them. So they didn't seek out a cultist. They didn't seek out the witches. Remember in 1 Samuel chapter 28, Saul's great sin against the living God.

God no longer spoke to him. So he fetches the witch at Endor to try to make contact with the supernatural. He wants her to bring up Samuel so that Saul can get information as to whether or not he should engage his enemy. It is crass, it is vile, it is wicked and abominable.

He was not relying upon the means that God had ordained. in terms of the prophetic ministry.

The Prophets Proclaim the Word

Now go forward just a couple specimen passages concerning the prophets of God teaching the Word of God. Look at Isaiah 58. Isaiah 58. Again, if we understand what the Old Testament is about, when we get to 1 Timothy 3-2, we shouldn't be surprised that the elder in the Church of Christ must be apt to teach.

Notice in 58.1, cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, tell my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins. In other words, convince them, correct them, rebuke them, instruct them, call them back to repentance and faith. The prophetic word comes to the nation of Israel to call upon them to consider their sin, to consider the remedy that is to be had in Yahweh in terms of forgiveness. You see this emphasis in the call of the prophet Jeremiah.

You can turn to Jeremiah chapter 1. Jeremiah chapter 1, specifically at verse 4. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you.

I ordained you, what? a prophet to the nations. Not just Israel, but the Word of God is expansive, it is extensive, it is comprehensive. It is simply not confined to Palestine, but rather it goes to the uttermost parts of the earth. Now drop down to verse 9.

Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out to pull down, to destroy, to throw down, to build and to plant. Those six key words come up often in this book of Jeremiah. But it's by heralding, it is by proclaiming, it is by prophesying, it is by teaching the Word of God that these things come to pass.

Christ and the Apostles Preach the Word

And then as we move to the New Testament, we see this continued emphasis. What does Jesus do? Certainly comes from the Father in order to live for us and to die for us and to be raised again for us. But how does Jesus fill his time in terms of his earthly ministry?

Yes, he does miracles. Yes, he's kind and gracious and compassionate. But the central focus of Christ's earthly ministry was prophetic. In other words, he taught.

The Gospel of Matthew records five discourses of our Lord Jesus Christ as he engages in the task of preaching and teaching the Word of God. When we move on from the gospel narratives, we hear the Lord in the Great Commission when he says, go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and look I am with you always even to the end of the age So we turn to the book of Acts and what do we see? Again, the emphasis on teaching the emphasis on preaching on the day of Pentecost.

What does Peter do? Does he have a therapy session? Does he have a divine encounter session? Do they punch pillows to deal with their their upsetness from their their their wayward youth?

No No! He preaches the Word of God. He says, this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. He applies it to that particular context, shows that the power of the Spirit is given by the ascended Lord Jesus.

Acts 3, more preaching. Acts 4, more preaching. Acts 5, more preaching. Such that the Sanhedrin now threatens them.

You're no longer to fill this city with this doctrine. But that's when they said we must obey God rather than man. One of the first difficulties encountered within the church is in Acts 6. Not that it was wrong to serve the Hellenistic and the Hebrew widows a daily ration of food, but it was taking the apostles away from the emphasis of prayer and preaching.

Acts chapter 13, the start of the missionary journeys by the apostle Paul. What does he do? He goes into the synagogue and there he preaches. In Acts 14.1, we read that on that missionary journey, the apostle so spake that a great multitude believed.

I mean, it almost sounds Arminian. It almost sounds Pelagian. You mean it was? Because they so spake that a great multitude believed?

Well, no. 1348 tells us that as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed, and then in chapter 16 we read that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia in order to believe what Paul had spoken. But nevertheless, there is emphasis laid on the proclamation of the truth. The Word of God, the power of the Gospel, has been advanced through the proclamation of that Gospel. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God in Romans 10, 17.

But before that, Romans 10, 14. You can turn there just to see his emphasis on the necessity of the preached Word. Romans chapter 10, specifically verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Better rendered as, and how shall they believe him whom they have not heard? In other words, as a man faithfully expounds the truth, it is, as it were, Christ speaking through that word for the edification of his people and for the salvation of sinners. So how shall they believe him whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. They have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report?

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 into chapter 2, the apostle is highlighting the glory of God in the salvation of sinners. And he displays the glory of God in the salvation of sinners three particular ways. In the first way, it is seen through the message of the cross.

What the world deems as foolishness is, in fact, the power of God Almighty. The glory of God in the salvation of sinners is seen in the salvation, secondly, of the sinners in Corinth. Not many wise, not many noble. And then the glory of God and the salvation of sinners is seen in the character of the Apostle Paul himself, according to chapter two, verses one to five.

He came not as a man who was eight foot tall and bulletproof. He didn't come as the celebrity preacher. He wasn't passing out the coffee cups. He wasn't passing out the t-shirts.

The Apostle Paul is my homeboy. No, he came with trembling. He came with fear, but he came with proclamation that was in the demonstration of the spirit and power. But notice specifically what Paul says in verse 18.

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. To the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than man. Get it in the heads, brethren, that the way that God has ordained for the calling of sinners unto salvation by faith in Jesus Christ is through the Word of God. And that Word of God is proclaimed by men of God who are qualified to do so, recognized by the Church, and set apart for that particular capacity.

Importance of the Word for the Church

Now let's look secondly at the importance of the Word of God for the Church of Christ. Three texts here that are very, very familiar to us. In the first place, the Apostle's emphasis on the importance of the Word of God for the man of God. The Apostle's emphasis on the importance of the Word of God for the man of God.

The Word and the Man of God

You can turn to 2 Timothy chapter 3. 2 Timothy chapter 3, the Apostle sets forth a contrast between the wicked and between Timothy. Notice he describes the wicked in chapter 3 at verses 1 to 9. He is dealing with problems internally. He is dealing with problems in the professing church.

He's not dealing with the world. He's not dealing with the heathen. He's not dealing with the Gentile. He's not dealing with the pagan.

Chapter three, verses one to nine, specifically has the aim of the church. Because notice in verse five, the person's causing trouble, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. And from such people turn away. Timothy, avoid that.

Like the plague, they are menaces. They're about destruction and turmoil and pain and misery. So he describes this threat in the church, but then notice the contrast in verse 10. But you, you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what persecutions I endured.

And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus." Don't miss what Paul says here. The Old Testament Scriptures, because that's what's in view primarily as Paul is writing 2 Timothy. The Old Testament Scriptures are able to make one wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. There's not two or three or four or five ways unto God.

It's always been grace alone through faith alone, in Christ alone. And then he gives this wonderful statement in verses 16 and 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. You see the emphasis there, brethren?

It's not on his gregariousness. It's not on his happy attitude, though that is certainly a good thing. The emphasis is upon his understanding of Scripture and his use of Scripture in the context of pastoral ministry.

The Word and the Body of Christ

Now, secondly, the apostles' emphasis on the importance of the Word of God for the Church of God. You can turn back to Ephesians 4. Again, a familiar passage. I've cited it recently, but it bears repetition because the Church needs this.

Ephesians 4.11, and he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. Now, verse 12 has been taken out of its context and used to teach every member ministry. In other words, when you're in the church, you have a ministry. You gotta have a ministry.

We gotta plug you in. It could be the parking lot ministry. It could be the bathroom ministry. It could be whatever ministry, because every member has a ministry.

So verse 12 has been taken that way. That's not the point of verse 12. There are three coordinate statements that are true of the minister. The best punctuation is in the old King James.

The new King James punctuates it in that way that I think is faulty. But notice what he says in verse 12. For, here's the first purpose, the equipping of the saints. Certainly, pastors equip the saints so that they can engage in ministry.

That is a truism. That is accepted. That is axiomatic. But notice the second coordinate statement, for the work of ministry, not the members being equipped, but the pastors or the elders themselves.

They are working in the ministry of the word in order to edify the body of Christ. And then that comes out thirdly, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Again, I'm not suggesting that every member shouldn't find his or her ministry. Absolutely, positively, great.

Go do that and be fruitful. But this isn't the text. And then notice how he goes on, verse 13. You mean there's tricky men out there?

There's cunning, crafty men out there that are trying to usurp for them authority that is not theirs, and they do it with a purpose of actually messing with the people of God? Yeah, that's exactly what Paul says. Paul says in Galatians 1 that there are some who want to actually pervert the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So back to our passage, notice in verse 15, but speaking the truth and love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

You see, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says that the word of God is so important for the church of God, so that the church of God does not lose her way. When you look at problems in the church today, I guarantee you, you can always trace them back to a faulty pulpit. You can always trace them back to faulty exposition. You can always trace it back to a mishandling of the, well, I should say always, I mean, you could have ax murderers and that sort of thing that just happens in the life of the church.

You can't necessarily blame a pastor for that. But for the most part, the problems in the church have to do at the level of the misunderstanding of God's Word. The Apostle Paul, in Acts 20, says, I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. That's incumbent upon preachers.

It's not a hobby horse session, it's not whatever I feel led to share with you, but it is the job of the minister to preach the word of the living God.

The Command to Preach the Word

And that's the final text we'll look at in 2 Timothy chapter 4. This is the last corporate command given by the apostle to the church. He gives Timothy commands, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, verse 13, when you come and the books, especially the parchments. That's not a command for us.

We're not, you know, somehow going out there, finding these items and taking them to where Paul used to be in prison. No, that's not a corporate command. That is conditioned specifically with reference to Timothy as Paul's companion. The corporate command is found in verse two.

Notice the command is set in the context of eternity. Verse one, I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. Now, brethren, I don't want to sort of put down any other job. I think all labor, as long as it's not sinful, is noble.

It is blessed. It is good. It is a godly thing to have a vocation. It is a godly thing to work hard with your hands.

But it is interesting that with reference to preaching the Word, it is set in the context of the judgment to come. I think this gives us understanding as to why James cautions everyone pursuing a teaching ministry. He says, we shall incur or receive a stricter judgment. So it's set in the context of the day of judgment, and then verse 2, the command is simple, preach the Word. be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching.

He gives two reasons for that command. The first is in verse three and the second is in verse six. The reason that he wants Timothy to preach the word. The second one's easy.

For the time is coming or I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand. Timothy, I'm about to die. So you need to take the baton, the faithful baton of gospel preaching, and you need to engage in that. Again, Paul's emphasis with Timothy isn't on being the most handsome, the most gregarious, the most friendly, but rather he wants him to be committed to preaching the word of God.

So this idea of Paul's departure, but the church's departure necessitates the command of verse two. So preach the word, he says, in verse 2. The immediate reason is verse 3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. What is Paul telling us? that in the midst of defection on the part of the church, the same emphasis on preaching maintains. In other words, well, you know, Paul, they don't like preaching, so we're going to engage in drama. They don't like preaching, so I'm going to move the pulpit, I'm going to put an easy chair in its place, and I'm just going to tell them stories.

Now brethren, if you smile at that or think that odd, there is a very famous preacher in our generation who has said that very thing. Our church doesn't like preaching, so we move the bulbit, put an easy chair, and I simply sit there and I tell them stories. Brethren, you can go to your local library for story hour. You want the man of God to preach the Word of God in light of the judgment of God with blood earnestness.

Preach the Word. Why? Because the time will come when they will no longer endure sound doctrine.

Preaching as the Elder's Primary Function

Now let's look thirdly and finally at our qualification in 1 Timothy chapter 3. So the preaching of the Word of God as the function for the man of God. Notice 1 Timothy 3, verse 2. It says he must be able to teach.

This is how elders lead or govern the church. Remember when we defined and described the eldership, it is two primary emphases. There is the preaching or teaching of the Word, and there is the leading or the governing of the church. Those are absolutely positively connected.

It's not that he just preaches the word, and then he moves the pulpit, and instead of an easy chair, he puts a throne. And from that throne, he leads, and he governs, and he's the despot or the tyrant. No, the manner in which a man or an eldership rather leads or governs the church is through the ministry of the word. If that is not operative, you're dealing with autocrats, you're dealing with despots, you're dealing with men who are committed to their own agenda.

The government and the leadership in the church is by the word of the living and true God. So when it comes to this particular description, it jives with what Paul says throughout the pastoral epistles. That's 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus. It jives with what Paul says in terms of an emphasis on sound doctrine.

We are cessationists in this church. We don't believe in the revelatory gifts continuing on in our own generation. We don't believe in tongue speaking and in prophesying in terms of God revealing new stuff to the church. John Owen well said, if private revelations agree with scripture, then they're useless.

If they disagree with scripture, then they're heretical. There's no private revelations on this or at this stage of the game in terms of church life. So when it comes to this particular issue, with reference to teaching and preaching, it has to be the way that men govern the church. They don't do it through a direct contact with the Lord, they do it through preaching.

So when we come to these pastoral epistles, the emphasis is not on tongue speaking. The emphasis is not on prophesying. The emphasis is always on sound doctrine. So the last letter that Paul writes is 2 Timothy.

And in chapter 4, verse 2, he doesn't say, speak in tongues, prophesy as you receive, special revelation. No, preach the word. The emphasis is upon sound doctrine. Look at 1 Timothy 4, verses 6 and 7. 1 Timothy 4, at verse 6, "...if you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith, and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

But reject profane and old wise fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness." Drop down to verses 13 and 14. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership." See the emphasis? Not tongues, not prophesying, not direct contact, but rather preach the word as it had been given by God through the prophets and the apostles.

First Timothy 5.17, let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine, not especially those who speak in tongues, those who are great guys, those who have all of the No, it's those who labor in the Word and in doctrine. Notice in 1 Timothy chapter 6 at verse 2, those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things and then notice dropping down in verse 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches But in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy in other words command Teach, disciple, instruct, inform. The same emphasis comes up in 2 Timothy.

Look at 1 Timothy 13. Hold fast the pattern of sound words, which you have heard from me, in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Brethren, that is the solemn responsibility given to the church in our age.

If we don't keep that which was given to us, if we let it go, it's going to die, humanly speaking, and our children and our grandchildren are going to suffer as a result of it. The church needs to wake up and understand that it's not about a lot of the things that has occupied us over the last generation, but it's about the proclamation of God's holy word. It is an emphasis upon sound doctrine. Notice in 2.2, the very function of the church and the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses.

Commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Notice that he's addressing here not the seminary, not the Bible college, he's addressing the church. The church, according to 1 Timothy chapter 3, is the pillar and ground of the truth. The church should be competent and able to raise up elders, to see that they're doctrinally sound, that they're biblically responsible in terms of exegesis before they inflict them on the rest of the church.

Notice in 2.15, "...be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Not approved to man. It's not man that you're trying to court his favor. It's not, oh, I hope they all love everything I have to say. Be diligent to show yourself approved to God.

Same sort of emphasis that Paul calls us to in 2 Timothy 4.1. Think of eternal things. Think of God himself. Think of the Lord Jesus Christ as the measure or as the standard, rather, for your faithful ministry.

Notice in chapter 2 at verse 24, a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient in humility, correcting those who are in opposition. If God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. And then we've seen the passages in chapters 3 and chapter 4. The apostle wants the men that are being scrutinized relative to pastoral ministry to be competent to teach the Word of God.

That's the job. That's the primary function. Spurgeon said, brethren, if you're not theologians, you are in your pastorates just nothing at all. You may be fine rhetoricians and be rich in polished sentences, but without knowledge of the gospel and aptness to teach it, you are but a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.

Turn over to Titus chapter one, another. List of qualifications, the same list, but a further dimension developed by the Apostle in Titus chapter 1 at verse 9. This is the aptness or the ability to teach section of the qualifications of elders in Titus 1, 5 to 9. Notice, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught.

He doesn't just kind of hold on to it. He doesn't just have a little bit of familiarity with it. No, he holds it fast. He doesn't let go.

Come whatever may, he's not going to relinquish that. He's like a dog with a bone. You try to grab that bone out of the dog's mouth, you're going to get bit or you're going to have trouble. Same thing with a faithful man of God, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught.

Now notice that he may be able, by sound doctrine, to engage in a twofold task, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. So exhort those who are on board with you. Exhort those who are God's people. Exhort those who are blood-bought, who are owned by the Holy Spirit.

Those people want to know and hear the Word of God so that they may grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. But it's not only exhort those who are with you, but convict those who contradict. That's not always as easy. When persons oppose doctrinal preaching, when persons oppose certain things in Scripture, when they're not already predispositionally on your side, it becomes even more difficult in terms of setting forth the truth of God's Word.

So what does a man do? Well, it's so hard because they don't want to hear it. Preach the word, whether they want to hear it or not, the task, the function, the job doesn't change. So he needs to exhort and convict those who contradict.

Calvin says, this is the chief gift in a bishop who is elected principally for the sake of teaching. For the church cannot be governed in any other way than by the word. He wishes that a bishop should hold it fast. So as not only to be well instructed in it, but to be constant in maintaining it. constancy, earnestness, perseverance, not just starting well, but by God's grace, finishing well.

And then commenting on the twofold task, exhort and convict, Calvin again says the pastor ought to have two voices. One for gathering the sheep, and another for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. So it's not just exhort, but it's also convict, those who contradict. In other words, drive off the wolves, drive off the thieves, drive off the menace that creates problems in the context of the church.

And that's not with physical force or physical harm, but rather through the proclamation of the truth and the implementation, if necessary, of church discipline to deal with threats posed to the body.

Application

Well, in conclusion, pay attention. I'm assuming that you haven't been. No, I'm assuming that you have. But this is where it gets real practical.

We're not looking at this just because it's in the Bible. That would be a perfectly valid reason to look at it, because it is in the Bible. But as I've said, we've got men that we're looking at in terms of gospel ministry. We've got needs in terms of our own church, with reference to. eldership.

So we need to be sufficiently instructed with reference to these qualifications so that we can engage in our particular responsibility in a responsible manner. In other words, it's the church membership that recognizes the men or the men that will function in terms of eldership or the diaconate. So

Responsibility of Men Who Aspire

I want to look at first the responsibility of men who aspire to the ministry And then we'll end on the responsibility of the church toward the men who aspire to the ministry. With reference to the responsibility of men who aspire to the ministry, there are two things here. First, the proven faithfulness in biblical churchmanship. This is a lesser to the greater argument.

If a man is not faithful as a member, then what possible reason would we have to conclude that he will be a faithful elder? Jesus lays the principle down. He who is faithful in little will be faithful in much. I think it was my brother telling me what his father had said at one point, look after the pennies and the dollars will look after themselves.

I think we can ascribe that to Mr. Lawson Sr. We need to have men who maintain a consistent devotional life. In other words, the Bible isn't simply a job for them, but they live on it.

Lloyd-Jones was excellent here. He says, you don't read the scripture as a man of God to find sermons. You read the scripture to find food. Now, while you're eating that food, he recommended have a pen in your hand and a paper on the desk and write down skeletons as you see them and throw them in the filing cabinet to be revisited or to be visited later.

We read the scripture because that's what a man of God does for the good of his soul. As well, the man should faithfully attend the public means of grace. Again, brethren, this is not rocket science. I'm not that smart to engage in rocket science.

These are basic foundational principles. If a man does not function well in the capacity of a member, why would we want him to function in the capacity of an elder? He should faithfully attend the means of grace. that man as well should love and serve the brethren. It shouldn't be, well, now that you're an elder, go out and love and serve the brethren.

No, typically, you're able to spot men who are qualified for eldership or diaconate because they're already doing that. They don't need to be recognized by the church. They don't need to have hands laid upon them. They don't need to be set apart in some official capacity because they just love and serve the brethren.

The man should be supportive of the mission and ministry of the church. Wouldn't it be great? Oh yeah, we do. We have a second London Confession of Faith that does define the terms of our understanding of scripture.

It's a wonderful guy. So a man comes in among us and he's an Arminian. A man comes in among us and he's a Dispensationalist. A man comes in among us and he's a charismatic.

We're not suggesting he can't be saved. We're not suggesting he isn't saved. But we are suggesting it's probably not going to work that you function in the eldership in our church. Because aptness to teach means aptness to teach the Bible truly and faithfully.

And as well, the man should be faithful in little things. There was a fellow. His name is Ronnie Coleman. He's built like a mountain.

He won Mr. Olympia eight times in a row. For those of you who do not know what that means, it means having muscles on top of your muscles and then being awarded this Mr. Olympia.

Well, commenting one time, he said, everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but no one wants to lift any heavy weights. Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but no one wants to lift any heavy weights. What's the point? If you don't lift heavy weights, you're not going to be a bodybuilder.

Again, just not rocket science here, brethren. If you're not faithful as a member in the church, then why in the world would that church ever call you into the eldership? And then secondly, under the responsibility of men who aspire to the ministry, the proven faithfulness in the qualifications of elders. So not only generally he's a good and faithful churchman, but specifically he measures up.

He has a biblical desire. He has personal conduct, as described here. He has domestic faithfulness. He has the necessary experience in the faith.

He has a good testimony toward those who are outside, and he has the ability and the competency to teach the Word of God. Now, I want to issue all of us an encouraging bit of caution here. When we have young men who aspire, we cannot expect from them old man ability. In other words, a new man, a new elder, a younger man who hasn't been at it as long is not going to preach and teach with the same degree of competency that a man who's been in it for a long time will.

That makes sense, right? So we can't say, well, the guy doesn't sound like Spurgeon. No one sounds like Spurgeon. If that's what we're looking for, we'll never have elders.

Well, he doesn't bring the same level of teaching that perhaps this pastor does. Again, he's new in terms of eldership. And we need to understand that. In fact, look at what Paul says in 1 Timothy 4.

We already read verses 13 and 14. Notice verse 15. Meditate on these things, give yourself entirely to them, that, look at what he says, your progress may be evident to all. In other words, the first time he preached through the book of Galatians, he missed a few things along the way.

Okay, but later on, when he preaches that same book of Galatians, he's gonna touch on more stuff. Luther has two sections, or two rather sets of lectures on Galatians. when he was a younger minister, and when he was an older minister. Guess which set is more fuller, more robust, and more well-informed? And if you're thinking the first one, let me tell you, you're wrong.

That is just the reality of it. We have to be gracious, we have to be kind, and we have to be understanding that a man who's been in the ministry for one year should be markedly different than a man who's been in the ministry for 25 years. In other words, the man with the 25 years should be more able because he's been engaged in it longer. Look at 517, let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor.

In the context, honor means payment. It means remuneration. It means do-re-mi. You know that because of verse 3.

Honor widows who are really widows. He's talking about putting them on the widow's list and giving them money so that they can buy sheets for their beds, so they can buy soup for their cupboards, so that, well, stuff to make soup back in those days, so that they could buy shoes. Honor meant to pay them, to remunerate them. And the same thing holds in verse 17.

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor. What does it mean to rule well? Especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and the laborer is worthy of his wages.

So there is a class of elders that rule well, those who engage especially in labor with reference to the word and doctrine. Yes, absolutely, positively.

Responsibility of the Church

Now, secondly, broader consideration, the responsibility of the church toward the men who aspire to the ministry. There's a general and a specific. Generally, the church should pray for an increase of laborers. Matthew chapter 9, the Lord Jesus looked upon the multitudes and he felt compassion for them because they were like sheep having no shepherd.

Joshua makes that same observation back in the Old Testament. And so what is Jesus' response to his disciples? The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to raise up men.

And on the heels of that, Jesus then installs the apostles into that aspect of gospel ministry. So we need to pray for an increase of laborers. Secondly, the church should know the qualifications for elders and deacons. That's why we've spent time here.

So that when it comes time to recognize a man because, well, I don't know what it means to be an elder. I'd like to think by this time, after this is the fourth sermon, you at least are in the ballpark in terms of what to look for. Third, the church should insist that men who aspire to office meet the qualifications. It's a big boy's world here.

I mean, if a guy gets his nose bent out of shape because someone says, you know, I don't think he measures up, or there's a consensus rather, it's not just a someone, but let's say the consensus is it's best for that man to wait a bit. That's oftentimes the best proof as to the man's mettle. If a man can take the answer of no and be faithful in light of that, then that bodes well. If he gets his nose bent out of shape and he gets all upset and he starts to whine and cry and starts to launch his invective at the current eldership or at the church, you just don't know what a valuable man that I am.

Brethren, that's not as much of a boding well scenario. As well, the church must examine men in light of these qualifications. Drop down in chapter 3 to verse 10. So you've got the qualifications for elders, verses 1 to 7.

You've got the qualifications for deacons, verses 8 to 13. But notice at verse 10, let these also first be tested. What do you think the also means? It means that the men who aspire to eldership are tested by the church to see if they fit the qualifications before they're admitted into gospel ministry.

So with reference to these qualifications, we apply them. We test men, both informal and formal. The way that we function is we announce the man or men We encourage the people of God to get to know them, to have them over, to ask them questions in informal settings. When we get closer to the date where we lay hands on them, we have a public examination.

Everybody from the church, members and attenders, are welcome to come and see how we examine a man for gospel ministry. With the Bible and the confession of faith, we launch a series of questions at them to see how they respond in terms of scripture and theology. And then the church should exclude all who do not meet those qualifications. Not from the membership, not you're a terrible specimen of a human being, but exclude them from the eldership if they're not fit.

One of the things that the church in Ephesus gets right in the book of Revelation, they're the church famously that lost their first love. But prior to that condemnation, they are commended because they took seriously 1 Timothy 3. Remember, Timothy was in Ephesus. Timothy was given this letter and would have preached it and taught it to the church in Ephesus.

Well, in Revelation 2-2, you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. Again, brethren, it's a bad thing. It's a real condemnation. You've lost or you've left your first love.

Well, I suggest they probably did because they were having to combat lying men who were trying to espouse that they themselves were apostles. When you're in the trenches of battle, it's hard to keep the heart white hot. You're not reading Spurgeon's Morning and Evening when you're waging the good warfare. So when Jesus says that, he's not cutting them off, he's calling them back to increase devotion in terms of the first priority.

So that's the general specifically. With reference to men, the man must be recognized by the church. We have to have a system in place, and Paul provides that system for us, where the subjective desire that a man has can be checked by the objective criteria of the Word of God. That is absolutely, positively crucial.

Secondly, the man must be tested by the church. Again, verse 10. And then thirdly, the man must be approved by the church. You see it in Acts 6, Acts 14, 1 Timothy 3 here, and then again in Titus chapter 1.

Now, I probably should have led with this, because this summarizes everything I've been trying to say. London Confession, 2nd London Confession, chapter 26, paragraph 9. The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit unto the office of bishop or elder in a church is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself, and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands, of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein. and of a deacon, that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands." This is not a decision on the part of the existing eldership. Here's your new pastor.

This is the church having been informed by the word of the living God. seeing a man or men presented before them, taking that objective criteria, applying it to the individual, again, with grace, with kindness, with love, with charity and large-heartedness, but nevertheless, applying that criteria. And if the majority says, yay, we bring the man in, we lay hands on him, We set them apart with fasting and prayer, and then we either A, use them here, or B, send them out into the harvest field to plant churches or to go to the mission field to call sinners from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Brethren, pray. Brethren, look out among you.

And brethren, seek by God's grace to see installed in our church a plurality of elders, perhaps a couple of more deacons, and again, men fit. to go and to preach the word.

Closing Prayer

Well, let us pray. Father, thank you for your word and thank you for the clarity concerning the qualifications of elders and deacons. Thank you for your kind provision of our deacons. I thank you for these men and for their faithfulness.

I pray God as well for your blessing upon Ryan. I pray for your blessing upon Dan in Ontario. I pray for Andrew here, that you would just bless these brothers and give them sobriety as they approach these passages, as they think through them and pray through them, and help us as a church to be mindful, to be responsible in the exercise of our responsibility at so important a level. And God be glorified in the raising up of men, in the proclamation of the truth, in the salvation of sinners, and in the edification of the saints.

And we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. We'll close with a brief time of meditation.

Scripture References

• Exodus 20
• Leviticus 8
• Deuteronomy 4:11; 4:13; 5:6-8; 18:9-22
• 1 Samuel 28
• Isaiah 58:1
• Jeremiah 1:4; 1:9
• Matthew 9; 28:19-20
• Acts 3; 3:22; 4; 5; 6; 13; 13:48; 14; 14:1; 16; 20
• Romans 10:14; 10:17
• 1 Corinthians 1; 1:18; 2:1-5
• Galatians 1
• Ephesians 4:11-15
• 1 Timothy 3:1-15; 4:6-7; 4:13-15; 5:3; 5:17; 6:2; 6:17
• 2 Timothy 1:13; 2:2; 2:15; 2:24; 3:1-17; 4:1-6
• Titus 1:5-9
• Revelation 2:2