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You can turn with me in your 
Bibles to the book of Titus. We're in Titus chapter one. Titus 
chapter one. I'll read the chapter and then 
our focus will be on verses five to nine, the appointment of elders. 
A bit of a review. We looked at that topic not too 
long ago when we were in Acts chapter 14, when Paul and Barnabas 
went back through the various cities where they had preached 
and planted churches. they appointed elders in every 
city. So we did an excursus and looked at the qualifications 
for elders, so a lot of overlap tonight, as I said, a lot of 
review. Beginning in verse 1 of Titus chapter 1, Paul, a bondservant 
of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith 
of God's elect, and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with 
godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, 
promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His 
word through preaching, which was committed to me according 
to the commandment of God our Savior, to Titus, a true son 
in our common faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father 
and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. For this reason I left 
you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that 
are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded 
you, if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful 
children, not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 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, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, 
just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word 
as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, 
both to exhort and convict those who contradict. For there are 
many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially 
those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert 
whole households, teaching things which they ought not for the 
sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their 
own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. Therefore, 
rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith, not 
giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn 
from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, 
but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, 
but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to 
know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, 
and disqualified for every good work. Amen. Let us pray. Father 
in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this church. 
We pray for elders in our own midst, Lord God. We see the qualifications 
here, we certainly see needs for these, and we pray that you 
and your grace and your kindness would provide for us. Provide 
elders for the church in Surrey and for the work in Vernon. And 
God, for all the churches that are lacking in this important 
area, we pray, Father, that you would raise men up, that you 
would fit and qualify men, that you would call men into gospel 
ministry, into service. And Father, we pray that as a 
result of that, the Word could go forth even more so, and that 
many more people would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and 
Savior. Again, forgive us for all of our sins, wash us in that 
precious blood of the Lamb, and fill us with your Spirit now. 
And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, this particular 
passage is similar and parallel to what we have in 1 Timothy 
3 in verses 1-7. Remember that Timothy was a ministerial 
associate of Paul, and Timothy was in Ephesus. And while Timothy 
was in Ephesus, Paul wrote to him, 1 and 2 Timothy, and told 
him to examine men for eldership, and he provided a list of qualifications. So he had a mature work in Ephesus 
and a need for elders. Well, this is an immature work 
in Crete. and there is this need for elders. 
So I wanna look first at the purpose of Titus's ministry in 
Crete, according to verse five, and then secondly, the appointment 
of elders in Crete in verses six to nine. But in the first 
place, notice the purpose of Titus's ministry. He says, for 
this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order 
the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city 
as I commanded you. So the Apostle Paul, or the language 
here indicates that the Apostle Paul was on the island of Crete, 
that he had engaged in evangelistic activity, no doubt with Titus, 
but for reasons unknown, Paul had to leave Crete. And so he 
leaves Titus in charge of this particular thing. And so Titus' 
pastoral sort of duty is to set in order the things that are 
lacking and appoint elders in every city. Now, when churches 
are just planted, there's a lot of work, there's a lot of structure, 
a lot of stability, a lot of order, a lot of discipline that 
needs to be instituted with reference to the people of God. This was 
a pioneer work as well. The scholars and the commentators 
say that Crete was not really affected with Hellenization. 
In other words, Greek culture didn't permeate Crete as predominantly 
as it did in other places. So they were an uncivilized people. Lying at times was looked at 
as virtuous. When Paul says concerning the 
sort of overarching sins with reference to Cretans in verses 
12 and 13, he says, this testimony is true, therefore rebuke them 
sharply that they may be sound in the faith. In other words, 
it was a situation that was a bit crude. It was a bit sort of frontier-ish. And now Titus has to go about 
in the various cities and appoint elders in those cities. Now, 
as we look at the text, it could be read in one of two ways. For 
this reason, I left you in Crete, that you should set in order 
the things that are lacking, that is, appoint elders in every 
city. But I don't think that's it. 
I think the appointment of elders is one aspect of what Titus needs 
to set his hand to, but as well, putting other things in order. 
In other words, when you install elders, that doesn't mean everything 
is perfect. It doesn't mean everything is 
hunky-dory. So Titus would have many tasks. The appointment of 
elders would assist him to continue to propagate the truth and to 
make sure that the churches were functioning in a proper order. When we look at this particular 
passage as well, we see that elders are not essential to the 
existence of the church. There can be a church without 
elders. That's the situation that obtained 
at this particular time. There were already churches in 
the cities on the island of Crete, but they had no elders. So elders 
are not essential for the being of the church. Elders are essential, 
however, for the well-being of the church. We need men that 
are devoted to the word and doctrine laboring among us. And so while 
they're not essential so that there may be a church, they are 
nevertheless a great gift by Christ for the church to instruct 
and to set things right. Now, also, as we look at this 
particular statement, when he says, appoint elders in every 
city as I commanded you, go back for just a moment to Acts chapter 
14. Acts chapter 14, a passage I've already referred to, but 
one we ought to examine as well. Acts chapter 14 at verse 21, 
And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made 
many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 
strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to 
continue in the faith, and saying, We must, through many tribulations, 
enter the kingdom of God. So when they had appointed elders 
in every church and prayed with fasting, they commended them 
to the Lord in whom they had believed. Now there's a certain 
approach to church leadership or a certain approach to ecclesiology, 
which would indicate that elders are appointed by other elders. And in this instance, it sounds 
like the Apostle Paul and Barnabas just appointed elders. That there 
was no sort of combination between the apostles, or Titus in this 
situation, and the people of God. I think the overarching 
sort of trajectory of Scripture is that the people of God are 
involved. It's not just Titus finding people 
and appointing them as elders. but it's Titus working alongside 
of the various churches and congregations so that they can commend men 
to Titus, and then once that process is fulfilled, then those 
men are appointed. Similar to what we saw this morning 
in Acts chapter 16. Remember, Timothy had a good 
reputation. The people of God in the various 
cities in that particular region spoke well concerning Timothy, 
therefore Paul wanted to take him along. So it isn't the case 
that Titus or any body of men have the absolute authority just 
to go and appoint elders in whatever churches they deem. The church 
of Christ is involved. I think that our confession of 
faith rightly reflects the various strands of biblical thought concerning 
the appointment of elders in the church. 26.9 says, the way 
appointed by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted 
by the Holy Spirit under the office of bishop or elder in 
a church is that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage 
of the church itself. In other words, the church is 
involved. That's why when we select elders 
and deacons, we have a church vote. That's what the common 
suffrage of the church is. And then it goes on to indicate 
solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer. with imposition of 
hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before 
constituted therein." So it's not Pope Titus on the island 
of Crete just marching from city to city and appointing whomever 
he deems as a pastor or elder or bishop in the Church of Jesus 
Christ. Rather, it is the people of God voicing to Titus and others 
that these men are good men, these men are solid men, These 
are faithful men. And then there is that combination. 
So the common suffrage of the church, led by presbyters or 
elders, and then ultimately a vote, an extension of the hand, so 
that we collectively affirm the man that is going to labor in 
the Word and doctrine over us. Now, secondly, let's look at 
the appointment of elders in Crete. in verses six to nine. I think the last time we covered 
this material in 1 Timothy 3, I mentioned that the New Testament 
uses three terms synonymously. Those terms are elder, presbyter. The other term is bishop or overseer, 
which is episkopos. And then there is a third term, 
which is poimen, and that simply means shepherd. And so elder 
slash overseer slash pastor, are all terms applied to the 
one office in the church whose primary orientation is government 
and preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy chapter 3 gives the 
qualifications for elders, but it doesn't call them elders, 
it calls them bishops, according to 1 Timothy 3.1. But later on 
in chapter 5 at verse 17, the apostle says, honor those elders 
with double honor who labor in the word and doctrine. So bishop 
or overseer, I think we're all, as Protestants, a little bit 
more comfortable with the terminology overseer versus bishop. Bishop 
sort of conjures up images of Roman Catholicism and the big 
hats that the bishops wear in Roman Catholicism, but that is 
what bishop means. It is episkopos, we also translate 
it as overseer. So presbyter, overseer, and pastor, 
three terms which speak of the same office. You see that here 
in Titus. Notice in verse five, for this 
reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things 
that are lacking and appoint elders in every city. And then 
verse seven, for a bishop or for an overseer must be blameless. He has not shifted direction. 
He doesn't start off with elders and now move into bishops. No, 
he is referring to the same office with these different terms. Turn 
back to Acts chapter 20, a passage we looked at this morning. In 
Acts chapter 20, verse 28. Therefore take heed to yourselves 
and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you 
overseers, or bishops, or episkopos, or episkopoi, the plural form, 
to shepherd, there's that poi man, there's that pastor word, 
the church of God which he purchased with his own blood. But notice 
in verse 17 in chapter 20, From Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and 
called for the elders of the church. So he's addressing the 
elders of the church, and he calls them overseers, and he 
says their function or their job is to shepherd the church 
of God, which he purchased with his own blood. So it's important 
that we understand that. There's not four, three, five 
offices in the church of Jesus Christ. There are two offices 
that we find in 1 Timothy 3. Elder slash overseer slash pastor. That's the last time I'm gonna 
do that. And that deacon, okay? We've got pastors and we've got 
deacons. We don't have prophets anymore. 
We don't have apostles. We don't have prophetesses. We 
don't have female apostles. We don't have any of that stuff. 
We have pastors and deacons in the context of the church until 
our blessed Lord Jesus returns. Now notice the qualifications 
as the apostle gives it. He speaks first concerning the 
characteristics, the qualities, the virtues that a man must have. And then secondly, he speaks 
concerning his giftedness. So the characteristics are described 
in verses six to eight, and then the giftedness is described in 
verse nine. Now, when we look at the characteristics, 
we can further sort of narrow that down to two main categories. First, his domestic faithfulness, 
and then secondly, his personal faithfulness. We saw the same 
thing in 1 Timothy 3, and again, this isn't something that all 
of us shouldn't be aspiring after. In other words, every Christian, 
whether you're a man, whether you're a woman, whether you're 
a boy, whether you're a girl, all of us should take that list 
of qualifications for elders and try to be those things. We should all seek to be blameless. If we're in a relationship, we 
all ought to be one women man or one man women. We ought to 
be faithful and express sexual fidelity. We ought to be just. We ought to be holy. We ought 
to be the various things that the apostle describes here. But 
in terms of eldership, we only bring those men into the eldership 
who have exemplified or demonstrated some degree of competence in 
each of these areas. In other words, they're not the 
holiest man on the face of the earth, but rather they're faithful 
men, and that's how the qualifications need to be understood. So with 
reference to elders, they must demonstrate, they must have shown 
proven ability in these areas. Not only the characteristics, 
but also in terms of the giftedness. So let's look at the elder's 
domestic faithfulness. Notice he must be blameless. 
This is an overarching concern. It's used twice by the apostle 
here. It's used also in 1 Timothy chapter 3. Calvin comments on 
blamelessness. He says, when he says that a 
bishop must be blameless, he does not mean one who is exempt 
from every vice, for no such person could at any time be found. In other words, he doesn't mean, 
as Calvin says, that there's no sin in the man because we'd 
never have elders. We would never have elders if 
it was the case that blamelessness meant perfection. That's not 
what it means. He goes on to say, but one who 
is marked by no disgrace that would lessen his authority. He 
means, therefore, that he shall be a man of unblemished reputation. Again, that's going to be difficult. 
1 Timothy chapter 3 must maintain a good testimony with those who 
are outside. A faithful minister of the gospel 
ought to cut his grass. A faithful minister of the gospel 
ought to pay his taxes. He ought to be on time. He ought 
to be worthy of respect to that degree. But if he is a faithful 
minister and people actually know what he's about, there will 
be some enmity. There may be some animosity from 
those who are without. So we need to make sure that 
we're careful with reference to that as well. A good testimony 
with those who are outside of the church is requisite, but 
at the same time, there will always be those outside of the 
church that aren't fans of pastors. Now notice, secondly, in terms 
of the domestic faithfulness, the elder must be the husband 
of one wife. Now the verse here, the 6-7a, 
assumes the elder will be married and have children. It doesn't 
demand it. In other words, Paul assumes 
what was typically the case for men of this age living in a particular 
area at this time. It doesn't demand that elders 
are married and it doesn't demand that elders have children, but 
it assumes for the most part that within the context of churches, 
the faithful men or faithful men will be married and they 
will have children. So it cannot be the case that 
if a man isn't married, he can't be an elder. I do not hold that 
position. I certainly think it's helpful 
for a man who is in the eldership to be married because he understands 
some things that perhaps a single man doesn't. always have, but 
even then, it's not necessary that a man be married in order 
to serve as an elder. But with reference to what Paul 
says, if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife. I shared with you the various 
views. Some suggest that this demands that the elder must be 
a married man. I don't think that's what it 
demands. Others say the elder must only have had one wife for 
his entire life. In other words, if she dies, 
he is not free to remarry, and if he does, then he cannot be 
an elder. I don't think that is taught, 
because when a woman dies, a man is free to remarry, and that 
doesn't disqualify him from eldership. A third position is that the 
elder must not be a polygamist. Polygamy was practiced. When 
we read our Bibles, we certainly see that. We tell our children, 
and we teach our children, one husband, one wife, depending 
on where you're at in that spectrum. If you're a man, you have one 
wife. If you're a woman, you have one man. And then they read 
their Bibles, and they see all these kings, and they see these 
various people having a multiplicity of lives. Brethren, the intention 
by God from the beginning was one man and one woman forever. That was the intention by God 
in creation. Polygamy is regulated so that 
the innocent parties aren't abused or victimized, but nevertheless 
it is not the optimum plan. But not only, I don't believe 
that's the only prohibition involved. I think the text simply means 
the elder is to be faithful in marriage and sexual matters. He must express or exhibit and 
display sexual fidelity in the context of his own marriage and 
in the context of wherever he finds himself. We might say faithful 
and true to one woman or a one woman man. That's literally the 
language, a one woman man. When Paul is dealing with widows 
in the book of Timothy, he tells him not to put a widow on the 
list unless she's been a one-man woman. In other words, she has 
been faithful, she has expressed fidelity in her marriage, and 
she has a good reputation for that. Now, in terms of this definition 
or expression, this does exclude polygamy, concubinage, homosexuality, 
or other sexually promiscuous indulgence. Again, this is something 
we all ought to be pursuing. Elders must display it. It must 
be demonstrable. Notice in the third place, in 
terms of the domestic faithfulness, the elder must have faithful 
children. Now, this particular word that the apostle uses can 
be translated as believing. We might read it, if a man is 
blameless, the husband of one life, having believing children. And so some have said that a 
man cannot serve in the eldership unless his children are converted. I think that goes beyond the 
text. I think a comparison with 1 Timothy 
chapter 3 sheds light on this. In 1 Timothy 3, 4, he says, having 
his children in submission with all reverence. I think that the 
way the New King James translates this particular word is correct. He has faithful children. Specifically, they are not accused 
or accusable of dissipation or insubordination. I think that's 
the emphasis. That's the way we ought to interpret 
it. Because we cannot demand that 
a person has converted children. We can demand that a person has 
controlled children. In fact, John Gill makes that 
observation. He says, For by faithful children 
cannot mean converted ones or true believers in Christ. For 
it is not in the power of men to make their children such. 
And their not being so can never be an objection to their being 
elders, if otherwise qualified. I think when you compare the 
two passages, I think faithful is better. The idea is that if 
he's got children and they're still under his control and authority, 
they must be under his control and authority. It doesn't mean 
they'll be perfect. It means that they're going to 
have their issues like all children do, but the father is on top 
of it. He is dealing with it, he is 
seeking to exercise discipline and love and nurture to try to 
help his children. He goes on to say, Gill does, 
at most the phrase can only intend that they should be brought up 
in the faith, in the principles, doctrines and ways of Christianity, 
or in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So in terms of his 
domestic faithfulness, he must be blameless, he must be sexually 
faithful to his wife, and he must have faithful children. 
And then notice the reason that Paul gives at the beginning of 
verse 7. He says, for a bishop must be 
blameless as a steward of God. I think that is the reason for 
that domestic faithfulness, and I think a quick look at 1 Timothy 
3 will help us to understand better what he is doing here. 
Notice in 1 Timothy chapter 3, He does the same things there. 
He highlights domestic faithfulness and he highlights personal faithfulness. But specifically in verse 4, 
notice what he says, one who rules his own house well, having 
his children in submission with all reverence. Now note the parathetical 
statement, for if a man does not know how to rule his own 
house, how will he take care of the church of God? So the 
man is tasked with ruling his own house, but he's also tasked 
with functioning as a steward in the house of God. It's an 
argument from the lesser to the greater. If he cannot successfully 
manage 10-year-olds, how is he going to manage the people of 
God in the context of the church of God? If he's happened to have 
been blessed by God with, say, 5 or 7 or 10 or 15 kids, and 
he can't manage them, then likely he's not going to be able to 
manage effectively in the context of the church. But the language 
that Paul uses reflects this. He rules his own house. He is 
a steward in the house of the living God. Now, we use the language 
of rule and govern when we speak of elders, but we need to make 
sure we don't load those terms with authoritarianism or tyranny. In other words, the eldership 
is always ministerial. The eldership always functions 
under the authority of Jesus Christ relative to the Word of 
God. The minister's rule, the minister's 
government, the minister's leadership is based upon the Word of God. 
Insofar as he accurately preaches and teaches, he is leading, he 
is providing government, he is providing that rule. So going 
back to Titus, I believe that's the connection. He deals with 
the domestic faithfulness in terms of the husband of one wife, 
having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. And then he gives us a reason 
for a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God. He is a 
steward of the living and true God, and that will be exemplified 
in the way that he conducts himself in his house. If he conducts 
himself faithfully in the context of his own house, then he is 
to be considered for the office of elder in the life of the church. 
Now he moves to the elder's personal faithfulness. He gives five vices 
and six virtues that he must exemplify. The vices he must 
avoid. In the first place, notice in 
verse 7, after as a steward of God, not self-will. This is the 
death of the eldership. The church is not the elder's 
church. We oftentimes say that. We say, 
oh, my church. But I think we all agree that 
we're not saying it's my church. You might say that. Oh, come 
and visit my church. Nobody ever interprets that as 
you say, it's mine, I own it. No, the church is the Lord's. 
The church is God's house. It is the pillar and ground of 
the truth. And so we are to comply with God's will for His house. So you see that a self-willed 
man is an obstacle in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. A self-willed 
man is an irritant. A self-willed man is a bad thing 
in an eldership. The word simply means self-willed, 
stubborn, or arrogant. Towner says that the root is 
a fundamental selfishness that compels one to ride roughshod 
over others in the effort to satisfy oneself. The eldership 
differs from many other careers. There's not this self-fulfillment 
and realization. It's the reality that we are 
serving the living and true God and His people. That ought to 
be the orientation of a faithful elder. Secondly, the elder must 
not be quick-tempered. These are all things we should 
be pursuing. These are all things we should 
say, well, I'm not an elder, so I can blow my stack. I'm not 
an elder, so I can scream at people when I drive down Yale 
Road. I'm not an elder, so I get... No, that's not it. We should 
all pursue, by the grace of God, not to be quick-tempered. There's a particular, I mean, 
the Proverbs are filled with it, but look at 2 Timothy chapter 
2 for the emphasis with reference to elders in terms of not being 
quick-tempered. Notice in verse 23, 2 Timothy 
2, 23, But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that 
they generate strife. Boy, I think that text could 
be preached on to a whole host of people in this social media 
age. I think so many people engage in that very thing. We are told 
to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate 
strife. I mean, that is not the prevailing 
wisdom of today. I mean, at least as I observe 
it, hey, there's strife, there's a problem, there's something 
to deal with, let's jump on it and jump into the fray. Well, 
the Apostle says, with reference to elders, and I think elders 
and their online conduct ought to be sanctioned if they violate 
God's holy law. If elders are self-willed or 
elders are filled with rage or anger or vehemence at others, 
there's definitely room for healthy debate, for interchange, for 
dialogue, but there are some people that lose it online. If they lose it online, that 
reflects on them. That is indicative of something 
defective in their character. But here he says, verse 23, avoid 
foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 
And 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. Back to our text 
in Titus chapter 1, we see thirdly, in terms of a vice he must avoid, 
the elder must not be given to wine. Again, that is stated in 
1 Timothy chapter 3. It is overarching concern in 
Scripture that you're not given to it, you're not possessed by 
it, you are not governed by it. The Bible forbids, prohibits, 
and condemns drunkenness, but it doesn't forbid, prohibit, 
or condemn a moderate use of alcohol. And so the elder needs 
to have self-control when it comes to this. Fourth, he must 
not be violent. He must not be a giver of blows. 
I mean, imagine that. You get out of line and your 
pastor smacks you. That would be a really tough 
kind of a church to be a part of. But I don't think it's just 
the physical. You know, there's bullying. We 
hear a lot about bullying today. I mean, we were bullied when 
we were kids, too. I remember being bullied. Somebody knocked 
me off my bike one time and took my bike, and I told my big brother, 
and he went out there the next day to try to render some judgment 
or justice upon that guy, and we never saw him again. But there's 
always been bullying. But there is a kind of a guy 
that bullies people. Now, he might not be a giver 
of physical blows, he might not actually hit you, but if he's 
bullying you, if there's some sort of spiritual abuse involved, 
those are the kinds of guys we try to keep out of the eldership. 
If you're that sick, twisted, and warped that you bully the 
people of God, there is not a place for you in the church of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. It is a horrible character defect 
and one that needs to be rejected wholesale. A fifth vice, he must 
not be, is greedy for money. Acts chapter 20, Paul by example, 
I didn't covet any man's silver or gold. 1 Timothy chapter 6, 
the opponents of Christ, the opponents of the church, think 
that godliness is a means of gain. They want to profit by 
it. 1 Peter chapter 5, the apostle 
Peter cautions men from serving in the eldership who are doing 
it out of a desire for money. Not that elders shouldn't be 
paid, but they shouldn't be seeking riches in the gospel ministry. George Knight summarizes the 
emphasis on these vices. He says, in this list of five 
vices, Paul has singled out ways in which one may be gripped and 
controlled by the different sins of self. He mentions pride, anger, 
and desire for drink, dominance, or wealth. Being controlled by 
any of these disqualifies a man from the position of overseer, 
one who leads others by serving as God's steward. I think that's 
a great way to summarize the emphasis there on Paul's telling 
him what vices elders must avoid. But then he goes on to highlight 
the virtues that he must exemplify, and they're basically just the 
opposite. and they're basically things 
that all of us, again, should be in pursuit of. The elder must 
be hospitable. Romans chapter 12, we're to be 
hospitable to one another. 1 Peter chapter 4, we're to be 
hospitable to one another. Again, that's for every Christian, 
but an elder must have demonstrated some degree of ability with reference 
to hospitality. Secondly, the elder must be a 
lover of what is good. Some suggest good men or just 
a general sense of what is good. I think Philippians 4.8 gives 
us some information on what it means to be a lover of good. 
Philippians 4.8, finally, brethren. Whatever things are true, whatever 
things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are 
pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, 
if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, 
meditate on these things. So the elder is a lover of what 
is good. He thinks about those sorts of 
things. Third, in terms of a virtue, 
he must exemplify sober-mindedness. I referred to this this morning. 
Not only was Paul a brilliant man theologically, Not only did 
Paul really understand the Old Testament, and especially when 
he met Christ on the road to Damascus, who was the hermeneutical 
key to open up for Paul that Old Testament, but Paul also 
had wisdom. Paul also had common sense. Paul 
also had the ability to think a few steps ahead, and I think 
those are great gifts with reference to an elder, and I think that's 
encompassed by this statement. The elder must be sober-minded. 
This speaks to good judgment, discretion, and common sense. Those kinds of things, those 
kinds of characteristics are crucial with reference to gospel 
ministry. The fourth virtue he must exemplify 
is that the elder must be just. James, the brother of Jesus, 
the leader of the church in Jerusalem, is also known as James the Just. He was a righteous and a godly 
and a faithful man. And some make the distinction, 
and they want to make sure that we understand that just here 
doesn't mean in the first place justified by faith, but rather 
it means just in terms of his orientation. I think it encompasses 
both. No man is just in his orientation. unless he has been justified 
freely by God's grace first. And so this justness does speak 
not only to the imputation of the act of obedience of the Lord 
Jesus Christ received by faith alone, but just conduct carried 
out by the elder. He's not imbalanced, he's not 
able to be bought, he's not able to be, you know, thrown off guard 
based on the prevailing arguments, but rather he is a just man. 
A fifth virtue he must exemplify is the elder must be holy, and 
this means devout, pious, and pleasing to God. Devout, pious, 
and pleasing to God. Again, he's got a religious orientation. These things are not just a position. They're not just something he 
does, but he loves Jesus. He loves the Word of God, and 
he wants to do these things in a manner that is consistent with 
that word. And then the last statement is 
the elder must be self-controlled. Self-controlled. And again, I 
hope none of you are going, wow, I can't believe God wants elders 
that look like this. Of course God wants elders that 
look like this, because this is what all of us should look 
like, and this is what ought to be manifested in those men 
that we consider for the eldership. One particular lexicon states 
it this way in terms of self-control. It means complete self-mastery, 
controlling all passionate impulses and keeping the will loyal to 
the will of God. And then I add, the word also 
implies balanced judgment and the avoidance of rash behavior. 
The elder is to be stable, circumspect, self-restrained and clear-headed. Have you ever heard of those 
guys that are ready fire aim guys? They're not good elders. We need to aim and then fire. You don't fire and then aim. 
You always aim first and then you fire. A little gun safety 
here for the six o'clock hour in the Free Grace Baptist Church. 
Ready, fire, aim. People are brash, they don't 
think, they just do, and then they have to sort of go back 
and clean everything up. It's much better to aim it and 
then fire, to think through it, to ponder and reflect before 
you act. Now that could be exasperating 
if it takes an elder forever to ever make decisions. So there's 
got to be a nice balance there. Not rash, not quick, not hasty, 
but not forever either. I have a dear brother that I've 
often thought, in terms of movement, the longer it took, the holier 
it was. I'm not convinced of that either. 
But the rashness and the quickness with the trigger, those things 
are not good fits in the eldership. So in terms of the domestic faithfulness 
and personal faithfulness, those are the characteristics that 
a man must demonstrate before he is admitted into the eldership 
of the church. But then notice, secondly, by 
way of the larger category, his giftedness. Verse 9. holding 
fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may 
be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who 
contradict." Now this is answerable or consistent with 1 Timothy 
3. Remember the qualifications for 
elders there. He must be able to teach. Now I want to make sure I qualify 
that. Doesn't mean that every elder 
will preach every sermon at a church. But it does mean that every elder 
ought to be able, in private and in public, to set forth the 
truth of God's Word. He doesn't need to be Charles 
Spurgeon. He doesn't need to be John Calvin. He doesn't need 
to have the ability to have a homiletically perfect and consistent three-point 
sermon that takes 40 minutes and everybody's happy and well 
fed. That's not what it means. but he must be able to teach 
the Word of God. That's his primary focus. That's 
the orientation. That's the way that he leads. 
That's the way that he governs. That's the way that he rules. 
So Paul sets forth a requirement and a responsibility in verse 
9. The requirement, holding fast 
the faithful word as he has been taught. In other words, you do 
not even consider a man for eldership who has not been taught the Word 
of God. A man who doesn't have not a 
comprehensive understanding of all things Bible and theology, 
but he certainly needs to have a degree of understanding. He 
certainly needs to have been taught apostolic truth and doctrine. He needs to be able to assimilate, 
to let that affect his heart and mind, to ruminate upon it, 
and it should indeed affect the way that he conducts himself. 
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. So remember, when we use 
the language of rule, lead, govern, it's always according to the 
Word. The pastors are ministers, they 
are ministerial. It's not a magisterium, it's 
not a top-down, but rather they function under Christ to do the 
particular task that Christ called them to. in a ministerial capability 
or ability to encourage the people of God. He goes on to say, 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. I mentioned Spurgeon when we 
looked at the qualifications the last time. Spurgeon says, 
Brethren, if you are not theologians, you are and 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. So the responsibility of the 
man of God, the responsibility of those considered for eldership, 
they must hold fast the faithful word as they have been taught. 
This assumes not maybe a three-year seminary degree, graduate level, 
masters of divinity, But there has been training. The man has 
been taught. He has learned the rudiments, 
the foundational principles of Christianity. He may not have 
everything all worked out. He may have some issues in his 
theology that need to grow for sure. But the gospel, the Trinity, 
justification by faith, we shouldn't consider men for eldership that 
don't have competence in those areas. Because as Spurgeon says, 
and he's right, Brethren, if you are not theologians, you 
are in your pastorates just nothing at all. So the requirement is 
that he's been trained and taught that he has assimilated true 
doctrine, but now notice the responsibility, that he may be 
able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who 
contradict. So his responsibility is to hold 
fast that faithful word, as he has been taught, so that by sound 
doctrine, that which he has assimilated, he can now edify the people of 
God, and he can now rebuke the non-people of God. That's the 
twofold emphasis of the apostle with reference to Titus on Crete, 
and that holds today in our situation. Calvin said the pastor ought 
to have two voices, one for the gathering of the sheep and another 
for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. And that 
is Paul's point in Titus chapter one at verse nine. And intriguingly, 
that's how the rest of the letter will proceed. When he speaks 
of this rebuking those who contradict, he moves immediately into verses 
10 to 16 to deal with those who contradict. The Word of God is 
able to silence them. But with reference to edifying, 
encouraging, and exhorting the people of God, that's chapter 
2, verse 1, all the way to chapter 3, verse 8. So Paul not only 
demands the responsibility of elders in verse 9, but he demonstrates 
it in the way that he pens this letter. The Word of God is able 
to refute the heretics, and the Word of God is able to edify 
the people of God, and that is precisely what we're looking 
for when it comes to elders. They don't have to be the best 
preachers, they don't have to be the most winsome characters, 
They don't have to be the most gregarious. They don't have to 
be the most popular. They have to be faithful. They 
have to follow the line with reference to these qualifications 
and with reference to what God's Word stipulates in terms of holding 
fast sound doctrine and being able with sound doctrine to both 
edify and shut down those who contradict. In conclusion, I'm 
simply going to rehearse what I rehearsed last time because 
I think this is a most important subject and one that we as a 
church definitely need to get our minds and our hearts wrapped 
around. We need to pray to the Lord of 
the Harvest to raise up laborers. We need to pray to the Lord of 
the Harvest so that we will have a functioning plurality of elders. 
Whenever you look in the New Testament, it's typically elders, 
plural. It's not simply one man. It's 
always, not always, but there is a consistency with reference 
to a plurality of elders, and that is requisite in our particular 
context. So with reference to the qualifications, 
we should not only pray for an increase of laborers, we should 
know these qualifications. It's not a popularity contest. 
It's not because a guy is good out there in the world, therefore 
he'll be good in here in the church. Now, a lot of times that 
does happen, but not always so. And so we can't use that metric 
as a sort of overarching theme. As well, the church should insist 
that men who aspire to office meet the qualifications. In other 
words, if somebody says, boy, I'd like to be an elder, well, 
you need to study 1 Timothy 3, you need to look at Titus 1, 
you need to go to 1 Peter 5, and then there's some good places 
in the book of Acts. You should familiarize yourself with what 
the eldership is all about, because you have to meet these qualifications. We're not going to just rubber 
stamp a man into the office of elder in the context of the church. 
We're not going to just make it a contest where one guy gets 
more votes than the other guy. That is not the way to proceed 
when we have a list of objective qualifications that men must 
meet. And then as well, the church 
should exclude any and all who do not meet the qualifications. Brethren, this is tough. This 
is hard. Take it from one who has a bit 
of experience. Telling a good man that he's 
not necessarily qualified at that particular time isn't always 
an easy pill for people to swallow. People want to serve the Lord. 
That's great. People should want to serve the 
Lord, but just because one wants to serve the Lord doesn't mean 
he should necessarily as an elder. And so we have to take the qualification 
seriously and not sort of modify it, not sort of tailor it, not 
sort of manipulate it so we can let these brothers in. Nope, 
that's not our calling. Our calling is to proceed in 
obedience to the written word of the living God. And then the 
church should install biblically qualified men into the office 
of elder. Again, there is a testing period 
involved, but it shouldn't be five years. We have needs. We 
ought to, by God's grace, when we find men, put them into the 
office. Now, with reference to men who 
aspire, I think it is imperative for them to consider that church 
membership is absolutely crucial. And by that, I don't just mean 
you're a member of a church. Maybe I should phrase it this 
way. Biblical churchmanship is absolutely crucial. In other 
words, men shouldn't function as elders if they're not good 
churchmen. if they don't make it to church 
five out of ten times, if they're always late, if they're not about 
serving brethren and loving brethren, if they consistently walk by 
trash in the parking lot. Now, again, you may think that's 
odd, but if a man is too high and mighty to reach over and 
pick up a piece of trash, he's not a minister, a servant, one 
who gets his hands dirty for the cause of God and truth. Churchmanship 
is absolutely crucial. My personal commitment is I would 
not consider a man for eldership who had not demonstrated good, 
faithful, biblical churchmanship. That means showing up, being 
present, doing the things that God calls you to do in that particular 
sphere. Remember Jesus' words, he was 
faithful in little, will be faithful in much. If he's not faithful 
in little, why would we give him much? I know it's pretty 
common, at least in the United States military, when you messed 
up, you typically got promoted. They didn't know how to deal 
with people, so they'd promote you up the way to get rid of 
you or to get you out of their sort of purview. You mess up 
and you move up. And I would imagine that government 
operates that way, at least from the few representatives I've 
observed, they don't seem to be the best and the brightest. 
So we don't want to ever make it the case that if a man is 
not faithful in little, we're going to put him as faithful 
in much. The man should maintain a consistent 
devotional life. The man should faithfully attend 
the public means of grace. The man should love and serve 
the brethren. The man should be supportive of the mission 
and ministry of the church. And the man should be faithful 
in little things. You might think, oh, Butler, 
you're reading more into this than needs to be. No, I think 
it's the little things that exemplify or demonstrate or highlight what 
a man is about. And if he doesn't have that orientation, 
then we certainly shouldn't move him into the ranks of the eldership 
in the context of Christ's church. And then in terms of a man who 
aspires to church office, he must ultimately be recognized 
by the church. I didn't deal with the desire, 
didn't deal with that sort of fourfold criteria that a man 
should have with reference to a desire for eldership, but suffice 
to say the church must operate in conjunction with the man. In other words, the man's subjective 
desire to be an elder needs to be checked by the objective criteria 
of the written word and the church applying that. We don't want 
guys who, you know, had a sign or had a vision or whatever and 
they have to be elders. No. We need to make sure you 
have met the qualifications. We need to make sure that you 
not only exemplify these characteristics, but that you are apt to teach. 
In other words, you have to be scrutinized or vetted before 
you will serve in this particular capacity. And then finally, all 
of this shows us God's, dare I use the anthropomorphism, God's 
heart. God has instituted a particular 
class, a particular office in the life of the church that is 
tasked with preaching the gospel for the salvation of sinners 
and preaching that gospel for the edification of saints. That 
demonstrates God's heart, toward people. God doesn't want you 
to not grow. God doesn't want you to stagnate. God doesn't want you to be tossed 
to and fro by every wind of doctrine. God doesn't want you to remain 
a child in your faith. God wants you to grow. He wants 
you to mature. He wants you to understand the 
Trinity. He wants you to understand justification by faith alone. 
He even wants you to understand eschatology, especially in a 
day like this when everybody thinks this is it. Brethren, 
a good dose of biblical eschatology would go a long way in this Wuhan 
environment. But suffice to say, with reference 
to God, it demonstrates and magnifies his heart for the people of God 
in terms of their maturation, but also for the non-people of 
God in terms of their salvation. The Lord instituted an office 
in the church which is about preaching the gospel of Jesus 
Christ so sinners can be saved. want to encourage everybody and 
anybody who listens to this sermon, whether it's through the internet 
or whether it's here on live in person, God has a willing 
heart in the salvation of sinners. There is some bad theology out 
there that makes it look like God didn't run from his porch 
and fall on his son, the prodigal who returned. That is actually 
God. That is the Father. That is the 
Lord that does desire the salvation of sinners. We saw it this morning 
in the opening reading in Isaiah 55. How many times does God, 
through the prophet Isaiah, say, come? He says it over and over 
and over again. What does Jesus say in Matthew 
chapter 11? He says, come to me, all you who are weary and 
heavy laden, I will give you rest. See, there is this teaching 
out there that is basically telling you not to come. Stay away. God doesn't want you. God doesn't 
save. God's only gonna save just this 
frozen chosen or this handful, this small little group. But 
that's not the case. You get to the book of Revelation, 
there's a great multitude that no man can number from every 
tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Brethren, that is good news. 
Friends, that is good news. is a willing Savior. Christ is 
a real Savior for real sinners. The emphasis in Scripture is 
to look to Him, to believe on Him, and to have everlasting 
life. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for Your heart magnified 
in Scripture, even in the eldership. We see that You have instituted 
this office for the edification of the people of God and for 
the calling of sinners to faith and repentance. Lord, we thank 
you for that expression of your love, that expression of your 
willingness to save, and I pray that anyone hearing this tonight 
who are still in their sins, they would hear of this willingness 
and they, by grace, would look unto Jesus. the author and finisher 
of faith, that they would come to the Father through the Son, 
in the Spirit, and they would find that blessed salvation for 
their souls, that forgiveness of sins, and that imputation 
of a righteousness that avails with you. Father, we know that 
you have purposed to save a great multitude that no man can number, 
and we pray that more and more people would come to our Lord 
Jesus Christ. And we pray in his most blessed 
name, amen.