(1Ti 3:13)  “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”  The idea here is that one who qualifies for and serves in such a capacity has earned a place of respect to be used in the furtherance of the faith – influencing others. Service to and in the Lord, is always others, not self. We are to spend and be spent in the service of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.  

(1Ti 3:12_ “ Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”  Being in subject unto the husband/father reveals that he is one who is respected and thus loved. Isn’t that the principal seen in Jesus’ Words, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” If you love Him, you will obey. If you respect Him, you will obey. If one respects their husband, they will follow him. If they love their father, they will obey him.

(1Ti 3:11)  “Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.” When it comes to pastors and deacons, their wives also have to be considered. Why?  Husbands and wives are of one spirit as well as body before the Lord. We get this truth from Malachi where God says He hates the breaking of the covenant of marriage: (Mal_2:15) “And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.”

(1Ti 3:10)  “And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.”  A deacon’s responsibility is in the area of finances – period (Acts Chapter 6). Such a person needs to be well known by the congregation – proved. Also, there is a tendency to put one in office that does not meet the spiritual qualifications. This is to never be. A church’s finances are God’s finances, needing spiritual men who are willing to follow the Spirit of God’s direction.

(1Ti 3:9)“Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”  The mystery of the faith is the gospel that was hid among prophecy in the Old Testament. In order to have a pure conscience regarding it two things must be: 1) One must be born again, made alive in Christ, having received the gift of everlasting life; and 2) must be faithful in the sharing of the gospel with others, working through the local church.

(1Ti 3:8)  “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;”  I draw your attention to the fact that these must be men who are convinced that the work of Christ is through the church. They are grave towards reaching of the lost. They are true in their communication (they don’t say one thing and do another). And they put the work of Christ even above physical gain! Brother/sister, one must work in order to meet the needs of self and others, but the work of the Church is the reason you are here upon this earth. Souls come first and foremost above all other things.

(1Ti 3:7)“Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”  Since you and I can see it is important that our pastor have a good report, should it not admonish our own hearts to be very careful of what we say regarding our pastor. Most often we do not have all the facts about things we talk about. To hurt our pastor’s reputation is to hurt the church as a whole. It is to harm every single person in our church. The old saying is, “If you can’t say something good say nothing at all.”

(1Ti 3:6)  “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”   “Condemnation of the devil”. Not in the sense of giving the devil power over you; although this is a truth in the sense that “…. your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8). But it is in the sense that the devil is in condemnation because of His pride, His desire to be like and worshipped as God (Isa 14:13-14). Our pride reflects the devil, not God. If we wish to be like our Lord then we must seek to humble ourselves not only before Him but also before man (Phil 2:5-8).

(1Ti 3:6)  “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”  The idea here is that an older person in the Lord will have practiced the yielding of one’s will to the obedience of God’s Word. That act of humility would become a way of life. As our minds are reprogrammed through the washing of water of the Word we should begin to see ourselves rightly – as created, saved by grace not merit, adopted yet serving by the taking up of our cross daily. According to this standard, are you a novice?

(1Ti 3:4)  “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (5)  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”  The proving ground of whether a man should pastor is his own home. If he neglects his home, he will neglect the church. If his family loves him the church will love him, for we get love by giving love. And notice the word, “ruleth”, something rejected in our society yet which must be before God. The very word “bishop” speaks of supervising, which is exercising authority.