(1Ti 3:2)  “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (3)  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”  Summation: a person who is seeking to be like Jesus. So, this bishop, pastor, elder, will seek to put the Lord first in his life, followed by others, self last. God help every called Man of God to be so!

 (1Ti 3:2) “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”  I wonder if churches, when seeking a new pastor, look as closely as they ought to see if the man matches the requirements? The person sitting in the pew looks for a good “preacher”. Yet, we are told the man should be “apt to teach”, rather than a good orator!

(1Ti 3:1)  “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”  If God said, “Ass means donkey; should men be allowed to say ‘ass’ now means my behind?” Man has been allowed to rob God’s Word of its meaning. We have allowed them to take this word “bishop” which speaks of the authority to administrate the local church to mean “someone over the local pastor”. We have allowed men to take the word for pastor, “elder”, referring to the maturity needed, and given it to deacons. Follow not men but God! Follow only those men who are careful not to turn to the right hand or the left, but follow the narrow path of God’s Word!  

 (1Ti 2:9) “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;… (10)  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. (11)  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. (12)  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. (13)  For Adam was first formed, then Eve. (14)  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. (15)  Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” The word “saved” there is not referring to “saved from hell”, but to the judgment of disobedience to God. Each of our positions are determined by God. Our one job is to submit to His Word.

(1Ti 2:13)  “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. (14)  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”  The context of this writing is authority, praying for those in authority, submitting to those in authority, and not taking authority unto self –  (12)  “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” No one has the right to say to God, “To obey in this area says we are not very loving towards women.” To obey God says we love Him and He comes first in our lives! The world may not understand, but a saved person has no excuse for not understanding and thus loving in obedience.

 (1Ti 2:11) “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. (12)  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” I have heard it said, “This is not for today.” How do we determine what is “for today” and “what is not”? Has the Lord set this up for majority rule? Has He mandated that we can choose what we will believe and follow and what we will not? I have not read where God has said to man, “Do that which you think best.” I know this: I was bought with the very blood of God’s Son. He is my God and has all authority over me. He has never once asked me what I think. That leads me to believe what I think doesn’t matter. He is God alone. I will follow Him and whatever He has said – period.

(1Ti 2:9) “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (10)  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” Sentence structure allows us to remove adverbs and prepositional phrases leaving us with “In like manner, also, that women adore themselves…..with good works”. Within the parenthesis the Holy Spirit said, “this is the act of godliness”. Godliness is faith put to action in each of our lives! I say to you that lips of praise without actions of praise amount to nothing.

(1Ti 2:9) “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (10)  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” The idea here is to dress in a way that brings the mind to the place of humility. This world seeks to lift the woman up in pride, constantly speaking of what she “deserves” – of her beauty. Woman needs nothing to aid her pride – this world gives her all she needs for that. But it is not pride she needs. She, like man, needs humility before God.

(1Ti 2:8) “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”  As we pray for those in authority over us, it must first of all be from a heart that is right with God (“holy hands”), (Psa 66:18) “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”  Wrath is a sin against God, (Eph 4:31) “Let all…..wrath……be put away from you, with all malice:” “Doubt” stands against “faith”, believing God. Mankind “needs” our prayers! Are you right with God today?  

(1Ti 2:7)  “Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”  “Faith”: believing the Scriptures and then acting upon them; “verity”: truth – God’s Word is truth. These are the things that should be taught regardless of how they are received by the hearers, the hard subjects as well as those everyone wants to hear. Example: we all easily embrace how God loves us so we are to love Him, but what about: (1Jn 2:15) “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”