Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(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.

 (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.