“Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,” (1 Timothy 3:2 (ESV)
Having considered the importance of the office of an overseer, what qualifications must a godly man possess in order to be considered to be a church elder or pastor? Money, popularity, social standing, vocation, or political persuasion have nothing to do with an elder’s or pastor’s qualifications. Then what does?
First, an elder must be a man who is above reproach (ἀνεπίλημπτον; anepilempton). This means irreproachable, blameless, impeccable, unimpeachable, and impossible to fault. This is the foremost trait. It is displayed in all the remaining qualities. An elder lives a consistent, godly life.
Second, an elder must be the husband of one wife. The statement literally means a one-woman man. The elder must focus his thoughts, speech and behavior upon his wife and no other woman. This involves the spiritual, the relational, the social and the physical.
The Apostle Paul then stated an overseer must be sober-minded, self-controlled, and respectable. Respectively, what did Paul mean by these three characteristics?
To be sober-minded (νηφάλιον; nephalion) literally means “not mixed with wine.” The Greek word lit. means “wineless,” but here used metaphorically to mean “alert,” “watchful,” “vigilant,” or “clear-headed.” Elders must think clearly about life and living according to the Word of God.
This is a sober man. It is a man who is not given to intoxication or the influence of alcohol or other stimulants. While the Scriptures do not command total abstinence from alcohol, any influence leading to eventual drunkenness is strictly forbidden (Eph. 5:18; Prov. 20:1; 23:20-21, 29-35).
To be self-controlled (νηφάλιον; sophrona) means to be prudent, sensible, and of sound mind (Gal. 5:22-23). A self-controlled elder is a man of temperance and wisdom. Temperance refers to restraint from anything resembling a lack of restraint. Wisdom is the practical application of God’s Word in the elder’s life. An elder is to disciplined, having biblical priorities, and one who is serious about biblical truth and its application in the believer’s life.
“Such a person lives deeply. His pleasures are not primarily of the senses, like the pleasures of a drunkard for instance, but those of the soul. He is filled with spiritual and moral earnestness. He is not given to excess (in the use of wine, etc.), but moderate, well-balanced, calm, careful, steady, and sane. This pertains to his physical, moral, and mental states and habits,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
To be respectable (κόσμιον; kosmion) refers to modesty, appropriateness, and decency. The elder does not live a chaotic life. It is well-ordered.
“What should strike every leader about this list of leader qualities, the thing that jumps off the page, is that above everything else you could want in a leader, God values character. I must say that I am not sure that we always do. I think there are times when we are more attracted to big personality, powerful communicating, and result-producing leaders than to persons of beautiful character,” explains Paul David Tripp.
“There’s another thing that impresses me here: the list tells us that in God’s eyes, character trumps performance. Leaders who have character, lead with character, model what is truly important and encourage the same in others.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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