1Tim 3:14-16
Getting the Most From Your Leaders (3)
Paul wrote to Timothy encouraging him to set the standards for a
church leader high. He has given some:
1. gender standards
2. experience standards
3. testimony standards
4. family standards
I. \\#14-16\\ The character standard is godliness.
A. Two things (in these verses) point us toward a preacher’s
character.
1. \\#15\\ Paul said that he was writing to help Timothy know
how he ought to behave in the house of God.
a. If there is a way to behave there is a way to
misbehave.
b. He may have been speaking to Timothy, but I think the
truths will apply well to all.
c. Even though these are behaviors for INSIDE the house
of God, I think they will work well on the OUTSIDE too.
2. \\#16\\ Paul uses the term "godliness."
a. Godliness means God-like.
b. The man of God is to be God-like in his behavior.
B. Paul gave us several characteristics of God-like behavior in
the previous verses.
1. \\#2\\ Vigilant and sober
a. These stood out the most to me.
(1) "vigilant" means-on guard, watching, alert. That
is they need to notice things.
(2) "sober" means sound thinking. That is they need
to know what these things mean.
b. These are also mentioned side-by-side by Peter
\\#1Peter 5:8\\.
(1) These are not "behavior" characteristics but
"spiritual characteristics.
(2) Both are necessary to sense the things which are
dangerous.
(3) But both are necessary to sense the things which
are not yet critical. We don’t want to cry
"wolf" too many times.
2. Some behaviors TO BE:
a. \\#2\\ Be hospitable
b. \\#3\\ Be a patient person
c. \\#9\\ Be Of a pure conscience-Especially when it
comes to holding forth the faith.
3. And some behaviors NOT TO BE:
a. \\#3\\ Not to be given to wine
b. \\#3\\ Not to be a fighter or a brawler
c. \\#3\\ Not greedy or covetous
d. \\#8\\ Not double tongued (saying what people want to
hear)
4. \\#16\\ BUT GODLY!
a. God-like in behavior.
b. That means the man of God should display—as much as
possible and more than is common—Jesus’ character.
c. We understand that NO ONE is going to get this
command correct; but they should be trying and
to a large degree succeeding if they are leading or
representing the church of Jesus.
d. Why would God want anyone less? (profane, worldly,
drunken, unkind, ignorant, arrogant, argumentative)
C. \\#16\\ Is a bit of an odd verse.
1. It mentions godliness as a mystery.
1Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the
mystery of godliness:….
a. Why? I’m not certain.
b. Perhaps it is because godliness is God-like living and
we all know where we came from.
(1) How is it possible that we could live God-like?
(2) That is a mystery!
(3) It is only by Christ living IN us.
2. Immediately after that statement, Paul lists six truths
about Christ.
a. The six truths:
(1) He was God manifested in the flesh.
(2) He was justified in the Spirit.
(3) He was seen of the angels.
(4) He was preached unto the Gentiles.
(5) He was believed on in the world.
(6) He was received up into heaven.
b. Why did Paul put those in there?
(1) I do not know.
(2) One commentary wrote that after listing some
thing that Paul said we could not understand,
perhaps he wanted to list some things that were
certain about!
c. Notice in the list, the second item ("justified in
the spirit).
(1) That is the Holy Spirit he was speaking of.
(2) How was Jesus justified in or by the Holy Ghost?
(3) When the Holy Spirit raised up Jesus from the
dead \\#Romans 8:11\\.
(4) The resurrection, that work of the Holy Spirit,
justified or proved everything Jesus had said
about Himself.
d. From point two, everything in the list will be after
the resurrection.
II. \\#3:2\\ Ability standard
A. This seem mainly to apply to the bishop as he is primary the
one who will handle God’s Word.
B. \\#2\\ Apt to teach
1. A bishop must be able and inclined to teach the Word.
a. It makes sense if this is the pool from which pastors,
missionaries, and evangelists are to come.
b. The inclination is what first shows in the heart of
the called.
(1) Preachers are not preachers because someone else
thinks they ought to be. There must be a desire
given to them from God.
(2) Yet, inclination is not the only thing needed.
2. Ability is a gift given by the Holy Ghost.
a. A leader must have the God-given ability to discern
ans share the Scriptures.
(1) That really is not all that exceptional since
every Christian should have that gift to some
extent.
(2) However, bishops are the called ones to teach the
Bible so they need some extra anointing in this
area.
b. Remember that teaching is not just knowing the Bible
or having the ability to study it, it is also having
the ability to share that knowledge.
(1) There is little doubt in my mind that as some
people have been called to preach and teach the
Bible, some have not.
(2) Make sure you call men to the position of
preachers, pastors, evangelists, missionaries,
and associates those who have!
3. This is what an ordination is about.
a. A group of bishops comes to examine one who believers
he is called with the intent of determining whether
that one is called or not.
(1) They examine the candidate on this and all of the
qualifications.
(2) Then the church must agree as well.
(3) If these qualifications are not meet, the man
should not be ordained.
4. Even if called, some old fashioned studying is required.
a. Too many men claim to be called who have not invested
any time in studying the Bible.
b. While I am not saying a preacher needs a college
degree or a Bible school diploma, they need to have
some Bible knowledge which they can pass along and
the means to gather more.
III. \\#4:1-5\\ Doctrine standard
A. I think these verses go with the standards being listed in the last chapter.
1. \\#1\\ The "some" mentioned are preachers.
2. The church is not going to wander from doctrine until the
preachers wander from it!
3. So Paul in \\#1\\ said this is a sign that the Holy Spirit
very specifically says will come to pass in the last
time.
a. Preachers shall depart from the faith.
b. Preachers shall heed (obey) seducing spirits.
c. Preachers will follow the doctrines of devils.
4. I think they will and they have!
5. These bishops advocate sin, plant doubt, preach a
prosperity gospel, and live like the world.
B. \\#2\\ They will be hypocrites and have seared consciences.
1. Hypocrites-Saying one thing but living another.
2. Seared consciences-Nothing will bother them.
3. The greatest danger is not the wolves outside but the
wolves inside the flock.
C. \\#3\\ Forbidding to marriage
1. During the homosexuality backlash, some advocated doing
away with the marriage license altogether.
2. I saw where the Kentucky governor removed the name of the
State Clerk, Kim Davis, from their marriage licenses
because she refused to sign homosexual licenses.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/kentucky-governor-orders-clerks-names-
removed-marriage-licenses-053811156.html
3. This verses appears to indicate that at some point,
ministers will start preaching that marriage means
nothing and that you can just sleep with whomever you
want whenever you want.
4. We are not there yet, but we are getting close.
D. Commanding to abstain from meats.
1. This is probably where the animal rights groups are going
to take us.
2. One day, preachers will be preaching against meat. Some
probably do already.
3. Paul spoke concerning that ungodly teaching.
a. \\#4\\ Every creature is good—for food—if it is
served with thankfulness to God.
b. \\#5\\ It is sanctified (set apart for food) in the
Word of God and by our prayer of thanksgiving.
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