The DEACON’S FITNESS-II—1Timothy 3:8-13
Attention:
Our new dog, Winslow(compared to him, even the Wind is Slow) A former racing Greyhound found by my son Sam on the Blue Ridge Parkway, emaciated & huddled in a snowbank.
Anyway... unfortunately we ended up with Winslow. But Winslow is a very pet-worthy dog. He is both house trained & leash trained!—Halleluiah, no work for me! He is very well-behaved. He doesn’t growl or bark(unlike our other dog, Little Bit). Even little Bit is becoming better behaved with Winslow there.
Winslow’s Fitness as a pet is exemplary.
Paul related the moral qualifications for deacons of the Church.
Character traits for deacons of the church are definitive/unequivocal.
?What character traits define the deacon’s fitness for office?
?How is the deacon’s fitness determined?
Characteristics by which an deacon’s fitness for office is decided.
The deacon’s fitness is decided by...Collaborative/Collective ...
We discovered previously that The deacon’s fitness is decided thru...
1. His REVERENCE(:8a)
2. His HONESTY(:8b)
3. His SOBRIETY(8c)
4—The deacon’s fitness is decided thru...
His FREEDOM From MATERIALISM(:8d)
Explanation:(:8d) Greed/Compulsions/Financial Idolatry/Worship
:8d—“Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,”
“Not Greedy for Money”—
...Is descriptive of a persons who makes no decisions for personal gain, particularly as it relates monetarily. No one can rightly serve God if his eye is always on his wealth.
If such is the case with a deacon &/or pastor, then he can be truly bribed, having his decisions swayed for the sake of gain rather than for the sake of Christ. Money indeed makes a good slave but a horrific master.
If a deacon &/or pastor is motivated by greed, certain would-be ‘power-brokers’ in the church will be enabled to ‘run the church’ rather than allowing God to motivate its operation. All such people give with strings attached so they can control their pet projects at church.
Such a scenario invites fleshly indulgence & isolations inherent to unsanctified personalities unsurrendered to the direction of the Holy Spirit.
“The deacon is to avoid the temptations of materialism.”..... & from ‘using his office for material benefit, even if no dishonesty or illegality is present.’—NAC
*The exact word(aiscrokerdhv) is employed in the same manner here & in :3. Lest we pass this off as inconsequential, in :3 the same word is paired with covetousness in order to reveal the truly ungodly & fleshly nature of such greed.
“Greedy for money/Greedy of filthy lucre/Fond of sordid gain”[See :3]—aiscrokerdhv— Adj.—Eager for base gain, greedy for money. ‘Filthy lucre.’ Strong—Sordid. Used 3X.
Argumentation/Illustration:
1Sam 2:12-17—“Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD. And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; & the priest would take for himself all that the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Also, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come & say to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not take boiled meat from you, but raw.” And if the man said to him, “They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,” he would then answer him, “No, but you must give it now; & if not, I will take it by force.” Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.”
Ezek. 34:1-24—“And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy & say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? “You eat the fat & clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force & cruelty you have ruled them. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; & they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, & on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, & no one was seeking or searching for them.” ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: “as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because My flock became a prey, & My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves & did not feed My flock”-- ‘therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD! ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, & I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, & the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.” ‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep & seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep & deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy & dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples & gather them from the countries, & will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys & in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in good pasture, & their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold & feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, & I will make them lie down,” says the Lord GOD. “I will seek what was lost & bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken & strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat & the strong, & feed them in judgment.” ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I shall judge between sheep & sheep, between rams & goats. Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture--& to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must foul the residue with your feet? And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, & they drink what you have fouled with your feet.” ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat & the lean sheep. Because you have pushed with side & shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, & scattered them abroad, therefore I will save My flock, & they shall no longer be a prey; & I will judge between sheep & sheep. I will establish one shepherd over them, & he shall feed them--My servant David. He shall feed them & be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, & My servant David a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.”
Eccl. 5:10—“He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.”
Prov. 29:4—“The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.”
Deut. 16:18-20—““You shall appoint judges & officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, & they shall judge the people with just judgment. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise & twists the words of the righteous. You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live & inherit the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”
1Jn. 2:15—“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
Mat. 6:19-24—““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth & rust destroy & where thieves break in & steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys & where thieves do not break in & steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one & love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one & despise the other. You cannot serve God & mammon.”
1Tim. 6:6-11—“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, & it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food & clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation & a snare, & into many foolish & harmful lusts which drown men in destruction & perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, & pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things & pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”
Jas 2:1-4—“My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, & there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, & you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes & say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” & say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, & become judges with evil thoughts?”
Illustration:
Qualified deacons will not use the church as their ‘personal storage shed’ for personal belongings/Give a boat to the church knowing it won’t be used but getting it off of your property/Qualified deacons recognize “God gins glory here”/FREEDOM From MATERIALISM
Our young ushers are ‘Deacons & pastors in training’ as it were/They learn that the money collected is God’s money & that they are servants of God/That their obedience to God is being tested thru their FREEDOM From MATERIALISM
Application:
?Do your deacons exemplify a godly FREEDOM From MATERIALISM?
?Your deacon/deacons Fit for Office?
?How do you measure up regarding the same qualifications?
5—The deacon’s fitness is decided thru...
His CHRISTIAN COMPLIANCE(:9)
Explanation:(:9) Doctrinal & Moral adherence/Integrity/Surrender to revealed truth
:9—“holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.”
What is “the mystery of the faith”?
Mat. 13:10-12—“And the disciples came & said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered & said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, & he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Eph. 3:3-7—“how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles & prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, & partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”
Rom. 16:25-27—“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel & the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, & by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith-- to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”
1Tim. 3:16—“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.”
Rom. 11:5-25—“Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, & the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.” And David says: “Let their table become a snare & a trap, A stumbling block & a recompense to them. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, & bow down their back always.” I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, & their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh & save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; & if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, & you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, & with them became a partaker of the root & fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, & you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness & severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, & were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”
**The “mystery” then is the detailed(full) revelation of God’s plan for salvation. This plan is offered to all humanity by grace thru faith in the removal of personal condemnation thru the Cross-work of God’s only-begotten Son.
Some aspects of this “mystery” entail: 1)The incarnation & resurrection of Christ, 2)The indwelling presence & direction from God’s Holy Spirit, 3)the unifying factor of saving faith(cutting across all boundaries—Jew-Gentile, Male-Female, Geographical, Racial, Political), 4)The rapture of the church to heaven, 5)The return & rule of Christ on earth, 6)The final judgment of man, etc.
None of these aspects of God’s salvation of man were known before the revelation & Cross-work of Christ. Thus they were a “mystery” but are now revealed.
Therefore deacons must “...exhibit a proper doctrinal & moral response to Christ’s message.”—NAC
The “deacon” must “hold” to those truths revealed in Christ which are the fulfillment of God’s revealed truth thru the ages, particularly as it is revealed in Christ.
The deacon’s hold on these realities must be more than mere intellectual assessment. They must be ascribed to within his own “pure conscience” There must be no stain of sin which colors/effects the deacon’s “conscience” particularly in regard to the previous “mystery” of “the faith” by which he lives.
To disregard the revelation of the mystery would relegate such a “deacon” to mere Judaism still seeking its Messiah...or merely following law(human, worldly, demonic)...or the seeking of empty religious fervor/zeal.
The “deacon” thereby cannot be someone who is randomly &/or indiscriminately chosen for his mere ‘mechanical’ ability for service. His is indeed a high honor as :13 describes.
How sad it is when a church short-sightedly chooses deacons based, not on their spiritual accountability, but on their talent or self-chosen profession alone.
Basically, the only thing separating Deacons from Elders is their aptitude for teaching. But this does NOT mean that their doctrine can be lax.
Argumentation:
1Cor. 15:3-11—“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received & in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, & that He was buried, & that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, & that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, & His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach & so you believed.”
1Cor. 4:1-2—“Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ & stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
Gal. 1:6-12—“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you & want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
2Tim. 3:14—4:5—“But you must continue in the things which you have learned & been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, & that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” “I charge you therefore before God & the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living & the dead at His appearing & His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season & out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering & teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; & they will turn their ears away from the truth, & be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
There is such a thing as “sound doctrine” as opposed to un-sound doctrine.
There are many religious who placate themselves with ideas & ideals forged in the furnace of humanism’s felt-need but which are totally foreign to the Gospel of Christ.
There are many “teachers” who will proffer these unsound ideas & ideals, which are no better than “fables” for approaching the realities of life, as they openly “turn away from the truth.”
Illustration:
Henry Ford biography/Graduated from total assembly by a small crew with multifarious abilities to Assembly Line production/If one person on the line fails(falls asleep, gets bored with repetition, slows, incompetent) the whole works is messed up/CHRISTIAN COMPLIANCE
Application:
?Do your deacons exemplify a godly CHRISTIAN COMPLIANCE?
?Your deacon/deacons Fit for Office?
?How do you measure up regarding the same qualifications?
6—The deacon’s fitness is decided thru...
His UNIMPEACHABLENESS(:10)
Explanation:(:10)
:10—“But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.”
Thereby, as a result of the necessity for such purity regarding the office(?) of “deacon,” & that these would arise from within the local church rather than from without(as an overseer may), then it is vital that the deacon “be tested” prior to his being entrusted with such spiritual responsibility as service to & for the local manifestation of the church of God.
There is no mention as to nature of the deacon’s “testing.” as to whether it consists of specific events or specific times or both. Nor is there mention of the provider of such testing—Overseer, congregation, committee, etc.
Many modern churches assume a set time of testing. However during this time the deacon is observed as to his true character, particularly as he responds to his current service in the church, but also as to his personal life.
Such testing consists of a time(6-12mths.) of close scrutiny, at the end of which time he becomes answerable to the church thru a series of meetings by the pastor &/or deacons & then by the church as a whole, whereupon he is given official approval thru various means. This approval usually involves multiple questions(grilling) by the different groups & is solidified thru a prayerful laying on of hands.
Assuming the “testing” results in approval, such a deacon is then to be allowed to fully “serve” in that capacity.
He is only allowed to function in such a capacity if by his “testing” it has been determined that he is indeed “blameless.” Thus the ultimate purpose of “testing” regarding deacons is to bring to light personal blamelessness or the lack thereof.
A deacon that is “blameless” or “beyond reproach” is to be of such a character that there is nothing that can be rightly levied against him. Such a deacon will have no accusations raised against him that will stick. Thus he is rightly unimpeachable. None of the accusations will in any way threaten the integrity of the church in Christ wherein he serves.
“First”—prwton—First in time or place—1a) In any succession of things or persons; 2) First in rank—2a) Influence, honor, 2b) Chief, 2c) Principal; 3) First, at the first.
“Tested”—dokimazw—To test, examine, prove, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals; 2) To recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy. From—dokimov—Accepted, particularly of coins & money; Accepting, pleasing, acceptable. Strong—To test(literally or figuratively); by implication--To approve.
“Then”—eita—Then; 2) Next, after that.
“Let them serve as deacons/Let them use the office of a deacon”[See :13]—diakonew—To be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon.
“Blameless/Beyond reproach/Nothing against them/Unimpeachable”—anegklhtov—That cannot be called into account, unreproveable, unaccused, blameless. Anegklhtov designates one against whom there is no accusation, implying not acquittal of a charge, but that no charge has been made. Strong—Unaccused, i.e. by implication--Irreproachable Used 5X.
Argumentation:
2Cor. 13:5-6—“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.”
There is no need for any church to shy away from such close scrutiny regarding deacons or any other matter:
1Cor. 6:1-8—“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, & not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, & that before unbelievers! Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong & cheat, & you do these things to your brethren!”
Titus 2:1-14—“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness & worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, & godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope & glorious appearing of our great God & Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed & purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
1Cor. 1:4-9—“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance & all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
2Pet. 3:13-14—“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens & a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot & blameless;”
2Pet. 3:15-18—“& consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught & unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace & knowledge of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now & forever. Amen.”
1Thess. 5:23-24—“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; & may your whole spirit, soul, & body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”
Illustration:
Our property, the Kluttz’, & the Wilhelm’s bordering Brookshire Dr./Trees come to within 5ft. of the road/Whole area is covered in leaves from the woods/Our neighbors walk their dogs all the time & allow the dogs to relieve themselves on our property/I don’t mind/I can’t rightly hold anything against them/They are UNIMPEACHABLE
Now if the people came from outside our neighborhood just so their dogs could use my property for a bathroom, they would not be blameless!/I would find such actions IMPEACHABLE!
Pat & Edna Wilson were the our ‘retired’ neighbors who lived across the street when I was a child/They kept an impeccable yard & gardens!/I however, lived to play in the creek which formed one of the borders to their property/I was forever running, crawling, & tromping, slinging mud & dragging whatever across the Wilson’s manicured yard(is a constant battle to maintain grass in piedmont NC)/As a result Mr. Wilson would always yell at me when he caught me playing exuberantly thru his yard!/Mr. Wilson found my actions IMPEACHABLE
Had I simply avoided his yard altogether, playing on the ‘woodsy snakey, unimproved’ side of the creek he wouldn’t have cared in the least!/I would have then been UNIMPEACHABLE in the Wilson’s eyes & would have surely improved my parent’s (already good)relationship with them.
Application:
?Do your deacons exemplify a godly UNIMPEACHABLENESS?
?Your deacon/deacons Fit for Office?
?How do you measure up regarding the same qualifications?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Winslow’s Fitness as a pet is exemplary.
Action:
The deacon’s fitness is decided thru...
4. His FREEDOM From MATERIALISM(:8d)
5. His CHRISTIAN COMPLIANCE/Surrender(:9)
6. His UNIMPEACHABLENESS(:10)
1. His REVERENCE(:8a)
2. His HONESTY(:8b)
3. His SOBRIETY(8c)
Presented 02/17/2013pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
