The Overseer’s Fitness-6

The OVERSEER’s FITNESS-VI—1Timothy 3:1-7

Oversight of the local church requires a certain fitness.

Need:

Paul related the moral qualifications for an overseer of the Church.

Character traits for overseers of the church are definitive/unequivocal.

?What character traits define an overseer’s fitness for office?

?How is an overseer’s fitness determined?

Characteristics by which an overseer’s fitness for office is decided.

In previous weeks we have found that An overseer’s fitness for office is decided by His...

1. DESIRE(:1)

2. BLAMELESSNESS(:2a)

3. MARITAL COMMITMENT(:2b)

4. EMOTIONAL STABILITY(:2c)

5. SELF-CONTROL(:2d)

6. ORDERLINESS(:2e)

7. OPENNESS Toward STRANGERS(:2f)

8. TEACHING(:2g)

9. His SOBRIETY(:3a)

10. His TEMPERAMENT(:3b)

11. His FINANCIAL PROWESS(:3c)

12—An overseer’s fitness for office is decided by...

His CHILDREN’s REGARD(:4-5)

Explanation: (:4-5)Regard

:4—“one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence

Parallel passages:

1Tim 3:12—[Regarding Deacons]“Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children & their own houses well.”

Titus 1:5-6—“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, & appoint elders[bishops] in every city as I commanded you-- if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.”

The focus of this passage is upon the overseer’s children. The upbringing of the bishop’s children sheds much light upon whether his belief is real or feigned.

This speaks to those who would say that the father of a household should distance himself from domestic duties, leaving it solely to the mother. It is important for a father to be a Daddy.

This of course, reflects upon the wife & mother of the children as well.

“Manages His Home Well - His family & home are in order, not in chaos. His children are polite & respectful.”—Pastoral Ad

“Rules”[See :5, 12]—proisthmi—To set or place before—To set over, 1b) to be over, to superintend, preside over, To be a protector or guardian, 1c1) To give aid, 1d) to care for, give attention to, 1d1) Profess honest occupations.

“House”[See :12]—oikov—A house; 2) The inmates of a house, all the persons forming one family, a household; 2a) The family of God, of the Christian Church, of the church of the Old & New Testaments; 3) Stock, family, descendants of one.

“Well”[See :12, 13]—kalwv—Beautifully, finely, excellently, well. Strong—Well(usually morally).

“Children”[See :12]—teknon—Offspring, children. Emphasizes the idea of descent, giving prominence to the physical & outward aspects.

“Submission”—upotagh—The act of subjecting; Obedience, subjection.

“Reverence”—semnothv—The characteristic of a thing or person which entitles to reverence & respect, dignity, majesty, sanctity; 2) Honor, purity.

:5—(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);”

The prerogative of the overseer of a local(& otherwise) church must live out his headship at home. Headship of these two areas(home & church) are so closely associated, that one can be said to directly inform the other.

1Tim. 3:14-15—“These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar & ground of the truth.”

Pastoral Ad—“Manages His Home Well - His family & home are in order, not in chaos. His children are polite & respectful. His finances are in order.”

“Know how”—eidw—To see; To know—Know how, be skilled in.

“Rule”[See :4, 12]—proisthmi—To set or place before—To set over, 1b) to be over, to superintend, preside over, To be a protector or guardian, 1c1) To give aid, 1d) to care for, give attention to, 1d1) Profess honest occupations.

“Take care of”—epimeleomai—To take care of a person or thing.

“Church”—ekklhsia—A gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly. Also an assembly, but including only those specially called together out of a larger multitude, for the transaction of business. ekklhsia usually denotes a somewhat more select company than sunagwgh. The lawful assembly in a free Greek city of all those possessing the rights of citizenship, for the transaction of public affairs.

Argumentation:

Ps. 127:4-5—“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.”

Ex. 20:12—““Honor your father & your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.”

Lev. 19:3—“‘Every one of you shall revere his mother & his father, & keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.”

Reverence is both taught & earned from both parents!

Eph. 6:1-4—“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father & mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you & you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training & admonition of the Lord.”