Biblical Eldership – God’s Government
Part Three (Continued)

Qualifications and the Appointing of Elders
1 Tim. 3:1-7 / Acts 14:23-Acts 20:28

Appointing Elders

Acts 14:23

23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 

By prayer and fasting

Acts 20:28

28 "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 

The Holy Spirit had entrusted the elders with the charge of the people of God

Qualifications

1 Timothy 3:1-7

1 This [is] a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.    
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;    
3  not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;    
4  one who rules his own house well, having [his] children in submission with all reverence    
5  (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);    
6  not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the [same] condemnation as the devil.    
7  Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Paul addresses these qualifications in an orderly fashion.

Vs. 2, 3 Personally
Vs. 4, 5 Regarding the family
Vs. 5, 6 Regarding the church
Vs. 7 Regarding the world

Vs. 1 Office of a bishop – overseer

Philippians 2:13

13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for [His] good pleasure. 

Vs. 2 Blameless

Good behavior
Husband of one wife
Hospitable
Temperate
Able to teach

Ephesians 4:12

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 

Sober-minded

Vs. 3 Not given to wine

Not quarrelsome
Not violent
Not covetous
Not greedy
Gentle

Vs. 4, 5 Ruleth

Vs. 6 Not a novice

Vs. 7 Good report

Conclusion:

Realizing that the stress or emphasis in Scripture is always on character.
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