Here Paul gets into Church leadership requirements. The requirements are that an Overseer, Deacon, and Women must be Godly. Note that the Overseer and Deacon were to be men.
Two main points in Pauls argument are that Church leaders 1) must be Godly leaders in their home and 2) must have gone through testing and come out strong.
Verses 4 & 5. These verses clearly state that the Church leader must be a Godly leader at home first. If a man cannot control his own household, how can they control the flock? If one cannot lead their own blood -- people who should be the most compatible with -- how can they lead neighbors, friends and perfect strangers? Further, a man is most honest in his own home. The traits exhibited by his household will permeate anything else he leads.
Verses 6 & 7. Here we see that the Church leader must be able to stand against testing. Tests will surely come. The devil loves to test leaders with their pride and and the things done in secret (outside the church). The Godly leader will be able to recognize this, and realize that their personal actions are important in the grand scheme of things. One cannot give themselves up to the devil in any part of their life and still expect to be a Godly leader. Verse 10 reiterates the command to Deacons, stating that after they go through testing and remain beyond reproach, then they should be appointed as leaders.
Verses 14 & 15. Here we have Paul's mission statement. This is the reason why he wrote this letter: so we can know how to behave in God's house. We must behave God-like.
Verse 16. Paul follows up with what I like to call the Godly Nutshell. This is a description of the effectiveness of Christ's mission to earth. Each of these six items point to the Godliness of Christ's work. Everything He did was right and produced results. Knowing that He has begun a good work in us is truly an amazing thought. In case anyone thinks that Godliness is something unattainable, must consider Christ and His will for us and then realize He will perform it. He will, if we let Him.
Two main points in Pauls argument are that Church leaders 1) must be Godly leaders in their home and 2) must have gone through testing and come out strong.
Verses 4 & 5. These verses clearly state that the Church leader must be a Godly leader at home first. If a man cannot control his own household, how can they control the flock? If one cannot lead their own blood -- people who should be the most compatible with -- how can they lead neighbors, friends and perfect strangers? Further, a man is most honest in his own home. The traits exhibited by his household will permeate anything else he leads.
Verses 6 & 7. Here we see that the Church leader must be able to stand against testing. Tests will surely come. The devil loves to test leaders with their pride and and the things done in secret (outside the church). The Godly leader will be able to recognize this, and realize that their personal actions are important in the grand scheme of things. One cannot give themselves up to the devil in any part of their life and still expect to be a Godly leader. Verse 10 reiterates the command to Deacons, stating that after they go through testing and remain beyond reproach, then they should be appointed as leaders.
Verses 14 & 15. Here we have Paul's mission statement. This is the reason why he wrote this letter: so we can know how to behave in God's house. We must behave God-like.
Verse 16. Paul follows up with what I like to call the Godly Nutshell. This is a description of the effectiveness of Christ's mission to earth. Each of these six items point to the Godliness of Christ's work. Everything He did was right and produced results. Knowing that He has begun a good work in us is truly an amazing thought. In case anyone thinks that Godliness is something unattainable, must consider Christ and His will for us and then realize He will perform it. He will, if we let Him.
