BIBLICAL ELDERSHIP

Characteristics
Of The Elders
God Desires
Lesson 3

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS
1. We will study the KIND OF
MEN whom GOD WANTS to serve
as elders
2. Kind of men is probably a
better way to speak rather than
qualifications
3. Should ELDERS be HOLIER
THAN OTHER DISCIPLES?

but as

he who called you is

holy, you also be holy in all
your conduct,

since it is written, "You

shall be
holy, for I am holy."
(I Peter 1:15, 16)

NOTE:
ALL DISCIPLES OF JESUS

MUST DEVELOP THE KIND

OF LIFE THAT GOD WANTS!
THE LORD DOES NOT WANT
JUST ONE SMALL CLASS OF
HOLY PEOPLE

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN
MATTHEW
1. Disciples! --- Be this KIND
OF PEOPLE! (Matthew 5-7)
Seeing the crowds, he went up on
the mountain, and when he sat
down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and
taught them, saying: (5:1, 2)

2. The MISSION of the

disciple (Matthew 9, 10)
3. The HEART of the disciple
Honest and good heart
As for that in the good soil, they
are those who, hearing the word,
hold it fast in an honest and
good heart, and bear fruit with
patience. (Luke 8:15)

4. The CONVERSION of the

disciple
and said, "Truly, I say to you,

unless you turn and become

like children, you will never enter
the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 18:3)

IN OTHER WORDS, ALL

DISCIPLES SHOULD
DEVELOP THE SAME KIND
OF LIFE!
Including ELDERS!
Is there ANY EXCEPTION to
this?

YES!
DISCIPLES do NOT NEED

TO BE MARRIED!
Can you name a disciple
in the New Testament who
was NOT MARRIED?

IN THIS LESSON, WE WILL

EXAMINE THE CHARACTER

OF THE POTENTIAL
ELDERS
AND, THEREFORE,
THE CHARACTER

DISCIPLES!

OF ALL

CHARACTERISTICS of ELDERS
as seen in I Timothy 3:1-7
Faithful is the saying, If a man

seeketh the office of a

bishop, he desireth a good
work. (ASV)
(I Timothy 3:1)

The bishop therefore must be

without reproach, the husband of
one wife, temperate, soberminded, orderly, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
no brawler, no striker; but gentle,
not contentious, no lover of
money;
(I Timothy 3:2, 3)

one that ruleth well his own

house, having his children in
subjection with all gravity;
(but if a man knoweth not how to
rule his own house, how shall he
take care of the church of God?)
(I Timothy 3:4, 5)

not a novice, lest being puffed up

he fall into the condemnation of the
devil.
Moreover he must have good
testimony from them that are
without; lest he fall into reproach
and the snare of the devil.
(I Timothy 3:6, 7)

1. WITHOUT REPROACH (ASV)

Not open to censure
No one can Point a finger at him
No one says, You are NOT living
right!
It does NOT mean sinless!
(I John 1:8-10)

2. Temperate means sober

and self-controlled
3. Sober-minded means
serious and earnest
4. Orderly means dignified
and with a well-aranged life
5. Given to hospitality means
lover of strangers

6. No brawler means NOT

quarrelsome over wine
7. No striker means one who is
not ready with his fists to
fight
8. Gentle means fair,
moderate, mild
9. Not contentious means one
who does not fight with
words

10. No lover of money means

one who is not greedy for
money
Keep your life free from love
of money, and be content with
what you have, for he has said, "I
will never leave you nor forsake
you."
(Hebrews 13:5)

CHARACTERISTICS NOT
FOUND IN I TIMOTHY 3:1-7
Titus 1:5-9
For this cause left I thee in Crete,
that thou shouldest set in order

the things that were wanting,

and appoint elders in every
city, as I gave thee charge;
(Titus 1:5) (ASV)

if any man is blameless, the

husband of one wife, having
children that believe, who are
not accused of riot or unruly.
For the bishop must be
blameless, as God's steward;
not self-willed, not soon angry,
no brawler, no striker, not greedy
of filthy lucre;
(Titus 1:6, 7)

but given to hospitality, a lover of

good, sober-minded, just, holy,
self-controlled;
holding to the faithful word which
is according to the teaching, that
he may be able to exhort in the
sound doctrine, and to convict the
gainsayers.
(Titus 1:8, 9)

CHARACTERISTICS (Titus 1:5-9)

1. Blameless means
un-accused
2. As Gods steward means
the manager of a household
3. Not self-willed means NOT
self-pleasing and arrogant
4. Not soon angry means not
prone to anger and irritable

5. A Lover of good means

loving good things and good men
6. Just means upright,
observing Gods and mans laws
7. Holy means pure
8. Self-controlled means
having power over self

NOTE:
WHICH OF THESE
CHARACTERISTICS MUST

AN

ELDER HAVE, BUT,

A CHRISTIAN DOES NOT
NEED TO HAVE?

NONE!

A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE

STUDIED:
ARE THESE POTENTIAL ELDERS

LIVING THE CHRISTIAN

LIFE AS
THE LORD DESIRES?
Are they EXAMPLES to the
church?

ARE THERE OTHER

QUALIFICATIONS OF AN
ELDER NOT

FOUND IN

I TIMOTHY 3 AND TITUS 1?

If so, WHAT ARE SOME?
How about PRAYERFUL?
How about HARD WORKING?

WHY WOULD ELDERS NEED ALL

OF THESE QUALITIES?
Because they are Christians,

and Christians NEED ALL

OF THESE QUALITIES!
Because ELDERS are

EXAMPLES to the flock!

(I Peter 5:2, 3) (Continued)

shepherd the flock of God that is

among you, exercising oversight,
not under compulsion, but
willingly, as God would have you;
not for shameful gain, but
eagerly;
not domineering over those in
your charge, but being
examples to the flock.
(I Peter 5:2, 3)

IN I TIMOTHY 3 AND TITUS 1,

PAUL IS EMPHASIZING
CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS
THAT MUST

BE STRESSED

AT EPHESUS AND ON CRETE!

GOD BLESS YOU!