Ecclesiology

When it comes to the care and feeding of that elusive creature: The Elder – the church has some specific responsibilities. The first is to provide which we covered last week. The second is to protect.

In 1 Timothy 5:19-21 we have a few simple guidelines for protecting the reputation and holiness of an elder. Church discipline is never a fun topic – but it is a necessary one.

The principles of Church discipline are laid out in Matthew 18:15-20. Let's read that text again for a refresher. <read it> The quick principles then are:

1. Go talk to a sinning believer in private to urge them to repent.

2. If he refuses to listen, take one or two witnesses with you for another private meeting.

3. If he refuses to heed all three of you, inform the entire church.

4. If he refuses to heed the church – have nothing to do with him until he repents.

I feel the need for a brief rabbit trail here to motion to Matthew 18:19-20 there and ask you to pay attention to this church discipline context. This is not a gang up on God and you'll get what you want prayer formula. This is a confirmation that in the midst of the distress of church discipline the Lord is there to confirm his word of holiness.

The question of our text in Timothy is whether or not the procedures are somehow different for an elder. The answer to that is “NO”. The principles of Matthew 18 are brought to bear on the pastor/elder as well as any Christian. The focus on this passage however looks at the first aspect with a desire to protect an elder's public integrity.

I have said before that there is nothing whatsoever that you or I can do to make God love us more. That is the truth. He already loved you enough to send his son to die in your place. But that does not rule out the amount of pleasure God takes in us. Certainly God is pleased with faithfulness and disappointed with faithlessness. If your own children stray into error you do not cease to love them but you are grieved by them. When your own children walk in obedience and wisdom you do not love them more but you are certainly brought joy by them. The question before us then is, "What can I do to bring God Joy because of me?" The answer is: "walk in obedience." As John writes in third John, "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." (3 John 1:4)

As you open your Bibles to 1 Timothy 3:13 we come to the conclusion of this passage on deacons. It won't be the last mention in Timothy concerning proper church polity but it does close the requirements for the office with a great encouragement for those in the position of deacon to be diligent and faithful in their execution of the office.

"The third chapter began with a word of encouragement for anyone aspiring to the office of [overseer]. The section for the deacons ends..."¹ with a similar encouragement for deacons. The remaining serves as an incentive for deacons to do a good job at their given post.

It is easy to perceive why an incentive might be needed. Being a servant in any capacity is often perceived as a thankless task. But being able to look forward to the coming reward is

Last week during the Sunday School hour, most of us had an opportunity to hear a very impassioned and very biblical message on the Centrality of the home from Voddie Baucham. In many ways it was a direct application of what we have been learning already regarding the centrality of the home in determining the eligibility of both Elders and Deacons. Note for just a moment that I did not just say deaconesses - there is a reason for that exclusion.

Do yourself a favor and open either your own Bible or a pew Bible (page ###) to 1 Timothy 3:10-12. This portion comes in a specific context concerning the proper selection of both deacons and deaconesses. For the sake of Context, I would like to read together with you the first 13 verses of the chapter. {Read 1 Timothy 3:1-13}

If we continue to take our text in the order it is written the resolution of verse 10 will come before the end in verse 12. The resolution is recorded in the tenth verse and it is simply this: Test the deacons and then let them serve if they past the test. But then Paul quickly follows with two more statements which serve to emphasize two key issues.

The first issue in verse 11 we already investigated and came to the conclusion that Paul must be describing a blanket description of the requirements for women servants in the church whom I will call deaconesses. These are not merely general women in the congregation nor are they specifically the wives of the deacons. Deaconesses must be dignified, not malicious gossips, they must be temperate and faithful in all things. These four broad statements help to identify a woman who is fit to serve the church.

I asked you to observe that I did not mention the deaconesses when I said that the home is central in determining the eligibility of both elders and deacons to serve in the church. That is because the second major issue which Paul brings to us after the resolution is that of the Deacon's home life. In this context with the eleventh verse concerning deaconesses immediately preceding it we need to specifically focus in on the men who fulfill the post of servant ministry. In order for any man to be qualified to be a servant of the church of the Living God in an official capacity his home life must be exemplary.

That is why those who may fill the official servanthood roles of deacon or deaconess must be tested.