Church Leaders are Shaped by the Gospel (1 Tim 3:1-13)

First Timothy is Paul’s instruction manual for church life, and Christian life. First Timothy shows us what lives ruined and rebuilt by the Gospel look like.1 Timothy 3:15 tells us that Paul wants to remind Timothy, and us, how to behave in the household of God. He had hoped to come and see Timothy sooner, but hadn’t been able to. What a blessing we’d have missed if Paul’s travel plans had remained intact! He’s already taught us about how to deal with false teachers, he’s taught us about the different roles that men and women have in the church, and now he’s going to teach us about what leading and living in the church itself looks like. Verses 1-13 tell us that the churches leaders must be shaped by the Gospel, and verses 14-17 tell us that church life is shaped by the Gospel.

The first two sections of chapter three deal with overseers, or pastors, and deacons. It’s pretty clear that the early church had a structure much the same as the one we use. Of course our deacons don’t do exactly the same thing as Timothy’s did, but the principles are the same. In verse one Paul says that this saying is ‘trustworthy,’ that’s his way of saying ‘pay attention, listen up at the back, this is important.’ Then he lists the standards for Pastors, and the standards for Deacons. The lists for the two are much the same apart from one difference, verse 2 says Pastors must be able to teach. They have to, morally and intellectually, be able to handle the Bible and explain what it says. Deacons don’t have to do that, although at Trinity we’re blessed with Deacons who are able to teach as well as their normal responsibility.

The men who lead the church must live lives shaped by the Gospel. In verses 2-5 and verse 8, we see they must meet a high moral standard. It’s a noble task, and we can’t just slouch our way into it. They must be ‘above reproach,’ they must be a one woman man. They must be dignified and disciplined, not violent, or argumentative, or greedy for money. Essentially, he must stand out from the world. When the world is angry, he must be calm, when the world is basking in immorality, he must be loyal to his wife, when the world is obsessed with the dollar, he must be obsessed with purity.

Overseers and deacons must also prove that they believe the faith. This sounds obvious, but if Paul included it in both lists, in verses 6 and 9 then it must have been an issue for Timothy. It’s certainly been an issue for the global church in the past. Overseers obviously must believe what they are to teach, but deacons too, even though they are not required to teach must hold fast to the truth.

These men who lead the church must also be a good example to those around them. Verses 4 and 12 teach us that church leaders need to lead their own households well. Their wives and children should be in church and growing in the faith, as far as it depends on them. Paul’s logic is obvious, if a man can’t lead his own house, what chance has he got of leading God’s house well? These men should be well thought of by outsiders. A church can’t grow if it’s leadership is setting a bad example. A church can’t grow if the man leading it isn’t well thought of. Why would be come to that man’s church? When we do these things well, we’re given great assurance of our faith. When we don’t fall into disgrace, when they serve well, they have a great reason for believing that their faith is growing, and that their lives are shaped by the Gospel.