1 Timothy 3:7
And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Focused Thinking:
What does it mean to be above reproach?
Above reproach doesn’t mean sinless.
- Above reproach literally means “that cannot be laid hold of;” which means there is nothing in his life that the enemy can lay hold of to hinder the work or ruin the witness.
Note–Because of the importance of this subject I looked up the definitions of these words so I can fully understand them, evaluate my life and pray through them.
The listed character traits simply give more definition to the standard.
- 1. Above reproach
- Good reputation with believers and unbelievers
- 2. The husband of but one wife (one spouse)
- We believe Paul was dealing with moral purity, which is why he lists this quality immediately, stating that an elder/overseer must be “above reproach.” There is nothing that builds a man’s reputation more significantly than being faithful to one woman—his wife (spouse). However, nothing destroys trust more rapidly than immorality. In essence, Paul was saying that if you couldn’t trust a man to be loyal to his wife (spouse), you couldn’t trust him in other areas of his life, particularly in the area of honesty and integrity.
- 3. Temperate
- Paul was describing a man who had a clear focus on life. He was stable and steadfast, and his thinking was clear, reflecting faith, hope and love.
- 4. Prudent / self-controlled
- The Greek word means to be “sound in mind,” “discrete,” “sober,” “sensible.”
- 5. Respectable
- Our English word “cosmetics” comes from the same basic word (kosmious). In essence, Paul was teaching that our lives are to be like “cosmetics to the gospel” to make the gospel attractive by the way we live our lives.
- 6. Hospitable (skill?)
- Hospitable refers to the way we use our material possessions—particularly the homes we live in and the food we eat. All Christians are to be hospitable—but this is a quality that should characterize every spiritual leader, no matter what his resources.
- 7. Able to teach (skill)
- Those who have developed this character quality are able to communicate in a non-argumentative, non-defensive and non-threatening way.
- 8. Not addicted to wine
- How do we know it was real wine? It is impossible to be addicted to a nonalcoholic beverage. From a larger biblical perspective, Paul was saying that spiritual leaders should (1) never overindulge and over drink (Prv. 23:29–30); (2) never cause others to sin by using their freedom in Christ (Rom 14:21); and (3) never become addicted to anything, including food (Prv. 23:20–21).
- 9. Not pugnacious / not violent
- Must not be out of control physically or verbally.
- Must not be a contentious or quarrelsome person.
- 10. Gentle
- Being “gentle” is in contrast to being “violent.” There are several Greek words that are translated “gentle,” and here Paul chose epiekes, a word that describes a person who is “forbearing,” “equitable,” “fair” and “reasonable.”
- 11. Peaceable / not quarrelsome
- A person who avoids debates and arguments. This is a very basic character quality that describes a leader who is “able to teach.”
- 12. Not a lover of money
- They must model generosity and non-materialistic attitudes and actions to those they shepherd.
- 13. Manage his own family well
- How well are you functioning as a spiritual leader in your home? Paul viewed a well-ordered family as the true test of a man’s maturity and ability to lead other Christians. However, there are many misunderstandings regarding what Paul meant by this requirement. We often set a standard that Paul did not have in mind. Paul was speaking here of grown children who were probably already married and had children of their own (1 Tim. 5:4). If their behavior was “wild and disobedient” it could affect their father’s reputation inside and outside the church. These types of situations require further discussion and understanding before appointment.
- 14. Not a recent convert
- Paul warned against appointing men to leadership who were new Christians. If we do, we are setting that person up for a direct attack from Satan—and that point of attack will be pride.
- 15. A good reputation
- Finally, the overseer needed to have a good reputation in the local community. Just as a spiritual leader must have a good reputation with believers by being “above reproach”, his reputation with outsiders must be above question.
Personal Application:
What qualities are greater areas of weakness or temptation for me?
Not pugnacious / not violent
- Must not be out of control physically or verbally.
- Must not be a contentious or quarrelsome person.
Peaceable/ not quarrelsome
- A person who avoids debates or arguments.
My family history, especially among men, is a history of anger problems. My mom’s response to my dad’s anger was that she was really good with words.
What is my danger?
My danger is to win the argument and lose the relationship.
My danger is not knowing when to let it go.
My danger is not letting myself not care.
My danger is not letting myself be right and still lose the argument.
My danger is not compromising.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, this is very difficult for me today, because I am disappointed in a lack of communication today from someone. I am disappointed with the quality of a project and lack of proactive communication. Help me know how to handle this situation today. Help me to be patient. Help me to be clear. Help me not to compromise. If I compromise, I won’t be happy long term. Help me get beyond the symptom to the core issue of this problem. Please give me wisdom from Andy and Jason. I pray that this problem will be an opportunity to learn and grow. Father, give me the ability to be wise and to get the desire result without damaging the relationship.
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