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OCTOBER 24
Proverbs 27:21
The refining pot is for silver and the
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furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say 3:6 not a novice,lest…puffed up with pride.
of him. Putting a new convert into a leadership role
would tempt him to pride.Elders,therefore,are
1 Timothy 3:1–16
to be drawn from the spiritually mature men
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires of the congregation. fall into the same con-
3 the position of a bishop, he desires a good demnation as the devil. Satan’s condemna-
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work. A bishop then must be blameless, the tion was due to pride over his position. It
husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, resulted in his fall from honor and authority.
The same kind of fall and judgment could eas-
ily happen to a new and weak believer put in
a position of spiritual leadership.
3:1 desires…desires. Two different Greek 3:8 deacons. From a word group meaning “to
words are used. The first means “to reach out serve.”Originally referring to menial tasks such
after.” It describes external action not internal as waiting on tables (Acts 6:1–4), “deacon”
motive. The second means “a strong passion” came to denote any service in the church.
and refers to an inward desire.Taken together, Deacons serve under the leadership of elders,
these two words aptly describe the type of helping them exercise oversight in the practical
man who belongs in the ministry—one who matters of church life. Scripture defines no
outwardly pursues it because he is driven by a official or specific responsibilities for deacons.
strong internal desire. bishop. The word They are to do whatever the elders assign them
means “overseer” and identifies the men who or whatever spiritual ministry is necessary.
are responsible to lead the church (5:17;
1Thess.5:12; Heb.13:7).In the New Testament
the words “bishop,” “elder,” “overseer,” and
“pastor” are used interchangeably to describe faith with a pure conscience. But let these
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the same men (Acts 20:17,28; Titus 1:5–9; also first be tested; then let them serve as dea-
1Pet. 5:1,2). Bishops (pastors, overseers, eld- cons, being found blameless. Likewise, their
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ers) are responsible to lead (5:17), preach and wives must be reverent, not slanderers, tem-
teach (5:17),help the spiritually weak (1 Thess. perate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be
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5:12–14), care for the church (1 Pet. 5:1,2), and the husbands of one wife, ruling their children
ordain other leaders (4:14). and their own houses well. For those who
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have served well as deacons obtain for them-
selves a good standing and great boldness in
of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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given to wine, not violent, not greedy for 14 These things I write to you, though I hope
money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covet- to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I
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ous; one who rules his own house well, having
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his children in submission with all reverence write so that you may know how you ought to
conduct yourself in the house of God, which is
(for if a man does not know how to rule his
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own house, how will he take care of the church the church of the living God, the pillar and
ground of the truth. And without controversy
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of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up great is the mystery of godliness:
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with pride he fall into the same condemnation
as the devil. Moreover he must have a good God was manifested in the flesh,
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testimony among those who are outside, lest Justified in the Spirit,
he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Seen by angels,
Likewise deacons must be reverent, not Preached among the Gentiles,
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double-tongued, not given to much wine, not Believed on in the world,
greedy for money, holding the mystery of the Received up in glory.
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DAY 24:What does it mean for an elder to be “the husband of one wife”?
In 1 Timothy 3:2,the Greek is literally a “one-woman man.”This says nothing about marriage or
divorce (v. 4).The issue is not the elder’s marital status but his moral and sexual purity.This qualifi-
cation heads the list, because it is in this area that leaders are most prone to fail. Various interpre-
tations of this qualification have been offered. Some see it as a prohibition against polygamy—an
unnecessary injunction since polygamy was not common in Roman society and clearly forbidden
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