Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
1 Timothy 3:1-7
"I don't care what anyone thinks of me. God is my judge and I live for an audience of one." Have you ever said that or the like? I know I have. I think I can even sing some songs that have those lyrics. On the surface it seems good and Biblical but yet, when you look at 1 Timothy 3, so much of spiritual maturity has to do what others think about you. Certainly my opening statement has some merit and can't be discarded. Paul said to the Corinthians in effect, "It doesn't matter what you think, my conscience is clear." Jesus said things like," all men will hate you because of me", and" woe unto you when all men speak well of you", and the prophets of old were hated to the point of being sawed in two and thrown in wells.
I think of Daniel. When his adversaries - and when I say adversaries, I mean people who hated him due to jealousy and ambition - came against him to destroy him on a personal level, he was blameless. They could have run down the list of elder qualifications and it would have been like, "check, check, check, check, double check.... they found nothing except he was too in love with God. He was too obedient to God! Paul says in Romans, "As far as it is possible, live at peace with all men." Peter says, "Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your good deeds and glorify God." Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven." And the aforementioned Daniel said, "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of heavens and lead many to righteousness."
So I guess what I am saying is if you stand for truth and righteousness in society and preach that Jesus is the only way, you will offend people. It happened to John the Baptist who though he was imprisoned for speaking against adultery and incest, yet his accuser was grieved when his hand was forced to execute him. Felix, Festus, and Agrippa all agreed that Paul was blameless and didn't deserve imprisonment, and his only crime was that he was a Jesus freak. Like the qualifications for an elder, we should be above reproach, a faithful spouse, good father or mother, hard working, not greedy, respectable, not hot tempered and argumentative, but humble gentle and kind, and a good neighbor. If anyone has anything bad to say about you is that you are too in love with Jesus.
Does that describe you?
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