Men may desire to be elders out of pride (1 Tim 3:6), guilt (1 Pet 5:2), greed (1 Tim 5:6) or lust (2 Tim 3:6). To help weed out these pretenders, God gives the church four areas of a man’s life to carefully examine.
The first of these is the man’s home life (6). After this, Paul describes five things he must not be (7), then six things he must certainly be (8). The last area to examine is his devotion to and skill with God’s Word (9)
Titus 1:5–9 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
A. A Man Qualified to Serve as an Elder Has a Godly Home Life
Consider all the things God does not require to be examined to discover fitness to the office. He does not have be rich, successful, good-looking, charming, a people-person, an administrative genius, a dynamic leader, a captivating communicator and a host of other things. God desires that one of the first places we examine a man to see if he is qualified to serve as an elder is his home life.
1. He Must Be A Devoted Husband
“the husband of one wife”
Must he be married?
No. Consider 1 Cor 7:32ff and the esteem of singleness for the Lord.
Paul says he must be the husband of ONE wife, not the husband of A wife.
Must he have been married only once?
No. Consider Rom 7:1-3 where Paul teaches that a widower is free to re-marry in the Lord.
Must he not have two or more wives?
Yes. Polygamy is certainly ruled out.
He must be a “one-woman kind of man.”
- not a flirt, ladies man, or promiscuous social butterfly
- above accusation in his relationships with women
- obvious devotion to his wife if married
- self-controlled and not “leading on” the ladies if he is single
Reasons He Must be a One-Woman Kind of Man
- A preacher of the Gospel must not present a distorted image of the Gospel in his marriage. (See Eph 5:22ff)
- The man is called to pastor women, not pester them with his looks, innuendo or dalliances.
- The more a man cultivates love with his wife, the less he will look for it in other places. This helps protect him and the church from devastating sexual sin.
Look For a Man
- by whom women are not threatened
- that understands how to carry himself around women in a way that leads no one to question his motives or integrity
- who leads his wife in love; especially in areas she is weak or prone to sin
- who maintains a godly sexual relationship with his wife (see 1 Cor 7:1-5)
- who avoids all forms of sexual immorality
- who can demonstrate a rare willingness to contradict his wife when she is wrong or in sin
2. He Must Be a Responsible Father
“…and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.” (Titus 1:6)
“Believers” – does this mean his children are Christians or does it mean they are generally faithful in following the wishes of their dad?
Word study alone will not answer this question as the word is used both ways by Paul in the Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim 6:2 “believing masters” and 2 Tim 2:2 “faithful men” both use the exact same word and grammar).
Whatever “believers” means, it is the opposite of “debauchery and insubordination.”
- Debauched – wasteful; void of moral restraint; wildly extravagant
- Insubordinate – unruly; not subject to rules
This could refer to an adult child who lives a crazy party life and is in trouble with the law, or it could refer to a small child who is over-the-top unruly and wild.
If all we had was Titus on this issue, we would have to hold our conclusion somewhat loosely, but Paul also wrote elder qualifications to Timothy and in that passage clarifies his intent.
“He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?” (1 Tim 3:4-5)
The issue is how a man parents his children, is he responsible in the home? As Alex Strauch writes, “Caring for a local church is more like managing a family than managing a business.” Does he raise his children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord and this in a dignified manner?
Reliable Children
Paul is getting at a man’s character by suggesting how his children treat him be carefully examined. If they are rebellious and wild, that says something about the potential elder’s character. The issue is not the salvation of his children, but their respect and obedience to their father. Children who are raised in a loving and dignified manner will almost always have deep respect for their father and, even if unconverted, carry themselves through life in a way that does not shame their father.
Look For A Man
- who does not dominate his kids by force, but leads with love
- who does not shrug off blatant disobedience, but disciplines in love
- who does not complain about the lousy job “the wife” is doing with the kids, but takes responsibility to model and teach love in the home
- who is not an absentee father, but makes sacrifices to ensure his children know him and he knows them
- who does not allow the home to be ruled the loudest or meanest of his kids, but makes his home a place ruled by love
The church needs leaders who will not rule it like tyrants nor roll over like cowards. The training ground and proving ground for this kind of loving fortitude is the home.
“for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?” (1 Tim 3:5)
B. A Man Qualified to Serve as an Elder is not the Anti-Elder
Just as there are many things an elder must be, there are many he must not be. God wisely forbids from local church leadership men who may be capable in other spheres to do things like lead giant corporations, run efficient governments or organize great armies. It takes just the right kind of man to lead Christ’s church. Proven leadership in the world does not qualify a man to shepherd Christ’s sheep. Here is what an elder must not be like.
1. The Anti-Elder is a Dictator
“He must not be arrogant…”
“Arrogant” – not the typical word for pride
- root of the idea is self-pleasing, self-willed
- it is a pride that results in decision-making that is always to the leaders advantage
- it might best be understood as “unrestrained ambition” (see 2 Pet 2:9-10)
It is easy to confuse “leadership” with “arrogance.” The dictator gets things done, suffers no fools and may seem to be making the church a more efficient place. But he is a tyrant.
Look For A Man
- who is forthright, but not aggressive
- who despises passive-aggressive means
- is more concerned about Christ’s reputation than his own
- who easily gives away authority and leadership to others
- who is not threatened and defensive when questioned about his plans or programs
- who leads out of conviction, not fear of man
2. The Anti-Elder is Short-Fused
“He must not be quick-tempered…”
- only place in the NT this word is used
- one who lives by his passions; uncontrolled
- he is inclined towards anger and has an “explosive temper”
The word is closely linked with “arrogant (dictator),” since 90% of the time anger like this is an attempt to control other people, objects or circumstances. This kind of man believes if he explodes at you, you will do what he wants.
Reasons He Must Not be Quick-Tempered
a) Angry leaders will make an angry church.
“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” (Prov 22:24-25)
b) Anger works like a spade in the manure pile, turning up malice, slander, lies, friction, division and more anger.
“A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.” (Prov 29:22)
- “causes much transgression” is more literally, “digs up sins”
Look For a Man
- who leads by love, not manipulative anger
- who reasons with the sheep, instead of yelling at them
- who lives with moderation in all areas of his life, but especially in tempering his own passions
- who does not explode in anger
- who is not prone to wild mood swings – extreme bliss to despondent sorrow
3. The Anti-Elder is an Addict
“He must not be a drunkard…”
- one who is characterized as being “beside the bottle”
- surrenders control of his life to a substance (alcohol, prescriptions medications, illegal drugs, any mind-altering or addictive substances, etc.)
The Bible does not command nor condemn teetotalism (unless one is using their conviction on the matter to create disunity in the church – see Romans 14-15).
The Bible is clear, however, that no man addicted to or prone to overuse these substances can lead Christ’s church.
Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
Those who tarry long over wine;
those who go to try mixed wine.
Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
In the end it bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.
Your eyes will see strange things,
and your heart utter perverse things.
You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
like one who lies on the top of a mast.
“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I must have another drink.”
(Prov 23:29-35)
Look For A Man
- who never gets drunk
- who lives a life that is prepared for sudden crises
- who is spiritually watchful in all seasons of church life
- who remembers decisions, keeps appointments, and lives with orderliness
- who demonstrates a healthy level of self-control over his use of prescription medications and legal stimulants (caffeine, alcohol, etc)
4. The Anti-Elder is a Bully
“He must not be violent…”
- a striker, brawler, fighter
- includes everything from bullying to verbal abuse to physical striking
- he is abusive, coercive and domineering
Sheep are skittish creatures that need to be called, nor corralled. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) Cattle are brutish creatures that are typically corralled, not called. A man qualified to be an elder will know the difference; he will be man who never tries to lead by force. He will be a shepherd, not a cowboy.
A bully is akin to a dictator. Whereas a dictator may use others to accomplish his will, a bully will cajole, threaten and even strike the sheep. Obviously there is no place in the leadership of Christ’s bride for a man who hits people, whether that is with his fist or his tongue.
Look For A Man
- who does not have to correct every failure
- who does not try to intimidate people into doing what he wants
- who never addresses private sins in public
- who never hits, pushes, yells at, or in other ways bullies people, including his wife and children
5. The Anti-Elder is Greedy
“He must not be greedy for gain…”
- in the ministry to make money
- loves his paycheque more than his people
An elder must be content to depend on God to properly care for his needs. When writing elder qualifications to Timothy, Paul said he “must not [be] a lover of money” (1 Tim 3:3). This is the heart of the issue. A man deserves to be paid in order to free up his time to serve the church by Word and prayer. If he leads well, he ought to be paid and treated well by the church – “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages’” (1 Tim 5:17-18).
But an elder must never “do ministry” as mere vocation. False teachers are known by their love for money, not qualified elders.
“…imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Tim 6:5-10)
Look For A Man
- who would be ashamed to receive an exorbitant salary
- who is happy to trust the sheep to financially care for his family
- who faithfully models financial giving to the church
- who does not seem anxious about money (1 Tim 6:2b-10)
- who has a proven track record with his own finances and does not live “too high on the hog” nor “paycheque to paycheque”
C. A Man Qualified to Serve as an Elder is a Faithful Steward of God’s Household
After he was sold into slavery, Joseph became a steward of Potiphar’s house, then the Jail-keeper’s prison and finally Pharaoh’s Egypt. He was a faithful worker who could be trusted to care for all his owner’s possessions. A pastor is called to be a steward of God’s household. He is a temporary caretaker of a flock.
“For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. (Titus 1:7-8)
1. God’s Steward Loves the Right Things
a. He loves all kinds of people
“He must be hospitable…”
“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, ‘My lords, please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.’ They said, ‘No; we will spend the night in the town square.’ But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.’” (Gen 19:1-5)
Lot extended hospitality by providing provision and protection (food and shelter). Hospitality means “a love for strangers,” to bring others under the protection and provision of your home. It is a Gospel issue.
When Jacob moved to Egypt, his family was extended the hospitality of Pharaoh. As the years progressed, his hospitality turned into captivity. Once God delivered His people out of that Egyptian slavery, he insisted they not copy Pharaoh.
“You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” (Ex 23:9)
God extended hospitality to His chosen people by delivering them into the Promised Land. This was a preview of what Christ would do for His people by dying for their sins and granting His righteousness so that He might secure their souls for the New Heaven and the New Earth where we will live with God forever. Ultimate hospitality! This makes the extension of hospitality a Gospel issue, not a cultural one.
Hence, Paul writes that authentic love “seeks to show hospitality” (Rom 12:13). Peter tells us to “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet 4:9) as that complaining would not be the heart of God.
Every Christian’s home is to be an open home and the elder’s home should be the model of this.
Look For a Man
- who has a disposition to welcome people into his home
- who is not ashamed of having people around his family in the “normal times”
- who extends the protection of his home to those in need
- who offers the provision of his home to those in need
- who sees when others need help and comfort
- who appears willing to lose stuff and space if that means serving another
b. He loves all kinds of good
“He must be a lover of good…”
Not only does authentic love seek to show hospitality, it distinguishes itself a state of abhorring what is evil and clinging to what is good (Rom 12:9). An elder must be a man who lives with a disposition to point out, think on, hold fast to and pray for what is good in people, events, nature and God Himself.
We do as we think. A man that thinks on what is good and values all that is good is going to be a man who does good. This means he needs to love what is good.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:8-9)
Look For a Man
- who enjoys what is good
- who does not find joy in evil things like lies, adultery, divorce, sexual immorality, bitterness, anger, obscene talk, coarse jesting, idolatry, etc.
- commends good wherever he sees it
- lives an honourable, just, pure life
- who is repulsed by what is evil
2. God’s Steward Does the Right Things
a. He is prudent
“He must be self-controlled…”
This word is used a lot in Titus (older men 2:2, women 2:5, young men 2:6, everyone 2:11-12). It is sometimes translated “of a sound mind” or “sober-minded.” As opposed to one who is in the weakened mental state of being under the influence, this man is sober-minded.
The idea here is that he is balanced, sensible, or prudent. He is not given to wild mood swings nor controlled by his passions. This is the self-control of the inner mental state of mind that permits good decision-making. He is a wise man, prudent especially in those matters which the Bible does not directly address.
Esau lived by his passions and sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. He was not sensible, wise, self-controlled or prudent. He would have made a terrible elder. An elder must be of sound mind, a man who is looking at the world in reality.
Look For a Man
- who is not easily distracted
- who does not get lured into reacting in sinful ways when sinned against
- who does not make stupid decisions based on base urges like hunger
- who can stop bad habits and put specific sins to death
- who methodically moves complex and disorderly situations toward truth and order
- who knows the Bible well and lives by its simple commands
b. He is fair
“He must be upright…”
The word upright is used here in the sense of just, righteous, equitable or fair. The servant that was forgiven a 6 billion dollar debt, only to go out and choke the man who owed him $12,000 was unfair and unjust. He acted in an unreasonable manner that was out of line with what was fair. Having been forgiven much, he most certainly ought to have forgiven much.
An elder must be a man who is impartial, does not play favourites and decides on merit and truth. A man who lives this way over time develops a righteous reputation. He is the type of man who can be trusted with sensitive information, depended on for wise counsel and trusted to act in ways that are consistent with the Truth, even if that means potential harm or discomfort to him.
O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the LORD;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
(Psalm 15:1-5)
Look For a Man
- who does not arrange matters for his personal gain
- who rejects nepotism
- who honours justice by calling for what is just
- who does not play favourites, act arbitrarily
- who resists elevating pragmatism over revealed truth
3. God’s Steward Lives the Right Way
a. He is devout
“He must be holy…”
This is not the typical word used for holy, but a word that means something closer to “holiness in religious practise.” He is pious, or devout in the best sense of those words. He is the kind of man who faithfully meets his religious obligations.
Jesus was called a “devout High Priest” in Hebrews 7:26. This is the same word and in the Hebrews context means Jesus met all the obligations of that particular calling and office. An elder must be a man who does right in all the religious categories.
In over 20 interviews with pastors who had been removed from office due to moral failure, one survey discovered all of them had ceased to maintain a private devotional life with the Lord. They had become professionalized clergy instead of men of God.
One of the titles used for a leader of God’s people is, “man of God.” Moses, David, the Prophets, Timothy and pastors are all called men of God. Fundamentally, this is what it means to be a pastor – a man who knows God personally, walks with God deeply and is thereby able to represent God accurately to His people.
Look For a Man
- who is devout in his personal relationship with God
- who seems to know God deeply
- who can testify to times spent pursuing God relationally
- who does not speak of God cavalierly or lightly
- who makes God more accessible and understandable by the life he leads
- who is known as a man of God
b. He is restrained
“He must be disciplined…”
A disciplined person is one who exercises self-mastery or self-restraint. This man has learned to control his body and its appetites in the boundaries established by God. He is self-controlled or self-disciplined.
Paul says that this is a fruit of God’s Spirit indwelling a person (Gal 5:23) and Peter writes that every Christian must grow in this grace (2 Pet 1:6).
The man who, by God’s Spirit, is mastering himself, is able to serve God’s people by modelling to them what God desires from them.
Look For a Man
- who is self-controlled in his sexuality
- who is self-disciplined in his eating
- who has mastered himself when it comes to entertainment choices, his spending habits, his devotional life, etc.
- who has experienced significant improvement in one or more of these areas in his lifetime by the Lord’s help
Concluding Observation
The first 15 characteristics a man must possess in order to be an elder all have to do with his personal character – who he is. The one remaining qualification is a skill – what he does. There is no question that the Bible weights character over skill and the wise church will learn to do the same. Most churches give all their attention to what a man can do, rather than who he is. God never ignores character and we need to follow His example.
“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7)
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
D. A Man Qualified to Serve as an Elder is a Man of the Word
After describing what a man’s all-round character must be, Paul describes the one skill he must possess. As a steward of God’s house, a pastor is to not only to care for God’s people, but also God’s Word. The way he stewards God’s Word is by using it in the ways God prescribes
“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:9)
1. A Man of the Word Possesses a Fierce Personal Loyalty to the Bible
“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught…”
To hold firm to something means to cling to it, cleave to it or to never let it go. Therefore, a pastor must have an unwavering private devotion to God’s Word. There can be no question in his mind that the Bible is God’s Word to man.
The Bible is reliable precisely because it is in accord with what has been taught; the Gospel. “The teaching,” as Paul refers to it here, is that closed body of information called the doctrine (Rom 16:17), the deposit (1 Tim 6:20), the truth (Titus 1:14) and “what you have heard from me” (2 Tim 2:1-2).
There is a body of information called “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Pastors steward this body of data, first of all, by clinging to it in their own convictions. They must have an unwavering personal adherence to the Bible. This means they will both know what it says and do what it says.
Until a man runs his own life and his family’s life by the Word, he is not fit to serve as an elder. Personal loyalty to the truthfulness of Scripture must precede the public proclamation of it.
Look For a Man
- who studies the Word to know what it says
- who memorizes the Word to get it into his heart
- who understands the Word in order to know what it means by what it says
- who implements the Word into his personal life and family life
- who defends the Word of God from outside attack
2. A Man of the Word Possesses a Fierce Public Loyalty to the Bible
Gospel fidelity is profoundly uninventive. The most faithful stewards are only saying what generations of faithful men before them have said. The pastor’s job is to steward the truth in ways that are consistent with the language, culture and day in which he lives so that he can pass on to the next generation of leaders the same responsibility.
The Bank of Canada trains counterfeit spotters by having them master the real thing. They do not spend time studying the fakes. Once you know the real thing you can spot a forgery in a heartbeat. There are more false teachers than false currencies in the world, so pastors must know the Word well enough to be able to spot the fakes. They must know the Word well enough to download it the faithful men coming up behind them.
Calvin suggests that every pastor needs two voices, one to woo the sheep and the other to scold the wolves. Men who cling to the Word are enabled to do both.
a. He uses the Word to build up the health of the church
“give instruction in sound doctrine”
If a man is to become a pastor he must be able to encourage, teach and apply God’s Word in a way that builds up the health of God’s church. Healthy doctrine produces healthy Christians. Healthy Christians make for a healthy church.
A sick body is incapable of functioning properly. If a church is unhealthy, it is sick and not functioning properly. This means that the recipe for a healthy church is not a great band, a beautiful building, enough parking or first-class restrooms. The blueprint for a healthy church is instruction in sound (healthy) doctrine. Healthy teaching (that is modelled in the life of the teachers) will produce a healthy church.
The backbone of pastoral ministry is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry by preaching the whole counsel of God.
“The grand work of the minister, in which he is to lay out his strength of body and mind, is preaching. Weak and foolish as it may appear, this is the grand instrument which God has put into our hands, by which sinners are to be saved, and saints fitted for glory.
It pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. It was to this our blessed Lord devoted the years of his own ministry. Oh! what an honour has he put upon this work, by preaching in the synagogues, in the temple, and by the blue waves of Galilee, under the canopy of heaven. Has he not consecrated this world as preaching ground?
This was the grand work of Paul and all the apostles; for this was our Lord’s command, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel.”
O brethren, this is our great work. It is well to visit the sick, and well to educate children, and clothe the naked. It is well to attend Presbyteries. It is well to write books or read them; but here is the main thing—Preach the Word. The pulpit is, as George Herbert says, “our joy and throne.” This is our watch-tower. Here we must warn the people. The silver trumpet is put into our hand. Woe be unto us if we preach not the Gospel.” – Robert Murray McCheyne
b. He uses the Word to expose the error of the church’s enemies
“rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine…”
False teachers are rarely ugly, mean crazies that lead with their errors. Typically, they are good-looking, friendly liars.
Fundamentally this means being very un-Canadian and actually saying that some people are wrong. And then explaining from the Bible why it is they are wrong. Paul is not saying elders should be disagreeable or opinionated, but they should be contradicting the ones who are contradicting the Word. Anyone who is calling the truth false or encouraging the saints to break God’s commands deserves to be exposed.
“To rebuke” includes the concepts of exposing the error and showing the Truth.
After paying careful attention to his own character, the primary calling of a pastor is Word-work. He is to steward God’s people by properly stewarding God’s book.
Look For a Man
- who can preach the whole counsel of God and understand and explain both the Old Testament and the New Testament
- who lives what he teaches
- who is willing to call out error in humility
- who knows how to defend the Gospel
- who can organize his thoughts enough to explain what is error and offer the correct view from the Bible
- who can apply the Bible to the lives of others in private conversation and counsel
Conclusion
"My Brothers and Sisters, it is a grand thing to have led a virtuous life. It is a matter for which to praise God to have been kept in the very centre of the paths of morality. But this blessing may, by our own folly, become a curse to us if we place our moral excellences in opposition to the righteousness of our Lord Jesus and begin to dream that we have no need of a Saviour! If our character is, in our own esteem, so good that it makes a passable garment for us and, therefore, we reject the robe of Christ's righteousness, it would have been better for us if our character had been, by our own confession, a mass of rags—for then we should have been willing to be clothed with the vesture which Divine Love has prepared!"
- C.H. Spurgeon, from a sermon entitled, A Business-Like Account (Volume 23, 1877) (Italics mine.)
If a man looks at this long list of requirements to the office of elder and feels happy, confident and ready-to-go, he is likely self-deceived. It is not the Lord’s goal to disqualify every man from the office, but certainly every man should be humbled when he reads and understands the character that is necessary to lead the church of Jesus. There are always areas of needed improvement in every man’s life. We need the Lord, especially since, apart from Him, we can do nothing.
This implies churches should include in their regular prayer schedule the request for more elders. Men like this are made by God and a gift to his church (“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” Eph 4:11-12.)
It also indicates that elders of churches must include in their regular ministry the training of a new generation of pastors (“…and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” 2 Tim 2:2.)