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Greetings,
In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he addressed some qualifications for leaders. Leaders are examples to those they lead, and leading God’s people is a grace given by God for the sake of the maturation and growth of the body of Christ.
1 Timothy 3:3-5 …not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)…
Paul’s words to Timothy were not intended to be a legalistic law concerning things you can do and things you cannot do. They were instructions concerning good character that others can emulate and follow. A leader must not be given to wine. Practically speaking, being in bondage to alcohol is to be enslaved to a lord of the flesh. Paul also instructed Timothy that a glass of wine is good for the stomach.
1 Timothy 5:23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.
In Scripture, wine is used to symbolize life. There is a life of the Spirit, but there is also the life of the flesh. I believe that in 1 Tim. 3:3, Paul was referring to not being in bondage to things that merely inspire the desires of the flesh. I believe that this is a testimony concerning human desires or personal indulgences. Leaders don’t seek their own pleasures but live to help others be free from things that produce bondages in people’s lives. Surely a leader must not be a drunkard, but it includes the principle, pattern, and value of living for others and not their own personal indulgences.
A leader must not be violent, but demonstrate a spirit and actions of kindness, peace, and love. They are not greedy for money – simply stated they must not lead for personal gain at the expense of others. They must be gentle, demonstrating a willingness to care for others above themselves. Leaders avoid quarrels and do not demonstrate an aggressive attitude towards others. They must be content with what God has given to them, and they must not be covetous of what belongs to someone else. They lead their own personal lives well, because they are required to seek God’s direction and grace to lead His house. They set an example of tending to the business of family so that others can follow their example, also tending to the business of their own families. Surely children are responsible to make their own decisions in life and the children of a leader may decide not to walk in their ways. This does not disqualify a leader. If a leader is doing their best to lead in the path of life and they demonstrate the character of Christ in that process they are not to be held accountable if their children choose a path of failure. God is a good Father and sets an example for His children to follow yet many choose not to walk in the path of His way. This does not disqualify God from being Father. The scrutiny is not upon what the children do, but upon how a leader leads. People are imperfect living in imperfect situations with imperfect realities. No one is measured by the choices that others make, but they are measured by their own personal example, attitude, and actions in regard to their willingness to live for the sake of their families. Knowing how to rule in your household is a testimony of character, not one of legalistic law. A leader must know how to walk through difficult and challenging things so they can lead to help others walk through all that they must walk through in life.
1 Timothy 3:6 …not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
A leader is not a novice in the matters of family, relationships, and walking through the challenges of relationship in life. Most of life is about relationships, not works of ministry. The pressures of life and having to walk through the difficult matters of human connections are a prerequisite to qualifying a leader to lead. They must not be prideful and fall into the deception of the devil who thought his gifting and independence was more important than his relationship with God and his responsibilities before God.
A leader must also have a good testimony to people who do not know God. How do they present themselves in the world they live in? They set an example that others desire to follow, and they are not insecure in their pursuit of life. They don’t live for the desires of the world, but for the will of God in every aspect of their daily lives.
1 Timothy 3:7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
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