Sunday, April 13, 2008
DEATH AND LIFE
II Cor. 4:5-12
When I was I high school there was a nationally known popular evangelist who came to our city. He had what he called his “Ten Most Wanted” list. On this list were people with prominent positions in the world. His thinking went something like this: “These are people who have positions of great influence. If God were to save them, what an impact it would have on the whole world.” On his list were men in top political positions, national news anchors, etc.
So what about his strategy? It certainly seems logically sound. However, I would like you to think about it in light of the scriptures we are going to read. Now let’s read from I Cor. 1:17-2:16 and II Cor. 4:1-12,16-18…
1 Cor 1:17-31… For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31. That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
1 Cor 2:1-16… And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
2 Cor 4:1-12… Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12. So then death worketh in us, but life in you… 16. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are” (I Cor. 1:26-28). Paul sets the record straight. It isn’t God’s norm to choose people of influence in this world. But why not? Paul tells us exactly why not in 1:29, “That no flesh should glory in his presence.” That is, that no human being would ever be able to boast of anything in himself.
Surely someone will say, “But look at Paul himself. He was wise. He was mighty. He was of noble birth, being a Roman citizen and a Jew as well.” At first, we might think that Paul’s own testimony contradicts what he says here, but that is not the case. Paul was the exception, but even that doesn’t tell the whole story. As soon as Paul became a follower of Jesus, he was no longer wise in this world; he was no longer mighty in this world. His place of influence was soon replaced by hatred and contempt. The man Saul who was on top of the world became the despised and persecuted Paul. This same Paul would say in I Cor. 4:13, “…We are made the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.”
Do you see? That evangelist got his ideas from the world, not from the Word of God. God doesn’t delight in taking the influential people of the world and using them. He delights in taking weak and seemingly useless people and transforming them for His glory. And when they are greatly used of God, everyone looks on with amazement. And when God does put His hand on a man of worldly influence, His first agenda is to bring that man low in order that he will know it is all of God and none of himself.
I. The Way of Service (5-7)
And that brings us to II Cor. 4. You notice that verses 7-12 forms our passage for memory and meditation this month. Before we look at it in some depth, let me ask you a few questions. What kind of servant are you for the Lord? Are you weighed down with problems that hinder you? Do you lack wisdom to discern God’s will? Is your past full of failures and other things you don’t even want to think about? Are your present circumstances pressing on you so severely that the stress is paralyzing you? Are you eager to get to the next stage of your life, so that you can effectively serve the Lord?
This morning we want to look at an effective servant of the Lord. We want to explore what such an effective servant looks like. Make no mistake that the context of this passage is dealing with service for Jesus. You can go back through chapter 3 and find this theme of service. We won’t take time this morning to go back through chapter 3, but notice how chapter 4 begins… "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (4:1-2). Notice also verse 5, “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” What a powerful testimony. The servant of the Lord doesn’t focus on himself, but upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And concerning himself, the Lord’s servant is content to be the servant of others for the sake of Jesus, His Master.
Now come to verses 6-7, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” Look at what God has given each of His children. He has given us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And what does Paul call it in verse 7? He calls it “this treasure.” The treasure is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Who can deny that this is the greatest treasure imaginable, and it is within the child of God.
For just a moment, turn your eyes away from the treasure to the container that houses the treasure. That’s what Paul addresses in verse 7, when he says that we have this treasure in earthen vessels. He does not say the treasure is housed in golden vessels, or silver vessels, or even beautiful vessels. No, he says that we have this treasure in earthen vessels – in clay pots, as some translations read. In other words, there is nothing special about the container. It’s just a common ordinary pot made out of clay.
Why did God design it this way? Paul tells us – “that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.” When this treasure shines forth for the glory of God, everyone must know that the surpassing greatness of this power is from God, and not from the human vessel. The more common the vessel, the more easily recognized that the surpassing power is from God and not from man.
It is difficult to read this passage and not be reminded of an Old Testament story which dealt with treasure in an earthen vessel. Paul speaks about the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and then he speaks about earthen vesses. In this Old Testament story, the treasure was in the form of lamps that gave light. The earthen vessels were clay pictures which contained the lamps. Now do you remember the story? It is the story of Gideon and his 300 brave soldiers who went to the armed camp of the Midianites. At the signal of Gideon, they all broke their pitchers and held their lamps with one hand. With the other hand, they held their trumpets and blew them. Then they cried, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.” And do you remember what happened? The enemy soldiers were so frightened and confused that they turned on one other. (See Judges 7:16-22). Who would have ever thought that 300 soldiers with their lamps, pitchers, and trumpets would gain the victory over a mighty army? Do you see? It was done in such a way that everyone knew the excellency of the power was of God and not of man.
Consider those pitchers. We don’t know anything about them, because we are not told. Best we can tell, they were just common vessels, but each one contained a treasure, a lamp. Those lamps would shine brightly, but what about the pitchers? What happened to them? They were broken. That was a vital part of the whole strategy. If the pitchers were not broken, the lamps would not shine.
Are you getting the picture. We are the pitchers, the earthen vessels. The lamp within is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. What must happen in order that the glory may shine forth? The earthen vessel must be broken. If the lamps had not been broken, the light would have remained hidden. If these (pointing to self and us) vessels are not broken, the glory of God will remain hidden. Don’t be conformed to the world, for in the world people are focusing on the earthen vessel, making it as attractive as possible. But we must not focus on the earthen vessel, but upon the glory of God inside. As we feed on Jesus, that glorious treasure becomes brighter and brighter, but still it will not be seen until the outer vessel is broken.
II. The Way of Brokenness (8-9)
This morning I bring you good tidings of great joy. God knows how to break the earthen vessels. He is an expert at shattering these clay pots. We can read about it in the verses that follow. Read 4:8-9, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." Anyone here have any troubles? This is the tribulation concept, the “squeeze” word. Anybody being squeezed. Are you perplexed? The Greek word means “to be without resources… to be left wanting, to be embarrassed, to be in doubt, not to know which way to turn” (Thayer). I don’t know about you, but now Paul and the Holy Spirit have my number. How many times I feel like I have no resources! Are you ever persecuted? If you are a child of God, rest assured that you are persecuted. The word translated “persecuted” literally means “pursued.” Even if no human on earth cares about your existence, know that the devil and his allies are always pursuing you with evil intent. Have you been cast down? Do you ever feel like you’re on the bottom? You’re in good company. Paul describes himself and his fellow-workers in these terms.
But that’s only half the story. For every one of these predicaments, there is good news. When you are troubled and squeezed unmercifully, there is no reason to be distressed. This word translated “distressed” literally speaks of being cramped in a narrow place. We’re squeezed, but we’re not cramped into a confined space, because the Lord is our rock and our salvation. “He brought me forth also into a large place; because he delighted in me” (Ps. 18:19). When we are perplexed, without resources, not knowing where to turn, we’re not in despair. “Not in despair” is a single word that is almost identical to the word “perplexed.” An added prefix makes it even stronger. Yes, we are perplexed, but we are not utterly perplexed. Though we don’t know where to turn, we are not hopeless. “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy” (Ps. 33:18). “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord… I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait; and in his word do I hope” (Ps. 130:1,5). When you are persecuted, hunted down by the hosts of Satan, you are not forsaken; you are not left alone, “…for he hath said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31). When we are cast down, we are not destroyed. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again” (Prov. 24:16), and we have been “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).
Do you see the significance of verses 8-9? This is the Lord breaking the earthen vessels. Unless these vessels are broken, the glory of the Lord will not be seen. As long as we have it all together, as long as things are going smoothly and we are able to handle things, God’s glory remains hidden. What did Jesus say? “Except a kernel of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit” (John 12:24). It’s the same principle. There was no sweet, fragrant odor in the room until Mary broke the bottle and poured the expensive perfume on Jesus (Mark 14:4), but then the house was filled with its fragrance (John 12:3). Though we are broken, we are not defeated. When Paul tells us that we are not distressed, not in despair, not forsaken, not destroyed, he is not saying that we are not broken. We are broken, and that is where the victory is, because now the glory of God shines brightly and there is nothing to hinder it.
When we resist this brokenness, we resist the Lord. This is a vital part of His work in our lives. Just as a pecan has a shell around the nut, and no one can enjoy it until the shell is broken, so we have a shell. There is a certain hardness that must be broken before the beauty of the Lord can be poured out from us.
III. The Way of Death (10-11)
See what Paul says about us in verses 10-11, “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” Isn’t that what we want? Don’t we long for the life of Jesus to be clearly seen in us? That is what the Lord desires as well, but we must not be deceived as to how that will come about. It happens as we bear in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus, as we are continually delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake.
Consider our Lord Jesus. We know that He died on the cross for our sins. We can’t bear about in our body that death. Jesus’ substitutionary death for our sins was a once-for-all sacrifice. None of us is qualified to die such a death. Nevertheless, we are to bear about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus. There was a sense in which Jesus’ life was a continual dying. How many times did Jesus die to the honor and glory of men? Can you imagine people looking at Jesus and saying that He was working by the power of the devil? But He didn’t retaliate. They spit on Him, and He took it. They insulted Him, but He didn’t return their insults. He died to the desire to have men think well of Him. He died to his own reputation. And how often did Jesus die to His own will? We think immediately of His words in Gethsemane – “Not my will, but thine be done” – but it didn’t begin there. Again and again Jesus died to His own will, learning obedience through the things which He suffered (Heb. 5:8).
That, brothers and sisters, is the dying of Jesus that we bear about in our body. That’s what it means to be always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake. Until we die to our desire for reputation and prestige, the life of Jesus will not shine through us. Until we are continually dying to our own will, His life will not be manifested in us.
Finally, we come to the simple words of verse 12, “So then death works in us, but life in you.” What is Paul talking about? He is summarizing what he has just said. “Because we are continually delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, the life of Jesus is made clear in us. And as a result, God shines in your heart to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. You receive his life. So even though we experience a continual dying, you receive life.”
Today so many religious leaders talk about dreaming. They tell us to dream for God. That dream usually consists of doing great things for God, preaching a great message or performing wonderful miracles. But through Paul, the Holy Spirit speaks to us about death and life – death in us in order that others might have life in Christ. Forget about lofty dreams and come to reality. Here is the reality – there is no way for the glory of God to be seen in us apart from brokenness and death. It was that way for our Lord, and it is the same for us. He was broken and spilled out for us, and He asks exactly the same thing of us.
But we don’t do it ourselves. We don’t obtain a spiritual sledge hammer by which we break our outer shell. This is the work of the Lord, who squeezes us, who perplexes us, who puts us in the path of persecution, who allows us to be cast down. Our God knows how to lead us into a life of brokenness. If that is so, then what is our part? Simply to say, “Yes, Lord. Not my will, but thine be done. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. O that I might share your life, even the fellowship of your sufferings, being made conformable to your death. Father, glorify thy name. Thank you for the privilege of suffering shame for your name.”
Let me put it bluntly. May God give us grace not to despise problems and troubles and crises. People talk about a silver lining in every cloud. That’s all right, but for us, it isn’t a silver lining; it’s the life of Jesus. As we yield to Him working brokenness and death in us, we know that the life of Jesus will be manifest in our mortal flesh. We can rejoice in the fact that God has put His treasure in these earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of His power may be seen.
Conclusion
Let’s close with verses 16-18…
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Let me call your attention to those words “our light affliction, which is but for a moment.” Literally, Paul writes, “For our only-for-a-moment, light affliction…” He focuses on the fact that the affliction (tribulation, squeezing) which we face is very temporary and very small. Don’t forget who is writing this. This is the Paul who has just said, “We are troubled on every side; we are perplexed; we are persecuted; we are cast down.” In chapter 6 he elaborates further: “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger…” (II Cor. 6:4-5, NIV). Paul tells us clearly that those are light afflictions.
How can that be? It is because we understand that they are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The NASV says these are “producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” Paul teaches the same truth in Rom. 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." When compared with future glory, the tribulations we face now are small indeed.
But here’s the big question: How can we keep this perspective before us? Paul tells us in verse 18, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” I often refer to this verse and give it a general application, but let’s look at it in its context. When those afflictions come, where do you set your gaze? Your afflictions will seem light while you look at the unseen things. If you focus on the things you can see, on the afflictions themselves, they will seem endless and heavy. But if you focus on the unseen, setting your mind on things above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God, then you will be able to see your troubles for what they are – temporary and small. When we seek those things which are above, we will begin to see that God is indeed delivering us to death for Jesus’ sake, that His life might be manifested in our mortal flesh. And when we see the glory of God, then we see our afflictions in their proper perspective; we view them from the eternal perspective.
Brothers and sisters, let us be encouraged. Do you want to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? I this chapter the Holy Spirit gives us great insight, as He speaks of death and life – death in us that there might be life in others.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
More on the Creation of Man -- 4/6/08
Sunday, April 6, 2008
MORE ON THE CREATION OF MAN
Gen. 1:25-2:25
Three weeks ago we considered the creation of man in God’s image, focusing on Gen. 1:26-27. In that message I made some very strong statements. I suggested to you that when God created mankind, He was acting on behalf of His Son. He created man in order that He might take out of the human race a bride for His own Son, just as Abraham sent His servant to a far country to find a bride for Isaac. And as Abraham’s main concern was not for the bride Rebekah, so God’s main concern is not for man, not even for those who will make up the bride, but for His Son Jesus Christ. I posed the question: “So does that make it seem that man is only a means to an end, that man was created only to bring honor and glory to the Son?” I answered the question by saying that is exactly right, that God created man in order to glorify His Son Jesus Christ.
For some of us, those were rather harsh words. I did receive some questions. “But doesn’t the Bible speak of God’s great love for man? What about John 3:16? Etc.” Those are very good questions. My purpose was not to say that God doesn’t love man, but my purpose was to emphasize God’s goal to glorify His Son. God giving glory and honor to His Son and God loving man are not opposed to one another. However, when I spoke so strongly about God’s ultimate purpose in bringing glory to His Son, some of you felt like I was denying God’s love for man. Here is the reason why. It is because modern Christianity has lost its appreciation for the glory of God and has distorted what the Bible says about God’s love for man. Let me repeat that again in order that it may sink in: It is because modern Christianity has lost its appreciation for the glory of God and has distorted what the Bible says about God’s love for man. And we have very much been conformed to the ideas of modern American Christianity.
So this morning we will speak more about God’s love for His people. I suspect some of you wish we could have done this the very next Sunday instead of waiting three weeks. I believe that is because our concept of God’s love for us is distorted. We’re more concerned about guarding the concept of God’s love for man than protecting the truth of God deserving all the glory in the universe. Here are two truths: God is working to bring honor and glory to His Son and God loves His people. Both are true, but most of us have been smothered with the latter largely to the exclusion of the former.
Now let’s come back to Genesis 1 and the creation of man. Lord willing, at the end of this message, I will come back to the relationship between God’s glory and His love for us.
Let’s read our text from Gen. 1:25-2:25…
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day…. 2:1. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5. And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 6. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12. And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 15. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 18. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22. And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.
We are looking at four aspects of man’s creation that set him apart from everything else God created. First, we looked at the fact that God made man to relate. That is the central truth in the concept of being made in God’s image; we are made to relate. While it is true that man relates to man in a way that no animal is able to do, the supreme relationship for which God designed man is a relationship with Himself. Mark it down. Grasp this concept and never let it go. The one thing that differentiates man from the rest of creation is the fact that He has the capacity to relate to God in a personal way. Praise God that He made us in His image. Yes, man is the crown of God’s creation. Everything else God created was in preparation for His creation of man.
This morning we will look at the other three aspects of man’s creation which set him apart from everything else…
I. God Created Man to Rule
Even before God made man, He expresses His design. Let’s read it in verse 26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” When our text says, “Let them have dominion over,” it simply means, “Let them rule over,” as seen in the translation of the NASV and the NIV. The Amplified reads, “And let them have complete authority over.” Do you get the idea? God gave man the responsibility of ruling over the rest of His creation.
Notice that there is to be no competition concerning who is to rule. Here in verse 26 the Lord goes back through the other living creatures—the fish, the birds, the cattle, and even the creeping things. The phrase “over all the earth” may refer to all the beasts, the wild animals. God’s design is for man to rule over all of them.
First of all, it is important to emphasize again that man is indeed the pinnacle of God’s creation. Though there is great beauty and majesty in the animal kingdom, there is not a single creation of God that is on a par with man. God gave man the authority to rule over everything else that He had created. Now that is certainly not a license to abuse God’s creation. God’s design for rulership does not make it okay to tie a dog to your bumper and drag it all over town. We read these words in Prov. 12:10, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” On the other hand, the animal rights movement largely disregards the God-given authority of mankind to rule. It tries to set animals on a par with man, and that is not of God.
Now should there be any question about man’s elevated position over creation, notice that the same identical principle is stated again after it is stated that God made man. Let’s read it in verse 28, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Now we are told that God tells man to subdue the earth and rule over all the creatures in it. The term “subdue” further emphasizes the fact that man is above the rest of creation.
Now listen to me very carefully. In God’s command to subdue the earth and rule over the rest of creation we see His love. What father doesn’t give to his beloved son great responsibility? When we give responsibility to someone, we are expressing a certain trust in that person. We are demonstrating that we believe that he can accomplish the task. In placing man over the rest of creation, God is expressing love for man.
This theme becomes clearer as we read through chapter 2, as we did earlier. Understand that in 2:4 we have a second account of creation, but now we have more details. We read in verse 8 that God planted a garden in Eden and he put man in the middle of the garden. After giving some details about the garden, the writer then says in verse 2:15, “And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” The NAS says “to cultivate it.” That seems to be the idea. There is a sense in which the Lord didn’t really need man to cultivate this beautiful garden. There was no danger that any of the plants would die. Even without man, there was great beauty there. Nevertheless, he sets man in the garden and gives him the responsibility and privilege and cultivating the garden. Basically, I take it that man was to work with God in making it even more beautiful for His glory.
Then in chapter 2 we read that God brought to Adam all the animals He had made and had Adam name them. That was quite a responsibility. Nevertheless, God gave great Adam much authority in this area. If he was going to rule over creation, then he would start by appropriately naming the creatures God had made. Listen to verse 19, "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." The Lord didn’t correct Adam. When Elia was very young he was given the privilege of naming his fish. He named the fish “Bebep.” Because they loved him and wanted to express that love, they gladly accommodated themselves to a name that was a bit unusual. Surely the gap between parents and a three-year-old is nothing compared to the gap between God and man!
Yes, God made man to rule. Surely God intended man to do so for His glory, for much later He would say through the apostle Paul, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31). In giving man this responsibility, God expressed His love.
II. God Made Man to Reproduce
Let’s read it again in 1:27-28…
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Three weeks ago we mentioned the fact that the creation of human beings as male and female had a lot to do with relationship, because the marriage relationship is the most intimate relationship known to man. But make no mistake about it, the fact that God created mankind male and female is not only for the purpose of a special spiritual and emotional relationship. God made them male and female in order that they might fulfill the command that He gave them in verse 28, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth…” Man would never be able to fully subdue the earth and have dominion over the rest of creation unless he became fruitful and multiplied. God made them male and female in order that they might reproduce.
You will notice that the King James says, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” What about that word “replenish”? Over the years, there has been a good bit of speculation about that word. Does it imply that the earth had been full of inhabitants, but now it had to be populated again? Is that the force of the prefix “re” in “replenish.” The simple answer is “No.” Let’s go back and read Gen. 1:22, "And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth." The word translated “fill” is the very same word that is translated “replenish” here in verse 28. Even if you check an English dictionary, you will likely find that the primary definition is “to fill; to supply fully” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary). “Replenish” does not necessarily mean “to fill again,” but simply “to fill.” We can find a parallel in another English word that also came to us from the Latin, and that is the word “release.” It doesn’t mean “to loose again,” but simply “to loose.” A study of the Hebrew will reveal that this word does not carry the idea of filling again, but simply speaks of filling completely. (For a more detailed study of this issue, I can give you the website for an excellent discussion… http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v18/i2/replenish.asp).
Now let it be clear that this filling the earth is more than just a physical mechanical process. Think about it with me. God said, “Let us make man in our image… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Three times the image of God is mentioned in verses 26 and 27, and then we are told that God created them male and female. It is immediately after that that He commands them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. By creating them male and female, God gave man the privilege of cooperating with Him in populating the earth. God could have created all people directly, even as He did Adam and Eve. Instead, He gave us the opportunity to be a part of this work.
We might say that God gave man the privilege of working with Him in creating those little ones who are in His image. Some would say that sin destroyed God’s image in man, while others would say that the image was greatly marred. Either way, what we know for certain is that man has the capacity to come into relationship with God and that the image of God can only be restored through Jesus Christ, who Himself is that image. So we, as God’s created beings, have the privilege of cooperating with God in populating the earth with children who can be redeemed through Christ and become the children of God.
I also remind you of the passage from Malachi 2. Mal. 2:15, "And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth." This is not an easy verse to get hold of. It is in the context of God chastising men for the way they were treating their wives. What is clear is that in making the husband and the wife one, He was seeking a godly offspring. So we come to ultimately understand that God has not called us simply to reproduce, but to raise up godly offspring. Of course, no husband and wife can do that alone. It can only be done as the Lord Himself is the center of this one-flesh relationship.
Come to Gen. 2:18, "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." God said that he would make a helper suitable for Adam. But why did Adam need a helper? We could give many reasons, but let’s not overlook the obvious. He needed a wife to bear his children. He could not be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth by himself. A wife was absolutely necessary to bring children into this world, to produce the godly offspring that the Lord was seeking. Of course, we realize that the raising of godly offspring does not end with childbirth, but it is the first necessary ingredient!
Yes, God made man to reproduce. Surely this is a demonstration of God’s love. He could have done it without man, but He chose to include man in His wonderful plan.
III. God Made Man to Receive
We have been looking at the responsibility that God gave to man, and that is certainly an expression of His love. But now we want to see that God also made man to receive His blessings. We read that immediately after God created man in His image, “And God blessed them…” (1:28). God blessed them.
And how did God bless Adam and Eve? Yes, He gave them great responsibility and privilege when He told them to subdue the earth and have dominion, when He told Adam to cultivate and keep the garden. But also come to 1:29, where we read, “And God said, Behold, I have given you ever herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of the tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [food].” God gave man all the plants of the earth to provide food for him.
You may say, “Was that it? Where’s the beef?” There was no beef. There was no meat. Why not? Because there was no death. Death came about as the result of man’s sin. And because there was no death, there was no meat to eat. But don’t feel sorry for man. He had access to every plant on the face of the earth. That is no small thing. Imagine the variety! If he didn’t like potatoes, he could eat asparagus. If he didn’t like turnips, he could eat egg plant. The list goes on and on.
This is one of those areas that we tend to take for granted. How many different foods were required to keep man alive? It wouldn’t have taken many at all. But instead of providing just the basics, God poured out on man every kind of fruit and vegetable you can think of (literally). And on top of that, he gave man the taste buds to enjoy each one of them.
Surely this is a beautiful picture of the way God has blessed man ever since He created him. It wasn’t necessary for God to bless us with all the beauty in this world. We could live without beholding beauty. But who would want to live without the beautiful sunsets, without the occasional rainbow in the sky, without the beauty of the forest and the desert?
We have an example of this back in 1:16, “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also.” We need the sun for light in the day time. The moon provides light at night, as well as providing the gravitational pull that governs the ocean tides. But then we read that He made the stars also. It would seem that this is just an after thought, but it is more. Of course, astronomers can tell us about the importance of the stars, but make no mistake about it, God could have made the universe without the stars, if He had chosen to do so. Praise His name that He didn’t do it that way, that He made the stars also. So we can say with David, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Ps. 8:3-4). God has done so much to bless the people He put on this earth.
So we see that God made man to relate; God made man to rule; God made man to reproduce; and God made man to receive. Yes, man is the crown of God’s creation.
Conclusion
So God loves man. We see it even at the creation. God elevated mankind above everything else. Nevertheless, I must remind us that even as He did so, He was thinking about His Son and the bride that would come out of the human race. So how do we reconcile the ideas that God loves man and that His focus is upon His Son Jesus?
What makes it difficult for us is our concept of love. We have come to define love something like this: “To be loved is to be made much of.” In other words, if a person loves me, he makes me the center of his universe. He makes much of me. He builds my self-esteem. Our world has continually bombarded us with this concept.
Let me give you an illustration. Suppose you have a choice. You can spend a few days at Six Flags Over Texas, or you can spend a few days at the Grand Canyon. Which will you choose? At first, we might think it is simply a matter of personal taste, but I want to suggest that there is something deeper at work here. Six Flags was created with the goal of giving people a thrill, and that it does. It gives the individual a certain feeling that he can’t normally achieve. The focus is upon how the person will feel when that roller coaster takes him up in the air and then propels him downward at unbelievable speeds.
The Grand Canyon is different. Unless you jump off the edge, you won’t lose your stomach or experience that certain thrilling fear of Six Flags. There aren’t any rides. All you find are various observation points. And from those observation points, you look at the Grand Canyon. And what happens when you behold the Grand Canyon? You are lost in awe and amazement. It is so deep. There is nothing like it. When God created the Grand Canyon, He created something spectacular. While viewing the Grand Canyon, something happens in me that will never happen at Six Flags. Both Six Flags and Grand Canyon provide a great thrill, but the nature of the thrill is very different. At Six Flags, I am focused on me and how I feel. At the Grand Canyon, I forget about myself and glory in the creative power of my God.
Now which would you expect a loving God to do? Would you expect Him to make much of you, you who are one of billions of people that have lived on the earth, you who have taken what God has given you and dragged it through the mud? Or would you expect a loving God to free you from thinking about self and give you grace to set the entire attention of your life upon the greatest treasure in all the universe? Which is the demonstration of the love of God?
Let’s put it another way. Consider a mother with a two-year-old child. Let’s begin by considering the nature of that two-year-old. Is he selfish? You better believe it. “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child” (Pr. 22:15). That child’s world revolves around “me.” Despite the natural selfishness of her two year old, mother loves that little guy. Now how will she express that love? Little Joey wants the toy that his sister has. When he doesn’t get it, he throws a fit. What will Mother do? Will she make sure he gets what he wants? Will she make much of him, giving him the toy and then drying his little eyes, assuring him that she will knock herself out to get him whatever he wants? Of course, not. Because that mother loves her son, she will knock herself out to teach him that the universe does not revolve around him and his desires, that his attitude is selfishness. By the grace of God, she will work to deliver her son from his preoccupation with self that he might ultimately be totally consumed with Jesus Christ, who is worthy of his total and complete devotion.
Are you seeing it? God’s love is not the love of this world, where the person who desires love wants others to make much of him. God’s love delivers the object of His love from preoccupation with self and sets him free to look to Jesus as His all in all. The joy that comes out of that can never be experienced by the one who is looking for God to do something for him. God has already done it in Jesus Christ. There is no joy like the joy of gazing upon the Son of God. “In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).
Let me put it like this: God’s goal in loving us is that we might praise and glorify Him. Ultimately, that will mean great honor and glory for His Son. But what will it mean for us? It will mean great joy and glory for us too. Why is that? Because the greatest joy and glory in all the universe is to behold the Son of God.
For those of us who belong to God the Father, isn’t it wonderful that He made us His children through Jesus Christ? Is that not a demonstration of His love? But don’t stop there, let’s read the who text in Eph. 1:5-6, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." In demonstrating His love to us through adopting us as His children, God’s ultimate goal is that we praise Him. That is love.
Sometimes we try to define God’s love. We might say, “Love is doing what is best for the other person.” God does what is best for us; He turns our attention to His Son. He delivers us from self-consumption that we might be consumed with His Son. And that is why it is not unloving for God to create man as a means of bringing glory to His Son. In doing so, not only will He glorify His Son, but He will also being many other sons to glory. God is working all things together for good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose, as we read in Rom. 8:28. but read the next verse: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). The good He is accomplishing is in His conforming us to the image of Christ, that we might be one of the many brethren of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we might
ultimately be like Him. That is the love of God.
When we talk about God loving us, it must always be in the context of God glorifying His Son. If we understand that, we will understand much about God’s plan. Does God want to make all of us prosperous in this world, as Joel Osteen and his crowd would tell us? No, that doesn’t necessarily bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Does God want to deliver us from all our problems? No, because God didn’t deliver His own Son from the cross, but laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Is. 53:6,10). Does God show His love by making life easy for us? No, for Jesus Himself by the grace of God tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9). Will God demonstrate His love toward us by bringing us into the kingdom through much tribulation? (Acts 14:22). Will He love us by stripping away every comfort that keeps us from Him, even as when He told Abraham to sacrifice his own son? Will He love us by revealing Himself to us in the midst of tribulation, distress, loneliness, and persecution?
Please hear me! The love of God is greater than anything we can imagine. Most anyone can love in the sense of making much over another person. But who can love by doing what is best for the other person? Who can love by pointing others to the Christ who will rule throughout eternity? That’s the kind of love that God has demonstrated for His people, for the bride of Christ. Can you rejoice in that kind of love? Only if you can truly rejoice in the Lord Jesus Himself. Do you want God to make much of you? Or do you want to make much of Christ?
John Piper puts it concisely and powerfully…
This is shocking. The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God. Any love that terminates on man is eventually destructive. It does not lead people to the only lasting joy, namely, God. Love must be God-centered, or it is not true love; it leaves people without their final hope of joy.
Please turn to one more passage. John 17:20-23…
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Of those who belong to God through Jesus Christ, Jesus says that God loves them as much as He loves Jesus. That is amazing, but notice the context. Verse 23, “I in them and thou in me…” The emphasis is on the union between us and Christ and Christ in God. That union is the reason for this unbelievable love God has for His own. A leading concept in Ephesians and Colossians is “in Christ.” The love God has for us is wrapped up in the truth that we are in Christ.
God will continue to love His people, as He works to bring glory to Himself and to His Son. Praise His name for this wonderful plan of which we can be a part.
MORE ON THE CREATION OF MAN
Gen. 1:25-2:25
Three weeks ago we considered the creation of man in God’s image, focusing on Gen. 1:26-27. In that message I made some very strong statements. I suggested to you that when God created mankind, He was acting on behalf of His Son. He created man in order that He might take out of the human race a bride for His own Son, just as Abraham sent His servant to a far country to find a bride for Isaac. And as Abraham’s main concern was not for the bride Rebekah, so God’s main concern is not for man, not even for those who will make up the bride, but for His Son Jesus Christ. I posed the question: “So does that make it seem that man is only a means to an end, that man was created only to bring honor and glory to the Son?” I answered the question by saying that is exactly right, that God created man in order to glorify His Son Jesus Christ.
For some of us, those were rather harsh words. I did receive some questions. “But doesn’t the Bible speak of God’s great love for man? What about John 3:16? Etc.” Those are very good questions. My purpose was not to say that God doesn’t love man, but my purpose was to emphasize God’s goal to glorify His Son. God giving glory and honor to His Son and God loving man are not opposed to one another. However, when I spoke so strongly about God’s ultimate purpose in bringing glory to His Son, some of you felt like I was denying God’s love for man. Here is the reason why. It is because modern Christianity has lost its appreciation for the glory of God and has distorted what the Bible says about God’s love for man. Let me repeat that again in order that it may sink in: It is because modern Christianity has lost its appreciation for the glory of God and has distorted what the Bible says about God’s love for man. And we have very much been conformed to the ideas of modern American Christianity.
So this morning we will speak more about God’s love for His people. I suspect some of you wish we could have done this the very next Sunday instead of waiting three weeks. I believe that is because our concept of God’s love for us is distorted. We’re more concerned about guarding the concept of God’s love for man than protecting the truth of God deserving all the glory in the universe. Here are two truths: God is working to bring honor and glory to His Son and God loves His people. Both are true, but most of us have been smothered with the latter largely to the exclusion of the former.
Now let’s come back to Genesis 1 and the creation of man. Lord willing, at the end of this message, I will come back to the relationship between God’s glory and His love for us.
Let’s read our text from Gen. 1:25-2:25…
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day…. 2:1. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 4. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5. And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 6. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12. And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 15. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 18. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22. And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed.
We are looking at four aspects of man’s creation that set him apart from everything else God created. First, we looked at the fact that God made man to relate. That is the central truth in the concept of being made in God’s image; we are made to relate. While it is true that man relates to man in a way that no animal is able to do, the supreme relationship for which God designed man is a relationship with Himself. Mark it down. Grasp this concept and never let it go. The one thing that differentiates man from the rest of creation is the fact that He has the capacity to relate to God in a personal way. Praise God that He made us in His image. Yes, man is the crown of God’s creation. Everything else God created was in preparation for His creation of man.
This morning we will look at the other three aspects of man’s creation which set him apart from everything else…
I. God Created Man to Rule
Even before God made man, He expresses His design. Let’s read it in verse 26, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” When our text says, “Let them have dominion over,” it simply means, “Let them rule over,” as seen in the translation of the NASV and the NIV. The Amplified reads, “And let them have complete authority over.” Do you get the idea? God gave man the responsibility of ruling over the rest of His creation.
Notice that there is to be no competition concerning who is to rule. Here in verse 26 the Lord goes back through the other living creatures—the fish, the birds, the cattle, and even the creeping things. The phrase “over all the earth” may refer to all the beasts, the wild animals. God’s design is for man to rule over all of them.
First of all, it is important to emphasize again that man is indeed the pinnacle of God’s creation. Though there is great beauty and majesty in the animal kingdom, there is not a single creation of God that is on a par with man. God gave man the authority to rule over everything else that He had created. Now that is certainly not a license to abuse God’s creation. God’s design for rulership does not make it okay to tie a dog to your bumper and drag it all over town. We read these words in Prov. 12:10, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” On the other hand, the animal rights movement largely disregards the God-given authority of mankind to rule. It tries to set animals on a par with man, and that is not of God.
Now should there be any question about man’s elevated position over creation, notice that the same identical principle is stated again after it is stated that God made man. Let’s read it in verse 28, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." Now we are told that God tells man to subdue the earth and rule over all the creatures in it. The term “subdue” further emphasizes the fact that man is above the rest of creation.
Now listen to me very carefully. In God’s command to subdue the earth and rule over the rest of creation we see His love. What father doesn’t give to his beloved son great responsibility? When we give responsibility to someone, we are expressing a certain trust in that person. We are demonstrating that we believe that he can accomplish the task. In placing man over the rest of creation, God is expressing love for man.
This theme becomes clearer as we read through chapter 2, as we did earlier. Understand that in 2:4 we have a second account of creation, but now we have more details. We read in verse 8 that God planted a garden in Eden and he put man in the middle of the garden. After giving some details about the garden, the writer then says in verse 2:15, “And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” The NAS says “to cultivate it.” That seems to be the idea. There is a sense in which the Lord didn’t really need man to cultivate this beautiful garden. There was no danger that any of the plants would die. Even without man, there was great beauty there. Nevertheless, he sets man in the garden and gives him the responsibility and privilege and cultivating the garden. Basically, I take it that man was to work with God in making it even more beautiful for His glory.
Then in chapter 2 we read that God brought to Adam all the animals He had made and had Adam name them. That was quite a responsibility. Nevertheless, God gave great Adam much authority in this area. If he was going to rule over creation, then he would start by appropriately naming the creatures God had made. Listen to verse 19, "And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." The Lord didn’t correct Adam. When Elia was very young he was given the privilege of naming his fish. He named the fish “Bebep.” Because they loved him and wanted to express that love, they gladly accommodated themselves to a name that was a bit unusual. Surely the gap between parents and a three-year-old is nothing compared to the gap between God and man!
Yes, God made man to rule. Surely God intended man to do so for His glory, for much later He would say through the apostle Paul, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31). In giving man this responsibility, God expressed His love.
II. God Made Man to Reproduce
Let’s read it again in 1:27-28…
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Three weeks ago we mentioned the fact that the creation of human beings as male and female had a lot to do with relationship, because the marriage relationship is the most intimate relationship known to man. But make no mistake about it, the fact that God created mankind male and female is not only for the purpose of a special spiritual and emotional relationship. God made them male and female in order that they might fulfill the command that He gave them in verse 28, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth…” Man would never be able to fully subdue the earth and have dominion over the rest of creation unless he became fruitful and multiplied. God made them male and female in order that they might reproduce.
You will notice that the King James says, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” What about that word “replenish”? Over the years, there has been a good bit of speculation about that word. Does it imply that the earth had been full of inhabitants, but now it had to be populated again? Is that the force of the prefix “re” in “replenish.” The simple answer is “No.” Let’s go back and read Gen. 1:22, "And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth." The word translated “fill” is the very same word that is translated “replenish” here in verse 28. Even if you check an English dictionary, you will likely find that the primary definition is “to fill; to supply fully” (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary). “Replenish” does not necessarily mean “to fill again,” but simply “to fill.” We can find a parallel in another English word that also came to us from the Latin, and that is the word “release.” It doesn’t mean “to loose again,” but simply “to loose.” A study of the Hebrew will reveal that this word does not carry the idea of filling again, but simply speaks of filling completely. (For a more detailed study of this issue, I can give you the website for an excellent discussion… http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v18/i2/replenish.asp).
Now let it be clear that this filling the earth is more than just a physical mechanical process. Think about it with me. God said, “Let us make man in our image… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Three times the image of God is mentioned in verses 26 and 27, and then we are told that God created them male and female. It is immediately after that that He commands them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. By creating them male and female, God gave man the privilege of cooperating with Him in populating the earth. God could have created all people directly, even as He did Adam and Eve. Instead, He gave us the opportunity to be a part of this work.
We might say that God gave man the privilege of working with Him in creating those little ones who are in His image. Some would say that sin destroyed God’s image in man, while others would say that the image was greatly marred. Either way, what we know for certain is that man has the capacity to come into relationship with God and that the image of God can only be restored through Jesus Christ, who Himself is that image. So we, as God’s created beings, have the privilege of cooperating with God in populating the earth with children who can be redeemed through Christ and become the children of God.
I also remind you of the passage from Malachi 2. Mal. 2:15, "And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth." This is not an easy verse to get hold of. It is in the context of God chastising men for the way they were treating their wives. What is clear is that in making the husband and the wife one, He was seeking a godly offspring. So we come to ultimately understand that God has not called us simply to reproduce, but to raise up godly offspring. Of course, no husband and wife can do that alone. It can only be done as the Lord Himself is the center of this one-flesh relationship.
Come to Gen. 2:18, "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." God said that he would make a helper suitable for Adam. But why did Adam need a helper? We could give many reasons, but let’s not overlook the obvious. He needed a wife to bear his children. He could not be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth by himself. A wife was absolutely necessary to bring children into this world, to produce the godly offspring that the Lord was seeking. Of course, we realize that the raising of godly offspring does not end with childbirth, but it is the first necessary ingredient!
Yes, God made man to reproduce. Surely this is a demonstration of God’s love. He could have done it without man, but He chose to include man in His wonderful plan.
III. God Made Man to Receive
We have been looking at the responsibility that God gave to man, and that is certainly an expression of His love. But now we want to see that God also made man to receive His blessings. We read that immediately after God created man in His image, “And God blessed them…” (1:28). God blessed them.
And how did God bless Adam and Eve? Yes, He gave them great responsibility and privilege when He told them to subdue the earth and have dominion, when He told Adam to cultivate and keep the garden. But also come to 1:29, where we read, “And God said, Behold, I have given you ever herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of the tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat [food].” God gave man all the plants of the earth to provide food for him.
You may say, “Was that it? Where’s the beef?” There was no beef. There was no meat. Why not? Because there was no death. Death came about as the result of man’s sin. And because there was no death, there was no meat to eat. But don’t feel sorry for man. He had access to every plant on the face of the earth. That is no small thing. Imagine the variety! If he didn’t like potatoes, he could eat asparagus. If he didn’t like turnips, he could eat egg plant. The list goes on and on.
This is one of those areas that we tend to take for granted. How many different foods were required to keep man alive? It wouldn’t have taken many at all. But instead of providing just the basics, God poured out on man every kind of fruit and vegetable you can think of (literally). And on top of that, he gave man the taste buds to enjoy each one of them.
Surely this is a beautiful picture of the way God has blessed man ever since He created him. It wasn’t necessary for God to bless us with all the beauty in this world. We could live without beholding beauty. But who would want to live without the beautiful sunsets, without the occasional rainbow in the sky, without the beauty of the forest and the desert?
We have an example of this back in 1:16, “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also.” We need the sun for light in the day time. The moon provides light at night, as well as providing the gravitational pull that governs the ocean tides. But then we read that He made the stars also. It would seem that this is just an after thought, but it is more. Of course, astronomers can tell us about the importance of the stars, but make no mistake about it, God could have made the universe without the stars, if He had chosen to do so. Praise His name that He didn’t do it that way, that He made the stars also. So we can say with David, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Ps. 8:3-4). God has done so much to bless the people He put on this earth.
So we see that God made man to relate; God made man to rule; God made man to reproduce; and God made man to receive. Yes, man is the crown of God’s creation.
Conclusion
So God loves man. We see it even at the creation. God elevated mankind above everything else. Nevertheless, I must remind us that even as He did so, He was thinking about His Son and the bride that would come out of the human race. So how do we reconcile the ideas that God loves man and that His focus is upon His Son Jesus?
What makes it difficult for us is our concept of love. We have come to define love something like this: “To be loved is to be made much of.” In other words, if a person loves me, he makes me the center of his universe. He makes much of me. He builds my self-esteem. Our world has continually bombarded us with this concept.
Let me give you an illustration. Suppose you have a choice. You can spend a few days at Six Flags Over Texas, or you can spend a few days at the Grand Canyon. Which will you choose? At first, we might think it is simply a matter of personal taste, but I want to suggest that there is something deeper at work here. Six Flags was created with the goal of giving people a thrill, and that it does. It gives the individual a certain feeling that he can’t normally achieve. The focus is upon how the person will feel when that roller coaster takes him up in the air and then propels him downward at unbelievable speeds.
The Grand Canyon is different. Unless you jump off the edge, you won’t lose your stomach or experience that certain thrilling fear of Six Flags. There aren’t any rides. All you find are various observation points. And from those observation points, you look at the Grand Canyon. And what happens when you behold the Grand Canyon? You are lost in awe and amazement. It is so deep. There is nothing like it. When God created the Grand Canyon, He created something spectacular. While viewing the Grand Canyon, something happens in me that will never happen at Six Flags. Both Six Flags and Grand Canyon provide a great thrill, but the nature of the thrill is very different. At Six Flags, I am focused on me and how I feel. At the Grand Canyon, I forget about myself and glory in the creative power of my God.
Now which would you expect a loving God to do? Would you expect Him to make much of you, you who are one of billions of people that have lived on the earth, you who have taken what God has given you and dragged it through the mud? Or would you expect a loving God to free you from thinking about self and give you grace to set the entire attention of your life upon the greatest treasure in all the universe? Which is the demonstration of the love of God?
Let’s put it another way. Consider a mother with a two-year-old child. Let’s begin by considering the nature of that two-year-old. Is he selfish? You better believe it. “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child” (Pr. 22:15). That child’s world revolves around “me.” Despite the natural selfishness of her two year old, mother loves that little guy. Now how will she express that love? Little Joey wants the toy that his sister has. When he doesn’t get it, he throws a fit. What will Mother do? Will she make sure he gets what he wants? Will she make much of him, giving him the toy and then drying his little eyes, assuring him that she will knock herself out to get him whatever he wants? Of course, not. Because that mother loves her son, she will knock herself out to teach him that the universe does not revolve around him and his desires, that his attitude is selfishness. By the grace of God, she will work to deliver her son from his preoccupation with self that he might ultimately be totally consumed with Jesus Christ, who is worthy of his total and complete devotion.
Are you seeing it? God’s love is not the love of this world, where the person who desires love wants others to make much of him. God’s love delivers the object of His love from preoccupation with self and sets him free to look to Jesus as His all in all. The joy that comes out of that can never be experienced by the one who is looking for God to do something for him. God has already done it in Jesus Christ. There is no joy like the joy of gazing upon the Son of God. “In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).
Let me put it like this: God’s goal in loving us is that we might praise and glorify Him. Ultimately, that will mean great honor and glory for His Son. But what will it mean for us? It will mean great joy and glory for us too. Why is that? Because the greatest joy and glory in all the universe is to behold the Son of God.
For those of us who belong to God the Father, isn’t it wonderful that He made us His children through Jesus Christ? Is that not a demonstration of His love? But don’t stop there, let’s read the who text in Eph. 1:5-6, "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." In demonstrating His love to us through adopting us as His children, God’s ultimate goal is that we praise Him. That is love.
Sometimes we try to define God’s love. We might say, “Love is doing what is best for the other person.” God does what is best for us; He turns our attention to His Son. He delivers us from self-consumption that we might be consumed with His Son. And that is why it is not unloving for God to create man as a means of bringing glory to His Son. In doing so, not only will He glorify His Son, but He will also being many other sons to glory. God is working all things together for good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose, as we read in Rom. 8:28. but read the next verse: "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). The good He is accomplishing is in His conforming us to the image of Christ, that we might be one of the many brethren of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we might
ultimately be like Him. That is the love of God.
When we talk about God loving us, it must always be in the context of God glorifying His Son. If we understand that, we will understand much about God’s plan. Does God want to make all of us prosperous in this world, as Joel Osteen and his crowd would tell us? No, that doesn’t necessarily bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Does God want to deliver us from all our problems? No, because God didn’t deliver His own Son from the cross, but laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Is. 53:6,10). Does God show His love by making life easy for us? No, for Jesus Himself by the grace of God tasted death for every man (Heb. 2:9). Will God demonstrate His love toward us by bringing us into the kingdom through much tribulation? (Acts 14:22). Will He love us by stripping away every comfort that keeps us from Him, even as when He told Abraham to sacrifice his own son? Will He love us by revealing Himself to us in the midst of tribulation, distress, loneliness, and persecution?
Please hear me! The love of God is greater than anything we can imagine. Most anyone can love in the sense of making much over another person. But who can love by doing what is best for the other person? Who can love by pointing others to the Christ who will rule throughout eternity? That’s the kind of love that God has demonstrated for His people, for the bride of Christ. Can you rejoice in that kind of love? Only if you can truly rejoice in the Lord Jesus Himself. Do you want God to make much of you? Or do you want to make much of Christ?
John Piper puts it concisely and powerfully…
This is shocking. The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God. Any love that terminates on man is eventually destructive. It does not lead people to the only lasting joy, namely, God. Love must be God-centered, or it is not true love; it leaves people without their final hope of joy.
Please turn to one more passage. John 17:20-23…
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Of those who belong to God through Jesus Christ, Jesus says that God loves them as much as He loves Jesus. That is amazing, but notice the context. Verse 23, “I in them and thou in me…” The emphasis is on the union between us and Christ and Christ in God. That union is the reason for this unbelievable love God has for His own. A leading concept in Ephesians and Colossians is “in Christ.” The love God has for us is wrapped up in the truth that we are in Christ.
God will continue to love His people, as He works to bring glory to Himself and to His Son. Praise His name for this wonderful plan of which we can be a part.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Qualifications for Church Leadership -- 3/30/08
Note: I included the Greek text of each verse. Since this program does not provide for a Greek font, the English letters appear. Note that "V" is the final sigma. I decided to leave it rather than remove it.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHURCH LEADERS
I Tim. 1:1-13
This morning we are going to take some time to look at the qualifications for church leaders. As most of you know, we are in the process of securing some deacons in this body. Soon Norman and I will be presenting men we believe the Lord would have serve as deacons. Of the things that the New Testament says about deacons, most of it deals with the qualifications. There isn’t a great deal about what the deacons are to do, though the word itself means “servant,” but we are told specifically who can and cannot be a deacon.
Not only do Norman and I need to be familiar with these qualifications, but so does the entire church body. After we have presented these men to you, you will then examine them in light of these qualifications. This study this morning will not be highly exhaustive, but it should acquaint us with the basic qualifications.
Do you know where in the New Testament to find the qualifications for deacons? That’s right, I Timothy 3, beginning in verse 8. Rather than begin in verse 8, I would like to go ahead and start in verse 1, where Paul discusses the qualifications for bishops, or overseers. This section is a unit and I believe we will do well to consider these together. I will use the term “overseer” rather than “bishop” for two reasons. “Overseer” is much more descriptive, as it tells us that this man is to oversee the church. Also, the term “bishop” carries many connotations that do not come from the scripture.
I must also mention that there is another list of qualifications for an overseer in Titus 1. We won’t be going through that list this morning, but I would encourage you to look at it.
So let’s just dive right into I Timothy 3…
1. pistoV o logoV ei tiV episkophV oregetai kalou ergou epiqumei
KJV… “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
NASV… “It is a trustworthy statement: If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine word he desires to do.”
NIV… “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.”
Ampl… “The saying is true and irrefutable: If any man [eagerly] seeks the office of bishop (superintendent, overseer), he desires an excellent task (work).”
Note that “this is a true saying.” Literally, “The faithful saying.” This phrase is used five times in the Pastoral Epistles, though the King James translates it “faithful saying” in the other four. It seems that this was a formula to introduce a saying that was well-known to the believers in the early church. That means that it was considered very important. Compare the first of these five, which is found in 1 Tim. 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." We can see that it is important for believers to constantly keep in mind that Jesus came into the world to save sinners. But note that it is also important for them to keep in mind the importance of faithful overseers in the church, along with their qualifications.
The Greek word for “desire” in the phrase “If a man desire” means “to stretch one’s self out in order to touch or grasp something. It speaks of reaching after or desiring something. Now the King James speaks of “the office of a bishop.” That is the translation of a single word, and that word means “oversight.” Paul is speaking more of the work of an overseer rather than an office. If a man desires to do the work of an overseer, he desires a good work. He doesn’t need to be ashamed of that godly desire. It is interesting that in Titus 1, where there is a list of qualifications for overseers, there is nothing about a person desiring this position. There Paul tells Titus to appoint such leaders, and then he gives the qualifications. That means that the initiative may come from the man or from the leadership in the church. But if a man does desire to oversee the flock, he is desiring something that is good and proper.
Why is it a good thing for a man to desire oversight (if this is truly a godly desire, and not the result of selfish ambition)? We can find the answer in a passage such as Acts 20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." The overseer feeds the church of God. That is a noble task; it is a good work. These words in Acts 20:28 were actually spoken to the elders of the church in Ephesus. It seems clear that overseer and elder refer to the same office. In this same verse, the word translated “feed” is the verb that means “to shepherd” or “to pastor.” For that reason, we often use the terms overseer (bishop), elder, and pastor interchangeably.
2. dei oun ton episkopon anepilhpton einai miaV gunaikoV andra nhjaleon swjrona kosmion
jiloxenon didaktikon
KJV…"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"
NASV… “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.”
NIV… “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,”
Ampl…”Now a bishop (superintendent, overseer” must give no grounds for accusation but must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, circumspect and temperate and self-controlled; [he must be] sensible and well behaved and dignified and lead an orderly (disciplined) life; [he must be] hospitable[showing love for and being a friend to the believers, especially strangers or foreigners, and be] a capable and qualified teacher,”
Paul does not leave us in the dark concerning qualifications for leadership (I Tim. 3, Tit. 1). These are to be taken very seriously. It is interesting that there are no such qualifications for teachers and evangelists. A person may be a very effective evangelist and not be qualified to be an overseer. The overseer must be of great moral and spiritual character. While there is nothing wrong with a man desiring this work, he must be qualified, and the qualifications begin with this concept of being irreproachable.
Blameless -- not apprehended; that cannot be laid hold of; hence that cannot be reprehended, not open to censure,
irreproachable. (Only here and in I Tim. 5:7; 6:14). [from a + epilambanw]
NIV, NASV, and Amplified all render it “above reproach,” with the Amplified adding “must give no grounds for accu-
sation.”
This is the qualification that heads the list, and that is intentional. It is the overall summary qualification that takes in all the others. Each of the other qualifications must be seen in light of this one. How will failure to meet that particular qualification make it impossible for the man to be considered blameless? An overseer in the Lord’s church must be above reproach. The Greek word that is used here literally means “not taken.” In other words, his reputation must be so spotless that he can’t be taken by the accusations of others. Not only is he not guilty, but there isn’t even reasonable ground for accusation. The list of qualifications in Titus begins with a word (which is also strictly Pauline) which has the same basic meaning. It is the word anegklhtoV, which means “that cannot be called to account, unreprovable, unaccused, blameless.”
This is a high standard. Why? Because the church is the people of God, the body of Christ. It’s reputation is vital for the glory of God. Its leaders must be held to a high standard. If not, the church will be despised and God’s glory will not be seen. Any of us could name numerous examples of that very thing. Paul doesn’t say that it would be nice if overseers were like this. Rather, he says they must be.
After beginning with this overall idea of being above reproach, Paul then gives a long list of specific qualifications. He begins with “the husband of one wife” (miaV gunaikoV andra). This phrase consists of three words in the Greek – “one,” “wife/woman,” and “husband/man.” The Greeks had one word for “wife” and “woman.” The same was true of “husband” and “man.” (By the way, the word for husband/man is not the general word for “man” that we usually find. That is the word anqropoV and speaks of mankind. It can refer to both men and women. The word used here speaks specifically of males). Because these words are a bit flexible, the translations of this three word phrase will vary. In other words, it lends itself to more than one translation. For example, it could legitimately be translated “one-woman man.” As Alexander Strauch (in Biblical Eldership) concisely states, “This is a painfully controversial phrase” (p. 219).
Because this one is rather difficult, we will come back to it last.
Vigilant… The Greek word literally means “wineless.” The big question is whether it is to be taken literally or figuratively. Most take it figuratively (cognate verb regularly used figuratively in the NT). Sober, temperate, implying self-control, clear-mindedness, and freedom from excesses.
Sober… This word is rather difficult to translate into English. It speaks of being of sound mind; curbing one’s desires and impulses. “Prudent” and “self-controlled” are common translations of this word.
You can see that these two words (“sober” and “vigilant”) are closely related in meaning. That is why the Amplified kind of lumps them together: “circumspect and temperate and self-ontrolled.”
Of good behavior… (“respectable” in NASV, NIV). Literally, it means “orderly.” The life of an overseer must be well-ordered, disciplined. This is the good behavior that Paul is speaking of here. Such a life is required to care for the flock of God.
Given to hospitality… This word literally means “lover of strangers.” The overseer must demonstrate this attitude, especially among God’s people. He must go out of his way to love even those who are “not his kind of people,” and even to open his home to them. Though it is not well-known, this is a command given to all Christians. 1 Pet. 4:9 "Use (pursue) hospitality one to another without grudging." The elder must set the example.
Apt to teach… The overseer must be able to teach the Word of God. It is interesting that this is the only qualification that is directly related to the work of the overseer. This demonstrates how important teaching is in the ministry of the overseer.
3. mh paroinon mh plhkthn mh aiscrokerdh all epieikh amacon ajilarguron
KJV…"Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;"
NASV… “Not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money.”
NIV… “Not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”
Ampl… “Not given to wine, not combative but gentle and considerate, not quarrelsome but forbearing and peaceable, and not a lover of money [insatiable for wealth and ready to obtain it be questionable means].
Not given to wine… Literally, “not beside wine.” It would be difficult to say that this forbids all drinking of wine, but it certainly forbids the addiction to or preoccupation with wine. On the other hand, since deacons are forbidden to given to “much wine,” this is a strong word against the use of wine for the overseer. The application of this principle could easily be extended to other chemical addictions.
No striker… No bruiser, not ready with a blow; not a pugnacious (=having a belligerent nature), contentious, quarrelsome person (Thayer). This is a person who is easily angered and is prone to use physical violence. Such cannot be an overseer, for an overseer must be gentle with the sheep.
Not greedy of filthy lucre… From two words: “base, disgraceful” & “gain.” [This word is in the Received Text, but not in WH or USB. My USB doesn’t even have a note; just excludes it. However, all texts have it in verse 8].
But patient… In KJV, in 3 of 5 uses it is translated “gentle” (as in the other 3 translations here). But the word “gentle” can hardly do it justice. Strauch piles up words to get at its meaning: forbearing, gentle, magnanimous, equitable, peaceable, gracious (p. 228). It is the opposite of the “striker.” This is part of the very character of God, who is “good, and ready to forgive [epeeikh in the LXX], and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Thee”
(Ps. 86:5). This kind of man possesses God’s pure, peaceable, gently, reasonable, and merciful wisdom (James 3:17).
Not a brawler… Abstaining from fighting; not contentious (Thayer). Only here and in Tit. 3:2. Positively, he is a peaceful man. Fighting in the church is a terrible problem in our day. An overseer must set an example of not being quarrelsome. As Paul tells Timothy in 2 Tim 2:24-25, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;"
Not covetous… Literally, “not a lover of silver.” Like most of the other qualifications, covetousness is something against which all Christians are warned (Heb. 13:5; I Tim. 6:10, etc.). An overseer must set an example. There is also the fact that some overseers will receive materially from the church (see I Tim. 5:17-18). In that situation, love of money would be deadly. Note that in this one little verse there are two warnings against love of money (KJV).
4. tou idiou oikou kalwV proistamenon tekna econta en upotagh meta pashV semnothtoV
KJV… "One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;"
NASV… “He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity.”
NIV… “He must manage his own family well and see that is children obey him with proper respect.”
Ampl… “He must rule his own household well, keeping his children under control, with true dignity, commanding their respect in every way and keeping them respectful.”
Now Paul comes back to the family again. He has already said that the overseer must be husband of one wife (one-woman man). Now he turns his focus upon the children. Nothing is said about the wife, but it is obvious that the husband and wife should be pursuing this goal together.
This word (proisthmi) means “to be over, to superintend, to preside over.” NASV and NIV use the word “manage,” probably to distance the idea of ruling with an iron hand. As he is gentle with the church of God, so he must be with his own family. Nevertheless, his children are to be in subjection to his leadership.
The term “with all gravity” is kind of hard to get hold of. Thayer says of this word translated “gravity,” “that characteristic of a person or thing which entitles to reverence or respect; dignity, gravity, majesty, sanctity.” Again, there is no harshness about that. This involves more than just making sure the kids mind. The overseer’s children submit to him out of deep respect.
5. ei de tiV tou idiou oikou prosthnai ouk oiden pwV ekklhsiaV qeou epimelhsetai
KJV… "(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)"
NASV… “(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)”
NIV… “(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)”
Ampl… “For if a man does not know how to rule his own house\hold, how is he to take care of the church of God?”
The home is the proving ground for the work within the church. This man has been given these children as a gift from God. He has great responsibility toward them. If he can’t perform that responsibility in the home, then how will be able to properly care for the people in the Lord’s church.
6. mh neojuton ina mh tujwqeiV eiV krima empesh tou diabolou
KJV… "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."
NASV… “and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.”
NIV… “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.”
Ampl… “He must not be a new convert, or he may [develop a beclouded and stupid state of mind] as the result of pride [be blinded by conceit, and] fall into the condemnation that the devil [once] did.”
“Novice” translates a compound word: new & plant. It refers to one who is newly planted. We take our English word “neophyte” directly from this Greek word. Paul is speaking of a recent convert. Praise God for new converts, but no new convert is ready to be an overseer in the Lord’s church. Strauch insightfully shares: “A new Christian does not know his own heart or the craftiness of the enemy, so he is vulnerable to pride—the most subtle of all temptations and most destructive of all sins.”
Note the reference to the devil. Let’s have our mind refreshed about the pride of Lucifer. Read Is. 14:12-15…
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
If Lucifer was tripped up by pride, how likely men are to do the same. “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Prov. 16:18).
7. dei de auton kai marturian kalhn ecein apo twn exwqen ina mh eiV oneidismon empesh kai pagida tou diabolou
KJV… "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."
NASV… “And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
NIV… “He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.”
Ampl… “Furthermore, he must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside [the church], lest he become involved in slander and incur reproach and fall into the devil’s trap.”
The word translated “report” (“reputation”) is “marturia,” from which we get “martyr.” David Witt has shared with us how this is the word that means “witness” or “testify.” In short, Paul is saying that an overseer must have a good testimony outside the church. That does not mean that everyone outside the church likes him. By no means. It does mean that he has a testimony that commands respect. This goes right along with the idea of being without reproach. Perhaps that is why it is placed last, even as “beyond reproach” is placed first.
Since all believers are to bear a good testimony before the world (I Thes 4:11-12; Tit. 2:5,8; I Pet. 2:12,15; 3:16), it is doubly important that an overseer have such a testimony. People in the world are watching Christians, especially Christian leaders.
The devil is mentioned again, but this time it isn’t about the devil falling into condemnation. Here it is the devil who is setting a trap for the would-be church overseer who does not have a good reputation with those outside the church.
8. diakonouV wsautwV semnouV mh dilogouV mh oinw pollw prosecontaV mh aiscrokerdeiV
KJV…"Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;"
NASV… “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongues, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain.”
NIV… “Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.”
Ampl… “In like manner the deacons [must be] worthy of respect, not shifty and double-talkers but sincere in what they say, not given to much wine, not greedy for base gain [craving wealthy and resorting to ignoble and dishonest methods of gaining it].”
Grave… This word speaks of a certain seriousness. You see that other translations render it “men of dignity,” “men worthy of respect.” The deacon is not a man who is “happy go lucky.” He has a certain calm dignity about him.
Not double-tongued… He must not be the kind of man that says one thing to one person and another thing to another person. Rather, he is a man whose word can be trusted. He is a man who demonstrates integrity of speech.
*You will notice that these two qualifications are unique to deacons, as they were not mentioned in regard to overseers.
Not given to much wine… A man who has a drinking problem cannot be a deacon, pure and simple. [Contrast with the qualification for overseer – “not given to wine”].
Not greedy of filthy lucre… Not fond of dishonest gain. This was a qualification for overseers (vs. 3, Received Text). This is extremely important for the deacon, because one of his tasks is that of benevolence. He will be dealing with money and must have integrity in this area.
9. econtaV to musthrion thV pistewV en kaqara suneidhsei
KJV… "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."
NASV… “but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.”
NIV… “They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.”
Ampl… “They must possess the mystic secret of the faith [Christian truth as hidden from ungodly men] with a clear conscience.”
What is “the mystery of the faith”? “Mystery,” which is used a number of times by Paul, refers to a revealed secret. It wasn’t know in the past, but now it has been made known through the work of the Holy Spirit. “The faith” refers to the truths of Christian doctrine. So “the mystery of the faith” refers to revealed Christian truth. The deacon must hold on to that revealed truth with a clear conscience. In other words, his life and doctrine must match up. To fail to live the faith he embraces will defile his conscience and will eventually be a bad testimony, bringing disgrace upon the Lord’s church.
10. kai outoi de dokimazesqwsan prwton eita diakoneitwsan anegklhtoi onteV
KJV… "And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless."
NASV… “And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.”
NIV… “They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.”
Ampl… “And let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, if they turn out to be above reproach, let them serve as deacons.”
Before a man serves as a deacon, he must be proved, tested, examined. The word translated “proved” was sometimes used of men who were examined before taking public office. Notice the word “also.” This may refer back to overseers. In other words, as an overseer must be examined (see I Tim. 5:24-25), so must a deacon. Once the man has been tested and approved, then let him serve as a deacon.
Notice that he must be found blameless. This corresponds to the qualification of an overseer in verse 2. While this word in verse 10 is a different word, it has about the same meaning. After being examined, if there is no justifiable accusation against the man, he may serve as a deacon.
Notice too that there are no specifics given as to how these men are to be examined. Unlike the regulations of the Old Testament, the Spirit-inspired writers of the New Testament did not give long lists of specifics in such areas. Each local church is given a great deal of freedom in how it will carry out such things. You will recall that we have already decided on a plan for such examination. After Norman and I put forth the names of the men we believe the Lord would have serve as deacons, then you will have two weeks to bring to us any concerns you have about the biblical qualifications of those men. The key is “biblical qualifications.” No other concerns will be considered.
11. gunaikaV wsautwV semnaV mh diabolouV nhjaleouV pistaV en pasin
KJV… “Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.”
NASV… “Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips; but temperate, faithful in all things.”
NIV… “In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in evertything.”
Ampl… “[The] women likewise must be worthy of respect and serious, not gossipers, but temperate and self-controlled, [thoroughly] trustworthy in all things.”
There are some who say that this is not talking about the wives of deacons, but about women who serve as deacons (deaconesses). Remember that the word translated “wives” can just as legitimately be translated “women” (As the NASV and Amplified translate it here). However, since the word “deacon” isn’t used with respect to these women/wives and because of what follows concerning the deacons being the husbands of one wife, I believe Paul is indeed speaking of the wives of deacons. Since a deacon is a servant of the body of Christ, it stands to reason that his wife would serve alongside him. With that in mind, the character of his wife must also be considered in his qualifications.
Grave… We have already seen this as a qualification for the man. His wife likewise must be grave, dignified, given to a certain seriousness.
Not slanderers… The word translated “slanderers” is the plural of the “devil” (diabolos). The devil is the chief slanderer of all. NASV translates it “malicious gossips.” We can understand how a wife who slandered others would greatly hinder the work of her deacon husband. Positively, this is a woman who controls her tongue and speaks lovingly and wisely.
Sober… This word was used of overseers in verse 2, but was there translated “vigilant.” The wife of the deacon must be self-cntrolled and clear-minded.
Faithful in all things… This must be a woman who is dependable. Notice that she must be faithful in all things. She is to be faithful in every aspect of her life. We could say that this last qualification is the most far-reaching and gathers up the others. She is to be faithful to God, faithful to her husband and family, faithful in the body of Christ.
12. diakonoi estwsan miaV gunaikoV andreV teknwn kalwV proistamenoi kai twn idiwn oikwn
KJV… “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”
NASV… “Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.”
NIV… “A deacon must be the jusband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.”
Ampl… “Let deacons be the husbands of but one wife, and let them manage [their] children and their own households well.”
Now we have another qualification that parallels that of the overseers. He is to be the husband of one wife and he is to manage his household well.
13. oi gar kalwV diakonhsanteV baqmon eautoiV kalon peripoiountai kai pollhn parrhsian en pistei th en cristw ihsou
KJV… "For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
NASV… “For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”
NIV… “Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”
Ampl… “For those who perform well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and also gain much confidence and freedom and boldness in the faith which is [founded on and centers] in Christ Jesus.”
Paul wraps up his discussion of deacons with this verse. Perhaps we have a tendency to question why the high qualifi-cations for a deacon. After all, the role of the deacon isn’t as important as that of the overseer, so why such stringent qualifi-cations? Because the man who serves well as a deacon obtains a high standing. That is, he attains a place of honor and influence in the church.
Just as a man who desires to serve as an overseer desires a good work, so the man who serves well as a deacon obtains a high standing, a place of honor and influence. He even gains great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. I don’t know all that means, but surely it speaks of the deacon becoming an even greater servant for the glory of God. Perahps it speaks of his great freedom in sharing the gospel. At any rate, this verse tells us that the role of a deacon is very important. On the other hand, this high standing and great boldness in the faith is only true of the deacon who serves well.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now let’s come back to “the husband of one wife,” which is a qualification for an overseer, as well as for a deacon. Because Paul didn’t give a detailed explanation of this little phrase, it has been interpreted in different ways. On the one hand, some would take it so strictly that they would forbid a man from leadership in the church if his wife died and he remarried. At the other extreme, there are those who would allow a deacon or overseer to selfishly divorce his wife and continue on in the office.
Many of us grew up in a tradition that forbids the office of overseer or deacon to any man who has divorced and remarried. The strength of this interpretation is that it takes marriage seriously. However, it also has weaknesses. Let me mention what I consider the greatest weaknesses. As you look down through this list of qualifications for overseers and deacons, you find that the emphasis is upon character. The only exception might be “apt to teach,” but even that has degrees of variation; some are better teachers than others. I emphasize again that these qualifications focus upon character.
But then we come to “the husband of one wife.” If it simply means that a man be married to only one wife during his lifetime, then it becomes the only qualification (other than “apt to teach”) that doesn’t deal with character. There is no matter of degree; either a man has had more than one wife or he hasn’t. Let me illustrate. Over twenty years ago we were considering a man as a deacon. I was meeting with the men who were currently deacons, and the name of this other man came up. So that left us with only one thing to do. One of the current deacons said, “I’ll find out if he’s been divorced.” It turns out that he had been divorced and he was therefore not considered qualified to be a deacon. Basically, nothing else was considered. Since he was an upstanding man, if he had not been divorced and remarried, he would have been a deacon. In too many cases this has been the only qualification seriously considered. A man might be covetous or quick-tempered, but it doesn’t matter, as long as he hasn’t been divorced.
The other problem with this interpretation is that it doesn’t go far enough. Suppose a man has been married only once in his lifetime. Does that mean that he meets this qualification? I think not. Let’s suppose we are considering a man named Jack to be a deacon. Jack has been married only once, but he flirts with other women. Is that a problem? Of course, that’s a problem. The man doesn’t live up to this qualification. He is not a “one-woman man.” This qualification cannot be adequately considered by simply looking at a man’s marital history.
I confess to you that this is a thorny issue. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do believe that this has more to do with a man’s faithfulness to his wife than with his marital history. Of course, if a man has been divorced and remarried, that may indeed be a problem. It may say something about the man’s view of marriage. But rather than immediately ruling a man out because he has been divorced and remarried, I suggest we look at his specific case and try to determine if he can still be a man above reproach.
Conclusion
I encourage you to keep these qualifications in mind as we examine men we are considering to be deacons. As you read through the qualifications, you will probably find it helpful to read them in another translation or two.
Now I need to share something else with you. I have a very definite reason for going through the qualifications for overseer. Norman and I have been praying about what men should be deacons in this congregation. As we were considering a number of men, something became very apparent to me. There were two of the men we were considering that were different. I don’t mean they were better, but they were different. It occurred to me that these two men were more fitted to being overseers than deacons.
Therefore, unless the Lord leads otherwise, when we present deacons to you, we will also be presenting two more men for overseers/elders. If you would like to give us some feedback along these lines, we would welcome that feedback. This was not our original intention, but it has become increasingly clear in our minds that this is the Lord’s intention.
Let’s continue to pray that God will guide us, as He builds His church.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHURCH LEADERS
I Tim. 1:1-13
This morning we are going to take some time to look at the qualifications for church leaders. As most of you know, we are in the process of securing some deacons in this body. Soon Norman and I will be presenting men we believe the Lord would have serve as deacons. Of the things that the New Testament says about deacons, most of it deals with the qualifications. There isn’t a great deal about what the deacons are to do, though the word itself means “servant,” but we are told specifically who can and cannot be a deacon.
Not only do Norman and I need to be familiar with these qualifications, but so does the entire church body. After we have presented these men to you, you will then examine them in light of these qualifications. This study this morning will not be highly exhaustive, but it should acquaint us with the basic qualifications.
Do you know where in the New Testament to find the qualifications for deacons? That’s right, I Timothy 3, beginning in verse 8. Rather than begin in verse 8, I would like to go ahead and start in verse 1, where Paul discusses the qualifications for bishops, or overseers. This section is a unit and I believe we will do well to consider these together. I will use the term “overseer” rather than “bishop” for two reasons. “Overseer” is much more descriptive, as it tells us that this man is to oversee the church. Also, the term “bishop” carries many connotations that do not come from the scripture.
I must also mention that there is another list of qualifications for an overseer in Titus 1. We won’t be going through that list this morning, but I would encourage you to look at it.
So let’s just dive right into I Timothy 3…
1. pistoV o logoV ei tiV episkophV oregetai kalou ergou epiqumei
KJV… “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
NASV… “It is a trustworthy statement: If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine word he desires to do.”
NIV… “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.”
Ampl… “The saying is true and irrefutable: If any man [eagerly] seeks the office of bishop (superintendent, overseer), he desires an excellent task (work).”
Note that “this is a true saying.” Literally, “The faithful saying.” This phrase is used five times in the Pastoral Epistles, though the King James translates it “faithful saying” in the other four. It seems that this was a formula to introduce a saying that was well-known to the believers in the early church. That means that it was considered very important. Compare the first of these five, which is found in 1 Tim. 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." We can see that it is important for believers to constantly keep in mind that Jesus came into the world to save sinners. But note that it is also important for them to keep in mind the importance of faithful overseers in the church, along with their qualifications.
The Greek word for “desire” in the phrase “If a man desire” means “to stretch one’s self out in order to touch or grasp something. It speaks of reaching after or desiring something. Now the King James speaks of “the office of a bishop.” That is the translation of a single word, and that word means “oversight.” Paul is speaking more of the work of an overseer rather than an office. If a man desires to do the work of an overseer, he desires a good work. He doesn’t need to be ashamed of that godly desire. It is interesting that in Titus 1, where there is a list of qualifications for overseers, there is nothing about a person desiring this position. There Paul tells Titus to appoint such leaders, and then he gives the qualifications. That means that the initiative may come from the man or from the leadership in the church. But if a man does desire to oversee the flock, he is desiring something that is good and proper.
Why is it a good thing for a man to desire oversight (if this is truly a godly desire, and not the result of selfish ambition)? We can find the answer in a passage such as Acts 20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." The overseer feeds the church of God. That is a noble task; it is a good work. These words in Acts 20:28 were actually spoken to the elders of the church in Ephesus. It seems clear that overseer and elder refer to the same office. In this same verse, the word translated “feed” is the verb that means “to shepherd” or “to pastor.” For that reason, we often use the terms overseer (bishop), elder, and pastor interchangeably.
2. dei oun ton episkopon anepilhpton einai miaV gunaikoV andra nhjaleon swjrona kosmion
jiloxenon didaktikon
KJV…"A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"
NASV… “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.”
NIV… “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,”
Ampl…”Now a bishop (superintendent, overseer” must give no grounds for accusation but must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, circumspect and temperate and self-controlled; [he must be] sensible and well behaved and dignified and lead an orderly (disciplined) life; [he must be] hospitable[showing love for and being a friend to the believers, especially strangers or foreigners, and be] a capable and qualified teacher,”
Paul does not leave us in the dark concerning qualifications for leadership (I Tim. 3, Tit. 1). These are to be taken very seriously. It is interesting that there are no such qualifications for teachers and evangelists. A person may be a very effective evangelist and not be qualified to be an overseer. The overseer must be of great moral and spiritual character. While there is nothing wrong with a man desiring this work, he must be qualified, and the qualifications begin with this concept of being irreproachable.
Blameless -- not apprehended; that cannot be laid hold of; hence that cannot be reprehended, not open to censure,
irreproachable. (Only here and in I Tim. 5:7; 6:14). [from a + epilambanw]
NIV, NASV, and Amplified all render it “above reproach,” with the Amplified adding “must give no grounds for accu-
sation.”
This is the qualification that heads the list, and that is intentional. It is the overall summary qualification that takes in all the others. Each of the other qualifications must be seen in light of this one. How will failure to meet that particular qualification make it impossible for the man to be considered blameless? An overseer in the Lord’s church must be above reproach. The Greek word that is used here literally means “not taken.” In other words, his reputation must be so spotless that he can’t be taken by the accusations of others. Not only is he not guilty, but there isn’t even reasonable ground for accusation. The list of qualifications in Titus begins with a word (which is also strictly Pauline) which has the same basic meaning. It is the word anegklhtoV, which means “that cannot be called to account, unreprovable, unaccused, blameless.”
This is a high standard. Why? Because the church is the people of God, the body of Christ. It’s reputation is vital for the glory of God. Its leaders must be held to a high standard. If not, the church will be despised and God’s glory will not be seen. Any of us could name numerous examples of that very thing. Paul doesn’t say that it would be nice if overseers were like this. Rather, he says they must be.
After beginning with this overall idea of being above reproach, Paul then gives a long list of specific qualifications. He begins with “the husband of one wife” (miaV gunaikoV andra). This phrase consists of three words in the Greek – “one,” “wife/woman,” and “husband/man.” The Greeks had one word for “wife” and “woman.” The same was true of “husband” and “man.” (By the way, the word for husband/man is not the general word for “man” that we usually find. That is the word anqropoV and speaks of mankind. It can refer to both men and women. The word used here speaks specifically of males). Because these words are a bit flexible, the translations of this three word phrase will vary. In other words, it lends itself to more than one translation. For example, it could legitimately be translated “one-woman man.” As Alexander Strauch (in Biblical Eldership) concisely states, “This is a painfully controversial phrase” (p. 219).
Because this one is rather difficult, we will come back to it last.
Vigilant… The Greek word literally means “wineless.” The big question is whether it is to be taken literally or figuratively. Most take it figuratively (cognate verb regularly used figuratively in the NT). Sober, temperate, implying self-control, clear-mindedness, and freedom from excesses.
Sober… This word is rather difficult to translate into English. It speaks of being of sound mind; curbing one’s desires and impulses. “Prudent” and “self-controlled” are common translations of this word.
You can see that these two words (“sober” and “vigilant”) are closely related in meaning. That is why the Amplified kind of lumps them together: “circumspect and temperate and self-ontrolled.”
Of good behavior… (“respectable” in NASV, NIV). Literally, it means “orderly.” The life of an overseer must be well-ordered, disciplined. This is the good behavior that Paul is speaking of here. Such a life is required to care for the flock of God.
Given to hospitality… This word literally means “lover of strangers.” The overseer must demonstrate this attitude, especially among God’s people. He must go out of his way to love even those who are “not his kind of people,” and even to open his home to them. Though it is not well-known, this is a command given to all Christians. 1 Pet. 4:9 "Use (pursue) hospitality one to another without grudging." The elder must set the example.
Apt to teach… The overseer must be able to teach the Word of God. It is interesting that this is the only qualification that is directly related to the work of the overseer. This demonstrates how important teaching is in the ministry of the overseer.
3. mh paroinon mh plhkthn mh aiscrokerdh all epieikh amacon ajilarguron
KJV…"Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;"
NASV… “Not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money.”
NIV… “Not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”
Ampl… “Not given to wine, not combative but gentle and considerate, not quarrelsome but forbearing and peaceable, and not a lover of money [insatiable for wealth and ready to obtain it be questionable means].
Not given to wine… Literally, “not beside wine.” It would be difficult to say that this forbids all drinking of wine, but it certainly forbids the addiction to or preoccupation with wine. On the other hand, since deacons are forbidden to given to “much wine,” this is a strong word against the use of wine for the overseer. The application of this principle could easily be extended to other chemical addictions.
No striker… No bruiser, not ready with a blow; not a pugnacious (=having a belligerent nature), contentious, quarrelsome person (Thayer). This is a person who is easily angered and is prone to use physical violence. Such cannot be an overseer, for an overseer must be gentle with the sheep.
Not greedy of filthy lucre… From two words: “base, disgraceful” & “gain.” [This word is in the Received Text, but not in WH or USB. My USB doesn’t even have a note; just excludes it. However, all texts have it in verse 8].
But patient… In KJV, in 3 of 5 uses it is translated “gentle” (as in the other 3 translations here). But the word “gentle” can hardly do it justice. Strauch piles up words to get at its meaning: forbearing, gentle, magnanimous, equitable, peaceable, gracious (p. 228). It is the opposite of the “striker.” This is part of the very character of God, who is “good, and ready to forgive [epeeikh in the LXX], and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon Thee”
(Ps. 86:5). This kind of man possesses God’s pure, peaceable, gently, reasonable, and merciful wisdom (James 3:17).
Not a brawler… Abstaining from fighting; not contentious (Thayer). Only here and in Tit. 3:2. Positively, he is a peaceful man. Fighting in the church is a terrible problem in our day. An overseer must set an example of not being quarrelsome. As Paul tells Timothy in 2 Tim 2:24-25, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;"
Not covetous… Literally, “not a lover of silver.” Like most of the other qualifications, covetousness is something against which all Christians are warned (Heb. 13:5; I Tim. 6:10, etc.). An overseer must set an example. There is also the fact that some overseers will receive materially from the church (see I Tim. 5:17-18). In that situation, love of money would be deadly. Note that in this one little verse there are two warnings against love of money (KJV).
4. tou idiou oikou kalwV proistamenon tekna econta en upotagh meta pashV semnothtoV
KJV… "One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;"
NASV… “He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity.”
NIV… “He must manage his own family well and see that is children obey him with proper respect.”
Ampl… “He must rule his own household well, keeping his children under control, with true dignity, commanding their respect in every way and keeping them respectful.”
Now Paul comes back to the family again. He has already said that the overseer must be husband of one wife (one-woman man). Now he turns his focus upon the children. Nothing is said about the wife, but it is obvious that the husband and wife should be pursuing this goal together.
This word (proisthmi) means “to be over, to superintend, to preside over.” NASV and NIV use the word “manage,” probably to distance the idea of ruling with an iron hand. As he is gentle with the church of God, so he must be with his own family. Nevertheless, his children are to be in subjection to his leadership.
The term “with all gravity” is kind of hard to get hold of. Thayer says of this word translated “gravity,” “that characteristic of a person or thing which entitles to reverence or respect; dignity, gravity, majesty, sanctity.” Again, there is no harshness about that. This involves more than just making sure the kids mind. The overseer’s children submit to him out of deep respect.
5. ei de tiV tou idiou oikou prosthnai ouk oiden pwV ekklhsiaV qeou epimelhsetai
KJV… "(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)"
NASV… “(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)”
NIV… “(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)”
Ampl… “For if a man does not know how to rule his own house\hold, how is he to take care of the church of God?”
The home is the proving ground for the work within the church. This man has been given these children as a gift from God. He has great responsibility toward them. If he can’t perform that responsibility in the home, then how will be able to properly care for the people in the Lord’s church.
6. mh neojuton ina mh tujwqeiV eiV krima empesh tou diabolou
KJV… "Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."
NASV… “and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.”
NIV… “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.”
Ampl… “He must not be a new convert, or he may [develop a beclouded and stupid state of mind] as the result of pride [be blinded by conceit, and] fall into the condemnation that the devil [once] did.”
“Novice” translates a compound word: new & plant. It refers to one who is newly planted. We take our English word “neophyte” directly from this Greek word. Paul is speaking of a recent convert. Praise God for new converts, but no new convert is ready to be an overseer in the Lord’s church. Strauch insightfully shares: “A new Christian does not know his own heart or the craftiness of the enemy, so he is vulnerable to pride—the most subtle of all temptations and most destructive of all sins.”
Note the reference to the devil. Let’s have our mind refreshed about the pride of Lucifer. Read Is. 14:12-15…
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
If Lucifer was tripped up by pride, how likely men are to do the same. “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Prov. 16:18).
7. dei de auton kai marturian kalhn ecein apo twn exwqen ina mh eiV oneidismon empesh kai pagida tou diabolou
KJV… "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."
NASV… “And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
NIV… “He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.”
Ampl… “Furthermore, he must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside [the church], lest he become involved in slander and incur reproach and fall into the devil’s trap.”
The word translated “report” (“reputation”) is “marturia,” from which we get “martyr.” David Witt has shared with us how this is the word that means “witness” or “testify.” In short, Paul is saying that an overseer must have a good testimony outside the church. That does not mean that everyone outside the church likes him. By no means. It does mean that he has a testimony that commands respect. This goes right along with the idea of being without reproach. Perhaps that is why it is placed last, even as “beyond reproach” is placed first.
Since all believers are to bear a good testimony before the world (I Thes 4:11-12; Tit. 2:5,8; I Pet. 2:12,15; 3:16), it is doubly important that an overseer have such a testimony. People in the world are watching Christians, especially Christian leaders.
The devil is mentioned again, but this time it isn’t about the devil falling into condemnation. Here it is the devil who is setting a trap for the would-be church overseer who does not have a good reputation with those outside the church.
8. diakonouV wsautwV semnouV mh dilogouV mh oinw pollw prosecontaV mh aiscrokerdeiV
KJV…"Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;"
NASV… “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongues, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain.”
NIV… “Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.”
Ampl… “In like manner the deacons [must be] worthy of respect, not shifty and double-talkers but sincere in what they say, not given to much wine, not greedy for base gain [craving wealthy and resorting to ignoble and dishonest methods of gaining it].”
Grave… This word speaks of a certain seriousness. You see that other translations render it “men of dignity,” “men worthy of respect.” The deacon is not a man who is “happy go lucky.” He has a certain calm dignity about him.
Not double-tongued… He must not be the kind of man that says one thing to one person and another thing to another person. Rather, he is a man whose word can be trusted. He is a man who demonstrates integrity of speech.
*You will notice that these two qualifications are unique to deacons, as they were not mentioned in regard to overseers.
Not given to much wine… A man who has a drinking problem cannot be a deacon, pure and simple. [Contrast with the qualification for overseer – “not given to wine”].
Not greedy of filthy lucre… Not fond of dishonest gain. This was a qualification for overseers (vs. 3, Received Text). This is extremely important for the deacon, because one of his tasks is that of benevolence. He will be dealing with money and must have integrity in this area.
9. econtaV to musthrion thV pistewV en kaqara suneidhsei
KJV… "Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience."
NASV… “but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.”
NIV… “They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.”
Ampl… “They must possess the mystic secret of the faith [Christian truth as hidden from ungodly men] with a clear conscience.”
What is “the mystery of the faith”? “Mystery,” which is used a number of times by Paul, refers to a revealed secret. It wasn’t know in the past, but now it has been made known through the work of the Holy Spirit. “The faith” refers to the truths of Christian doctrine. So “the mystery of the faith” refers to revealed Christian truth. The deacon must hold on to that revealed truth with a clear conscience. In other words, his life and doctrine must match up. To fail to live the faith he embraces will defile his conscience and will eventually be a bad testimony, bringing disgrace upon the Lord’s church.
10. kai outoi de dokimazesqwsan prwton eita diakoneitwsan anegklhtoi onteV
KJV… "And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless."
NASV… “And let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach.”
NIV… “They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.”
Ampl… “And let them also be tried and investigated and proved first; then, if they turn out to be above reproach, let them serve as deacons.”
Before a man serves as a deacon, he must be proved, tested, examined. The word translated “proved” was sometimes used of men who were examined before taking public office. Notice the word “also.” This may refer back to overseers. In other words, as an overseer must be examined (see I Tim. 5:24-25), so must a deacon. Once the man has been tested and approved, then let him serve as a deacon.
Notice that he must be found blameless. This corresponds to the qualification of an overseer in verse 2. While this word in verse 10 is a different word, it has about the same meaning. After being examined, if there is no justifiable accusation against the man, he may serve as a deacon.
Notice too that there are no specifics given as to how these men are to be examined. Unlike the regulations of the Old Testament, the Spirit-inspired writers of the New Testament did not give long lists of specifics in such areas. Each local church is given a great deal of freedom in how it will carry out such things. You will recall that we have already decided on a plan for such examination. After Norman and I put forth the names of the men we believe the Lord would have serve as deacons, then you will have two weeks to bring to us any concerns you have about the biblical qualifications of those men. The key is “biblical qualifications.” No other concerns will be considered.
11. gunaikaV wsautwV semnaV mh diabolouV nhjaleouV pistaV en pasin
KJV… “Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.”
NASV… “Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips; but temperate, faithful in all things.”
NIV… “In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in evertything.”
Ampl… “[The] women likewise must be worthy of respect and serious, not gossipers, but temperate and self-controlled, [thoroughly] trustworthy in all things.”
There are some who say that this is not talking about the wives of deacons, but about women who serve as deacons (deaconesses). Remember that the word translated “wives” can just as legitimately be translated “women” (As the NASV and Amplified translate it here). However, since the word “deacon” isn’t used with respect to these women/wives and because of what follows concerning the deacons being the husbands of one wife, I believe Paul is indeed speaking of the wives of deacons. Since a deacon is a servant of the body of Christ, it stands to reason that his wife would serve alongside him. With that in mind, the character of his wife must also be considered in his qualifications.
Grave… We have already seen this as a qualification for the man. His wife likewise must be grave, dignified, given to a certain seriousness.
Not slanderers… The word translated “slanderers” is the plural of the “devil” (diabolos). The devil is the chief slanderer of all. NASV translates it “malicious gossips.” We can understand how a wife who slandered others would greatly hinder the work of her deacon husband. Positively, this is a woman who controls her tongue and speaks lovingly and wisely.
Sober… This word was used of overseers in verse 2, but was there translated “vigilant.” The wife of the deacon must be self-cntrolled and clear-minded.
Faithful in all things… This must be a woman who is dependable. Notice that she must be faithful in all things. She is to be faithful in every aspect of her life. We could say that this last qualification is the most far-reaching and gathers up the others. She is to be faithful to God, faithful to her husband and family, faithful in the body of Christ.
12. diakonoi estwsan miaV gunaikoV andreV teknwn kalwV proistamenoi kai twn idiwn oikwn
KJV… “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”
NASV… “Let deacons be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.”
NIV… “A deacon must be the jusband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.”
Ampl… “Let deacons be the husbands of but one wife, and let them manage [their] children and their own households well.”
Now we have another qualification that parallels that of the overseers. He is to be the husband of one wife and he is to manage his household well.
13. oi gar kalwV diakonhsanteV baqmon eautoiV kalon peripoiountai kai pollhn parrhsian en pistei th en cristw ihsou
KJV… "For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
NASV… “For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.”
NIV… “Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.”
Ampl… “For those who perform well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves and also gain much confidence and freedom and boldness in the faith which is [founded on and centers] in Christ Jesus.”
Paul wraps up his discussion of deacons with this verse. Perhaps we have a tendency to question why the high qualifi-cations for a deacon. After all, the role of the deacon isn’t as important as that of the overseer, so why such stringent qualifi-cations? Because the man who serves well as a deacon obtains a high standing. That is, he attains a place of honor and influence in the church.
Just as a man who desires to serve as an overseer desires a good work, so the man who serves well as a deacon obtains a high standing, a place of honor and influence. He even gains great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. I don’t know all that means, but surely it speaks of the deacon becoming an even greater servant for the glory of God. Perahps it speaks of his great freedom in sharing the gospel. At any rate, this verse tells us that the role of a deacon is very important. On the other hand, this high standing and great boldness in the faith is only true of the deacon who serves well.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now let’s come back to “the husband of one wife,” which is a qualification for an overseer, as well as for a deacon. Because Paul didn’t give a detailed explanation of this little phrase, it has been interpreted in different ways. On the one hand, some would take it so strictly that they would forbid a man from leadership in the church if his wife died and he remarried. At the other extreme, there are those who would allow a deacon or overseer to selfishly divorce his wife and continue on in the office.
Many of us grew up in a tradition that forbids the office of overseer or deacon to any man who has divorced and remarried. The strength of this interpretation is that it takes marriage seriously. However, it also has weaknesses. Let me mention what I consider the greatest weaknesses. As you look down through this list of qualifications for overseers and deacons, you find that the emphasis is upon character. The only exception might be “apt to teach,” but even that has degrees of variation; some are better teachers than others. I emphasize again that these qualifications focus upon character.
But then we come to “the husband of one wife.” If it simply means that a man be married to only one wife during his lifetime, then it becomes the only qualification (other than “apt to teach”) that doesn’t deal with character. There is no matter of degree; either a man has had more than one wife or he hasn’t. Let me illustrate. Over twenty years ago we were considering a man as a deacon. I was meeting with the men who were currently deacons, and the name of this other man came up. So that left us with only one thing to do. One of the current deacons said, “I’ll find out if he’s been divorced.” It turns out that he had been divorced and he was therefore not considered qualified to be a deacon. Basically, nothing else was considered. Since he was an upstanding man, if he had not been divorced and remarried, he would have been a deacon. In too many cases this has been the only qualification seriously considered. A man might be covetous or quick-tempered, but it doesn’t matter, as long as he hasn’t been divorced.
The other problem with this interpretation is that it doesn’t go far enough. Suppose a man has been married only once in his lifetime. Does that mean that he meets this qualification? I think not. Let’s suppose we are considering a man named Jack to be a deacon. Jack has been married only once, but he flirts with other women. Is that a problem? Of course, that’s a problem. The man doesn’t live up to this qualification. He is not a “one-woman man.” This qualification cannot be adequately considered by simply looking at a man’s marital history.
I confess to you that this is a thorny issue. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do believe that this has more to do with a man’s faithfulness to his wife than with his marital history. Of course, if a man has been divorced and remarried, that may indeed be a problem. It may say something about the man’s view of marriage. But rather than immediately ruling a man out because he has been divorced and remarried, I suggest we look at his specific case and try to determine if he can still be a man above reproach.
Conclusion
I encourage you to keep these qualifications in mind as we examine men we are considering to be deacons. As you read through the qualifications, you will probably find it helpful to read them in another translation or two.
Now I need to share something else with you. I have a very definite reason for going through the qualifications for overseer. Norman and I have been praying about what men should be deacons in this congregation. As we were considering a number of men, something became very apparent to me. There were two of the men we were considering that were different. I don’t mean they were better, but they were different. It occurred to me that these two men were more fitted to being overseers than deacons.
Therefore, unless the Lord leads otherwise, when we present deacons to you, we will also be presenting two more men for overseers/elders. If you would like to give us some feedback along these lines, we would welcome that feedback. This was not our original intention, but it has become increasingly clear in our minds that this is the Lord’s intention.
Let’s continue to pray that God will guide us, as He builds His church.
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