A verse-by-verse study of Revelation 9. The last of the trumpets are ready to be sounded. From their sounding will come demonic creatures which will plague mankind with pain and death.
Revelation 9:1-12
Revelation 9:13-21
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Friday, May 22, 2020
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Revelation 8
A verse-by-verse study of Revelation 8 from a premillennial perspective.
As the seventh seal is opened there is an eerie silence in heaven for half an hour. Trumpets are given to seven angels and the first four trumpets are sounded.
Revelation 8:1-6
Revelation 8:7-13
As the seventh seal is opened there is an eerie silence in heaven for half an hour. Trumpets are given to seven angels and the first four trumpets are sounded.
Revelation 8:1-6
Revelation 8:7-13
Verses of the Week: 1 Timothy 3:6-7
Verses of the Week: 1 Timothy 3:6-7
7
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. 1 Timothy 3:6-7
Welcome to our final lesson
on the qualifications for the position of an elder. Each week we have examined the
qualifications of what it is needed to be an elder in the church. We finish
with our last two qualifications, not a new covert, and a good reputation with
the community. These are extremely important qualifications considering what
the elder does in the church and out in the community.
Once again, we are reminded that
these qualifications are for the “now.” They are not qualifications that one
aspires to. To be an elder you must be exhibiting these qualifications in the
here and now.
I would recommend for any who
wish to further their understanding of elders and their importance in the
church, along with all facets of church structure today, to purchase and study
Dr. Mal Couch’s book, “A Biblical Theology of the Church.”
6 and not a new convert, lest he
become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil
7 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. 1 Timothy 3:6-7
Not
a new covert- The Greek word means “to be newly planted.” When a man is a
new convert to the Christian faith advancement to a leadership position is not
a wise idea. They should be allowed to grow “deep roots” in the faith and in
the community before authority is considered for them. Even if this is an older
man, who has experienced the world and possess much natural wisdom, he should
not be an elder until he has demonstrated Biblical wisdom. Just being elderly
does not qualify you for this position.
Another idea of the new convert is
the idea of “spiritual babies.” They are still “babies” in the faith, having
not grown up on the Word of God and having faced the world the world as a
believer to discover what the world has in store for them. Spiritual babes cannot carry on the work of
the Lord in the local church.
The new convert being assigned to
such a position as an elder may become puffed up with pride and therefore make
arbitrary decisions. The most mature believers have times when they wrestle with
temptation. Jesus faced Satan's temptations (Matthew 4:1–11), though He never
sinned (Hebrews 4:15). They have had more experience in dealing with the
temptations and stresses of the Christian life. Also, they are more aware of
their own shortcomings, so they are less likely to become arrogant. For these
reasons, a person who is new in their faith should not be given spiritual
authority over others.
Mature believers are better
equipped to teach and equip members of the church. Their inexperience will limit
their use to the church and to the members who may come to him for advice, not
knowing the Scriptures enough to give Bible-based advice. The elder should be the following:
1.
A man of experience, both in the Scriptures and
in the world
2.
A man trained in the Scriptures. This does not
mean they have gone to church their whole life therefore they know all there
is. They must be able to demonstrate that they know the Scriptures and how to
properly apply them to daily life situations for others.
3.
A man trained to teach the truth of the
Scriptures.
4.
And as added in v. 7, a man who has proved his
experience by his daily living in the church and before the community.
He
become conceited- This literally
means “to raise a smoke, emit smoke, or smolder” being puffed up. The idea is metaphorically
"to blind with pride or conceit." Because of rapid advancement into a
place of authority and leadership causes him to become proud. The novice is so inflated
with self-conceit and ideas of his own importance, he is not able see himself
or others in reality.
This is not the only reason, but it
is a good one. It would difficult for young men who do not have deep roots in
their faith to assume a position of humbleness and servanthood. Though age and
maturity are not complete proof against
this; a more mature believer is much less likely to be injured after they have
had the experience of how his heart leads him, and with a mind has been deeply taught in knowledge with
the spirit of the gospel and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Fall-
This fall may incur dishonor not just in his ministerial life but also in
his personal life depending on the attack from Satan.
Into
condemnation- This is condemnation on account of pride. Just as
Satan had pride grab him and control him, so to a novice is very susceptible to
pride and the consequences that follow. The temptation that grabbed Satan will
be used by Satan to grab the new convert.
Incurred
by the devil- Satan will know the weakest point to ensnare the new
believer. He knows how to drag him down and mercilessly buffet him. Pride is an
extraordinarily strong pull on a new believer if they are moved into a position
of authority. They begin to believe the words of praise that is given in their
direction. They will begin to feel more that this is something that is up to
them, instead of relying on God.
He
must have- No choice.
A
good reputation- A good testimony. When the leader in the church has a bad
reputation in the community, it often brings irreparable damage to the local
congregation and indeed the entire of Christ.
One
church I attended the pastor was a historic premillennial. I attended a
prophecy seminar and was approached by another attendee who noticed the name of
the church on my badge. He inquired why I would be at a dispensational seminar
coming from a church that was historic premillennial. It shocked me for a
second how much those outside the local church attach the pastor’s belief to
the whole congregation. I informed him that the majority of the church had no idea
what the pastor’s end times beliefs were. Many in that church were unknowingly
dispensational premillennial.
With
those outside the church- Unbelievers. Church leaders are representatives
the church they minister in. The church, the people, and the facility, do not
exist in a vacuum. Those that the church do business with have great insight on
the elders and the way the church is run.
Why is
this important? Because those outside the church are the fields that need to be
harvested. The body of Christ, especially its earthly authorities, should be
continually seeking to have a godly influence for Christ upon the world. We
should eye every opportunity for leading sinners to Christ. Any elder who has a
bad reputation with the world will be wholly ineffective in achieving the goal
of bringing others of Christ.
There
will always be those outside the church that will criticize and condemn any man
who leads a clean and righteous life. But a majority in the community will be
pleased with a man who properly leads the church. The judgment from outsiders
will form an opinion of the church. The elder must lead a life that will
communicate to unbeliever’s confidence and respect and not give reason to
accuse them.
So-
In order that.
He
many not fall- We know that this fallen world’s great desire is to discover
and expose men of authority in the church as hypocrites and sinners.
Into
reproach- A bad reputation in the neighborhood. Suddenly the whole town
will believe any gossip they hear about the young elder. With gossip the truth
does not matter, only if the story being told is interesting and other want to
hear. He is in no way to bring dishonor
to the ministry that he has been elevated to.
And
the snare of the devil- Satan likes nothing more than to disgrace God’s
work and God’s people by trapping church leaders in sin before a watching
world. It is important that elders achieve and maintain a good reputation
before unbelievers.
I hope you have enjoyed and been enlightened as to what it
entails to be an elder. It is not something any man should lightly consider.
While it is a heavy duty it is also a great honor that must be bestowed only on
those who qualify according to what Scripture dictates.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Revelation 7
A verse-by-verse study of Revelation 7. John sees two groups of people. The converted 144,00 Jewish evangelists and the great multitude from all over the earth now in heaven.
Revelation 7:1-8, The 144,000
Revelation 7:9-17, The Great Multitude
Revelation 7:1-8, The 144,000
Revelation 7:9-17, The Great Multitude
Monday, May 11, 2020
Verse of the Week: I Timothy 3:2
Verse of the Week: I Timothy 3:2
And overseer, then, must be
above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable,
hospitable, able to teach, 1 Timothy 3:2
We begin our look at the 16 qualifications that Paul lists
for those who aspire to be elders. What we see are extremely high standards for
the responsibility they will be entrusted to. No one is perfect, or will become
perfect in this life, but the goal is there for the elder to work for.
Each of these is written in the present tense in the Greek.
They are to be found right now in those who wish to be elders. There should
never be a future promise of “I will change” or “I am working on that.” These
16 qualifications are bedrock necessities for the man who wishes to be an
elder.
And overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband
of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 1
Timothy 3:2
(1) Be above reproach-
This most important quality is at the head of the qualifications. This does not
mean the man is perfect, for none of are perfect. But that his maturity in
faith and confidence in the Word of God is a constant shield to him enabling
him to deflect many of the snares that Satan sets for him.
This is the man who it is impossible to bring any charge of wrongdoing
if he was brought before a panel of impartial judges. He is not liable to
criticism as he would be if he failed in any of these qualities. The overseer
must be blameless in his behavior. No one can point a finger at him and accuse
him of anything because of the way he lives his life. What people see in him,
both in the church and out of the church, is who the man is. His character is
blameless.
(2) Husband of one wife-
First and foremost this indicates that the elder must be a married man. He is
not to be single and not to be living at home. The elders home life, how he
leads his wife and children, will be a great measuring rod (though not perfect)
on how he will lead the church. Whenever elders are seen in scriptures they are
married and have children.
This is a controversial portion of the elder qualifications.
The simple meaning is, “married only
once.” There have been two general interpretations of this:
1.
He has never been divorced.
2.
He is the husband of only one wife, in other
words not a bigamist.
Dr. Couch comments:
No scholar worth his salt can be
dogmatic as to the meaning of this phrase. Since polygamy was still fashionable
among the pagans and the Jews (up to the 12th century), more than
likely the passage has reference to such practice. As well, coming out of a
pagan culture, no elder could have escaped its pollution in his past. More than
likely, then, an elder could have been divorced but matured spiritually since
and could have held office. Though divorce is tragic, it is not the
“unpardonable sin” some make it. Again, using the present tense in Greek, Paul
would be saying: “The husband of one wife presently.”[1]
Church Father Theodoret (c. 393-c. 458/466):
And even now, though the Imperial
laws forbid men to marry two wives at one time, they have commerce with
concubines and harlots. They have said, therefore, that the holy apostle
declared that he who dwells in a becoming manner with a single wife is worthy
of being ordained to the episcopate… [an elder]”
Church father and translator of the Vulgate, Jerome (c.
347-420) stated in his notes on Titus that many of the church divines (one
learned in theology) wrote and taught this was merely to condemn polygamy, not
to exclude men who had been married twice.
(3) Temperate- They
are sober or well-balanced. The use liquor in moderation. The Scripture never
prohibits the use of alcohol. It does however prohibit the abuse and being
drunk. HOWEVER, if by drinking you cause a brother to stumble or cause one to
sin you are liable. By all our actions our love for our brothers and sisters in
Christ, our loved for the unsaved, comes before any exercise of our Christian
freedom. Paul writes:
Now we who are strong ought to
bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.
Romans 15:1
It is good not to eat meat or to
drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. Romans 14:21
The Greek word, nephalios, meant “not mixed with
wine.” They are to be calm and unimpassioned in their mind. They are not the
type who fly off the handle or let outside influences control their actions.
They keep their mind on God and on His Word as his guide and do not use outside
sources as his standard.
(4) Prudent- They are
self-controlled or of a sound mind. The elder is someone who follows sound
reason. They do not listen to an idea and jump at it. They listen to a
proposal, weigh the different factors involved (what are they saying, what does
Scripture say, is there precedent in the Scripture) and come to a decision
based on what is discovered.
(5) Respectable- The
basic meaning of this word is “orderly.” But Greek writers often used it in the
sense of being honorable. Both meanings would fit well with our discussion, but
honorable seems to stand out in what is being taught about the elder. The elder
should walk as he talks. If he speaks out against something, he should not be
caught doing the same thing. He is the example for the church.
(6) Hospitable- This
is from the Greek word philoxenon, which literally means “loving
strangers.” This word carries the idea of friend or friendly. Elders
were to give a friendly reception and proper fellowship to fellow believers.
The elders are to love those who were strangers in the
flesh, but brothers in Christ. This would build upon #3 since wisdom indicates
you do not invite all strangers into your home and expose them to your family.
If you are not temperate, this qualification could become extremely dangerous.
In the first century Christians avoided public inns. Traveling
was not as it is today. Safety standards for the food lodging was word of mouth
if anyone had gotten sick or died while staying there. Most inns had a pagan
atmosphere and food that had been offered up to the gods or local idols.
Traveling believers would seek out Christian homes to stay and enjoy the
fellowship of fellow believers. This would cement the lines of fellowship and
provide a point of reference should they come back through. The elder was to
open up his home to those seeing a place to stay.
One of the byproducts was that believers from all over would
get to know each other. The church would learn just how international in
character believers in Christ were. Many believers did not travel much more
than twenty miles from where they were born. But they could still learn through
those who lodged with them what the world outside their knowledge was like.
(7) Able to teach- This
is not listed in the qualifications for a deacon. This is the primary function
of the elder. Not leading worship, not organizing the church picnic or counting
the offering plate. Teaching is their primary focus.
Not merely a readiness to teach is implied here. Though many
want to teach not all should teach:
Let not many of you become
teachers,[2]
my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment [Bema Seat
Judgement]. James 3:1
This is not merely a desire to do so, but a calling by God
to be a teacher. It is a spiritual power that can only be given through
prayerful meditation in the Word of God and the practical application of the
truth of Scripture to oneself. As mentioned in #5 if an elder cannot “walk as he
talks” he cannot be a teacher.
The elder must be able not only to understand the Word of
God but he must be able to communicate it on a level that those under his
spiritual care can understand. He must be able to communicate truth to other
while at the same time be able to refute those who mishandle the truth. He must
be aware of the times and the false doctrines and “holy fads” that are entering
the church. An elder must be able to logically communicate, clear, rational,
truth that builds a doctrinal framework in the believer.
Paul writes to Titus concerning elders and teaching:
holding fast the faithful word
which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in
sound [healthy] doctrine and to refute [expose] those who contradict. Titus 1:9
The elder must know the word before he can “hold fast” to
it. This can only come through study, prayer, and continual immersion in God’s
Word. “The teaching” indicates that there were set teachings that were given to
all who were under their tutelage. The elder did not just pick out a part of
the Bible and go wherever he wished to go. Each word of the Bible contains a
meaning and it was the responsibility of the elder to convey that meaning in
its appropriate context.
Next week we will examine vv. 3-5. Two great evils of society
which we still encounter today.
[1] How
to Start a New Testament Church, Dr. Mal Couch, p 14.
[2] Teachers.
Since teachers use their tongues (to instruct others) more, they will be
judged more strictly.
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