1 Timothy 3.6-7-The Final Two Qualifications Required for the Man with the Gift of Pastor-Teacher to Assume the Office of Overseer
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday December 1, 2022
Pastor-Teacher Series: 1 Timothy 3:6-7-The Final Two Qualifications for the Man with the Gift of Pastor-Teacher to Assume the Office of Overseer
Lesson # 8
1 Timothy 3:6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. (NASB95)
“Not a new convert” describes a person who has been recently converted to Christianity and denies any idea of a newly converted Christian being given authority of an overseer.
Therefore, Paul wants mature Christian men with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher to assume the office of overseer in the local assembly and does not want new believers in this position.
A new believer is very vulnerable and susceptible to false teaching, thus it is dangerous to place them in a position of authority over the flock of God.
He goes on to teach here in verse 6 that they are susceptible to pride, which brought the devil to ruin.
This is why Paul issues the following prohibition in 1 Timothy 5:22.
1 Timothy 5:22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. (ESV)
Both, new or immature believers in spiritual childhood and mature believers are susceptible to arrogance.
The difference between the two is that the believer in spiritual adulthood has more doctrine in his soul to combat the arrogance than does the believer still in spiritual childhood.
In other words a believer in spiritual adulthood has a greater understanding and awareness of the deception of his sin nature and the devil and his position in Christ and his dependence upon the Spirit and the Word to deal with these two enemies.
Therefore, 1 Timothy 3:6 and 5:22 emphasize that the overseer should be at some level of spiritual maturity since if he is not he will become arrogant.
It also indicates that the church in Ephesus has been in existence for some time.
“So that he will not become conceited” indicates that a new believer will become arrogant if he is installed in the office of overseer in the local assembly.
It indicates that a man who has been placed in the office of overseer will fall into the condemnation of the devil because he has become arrogant due to assuming this position.
Therefore, it indicates that arrogance precedes a fall.
Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. (ESV)
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (ESV)
Thus, Paul is saying that it is absolutely imperative that the man who aspires to the office of overseer must not be a new convert in order that he will not fall into the condemnation that the devil incurred because he became arrogant.
“And fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil” speaks of a man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher experiencing divine discipline from the Lord because he became arrogant as a result of becoming an overseer when he did not have the spiritual maturity to handle such a position.
Obviously, Paul is speaking of a believer here thus his condemnation due to arrogance is not the same as the devil who rejects Jesus Christ.
A believer receives divine discipline from God as a child would receive from his parents.
Only unbelievers receive eternal condemnation like the devil.
Thus this condemnation that the believer receives for arrogance is not the same as the condemnation that the devil received.
They are similar in the sense that they both received punishment from God.
They are also similar because this punishment in both instances is due to pride and arrogance.
However, the devil’s punishment is permanent and the believer’s is temporary.
1 Timothy 3:6 It is, as an eternal spiritual truth absolutely imperative the overseer not be a new convert in order that he will not fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil because he may became arrogant. (Lecturer’s translation)
The apostle Paul in verse 7 presents the fifteenth qualification that must be met by those men with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspire to the office of overseer in order for them to be promoted to this office.
This qualification demands that the man who aspires to the office of pastor-teacher must be an individual whose life consists of actions, which serve as testimony to a man’s character and integrity.
The life of the pastor-teacher must reflect his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
He should have a reputation for character and integrity even with the unbeliever (See 1 Peter 2:12).
1 Timothy 3:7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (NASB95)
“He must have a good reputation with those outside the church” is emphasizing that the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who desires to be promoted to the office of overseer must have a good reputation with unbelievers is extremely important in order that they might not fall into disgrace and not be caught in the devil’s trap.
The pastor must have a reputation among the unsaved in his community because he possesses a lifestyle of unquestioned integrity.
It expresses the necessity that the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher, who aspires to the office of overseer must possess a good reputation with the unsaved in the community if he is to be promoted to this position.
It is used of the opinion of the unsaved with regards to the character and integrity of the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer.
It refers to the unsaved’s evaluation or assessment of the conduct and character of the man with the spiritual gift pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer.
“So that he will not fall into reproach” presents Paul’s purpose for demanding that men with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher and who desire to be promoted to the office of overseer must have an excellent reputation with the unbelievers in the community.
It denies any idea of a man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to be promoted to the office of overseer falling into reproach because he has a bad reputation with the unsaved in his community.
“Snare of the devil” refers to the various temptations such as pride, money, women and ambition that lead one into sin, which pastor-teachers are warned about throughout the Pastoral Epistles.
1 Timothy 3:7 It is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely imperative to possess an excellent reputation from those outside in order that he would not fall into disgrace as a result of the devil’s trap. (Lecturer’s translation)
1 Timothy 3:7 speaks of the royal ambassadorship of the man with the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher who aspires to the office of overseer.
At the moment of conversion, God gives the church-age believer two royal commissions: (1) a royal ambassadorship (2 Corinthians 5:20), which represents Christ before the unbeliever and (2) a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5, 9), which represents himself before God.
At the moment of his conversion, the church age believer was given a royal ambassadorship in which he is to represent the absent Christ who sits as the right hand of the Father and presents the gospel message of peace with God to the unsaved through faith alone in Christ alone (2 Cor. 5:20a).
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (NASB95)
1 Peter 2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. (NASB95)