Biblical Elders

Please open your Bibles with me to the book of Titus. (READ chapter 1)

PRAY WITH ME PLEASE

Introduction

Over the next couple of weeks we are going to spending our time together in this short letter.

As we do, we will see three main themes.

Today, in chapter one, we will see the Biblical qualifications and responsibilities of an Elder.

Next week, in chapter two, we will see how believers in Jesus Christ are meant to relate to one another in the church.

in two weeks time, in chapter three, we will see how believers in Jesus Christ are meant to relate to those outside the Body of Christ.

Let’s establish a little context to this letter to Titus.

Paul is writing to Titus as he ministers on an Island in the middle of the Mediterranean called Crete.

Paul left Titus there after traveling there, and seeing the state of the churches.

There is some conjecture about when Paul actually left Titus in Crete.

Some believe that this was after Paul’s house arrest in Rome that we just finished studying.

This coincides with Titus being the 2nd to last book Paul ever wrote.

Others believe Paul left Titus there on his voyage to Rome, because that is the only time we ever see Paul on or near the Island.

Paul was at Crete in Acts 27:7-9.

We have no record of Paul ever planting churches here, as he was still a prisoner.

There likely were believers here, because we see in Acts 2:11, that they were a part of those who heard the Disciples speaking in other languages (tongues) on the day of Pentecost, and therefore heard the gospel.

There was a considerable Jewish population on this Island so they would have been in Jerusalem for Pentecost.

These believers likely took the Gospel back to their Island.

Since there is no record of Paul ever being there ministering, the churches there were left leaderless and unprotected, as Paul’s custom was to set elders up in every church that he planted, so that they could shepherd and protect the flock: Acts 14:23.

Without the leadership of strong Elders/Overseers, it left these churches vulnerable to false teaching and money grabbers.

These false teachers led the churches into all kinds of debauchery, which caused the unbelievers to disregard the Gospel message that they were to be preaching.

If their lives remained virtually unchanged after professing faith in Christ, what good did the message actually do?

And there seem to have been many of these false teachers, as you see Paul encourage Titus to reprove them sharply in verses 10, 11.

With the churches in shambles, with false teachers as leaders, Paul leaves Titus there, as his representative, to set up leadership and to bring order to the churches.

this is the main theme of this letter: How is a Local Church meant to operate in the community that God has placed it in?

We see the main theme of the entire book in verse 5. (REREAD v. 5).

The context of the churches on the Island of Crete and the context of the universal church today is not dissimilar.

Many so-called churches today have “pastors” who are building their own kingdom, rather than being faithful to God’s Word.

We find pastors with brilliant smiles hiding stacks of cash the bathroom walls of their church.

We find pastors saying that Isaiah 9:6, 7, is the Lord Jesus Christ telling God the Father that we (believers in Jesus) are gifts to God. Wrapping himself in a bow, and calling himself a gift for God.

who knows what other ludicrous heresies are out there.

We find pastors that are outside accountability, teaching whatever will bring the crowds in so that they can get a pay check, rather than the faithful proclamation of the unadulterated Word of God.

We find people who are good speakers, and can get a crowd pumped up and going, but are simply unqualified.

This is the culture of Christianity at large.

So as we move into ministering in Peru, Indiana for 2023, how do we make sure that we are ministering the way that God would have us minister?

What checks do we have?

We’ll find three things in the passage before us:

1. Ministry must be done as stewards of God, following the Word of the Master (vv. 1-4).

2. The Elder’s Character must exhibit a life transformed by the Gospel and lived in accordance to the Word of God (vv. 5-9a).

3. The Elder must hold fast to the truth and correct what is false (vv. 9b-16).

Ministry must be done as stewards of God, following the Word of the Master. (Titus 1:1-4)

In Paul’s greeting, he tells Titus two things about himself.

First, he is a slave of God.

Your translation may say bond-servant.

This is the most menial of slave in ancient times. Meaning that this slave no longer had any will of his own. All he could do is serve at the pleasure of his Master.

Second, he is an Apostle.

Apostles in this sense, are those who have seen the Resurrected Christ, been chosen by the Holy Spirit, and given the distinct privilege to perform miraculous signs to confirm the message that they were preaching.

There are no apostles today, because they were sent out by Christ to build the foundation of the Church.

Paul talks about this in Ephesians 2:20 “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,”

and 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Paul’s divine mission was to build and set up the infant Church, so he is writing with Apostolic authority to Titus, and also the Cretan Churches, so that they would know exactly what was going on.

Paul tells Titus to “set in order” what was there on Crete.

This is the same Greek word for setting a broken bone.

While the churches had been started, they now need to be corrected, and set in order, so that they could function the way that Christ intended them to.

If Paul, as the slave of God, and the Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ laid the foundation of the Church, how then Titus, and how then are we to build upon that foundation?

In the same way that Paul built the foundation, according to the Word of God!

Notice how many times Paul uses the Word “according to” to describe the ministry that God had called him to.

v. 1: “according to godliness”, which points out that the true message of the Gospel leads to a godly life.

v. 3: “according to the commandment...”

v. 4: “according to our common faith.”

v. 1: “for the faith...” “for” is the Greek Word “kata” which is the word used for “according”.

EVERYTHING PAUL DID WAS ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD.

Notice how many different allusions Paul uses of the Word of God simply in his greeting.

v. 1: “the faith of God’s elect and the full knowledge of the truth...”

v. 3: the promise of eternal life that at the proper time “manifested His word in preaching”

v. 3: “with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior”

v. 4: “my genuine child according to our common faith”.

Paul clues Titus in on this, with that last one, our common faith, points to the faith once for all delivered down to the Saints.

This is the commandment that Paul was entrusted with to Preach.

Like Paul ministered, Titus was to set in order the Churches on the Island of Crete, “according to” the Word of God.

This is the way we minister as well, “according to the Word of God.”

We aren’t meant to minister as the market place does.

We aren’t meant to grab on to whatever hot fad idea that passes by.

Only the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.

Like Titus, Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching.”

It is hard, slow, and sometimes messy work because we are still sinners, but to minister according to the Word of God is the kind of ministry that God blesses.

It is no wonder that Paul tells Titus that the elders he was to set up were to be “holding fast the faith word which is in accordance with the teaching...” (v. 9).

“holding fast” is a present, passive, participle. This means that the elder is to be constant in the word of God, so much so it effects and governs not only his ministry but his entire life.

This brings us to our second main point:

The Elder’s Character must exhibit a life transformed by the Gospel and lived in accordance to the Word of God. (Titus 1:5-9a)

In verses 6-8, we see what are commonly called the qualifications of an Elders. As Paul was commanding Titus to set up elders in every city, or every church, on the Island of Crete, these are the qualities that he was to look for. These are the qualities of a man who is living according to the Word of God. If these qualities were not found in a man, he was not to be considered for eldership.

Elders/Overseers are seen as the under-shepherds of the church. Synonymous with pastors. By their teaching and their lives, they lead the church. Therefore, their character is of utmost importance.

Family life.

a one-woman man.

Marriage

Married only once (to a woman)

Eyes only for his wife.

Man.

Christ does not permit women to be Elders in His church.

They have many another responsibilities.

Children that obey/love the Lord.

Paul puts it this way in 1 Timothy 3:4-5 “leading his own household well, having his children in submission with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to lead his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),”

This presupposes that the family life of the Elder is known to the congregation.

There is no life of secrecy.

Steward.

A steward is a lot like a “slave”. To be a steward is be a butler or a caretaker. You still follow after the master of the house’s rules.

You can’t just do whatever you want.

To be a steward of God, means that we care for the church in the way that God desires.

2 Corinthians 4:1-2 “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

Negative Qualifications:

not self-willed—> always pushing to have his own way in everything, whether he is right or wrong.

not quick-tempered—> easily triggered.

not addicted to wine—> Drinking alcohol to the point that in inhibits the mind. This then includes other substances.

Ephesians 5:18 “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,”

not pugnacious—> means “quick striker” or someone who always gets back at someone who wrongs them or annoys them.

not fond of dishonest gain—> Simply Pastors who pastor to gain wealth.

Positive Qualifications:

hospitable—> Greek term literally means “lover of strangers”. Does this person welcome people into their home.

loving what is good—> Good books, good music, good causes, literally anything that could be considered biblically good.

sensible—> Serious, focused, and dedicated to the right things. Has balanced judgment.

righteous—> a “just” life. Connected with the next, but is personal effort.

holy—> Unstained by the world, is not affected by the world and all its allures.

self-controlled—>Disciplined. Can controlled himself and his appetites, yielding to the Holy Spirit.

Again, this is the life lived “holding fast” to the word of God. This is what the Christian life is meant to look like, and therefore could lead in this life. Someone whose character that does not look like this, would easily be demanding to be followed.

These qualifications are characteristic of a man who has been transformed by the Gospel.

Titus 2:11-14.

Titus 3:5-7.

This is what the new nature looks like.

The Elder is to exhibit that to his congregation.

Not only that, and Elder who is constant in the word of God, and exhibits this godly life, will be able to discern and correct what is false, which is point 3.

The Elder must hold fast to the truth and correct what is false. (Titus 1:9b-16)

As elders lead the church, they are to be able to both feed and protect the sheep. The shepherds staff is used both to corral the sheep back from danger, and to warn any would be predators. While Elders are not given a literal staff, our Lord has given us His Word to shepherd His flock with.

Paul gives us a view to what the character of the false teachers of Crete looked like.

Rebellious—>Unwilling to follow.

empty talkers—>Literally, they spend their time teaching and saying a lot of nothing.

deceivers—>As was very prevalent during that time, there was a big influence of the Judaizers.

This is speaking primarily of works righteousness. They commanded that in order to be saved, you must keep the Law of Moses.

Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians about this very subject.

In it, we see Titus, by name, pop up.

Galatians 2:2-4.

The Party of the Circumcision (Acts 15).

Jewish Myths (v. 14) this speaks to the various Jewish legends and myths that often are found in the Jewish Talmud, the extra biblical text that has become the foundation for Rabbinical Judaism.

Verse 12, Paul quote Epimenides, a Cretan poet from 2 or 3 centuries before Paul’s time.

Verse 15 and 16, the false teachers have seared consciences.

Their lives are characterized by their disobedience and their unbelieving.

Understand, false teaching is a grave danger. If we believe what it false, we are going to hell.

It is a slippery slope into false teaching, and it begins with a lack of seriousness when it comes to the Word of God, and is exhibited by the way of life of these false teachers.

Remember, Jesus says that you will know them by their fruits: Matthew 7:15-20.

Conclusion

How was Titus to combat this? How are we to combat this?

Look again at Titus 1:9 “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to reprove those who contradict.”

He was both to exhort and encourage the believers with sound doctrine, and confront those who did not teach sound doctrine.

This confrontation is never meant to be graceless.

It has the repentance of the false teacher in view (v. 13).

To the point that they no longer pay attention to the falsehood.

As we face the onslaught of false teaching and false Christianity in the world today, we must, as a corporate body, recommit ourselves to “holding fast the faithful word.”

We must commit ourselves, as Elder/Overseers, to the proclamation of the truth of God’s Word, and the confrontation of what is false.

We must press on in living lives of holiness, in accordance with the Word of God, in this dark age.

We’ll see more on that next week at we look at chapter two.

LET’S PRAY