The Character of the Deacon- 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Introduction

We now turn our attention, as does the apostle Paul, to the character of the deacon. There are two offices within the church, the pastors and the deacons. For a variety of reasons in church history (mid 1700s to 1800s), there was a shift from multiple elders/pastors and deacons to one pastor and deacons. The deacons received more of a ruling role, which, if compared to the Scriptures, was not God’s design.

As we consider the deacon, we must consider their purpose. We see the first appearance of deacons in Acts chapter 6. There were two groups of widows, one was Jewish and the other Hellenistic, meaning they were of Grecian decent. The Hebrews widows were taken care of, but the Hellenistic widows were neglected. The apostles said in Acts 6:2-3 “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.”

The “whole gathering” (6:5) was pleased, chose the men, and then these men, called deacons in 1 Timothy chapter 3, were to serve tables. They were to minister to the practical needs to the church so that the elders (or, in Acts 6, the apostles) could pray and minister the Word of God.

The reason I belabor this point is because in many churches, the biblical model of leadership and servanthood have been exchanged for a business model. The pastor is viewed as a CEO and the deacons as a board of directors. This is not what God has ordained for His Church.

It is very similar to a car. There are things you can tweak on the car, you can pull out some electrical parts, or perhaps remove some mechanical parts, and the car may still drive. The problem though, is that it will not operate as it was designed to do so. There may be a lack of heat during the winter, or no air conditioning in the summer. You may not be able to exceed a certain speed. All this is an excellent picture of the problems that churches face when they fail to submit to God’s teaching on His Church purchased with His blood.

As with the pastors/elders, so too with the deacons, character is vitally important. As with last week’s sermon, we too, all of us, should strive toward these characteristics for the glory of God as we become more like Jesus Christ.

I want you to keep two things in mind as we progress through this section. One for the whole church and one for our deacons. First, as a church I see two applications, 1) do we look for these qualities in our deacons? and 2) do I strive for these qualities myself?

Second, as deacons, am I meeting these qualifications? One of the best pieces of Spirit-inspired advice Paul gave to the Ephesian elders is in Acts 20:28, “Pay careful attention to yourselves.”

I. The Character of the Deacon- 3:8

Like the elder, the deacon must be a man of godly character. He must be pure in his conduct (dignified) and in his speech (not double-tongued). He must not be controlled by wine or greedy for money. We could, as Paul does for the elder in 3:1, wrap up the character of the deacon with the word “blameless.” Just to remind you of what this does and does not mean, remember John MacArthur’s words,

“‘Above reproach’ cannot refer to sinless perfection, because no human being could ever qualify for the office in that case, but it is a high and mature standard that speaks of being a consistent example.”—John MacArthur

This is a high calling, but we have an almighty, Triune God who not calls but equips those whom He calls. It is also, church, a wonderful standard to strive for. Imagine how our church would be if every member was characterized by these words. But as we have seen multiple times, there is an inherent connection between life and doctrine, and that brings us to the conviction of the deacons.

II. The Conviction of the Deacon- 3:9

The deacons are not the teaching office of the church, that is reserved for the elders/pastors. However, it is vital that the deacons know what the Scriptures teach. I like how John Calvin describes this, “It would be exceedingly absurd to hold a public office in the Church, while they were ill-informed in the Christian faith, more especially since they must frequently be laid under the necessity of administering advice and consolation, if they do not choose to neglect their duties.” (Calvin, Commentaries, XXI: 86)

So what should the deacons believe? They should “hold the mystery of the faith.” The NIV renders this “the deep truths of the faith,” and I like that. Paul is meaning the truths of the Scriptures. Deacons should hold to these, Paul tells us, which implies knowledge of them. But they should effect change in their lives, which is why Paul adds “with a clear conscience.” There are many men and women who know God’s Word thoroughly who live like the devil. The deacon, however, must be a man who knows God’s Word and lives God’s Word. Which naturally implies a consistency.

III. The Consistency of the Deacon- 3:10

The deacon should be tested first. That is, they should demonstrate these characteristics and knowledge of God’s Word prior to being a deacon. It can be tempting, particularly in a smaller church, to use any man who is willing to be a deacon, but we cannot lay aside the Word of God like this. After an examination, of which Paul gives little specifics, then they can serve as deacons.

At this point I want to make a remark about both the elders and the deacons. While there are many specifics given, there is also a great deal of ambiguity. I think this is because churches will look somewhat different depending on their size and location. To give you one brief example, as I hope to transition to elders here in this church one day, someone may ask, “How many elders should we have?” Paul does not give a specific number other than two. There is, then, ambiguity on this, and each church is allowed by God to determine what it needs for its members.

One area that we have not addressed is the spouse of the deacon (and elder).

IV. The Companion of the Deacon (and Elder)- 3:11-12

Like the elder, the deacon should have his house in order. Like the elder, they must be one-woman men (if married), and if they have children, they should be obedient. This does not mean that deacons cannot serve if their children are unsaved. They should, however, be obedient while in the home. The wives should also be dignified and meet the same qualifications as the deacon.

V. The Compensations of the Deacon- 3:13

*I noticed that all our deacons perked up with this point*

There are two compensations that a deacon who serves well receives.

First, the deacon will gain a good standing for themselves. In other words, there is honor in the service to the bride of Christ. The church will, and should, respect deacons that serve well. Paul says this in Romans 13:7 “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Now Paul is referring to governmental authorities in that passage, but the same concept covers the officers (pastors and deacons) of the church. (All this ties back to the fifth commandment, Ex. 20:12) We see this in our present epistle (1 Tim. 5:17-18).

But there is another reward, one that I would argue would be even better. Paul says that they will gain “great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” This confidence is a boldness, by the way, that we have to enter the throne room of God in prayer (Heb. 4:16). It is a confidence in the faith in this passage. A deacon who serves well, who knows the Word of God and lives the Word of God is confident in the truths of God. There is little room for doubt in a heart wrapped up in the living truth of God’s Word, and Deacons receive a front row seat in this marvelous theater.

Conclusion

One for the whole church and one for our deacons. First, as a church I see two applications, 1) do we look for these qualities in our deacons? and 2) do I strive for these qualities myself?

Second, as deacons, am I meeting these qualifications? One of the best pieces of Spirit-inspired advice Paul gave to the Ephesian elders is in Acts 20:28, “Pay careful attention to yourselves.”