8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
The qualifications for deacons are similar to those for elders except for one main difference, deacons are not required to teach.
A deacon must be dignified and of good character. They should not be double-tongued, saying different things to different people. They should have integrity and be trustworthy. They should not drink too much wine so that it has any measure of control over them. It seems clear that some wine is therefore allowed. A deacon must not be greedy or driven to acquire wealth through dishonest means. If he is, he is likely to use his position to exploit those he serves. A deacon must be well-grounded in the faith and with a clear conscience means their lives must match their belief. No one should be appointed to the office of elder or deacon without careful consideration, testing, that their character meets these requirements.
There is some ambiguity in the phrase translated “their wives likewise…” because the word “their” is not in the greek. The word for wives is also the word used for women and so the qualification that the women be dignified, not slanderers, sober-minded and faithful in all things could be about the wives of the deacons but could also be about women called to serve as deaconesses.
The man appointed as a deacon should also be faithful in his marriage and lead and manage his home well.
Those who serve as elders and deacons will be rewarded with good standing before others in this life and have a boldness of faith in Christ Jesus when they stand before Him one day when He returns.
If these are the character qualities required for those who are to lead the church, then surely all believers should strive to have this character. If we abide in Christ and grow in our knowledge of Him through regular time in His word, then all of us have the opportunity to develop these character qualities. What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow in godliness day by day?
Though Paul was writing to Timothy, his desire was to visit him, but while he couldn’t he wanted to make sure Timothy had the necessary instruction to ensure the local church was well led and it’s believers were well behaved. The church is the pillar and buttress of the truth. The church is the organisation charged with upholding God’s truth and protecting it in the face of any opposition that might arise.
Paul ends this section with a hymn on the mystery of godliness. This is about Jesus Christ who was incarnated in flesh, justified in all He taught by being raised by the spirit, watched by angels, ascended to heaven and is now taught and believed throughout the world.
Even if we do not have the privilege of becoming elders or deacons, we all are members of the church and are responsible for protecting and proclaiming the truth that Jesus came into the world to rescue sinners.