01 Christlike in Character

If you're an Elder, or you aspire to be an Elder, I'm pretty sure that you've read through what the qualifications of an Elder are in terms of character. And you probably know most of them by heart. But I wonder if we really apply the scriptures properly.

I think we've got to understand a couple of things. One is, that list is a representative list, not an exhaustive list. It doesn't say here, he mustn't be a thief. But I'm pretty sure if you regularly steal, that would disqualify you from eldership.

It is a list that Paul is writing to say, this is the character of somebody who can serve the people by example. Just as Paul would say, imitate me as I imitate Christ, he's saying an Elder must be one who is Christlike in his character.

Understanding the Nature of Elder Qualifications

We must understand that this list is representative. The second is, this list is not a bunch of hoops to jump through in order to get a prize. If I prove to certain people that I can live like this for a certain period of time, they'll make me an Elder.

No, that's not how it works. It's got to be something that is intrinsically in our character, not something we pretend to be for a period of time. Likewise, it's not something we do until we attain. It's something that we are. It has often been said that we don't appoint Elders so much as recognize who God has called.

So, God wants to raise people up who are men of character into the office of Elder. Likewise, this list is not an exam that we take. Most of us took exams at school in subjects that we've never used since. But at least it got us a qualification so we can forget about it now and get on with our lives.

The danger is that, as we're aspiring to something, we can look at the qualifications and really try and work on them. But then once we have somehow reached our goal, we can forget about it. And might say, I don't need to look at that anymore.

These are things that I think all of us should be looking at regularly and auditing ourselves, whether we're Elders or not. These are qualifications of an Elder within the context of the verse, but it doesn't say only Elders must be like this. What it's saying is every Christian should be like this.

This is the goal of every believer to aspire to this kind of character. But as Elders, we should already be there, maybe not in perfection, but regularly living this out in order to act as an example. We need to understand as well that God does not expect perfection.

God’s Standard: Sanctification vs. Perfection

He does expect us to be on a journey of sanctification. And He is taking us from one degree of glory to another. But we don't have to attain perfection in order to be an Elder. And I think we need to emphasize that for two reasons.

One is to take the pressure off some Elders who feel the need to be perfect all the time. People don't follow perfect people. People follow flawed people who are trying to get it right. And the second thing is this. Once we're on eldership, I've noticed a tendency that once you're in the club, the standards for joining the club suddenly get higher.

When we're talking about potential new Elders the existing Elders says, "No, this guy's disqualified because of this." I think a lot of us should remember that if we were held to the same standard that we often hold others, none of us would be Elders.

God isn't requiring perfection. So, for example, a man must be temperate. He mustn't be prone to losing his temper. If somebody regularly loses their temper, they're disqualified. If somebody loses their temper once, or has done five years ago, I don't think that's a disqualification.

The Importance of Regular Character Audits

Also, as leaders, let us remember, that we're not called to judge people according to what they used to be. But we're called to see people with the eyes of Jesus and see how they've changed and see the trajectory of people. But I think this is very important, as Elders, we should audit ourselves.

To allow others to audit us on a regular basis and say, "Tell me, where in this whole list of qualifications could I do better? Where might I be failing? What might disqualify me in the future? What is my Achilles heel?" And many of us have Achilles heels.

We've got aspects of our character that we may have overcome. But we tend to easily drift back into under pressure, when we're tired, and when we stop making an effort. Andrew's often talked about our default settings. And if we understand our default settings, if we understand what we tend to regress to, then we can avoid going back into them.

But as we audit ourselves on these lists, I think it's helpful to look at this list. And I'm not into changing scripture. Scripture is the inspired word of God. It's infallible and it's eternal. But I do think it's important to apply it into our context.

Applying Biblical Qualifications to Modern Context

So here's an example. The overseer, it says, must be above reproach. That essentially doesn't mean you're perfect. But it means that if people are making accusations about you, most people would not entertain those accusations. Because they know that you're a person of integrity and you're a person of character.

And it says the husband of but one wife. The challenge with that qualification is we can get into some deep theological debate about divorce and remarriage. What allows divorce and what allows remarriage. Instead of hearing the primary focus of what Paul is saying.

Are you a man faithful to your wife? And if you're single, if you're not married, are you faithful to your future wife? Are you faithful sexually, intellectually, relationally, and emotionally? It's easy for us to say, for example, I have never had sex with another woman, therefore I have been faithful.

There are many ways to be unfaithful in our relationships. I think Paul isn't just talking here about are you divorced? He's talking about, are you a man devoted to, and faithful to, and loving and caring for your wife? Just as Jesus cares for His church?

If we're not doing that, if we don't know how to look after our wives properly, we'll never look after God's people and His church properly. It talks about being temperate. And when you talk about climate and a temperate climate, it means it doesn't get too hot, it doesn't get too cold.

Are you consistent? Not only do you not lose your temper, but can you self-regulate? Can you adjust yourself not to grow cold, not to grow lukewarm, but to be consistent? So that people who are following you understand your consistency and know that you're not going to fly off one way or the other.

Consistency, Self-Control, and Hospitality

Not just in your temperament, but in your decision making. Some people are intemperate in their decision making and that makes it very hard for people to follow. Are we self-controlled? Are we respectable? Are we hospitable? I think we need to understand something very important.

Hospitality isn't, I have my friends for supper on a regular basis. That's one aspect of hospitality. But the term hospitality here actually means loving strangers, loving foreigners, loving people who are different to us. You may be somebody whose house is always full of your friends.

Freedom from Addictions and Mastery

That doesn't make you hospitable by a biblical standard. Furthermore, another qualification is not given to much drink. It's easy for me to say, I am not an alcoholic. But I think the principle is much broader than that. Are you mastered by anything? Are you mastered by alcohol?

Are you mastered by drugs? Are you mastered by caffeine? Are you mastered by PlayStation? Are you mastered by Netflix? Are you mastered by pornography? Is there something which we could say you are addicted to or don't have victory over but that has a hold on you?

That would be a disqualification. And so as we go through all of these qualifications, let's not just make them a narrow term with a very strict definition. But let's look at them as how we can be men who represent Jesus in our lives.

The Ability to Teach and Sound Doctrine

Finally, the one qualification here that isn't character-based is the ability to teach. I want us to understand that that doesn't necessarily mean you're somebody who can be up front and preach to thousands. Ability to teach can be formal, informal, large or small.

But the idea here within Paul's pastoral epistles, teaching speaks of holding to sound doctrine and communicating sound doctrine. The parallel passage in Titus says that we must be those who can hold to the deep truths of the faith and be able to refute those who oppose them.

As an elder, are you somebody who has a good understanding of the deep truth? That is something that you can learn, that you can build on, that you can invest in. I would encourage us all, as elders, whether we consider ourselves teachers or not, whether we consider ourselves very knowledgeable of the Word and of theology or not, that this is something we need to be constantly growing in.

And just a word of warning when it comes to doctrine and theology. If your doctrine and theology is exactly the same today as it was ten years ago, that for me is a danger signal. We need to be constantly growing and changing and being flexible as God reveals things to us and we understand where we're wrong.

Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 says, "Now we see in part." In eternity we will see in full. When it comes to our ability to teach or set doctrine, let us, as Andrew once said, hold lightly to doctrine but hold tightly to Jesus.

Let us be men who can say with a firm conviction that those qualifications that Paul laid out for elders are those that I am living out as an example to others.