1 Timothy 3:1-7

1 Timothy 3:1-7  Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.  Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.  He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.  (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)  He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.  He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

An overseer in the church is anyone with authority or leadership over others.  Some translations have this as the office of a bishop, a superintendent, or a higher authority, but for our discussion we will consider this position as anyone who has any direct authority over others in the church.  Paul enumerates fifteen qualifications for an overseer.  All these qualifications indicate that an overseer must live circumspectly, making sure that his life is as honorable and as righteous as possible.  Because of his position of authority, an overseer must live his or her life in such a way so others in the community will know that he or she is a servant of the Most High.  

All Christians are ambassadors of God's kingdom, but a person with authority in the church has even more responsibility to represent God's kingdom clearly to others, especially nonbelievers.  Many times in the world, men or women of authority are discovered to be hypocrites.  Recently in America, we have had a senator and a governor who were discovered to be living adulterous lives.  Because of not being faithful and not governing their own lives in an upright and honest manner, many people are now clamoring for their removal from their high offices.  They have lost respect and trust from their respective communities.  Even the people of the world understand full well that officials or leaders should live honorable and circumspect lives.  If they don't live such lives, they should lose the respect and trust of the people they serve.  

How much more should officials in the church live good and righteous lives.  If the overseer falls, he or she brings great reproach on the gospel of Christ and on Christ himself.  In the church, there should not be even a semblance of errant behavior, for we represent a holy, righteous kingdom, not an imperfect one such as the kingdom of the world.  We are representing our holy Jesus Christ; we are his ambassadors here on earth.  If we cannot keep our lives holy and upright, if we cannot keep our personal household in order, then we don't represent hope to a sinful and dying world; instead, we represent failure, we reflect death.  Overseers should be people who have their lives in control.  They should be people whose attitudes and actions are above reproach.  Overseers should be temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, teachers, peaceable, and gentle--men or women who are good fathers and mothers, faithful to their spouses and children.  This kind of church leaders will earn a good reputation with outsiders.  They will reflect well the gospel of Christ.  As Christians who have any position of authority and trust in the church, we should function and serve as if Jesus Christ walked with us daily because of course He does.  It is Christ in us who is our hope of glory.  Anything else can bring a reproach on him and his gospel.