Scriptural Qualifications of Elders:

General Principles

Introduction

Text: 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9.
The more worthy the responsibility, the more crucial the preparation.
The nature of the elder's work requires him to be tempered and seasoned.
1. The elder must be a man of spiritual maturity.
2. According to the Scriptures, certain traits of character and competence are required before a man is qualified to serve as a shepherd.
Proper attitudes toward the qualifications and preparation of an elder are essential.

I. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

The pertinence of the subject.
1. No one of any gender, age, or level of spiritual growth can afford to be uninterested in this topic.
  1. With only a few exceptions, the elder's qualifications are required of every Christian.
  2. Those who cannot be elders themselves are almost always in a position to help someone else's preparation or service as an elder.
  3. The development of servants qualified to lead is a part of the work of the entire local congregation, not just a few individuals. Cf. Eph. 4:11-13.
2. Even when scriptural elders have been appointed in a congregation, the subject cannot be forgotten. There is a continuing need for additional men to become qualified.
The meaning of the term "qualification."
1. The term comes from the Latin qualis = of what kind. Cf. "quality."
2. Qualification connotes both eligibility and ability.
  1. An item of eligibility would be a condition or circumstance that must be met or complied with, even if these seem to be arbitrary. Cf. prerequisite, restriction, limitation.
  2. An item of ability would be a quality, accomplishment, or characteristic that suits a person to a specific position or task. Cf. competence, proficiency, suitability, aptness, etc.
The nature of the elder's qualifications.
1. Required. An elder must be blameless, etc. - 1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:7.
  1. Every elder must possess every qualification before appointment.
  2. Even if we do not understand the rationale for certain qualifications, we can rest assured that there is a rationale in the mind of God. Cf. Isa. 55:8.9; Jer. 10:23.
2. Relevant. In most, if not all, cases we can see how the qualifications suit a man to the work of an elder. In several instances the reason for the qualification is stated explicitly:
  1. "Rules his own house well" (1 Tim. 3:4,5).
  2. "Not a novice" (1 Tim. 3:6).
  3. "A good testimony among those who are outside" (1 Tim. 3:7).
  4. "Holding fast the faithful word" (Tit. 1:9).
3. Attainable. Such is implied by the presence of elders in the NT. Cf. Ac. 20:17; 1 Tim. 5:17.
  1. Churches obtained elders surprisingly quickly then - e.g. Ac. 14:21-23.
    1. One thing that made this possible is the fact that some God-fearing Gentiles and pious Jews would have possessed many of the qualifications at conversion.
    2. Consider Cornelius (Ac. 10:1,2), Crispus (Ac. 18:8), etc.
  2. A few of the qualifications are absolute (male, married, etc.), but most are relative or comparative
    -- these are attainable to a degree that is sufficient for a man to be known for their possession, while still allowing room for growth.
4. Observable. Cf. 1 Tim. 3:10. It is possible (and essential) for a man's brethren to verify whether he possesses each of the qualifications.
The shortage of men scripturally qualified to be elders.
1. It is a sad commentary today that so many long-established congregations are without elders because they do not have even two qualified men.
2. What shortcomings help account for the shortage of men ready and willing to serve?
  1. Lack of emphasis in teaching.
  2. Prevalence of unappointed de facto elders and other substitutes for scriptural oversight.
  3. Widespread abuses of the eldership which have brought it into disrepute and undesirability.
  4. Lack of spirituality, zeal, and preparation by Christian men.
3. However, even more detrimental than the above is the frequent practice of appointing or tolerating men as elders who are not qualified.
4. Elimination of certain misunderstandings may help solve both problems.

II. MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS

Sources of confusion.
1. Predispositions and prejudices have caused trouble -- not the alleged obscurity of the Scriptures.
2. Extreme views (ranging from the qualification of no one to the qualification of any one) have been adopted on the basis of personal preference, or even selfish motives.
Misconceptions.
1. Denial of the possibility of anyone qualifying today.
  1. Because in the NT elders were miraculously gifted in both their qualifications and
    their work.
    1. However, few of the elder's qualifications fall into the category of gifts that were miraculously bestowed during the apostolic period.
    2. It cannot be shown that all elders possessed miraculous spiritual gifts in the NT.
    3. Nothing about the elder's qualifications or his work was inherently miraculous.
    4. If valid, this argument would also eliminate preachers, because they too were sometimes miraculously gifted in the NT.
  2. Because the qualifications require an unattainable perfection.
    1. If so, what was the sense of Paul's instructions, and how did men qualify in the NT?
    2. Which of the qualifications is impossible?
    3. God's standards are indeed perfect, but the impossibility of attaining of sinless
      perfection does not mean there is no such thing as a righteous man. Cf. Gen. 6:9; 7:1;
      Hb. 11:4,5; etc.
    4. We must be careful that we do not end up denying the possibility of even being a faithful Christian. Cf. Mt. 5:48; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2; Jas. 5:16; etc.
    5. Elders who are scripturally qualified still have room to grow.
2. Misconceptions about the two lists of qualifications in 1 Tim. 3 and Tit. 1.
  1. That "blamelessness" is the only qualification.
    1. Blamelessness is grammatically coordinate with the other terms.
    2. Blamelessness would, according to this argument, be limited to the specified areas. What about others?
    3. This is a distinction without a difference, since anything necessary to the qualification is essential and is thereby itself a qualification.
    4. In fact, more is required of the elder than can be comprehended under "blamelessness" -- he must be male, older, experienced, married, a father, and apt to teach.
      1. Many Christians are blameless while not possessing any of these qualities.
      2. The lack of them is not blameworthy.
  2. That some of the qualifications are optional, such as the family requirements.
    1. In 1 Tim. 3:2, etc., the Greek word dei means "must" (rather than "may"). Cf. Lk. 2:49;
      Jn. 3:7; Ac. 9:6; etc.
    2. Also consider Jas. 2:10. Arbitrary, selective commandment-keeping amounts to lawlessness.
  3. That because many of the qualifications are relative, they are "flexible" enough to accommodate those who, strictly speaking, do not possess them. Could God's standards be so easily bent in areas like morals, the plan of salvation, Christian living, etc.?
  4. That the lists of qualifications are not exhaustive, but illustrative, suggestive, etc.
3. Circumvention of the qualifications.
  1. If one does the work of an elder, he is an elder, whether "qualified" or not.
    1. However, it is doubtful that one actually could "do the work" (at least scripturally) without possessing the qualifications -- these traits are those that render a man capable of fulfilling the responsibilities involved in the office.
    2. Scriptural service requires not only "qualification" (preparation), but also "authorization" (appointment). Anything less is usurpation.
  2. We may appoint "the best we have" -- even if these are not strictly qualified.
  3. The qualifications are "collective," i.e. the elders must, as a group, possess the total of the qualifications. But how many must an individual have in order to be admitted to the group?
  4. One may be appointed, and then be allowed to "grow into" the qualifications. This involves a misunderstanding of 1 Tim. 3:10.

Conclusion

It is always sinful to modify, subtract from, or add to God's instructions.
1. Neither supposed difficulties nor hypothetical situations justify us in setting aside divine law.
2. We cannot twist the Scriptures to accommodate our own predispositions.
3. We must fit ourselves to Scripture, rather than vice versa.
With regard to the qualifications for elders, how carefully we think about "what is written" (1 Cor. 4:6)
is critically important.

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