As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;For the bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
3 sermons cite this verse
… a leader, we must hear the Word from a leader's mouth, and we must see the Word in a leader's life. This is why 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 through 7, Titus chapter 1 verses 5 through 9, the character qualifications of a leader, an elder in the church are high, and they must be high, and they must not be compromised. Because the church is intended to look at a leader and see faith and life that is worthy of imitation. This is why when a leader falls, there is a process in Scripture. There is a picture in Scripture of how that leader, an elder, is to be rebuked publicly. because the picture of Christ in that leader's life is extremely important. This is why the church must be extremely cautious when restoring a man to leadership in the church after he has fallen, because this is so huge. Now, I want you to catch this. You put this picture of conditional authority, teaching the Word accurately, living the Word faithfully, and think about how this affects how we understand submission. …
… awareness. Titus 1.7 says exactly the same thing. Elders cannot be those who are alongside wine. And Titus 2.3 even says of older ladies, they're not to be those who are much enslaved to wine. Very dramatic collection of words. The point is those who are leaders, those who are spiritually responsible, mature women in the church are not to be alongside wine. They're not to settle in as drinkers, those who are leaders, those who are arbiters, those who are mediators, those who are truth teachers, those who have to display wisdom. Thank you. We can't have any lack of mental clarity. So the best choice, you ask the best choice? Well, the wine they drank isn't the same, but even then the best choice was none. The wine today is highly alcoholic, comparatively speaking. That's not the best choice at all. So, is it the same? No. Is it necessary? No. Is it the best? No. A fourth question. Is it habit-forming? I think you know the answer to that, but let me show you a Scripture, 1 Corinthians 6, 1 Corinthians 6, 12. …
… having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly, for a bishop must be blameless. as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, that's a euphemism for money, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate, holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers, for there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision. He's talking there when he says the circumcision, he's talking about the Jewish community there, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake. One of them own selves, even a prophet of their own said, the Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. Now, plain English, that means idle gluttons. This witness is true. Wherefore, rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth. …