1 Timothy for the life of..

Welcome to Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church. Thank you for using and sharing our resources. What you're about to hear is God's Word from one of our teaching elders. We trust that God's Word will inspire, instruct, and bless you. For further teachings or information on our ministry, please visit us on our website at cornerstonerbc.

com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. First letter of Timothy, chapter three. And as you very well know, we have been addressing these two offices of the church, the office of an elder that we did and that we cover in two different Bible studies.

And also we started last week covering the office of a deacon. And this evening we are going to give a little bit more of a specific details on the office of the deacon, which the apostle is going to address from verses eight to verse 13 of chapter 3. So, as we've done both for the elders and the deacons when we started last week, let's read chapter 3. And let's get the context of what the Apostle is doing in this portion of Scripture, and then we will be focusing our attention, as I said, in verse 8 through 13, which is the section that addresses the office of the deacon. So, beloved brethren, let's read Scripture, paying much attention to each one of the words, and with reverent hearts we approach the word of our Lord and Savior.

Let's read it together. Chapter 3. The saying is trustworthy. If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-control, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

He must manage his own household well, with all dignity, keeping his children submissive. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a reasoned convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Deacons, likewise, must be dignified, not double-tongued, nor addicted to too much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, and let them also be tested first. Then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives, likewise, must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own household well. 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.

Verse 14, I hope to come to you soon. But I am writing these things to you so that, 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 a buttress of the truth. 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 and in the world, taken up in glory. Amen.

This is the words of God. Now, brethren, as we've said, we are addressing these two very important offices that had been given to the church, the office of the elder and the office of the deacon. And these two offices that are recognized, that appointments that come from God through the ministry of the church, these are men that are called by God for the service of the church. These are the two offices that we recognize within this context of the order of the context of the church. The order that Paul is speaking about in verses 14 and 15 when he's saying, if I delay to come to you, Timothy, I'm writing this thing so that you may know how a person or how one ought not to behave, that you may know how a person should behave within the context of the church.

So the apostle is writing these directions, he is giving these standards, so he's giving these instructions so that the church may know how to operate and these operations happen in order, God's order, not men's order, not the traditions of men, but the ways of God appointed for his bride. A church that the same apostle calls here in verse 15 and 16, or in verse 15, he calls it the household of God, the church of the Living God, the household, the holy habitation of the Triune God is the Church of God. And this Church is not only the holy habitation of God, the household of God, but also it is the Batres, the foundation, the ground, the pillar, different translations we call it, the foundation of truth. So this spiritual house, which is the Church of Christ, is built upon Christ as the cornerstone, through the apostles and the prophets as the givers of a special revelation, which is the truth of God, which is the foundation of the Church, as it is built up as the spiritual house of God. So, as we said last week, the truth of God is vital for the growth of the Church.

The truth that comes from God is vital, is fundamental for the growth of the Church of God, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And when I say growth, I'm not talking about growing in numbers and having a bigger building or a better building, but rather the growth in conformity to Christ of each one of the saints of the church growing in Christ's likeness, so that the bride of Christ might be prepared to receive the bridegroom, that the church may grow in conformity to Jesus Christ. That only happens through the truth that is uttered from the holy mouth, from the holy heart of God given to the church. And that holy truth, that as it is uttered from the mouth of God, has been given to us in holy scripture. So then the Word of God is the means by which the truth of God is given to the Church so that the Church may grow up into conformity to Christ, in Christ-likeness, in power, coming all together in Christ-likeness, united in maturity of the faith.

The Word of God is the instrument by which those things happen. So the Lord, knowing God, knowing that is the Word of God, the means by which individual Christians will grow in conformity to Christ and the body as a whole will also grow according to biblical patterns, according to biblical truth. So then the Lord gave to the church offices that will be in charge of the administration or in charge of the administration and protection of this Word of God. If the Word of God is the food that is needed for a soul to grow up into salvation, and it's also the food that the church needs to grow up and be edified, so then that food, that nourishment has to be administered or given to the church in the ways that God has intended for the Word to be given to the church. So, in His knowledge, and in His love, and in His manifestation of grace and care for His bride, Christ has given to offices, to the Church, that are indeed in charge of that, of protecting, as I said, like the dispensation, or the administration, or the giving of the Word of God to the Church.

As Philippians 1 speaks of the saints and the deacons and the officers within the context of the church, these two offices are those means by which these words of God is given to the church and therefore the church grows. They do it in different ways. are in charge of teaching the Word, bringing the truth of God as it is revealed in Scripture to the people, applying the written Word so that it becomes living Word in the hearts of men and women within the context of the church. That's the duty of the elders, to instruct, to guide, to protect privately and corporately through the authority of God that is found in the words of God. That is the role of the elders.

that is protecting and dispensing and giving and doing the administration of the words of God. And on the other side, the deacons are also servants of the word. They are servants of the words of God, but they are servants in a different way. Because what they do is that they take charge or they take care of those activities or those operations that are vital for the functioning of the church, so that the elders who are the ones that teach the church, that give the instructions to the church, that they might be released so that they can focus on the words of God. and prayer.

Both of them are servants of the Word. So when a person, when a deacon is taking care of things that seem to be physical, moving, finance, or doing this or doing other particular things that seem to be material and physical, what they are ultimately doing is serving the Church in the proper administration of the Word of God. Why? Because by doing so, they are allowing or they are releasing the elders so that they can focus on the word of God and prayer. This is very important, brothers and sisters.

This is the whole mission of the church. And something very important that I said also last week is that even though we have these different offices or these roles within the context of the church, we have to make sure that we understand not only in our heads, but also in our heart. especially in times in which this principle is completely violated by the Western Christian Church, it is that every single member of the Church is the same, that there is no hierarchies of power or structure. Those who, by the Spirit of Christ, have been baptized into the body, those who have been purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, men, women, Jews and Greeks, master and slave, they are all in Christ. Galatians 3, there is no distinction.

We are all equally, we have an equally standard standing before God. There is no difference. But God, in his wisdom, he has given different roles for the administration of the words of God. Now, taking it even farther, brothers and sisters, The administration of the words of God within the context of the church, even though it is given, let's say, to the elders for them to teach and to instruct the church, and then to the deacons for them to serve in the physical matters of the life of the church so that the elders can focus on those activities, the administration and the operations of the Word of God, it is a responsibility of each one of the saints. Not that everyone has been called to be a teacher of the Word in an official sense for the congregation, but the Bible calls us to be filled with the Spirit.

That is, that the Word of God might dwell in us richly so that we might exhort one another, that we might speak one another with psalms, with spiritual songs, and with hymns. that we might speak to one another the Word of God. When we come and exhort one another, we are not going to do it with human wisdom. We are not going to do it with psychology, which is not of God. We do it with the Word of God.

We give principles to one another by teaching one another and instructing one another through the Word of God. So, in a sense, it is the responsibility of each one of the members of the Church to be constantly pouring into his and her life the wisdom that comes from above through the Spirit and grasping that with faith and then bringing that to the service of the saints so that by helping and sharpening one another we may grow in conformity to Christ. In all of that dynamics the Lord has appointed elders to instruct and then deacons to serve so that the word of God may be given." The principles of these deacons, as I said last week, we found it in Acts chapter 6, and I want to point your eyes over there once again, because if anyone asks you a question about the principle of what a deacon should be, you're going to find always the principle of what a deacon should be, or what entails to be a deacon, in chapter 6, in verse 3. At least in that verse, you will find all the things that pertain to the calling of a deacon.

So go there and let's just see those principles before we get into the text that we have in First Timothy. Now, another thing important that I said last week, and I also want you to have in your mind, beloved brethren, and this is that the roles, the offices of these two group of men, not women, but men, elders and deacon, they belong to the heart and to the nature of the church. So that means that when the New Testament Church, the New Testament, New Covenant community was conceived upon the ascension of Christ and the giving of the promise of the Father, which is the Spirit, when the manifestation of the people of God in New Covenant terms was given, then the office of elder and the office of deacon were also given to the church. This is not a concept that was developed later on by the doctrines of the apostles, but rather this is something that belongs to the structure and to the nature of the church, which is what happened in Acts chapter 6. In Acts chapter 6 we have the prototype, as I said last week, we have the shadow, the model that God gave to the church that later is going to serve for the doctrinal developments of the Apostle, especially the Apostle Paul when he's instructing the church about deacons and about elders.

In this passage in Acts chapter 6 then we have the apostles as the prototype of the elders and then we have these seven men who are filled or full with the Spirit and wisdom who are the prototype of the deacons. So this is why I'm taking your eyes back to Acts chapter 7 because this is when the will of God was made manifest to the church when it pertains to these matters. deacons and elders and in chapter and verse 3 we have the elements and the components that at least I want you to have in your mind because beloved brethren there are so many specific details in the calling of an elder and the calling of a deacon that every time that I'm thinking about my calling I need to come back to chapter 3 and go through each one of them because they are difficult to memorize and they are difficult to put in the mind. So we need to see the principles that are rooted given by God. Pay attention to verse chapter 3 and let's break that verse so that we see what a deacon foundationally and in principle is.

We know of the situation that we addressed last week, the problem that there was a complaint that was brought to the apostles. The apostles were the leaders of the church. There were some issues in the distributing for the widows. And then the apostles are going to solve this issue by the appointing of deacons. And in chapter or verse three better, we can see here very important elements of the office of a deacon.

Let's just read it and then I'll just break it in parts. It says, Therefore brothers, we have this issue, we have this problem, the widows and this complaint, so therefore brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute or reputation, full of the spirit and of wisdom, whom we, the apostles, will appoint to this duty. Many clauses and many aspects in this verse, but first of all pay attention that says, The apostles speaking to the church, he says, pick out from among you and that word pick out actually means you know search and inquire carefully from among you as i said last week the apostles could have just simply gone and said you are going to be a deacon you are going to be a deacon you are going to be a deacon because they were the apostles they had all the wisdom and empowerment of the spirit infallibility they had in their judgments when it pertained to scripture so then they could have simply come and selected these deacons but they say church you are the ones that are going to select from among you search and inquire carefully so deacons are given from god to the church through the identification of this process of assessing, of picking out, researching of the church. So the church is the one that identifies those men among them. And now, important thing that we cannot, we cannot avoid, that we cannot jump.

Seven men they could have chosen two men and two women and or three men or whatever including women but they chose men and the word men here means men he's not speaking in general sense of humanity or men in general but he's speaking of men of male so it is men that had been identified by the church and now he's going to give the standards or qualifications here in a broader sense he's going to speak of outward realities, and then he's also going to speak of inward realities. Outward realities in that these men are of good reputation. So those who are outside of their reality, they perceive them as men who walk in righteousness, and therefore they are men of good reputation. But this corresponds to inner realities, that they are filled with the Spirit, and they are filled with wisdom that comes from the Word of God. And then, these men who meet these qualifications that have been appointed by God through the identification that the Church performs of who they are, and these are men, these men are appointed by the authority, in this case, of the apostles, and then in the development of the doctrine of the church by the elders, because the appointing of a deacon is a serious thing for the life of the church.

Beloved brethren, the appointing of any office for the life of the church, it is not something to take lightly. It is a serious matter. It is a very important matter that affects the life of each one of the members of the church. And remember when I say member, I'm not referring about people who sign a document and say, I'm a member of this church. I'm talking about those souls that by the providence of God and in the eternal decree of God have been given to this local church, to this lampstand so that the Word of God can be ministered to those souls and they might progress into conformity to Jesus Christ.

So the selection and the electing of these offices is very serious. That happens through the authority, God-given authority and the understanding of the Scripture of the elders and the identification of the church and then it says that they might be over this duty that we the apostles will appoint to this duty and as I said last week important to see that that verse that is not speaking that deacons are the ones that are going to be taking care of every single physical detail of the operations of the church, but rather that this speaks of being in charge of those necessary operations. Why? Because everyone within the context of the church is meant to be a deacon as in servant, because that's what the word means, a servant, But these men are men who have been appointed officially for the service of taking care of these matters. So they are simply supposed, not simply take that back, they are supposed in all seriousness and in reverence to take care of these duties, to be on top of these duties.

How? By using or by helping each other or getting the brothers and sisters to accomplish the general service of the church. This is another wrong presupposition that we have to remove from our minds. But then we have elders and then we have a hierarchy of elders and deacons and a passive audience of people that simply come to listen something and then they depart. All the church is a body, it's an organic body, that all need one another, that we need to love one another, that we need to exhort one another, instruct one another, sharpen one another, that is not a hierarchy, that it is a body, and members have different functions, and we are all servants, including the elders.

We are all servants, we are to serve one another, and in the way that we serve one another, it is in different ways. Some will have a specific role, some might have a different role, but we are all servants. So we have to remove that perception that when a church has been given or has been appointed a certain amount of deacons, then the deacons are simply the ones that take care of everything, while the rest of the church is served in passivity. That is sinful and unbiblical. We are to come to the Church with a heart of service because we love Christ and His Church and we give entirely to the Church and because we love our brothers and sisters and then we rejoice and we fill our hearts with joy and gladness to serve one another to the best of our abilities and with a heart that is Christ-like.

Then doctrine, having been developed, doctrine having been given to the apostles in greater light and in much more details. And after many years of different circumstances that the apostles went through, 30 years or many years after these principles were given to the church, the apostle is going to come and is going to give us specific details of the calling of vicars. And that's what we find in chapter three of this letter that now we are addressing. Chapter three, now we're here, In this passage, I wanted to divide the passage because I do want to address the details of what is contained here, but my main desire, the main desire of my heart and of my mind is not simply just to address each one of the details that are contained here, but is that you remember them. that you keep them in your mind, that you keep them in your heart, that all of these little words that I contain there, that you may remember what they correspond to, so that if the Lord has called you or is preparing you to be a deacon, or if the church is going to call and appoint a deacon, then that we may do it according to biblical principles and not according to the ways of men, but according to the ways of God.

We have verses 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. I want us to divide that in three different sections. We have these verses here. I want us to address first the qualifications of a deacon, which is going to be the most important aspect of our Bible study, the qualifications of a deacon, which are given to us in verse eight, nine, 10, and 12. Then I want us to address this matter of the wives of the deacons, which is in verse 11, I think.

In verse 11. And then this glorious reward, at least this is the only word that came to my mind, but this reward given unto the deacons because they served well, that is contained in verse 13. The qualifications of the deacon, verse 8, 9, 10, and 12. Then in verse 11, we have these wives of the deacons thing, the apostle inserts that into the text. And then in verse 13, I want us to address the reward of the deacons, but having in your mind, and I hope that also in your heart, this overarching picture that we have taken from the interpretation of the scripture to itself that is contained in Acts chapter 6.

That deacons are appointed by God through the identification of the church. These are men that are filled with the Spirit, they're filled with wisdom, appointed by the elders in the authority of the elders to take care of those duties or those operations or those businesses or those things that are necessary for the operations of the church. The apostle is going to give here seven qualifications. He is going to speak of the deacons. We can read them and go together through them.

He speaks of them as they might be dignified that they not be the. not double-tongued, that they should not be addicted to much wine, not greeted for dishonest gain, that they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And then in verse 10 it says, and let them also be tested first, and let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. And then jump to verse 12, because in verse 12, then it says, let the deacons each be the husband and one wife, managing their children and their own households well. and then in verse 13 comes the reward.

Seven things are, seven very specific things are said of the calling or the qualifications of a deacon. Now, I believe, and this is a principle of Scripture, that every time that a practical thing is given, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle is generally addressing a principle. There's principles, there's biblical principles that are broader than that which comes to our eye. So what I want us to do is address the principle, the biblical principles that are attached to those seven things. So he said, be dignified, one, not double-tongued, two, not addicted to much wine, three, not greedy for dishonest gain, four, that they must hold the mystery of the faith, five, and then they, speaking of their families, that is six, and then they might be tested and approved, that is seven.

I want us to address the principles, why? Why do I want to do that? Because our brother, when he was doing the Bible studies, he said, it's not that the elders and of course the deacons are super Christians and they are in a different category. It's not that the elders and deacons are meant to be in a higher level and therefore they are different and then those principles or those qualifications only belong to them. Brothers and sisters, these are principles that are attached to the Christian life.

attached to the Christian life and therefore they apply for all Christians in general because these are Christ-like principles. It's not that only deacons should not be double-tongued. So would you say, okay, I'm not a deacon, I can't be double-tongued? We cannot say or do those things. These are biblical principles that are Christ-like principles, and then if we are able to identify them in a deacon, they should also be a reality in us, even if we are not called to be deacons.

So now, because they are principles, and I do want you to remember these principles, the way that I'm going to present these principles to you is coming from self, from the person and then moving to the outward aspect of the person just in a similar way as it was presented in Acts chapter 6 with the prototype of the deacons were given that they say of men of good repute this is external and also taking the internal filled with the spirit and filled with wisdom So I want to take that range, coming from self, from the being, from the heart, from the soul, and then moving to the mouth, to money, to the family, to others, to faith, and to the church, moving it away from the person, so that we might understand those biblical principles as they are applied, and what Scripture says when it applies these principles, not only for the deacons, but also for the Christians. seven principles then that means that I'm going to be trying to cover very quickly because we're going to address also verse 11 and then verse 13 seven principles and this is the important thing that I want you to have in your heart beloved brethren the first principle attached to self that principle attached to self the apostle is going to put it in a simple way not given to too much wine found there in in verse 8 it says not addicted to much wine. Some other translations will say not given to too much wine. Speaking of rather of an element that you can use, speaking rather of a relationship that you have to that particular something. The text says very clearly, and even in the Greek, not given to too much wine.

That's not to speak that we cannot relate to wine in this particular case, but the abuse of wine is that which the apostle is actually here addressing. And I'm not going to speak about wine because our brother taught us like a month or a couple of months ago about the view or the understanding of what wine was in the first century. But the apostle is actually here, beloved, is speaking of a principle, how a person relates to another thing. And that relation that is presented here is a relation of excess, of abuse, that the person should not be given to too much wine. And when the Bible addresses the relationship of a person to a thing, and that thing is manifesting or presenting power over the will of a person, this is called lack of self-control.

Lack of self-control. And that principle is what the Apostle is going to address exactly using a reference of the example of food in 1 Corinthians. So go to 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and then probably you've heard this many times. I think I should not wear this today. I think I will be able to make it for the day.

I think it will be okay. Yeah, thank you. 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Now brothers, very important that you understand this principle. Because you may say, okay, I don't drink wine, I can be a deacon, ticked.

But there is a principle here, and that principle is of a godly, or let's just call it better, a spirit-filled relationship to things that are passing away. Because food and things, material things, they are passing away. And we are supposed to have a spirit-field relationship to things that are temporal. So the Apostle in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, in verse 12 and 13, he will say something like this. Chapter 6, verse 12 and 13, 1 Corinthians.

This is the Apostle. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything and then he says food is meant for the stomach and stomach for food and God will destroy both one and the other the body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord and the Lord for the body brothers and sisters you have to pay attention to those things that says in the end of verse 12 I will not be dominated by anything What the apostle is addressing when he says that you should not be given to too much wine, he is describing a relationship to something, in this case wine, in which wine is now dominating the will of that person. That that person is powerless when it comes to wine or any other matter. and then the will of that person is not in the spirit anymore, but now it is in the flesh, not walking in truth and in the spirit, but working according to the things of the flesh, and therefore worldly things become powerful over him.

Self has been dominated by many things, and that is peaks of immaturity in the character of that man. You can change wine for whatever comes into your mind. If something dominates us, and something that we don't have control over it, and it is taking our time, and it is taking our mind, and it is taking our thoughts, and it is even we are sacrificing things of the Lord, and our mind is taking from the Lord, and things of the Lord, and things that are above, for things that are temporal, and we cannot dominate that, then we lack one of the fruits of the Spirit, as it is given in Galatians chapter 5. verse 22, I think, that speaks of self-control. So a deacon that is going to be dealing with such important matters in the life of the Church should be a person that has the willpower to every time see temporary things in light of eternal things, so that he can relate to these temporal things with the power of the Spirit.

Not that we are not to relate to temporal things or with material things, but we are to be over them, to dominate them, not addicted or given to too much wine. That word given speaks of a mind that has been taken captive. The first principle, please have it in your mind. Second thing, brothers, tongue. He's going to say it here, not double tongue.

Remember that I'm just trying to present these principles coming from self to the outside. This was self-control and now it remains in the being, in the person. Now he's speaking of double tongue. In the Greek it says two words. A person that is cunning, a person that said something here and then said something that is different in this other place.

A person that is not able to stand on the truth and to be clear about the truth. A person that does not want to open his mouth when the mouth has to be open for things that are truth. A person that lies not double-tongued, a person that has fear to be receiving of the acceptance of the truth, and especially truths that pertain to the things of God. That is a double-tongued person, beloved. This is to be son of Satan, who is the father of lies, and not to be the son of God, who is truth in and of himself.

This is exactly what the Lord or what the psalmist does in Psalm 15. I want you to go there because I want to apply scripture with scripture. So go please to Psalm 15 and let's see how the tongue affects and defines the relationship of a person coming into the presence of God. This is a terrifying psalm for the one whose mouth is filled with lies and deceit. Psalm chapter 15, it says, O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?

Other translations will say, who will abide in your tabernacle? Who will abide in your dwelling place? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart. who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend, in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord, who swears to his own hurt and does not change, who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved, brothers and sisters. Those things which are abiding in our heart are the things that come out of our mouth. Those things that are in abundance in our heart, that our heart is filled with those things, our mouth is going to take those things that are in our heart and are going to put them outside. And usually this is deceit and hypocrisy when it comes to these things. We are to protect, brothers and sisters, our hearts so that our mouth will correspond to those things which are written here.

That's why the Psalmist says in Psalm 119, How can a man keep his way pure? by keeping, by treasuring up your work, by keeping your work, by designing your work, by loving your work. That is the way that a man can keep his ways pure. And it brings down again to self-control. self-control was the first one brothers and sisters and then the mouth when you're yes is yes let it be yes and when you're no is no let it be no this is not only walking in the truth but also speaking the truth and this is very important for a person in this case a deacon that is going to be taking care of the physical matters of the life of the church brothers and sisters I have just said from the very beginning that the church is built up upon the truth of God.

Imagine when lies entered into the life of the church. Imagine when slander and hypocrisy and envy enter into the relationship of brothers and sisters who are among the church. That does not contribute to the development and the growing up of the church. Next point that moves now from self to the mouth. And then the next one is the dealings of the deacon with money.

He says here in verse still in verse eight, I'm not greedy for dishonest gain. not greedy for dishonest gain. Brothers and sisters, deacons are going to be dealing with the money and with the finances of a church. Why? Because we live in a society in which we need money or financial means in order to operate.

Therefore, the management of money becomes an essential operation for the church. Not only for the functions, but also because the church has been called to provide for certain people that may be in need. Money is required within the context of the church. The Bible calls us to give out of the abundance of how the Lord has prospered us to give to the church and to the ministry of the church. So money is going to be within the context of the church.

And this money is going to be dealt, is going to be taken care of by servants or by deacons. I'm dealing with money. It's something that requires a heart that is filled with truth, that is filled with power, and that has very clear who they are serving. Relationships to power and relationships to money are very difficult relationships, and if we do not have clarity about who we are serving, we may end up serving temporal things in this case money or power saying that we are saving the Lord this is what the Lord says in Matthew please go there to Matthew chapter 6 speaking of the relationship of our service to God and also to the money Matthew chapter 6 verse 24 Brothers, let the word of God please, which is not only going to your ears, but let it by, grasp it by faith. And that goes into your heart.

Each one of the words that the Lord says, says, no one can serve two masters. No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, not about your body. What will you put on?

It's not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Our relationship to money and the security and the safety that we can derive from financial means, affects and defines the relationship that we have to our ultimate master who is Christ and it is the kingdom of Christ. Money is going to be an important thing that is going to happen within the context of the church and therefore when we come and deal with money we are to keep and to protect our hearts and make sure that we are our eyes set clearly in and in a clear way, in serving God and serving the Church. Woe unto them that make and gather riches for themselves through the means of the Church. Woe unto them.

Not only to deacons who use the money in a wicked and sinful way, but also to churches that through the ministry of the Word that they make and gather riches for themselves. Brothers and sisters, not only money, but then it comes a very important one, which is family. And family, it is in verse 12. And I want to see the relationship of this one with the elders. Remember that I'm trying to give you principles that come from self and that are slowly moving towards the outside or the outward part of the person.

I've spoken now about the self, I've spoken about the lies, and about money, the tongue and money. Now let's go to the immediate people who are around the life of this person who is a deacon. And in this case, he's speaking of the family. In verse 12, he's speaking in a very similar manner than what we read and what our brother explained to us from the elders. Paul is going to give this charge to the deacons of, let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

Now let a deacon be the husband of one wife. What is the principle in that? I remember that when we were in Mexico, a brother, a single brother came to a table. We were having lunch there all together and he came to the table and he asked the question, I'm single. I don't think that I'm going to get married in the next years, but if I wanted to be a deacon, could I be a deacon?

And then there was the vision in the table. Some people will say, no, you cannot be a deacon because you have to be married. And then some other people will say, yes, you can be a deacon. And then the other person will say, but how are you going to fulfill the requirement of being a man? The Greek says, one woman, man.

I was a single woman, man. How is that principle fulfilled? Brothers and sisters, amen. is a man of a woman, both when he is single and when he is married. A man, when he is married, he has to be devoted entirely his heart and his mind to his wife, giving himself to the service of his wife.

And when a man is single, And if this man has not given or has the gift of continence and he is not going to remain single for the rest of his life, this means that this man is the man of a woman that he has not met yet and that probably is coming, but he has to keep himself pure for that woman that is coming in the future. So that man he's a man of only one woman but also this man in the context of the family is supposed to deal and to manage his house well so go to um chapter verse four and let's see how the apostle our brother explained this to us but let's see how the apostle is speaking of the managing of the house he is going to compare this to the managing of or the ruling or the guiding of the church. In verse 4, in chapter 3, he says, speaking of the elders, the same qualification that is given for the deacons, he says, he must manage his own household well, with all dignity, keeping his children submissive. For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? How will he care for God's church?

The apostle is taking the life of the family of a man and making that, if you want, a shadow or a type of the caring and the looking after of the church. So that which the man of God, in this case the elder, does within the context of his family is a shadow and a reflection on how he will perform his duty in the life of the church, the taking care. Now the taking care of the church, of the elder, is by the administration of the word of God to the people. But the service of the deacon to the church as a reflection of his life within the family, it is by serving the physical needs. but I want you to see how that which is done within the context of the Church corresponds to the looking after the family and the kids and the wife.

I think that as the Word of God is very important in the looking after the Church, the Word of God is also important in the looking after when the managing of the house. So that means that a house is managed under biblical principles. That means that the man of the house is concerned about the Word of God being lived, being taught, being dispensed, being given into the life of the house, because a house that is an institution or a family that is an institution of God, will not operate as it should operate, apart from the biblical principles that have been given unto us by Scripture. A husband and a wife, and the relationship the husband and wife have to the children, will not operate in a good way if they depart from the truths that are given in Scripture. So therefore, the men of God, who are within the context of the Church, When he's in the life of his family, he is to be and to remain a man of God by the giving of the Church, by instructing with the Word, by the exhortations with the Word, by being concerned about sin, being concerned about the purity in the family, being concerned about following those principles that are given to us in Scripture.

Because when the house is managed according two biblical principles and when we come to the extended family of the life of the church then the authority of the scripture will remain in the mind of that person ruling and being the principle by which things are done. The Word of God regulates the individual life and also the family life. Now let's just go to the first word that is given to us in verse 8 because it's not only the family moving a little bit away from the being but now it's about other people The apostle is going to put it in a simple word in the ESV, which is dignified. Deacons, likewise, must be dignified. This is that they must be worthy of respect.

Now, brothers and sisters, worthy of respect by the people of the church and by the people, by outsiders, this only happens when a person is doing those things that correspond to righteousness. But things that correspond to righteousness in the Christian life are not only external things that are done with the purpose of pleasing people, but rather they are the external manifestation of an inward reality. Just as imputed righteousness has been given by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then imparted righteousness is given to a person by faith through the Spirit because of Christ. So, imputed righteousness is that which justifies us and makes us forgiven in the court of God, but then imparted righteousness, that which corresponds to sanctification or conformity to Christ, is what puts together our legal status with our newness of life. And therefore, we are not only followers of the truth, but we are walking in the truth of Christ.

This is what the Apostle John says in 2 John and in 3 John, that I'm I'm glad, or I'm unhappy, or I'm blessed that you are walking in the truth. The Apostle says in 2 John and in 3 John, speaking of the little children, that they are walking in the truth. When a person is walking in the truth, that person has a conscience that is clear. And when conscience is clear, We have the authority to say, just as the Lord Jesus Christ, when someone came and he said, in that way you speak of the high priest, when he was in front of the high priest, and then the Lord Jesus Christ is going to say something very important, a principle of our conduct and the things that we say to that person. If the things that I have said are wrong, or the things that I've done are wrong, then bear witness against me.

But if what I'm saying is right, why do you strike me? If what I'm saying is correct, why do you strike me? Brothers and sisters, slander is going to come into our lives. People who are going to try to bring false witnesses against us, that is going to happen. That might happen, slander and false witnesses against us.

but we should be able to say, bear witness of the things that you are saying. That is, prove the things that you are saying. Why? Because my conscience is clear and I know that the truth that I'm saying about the things that I do in front of others corresponds to righteousness. So the outward things that we do correspond to a clarity of conscience that abides in the heart of a person.

Let me go quickly through the others to address the problem that we have in verse 11 with women. The other one is very important. It is given to us in verse 10. So now remember, I'm trying to come in from self to the outwards parts of the life of this person. Self, money, tongue, and also others and the family.

But now this is about the church. And in the church, oh, sorry, about the faith. This is verse nine, sorry. Verse nine, it says, They must hold, speaking of deacons, they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Extending, moving from the being, beloved brethren.

Deacons must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. The mystery does not mean that it's something that is completely unknown, but this is speaking of the wisdom that in Acts 7, the Apostle said of those seven men that were appointed, they were supposed to be seven men filled with the Spirit and filled with wisdom, the wisdom of the faith of Christ, that before it was a mystery, but then that by grace through faith our eyes were open and then the glorious wisdom of Christ was made visible unto us and then by faith still we grasp and we continue growing in the understanding of the doctrines and in the wisdom of God. Let me just quickly address, I know, let me just quickly address this in 1 Corinthians. Go to 1 Corinthians because I want you to see the importance of the growing of this wisdom in chapter 2. the wisdom of the faith that is given to Christians in 1 Corinthians 2.

You remember, we've cited this passage many times, that the apostle comes and in chapter 2 he speaks of the first time when he brought the gospel to the church and he said that he came in fear and trembling, not with words of wisdom that someone may boast, but actually he came in a demonstration of the power of the Spirit, so that the faith of those people within the context of the Corinthian church The faith of them may not rest on the wisdom of men, but rather they may rest in the power of God. When he has said that, that he's not speaking with wisdom of men, then in verse six, he's going to say something very interesting. He says, yet among the mature, we do impart wisdom. Among the mature of the church, we do impart wisdom. And now he's going to say, this wisdom is not the wisdom of the world, but it's the wisdom of God.

Pay attention. He says, Although it is not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away, but we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages. for our glory. Then he's going to take the whole chapter to speak how the Spirit of God is the one that searches the things of the Spirit and it is through the Spirit that we can know those things which are spiritual and those who are in the flesh and those who are carnal cannot understand the things of the Spirit. Beloved, Brethren, a deacon and a Christian has to be a person that is able to hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

That is, that he can apprehend the wisdom that is contained in the faith, filled with wisdom that comes from above. Because this person, and for that matter, all people within the context of the church, they are going to be dealing with different situations, and therefore it is required that that happens. according to what is written. Now let me just address the final one and this is found there now in verse 10. Let them also be tested first and let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.

The testing of their faith corresponds to the searching and the picking out or the selecting that we saw in Acts chapter 6. It is the church. Now the relationship is not only to self, to their tongue, to money, to others, to the family, to the faith, but it's also a relationship to the Church. Their character in the Church is so clear and so evident that they are tested by the things that they do, that they are found blameless in the eyes of the Church, so that they can be approved by the Church, so that they can be accepted by the Church. Their character is approved by those who are witnessing the type of life that this person has.

Now, brothers, The only reason why I took the time to go through those seven things, which is something that I don't usually do, is because I want you to see how these things are simply rooted down and inwardly in walking in the Spirit. The tongue and the mouth that speaks truth is a mouth that is filled with the words of God. A heart that has the power to control himself from things is a heart that is filled with the power of Christ and of God not submitting himself to things of the world. The one that is able to love his wife and his children and caring for them with the Word of God as He will do in the church. It is a person that is filled with the wisdom of God.

A person who is walking in the truth is going to be a person that is dignified before others. It's a person that is going to hold the mystery of the faith. This is the type of people that we want to have in the church. This is the type of person that we want to grow up to be in the church. And this is the type of men that we want to select as deacons.

And speaking of these deacons being men, we come to this verse now 11 that I will now address very quickly because I'm not going to take much of our time here. But now brothers and sisters, why did I leave verse 11 for the end? First of all, because I wanted of course to speak about these principles of the qualifications of deacons. The second is because this verse, some of our brothers and sisters and some churches might interpret this verse and saying that the office of a deacon can be also for women. And this is because in the Greek, the word wife is actually woman, and there is not a possessive pronoun, their wives.

So their wives, that is given to us in the ESV at least, is a theological interpretation of the context of the text, which I think is correct. But the text, the Greek, says women. And because it says women, some people, some churches, they say, you see? Deacons can be also women, because the verse 11 will be, women, likewise, may be dignified, not slanderous, but sober-minded, faithful in all things, and especially because he's given similar qualifications now. Of course, when we take the prototype of Acts chapter 6, and if we acknowledge that as the model that was given to the Church for the appointing of elders and deacons, or at least deacons, it's very clear in that, in Acts chapter 6, that these are men.

These are simply men. There are no women that are called to be deacons. But second, when we see it from the context of the text, Why would the Apostle, as my brother said, why would the Apostle simply insert the qualifications of a deaconess in the middle of the qualifications of a deacon who is a servant? Because in chapter, or in verse 12, he's going to continue addressing men, and he's just inserting that verse there. The reason why, beloved brethren, some churches will come to that conclusion is because the doctrine and the teaching that we are all servants, We are all servants, and we've said that.

So we are all deacons, when it comes to this Greek word, in a sense. And because that is a reality of all Christians, the Bible sometimes will use this word deacon attached to a woman, like in Romans chapter 16, speaking of Phoebe, that she was a deacon, but she was a servant. is speaking of his role as a servant of the Church and not necessarily as the office as it is given to us by Paul. Paul, in this section, in chapter 3, he is speaking of those offices that are clearly identifying Philippians 1, and those offices correspond to men. Now the question that follows is, why would Paul then here insert the wives, at least, of the deacons, while he did not include the wives of the elders in the previous section.

Now, there are different views on that, but I just want to give you this, and I want you to think about this. Deacons are servants who serve the Church in all the operations or activities of the Church. but they are not the ones who are supposed to come and do everything in the life of the Church. They are the ones who are supposed to be in charge of the operations of these activities of the physical needs of the Church. They are the ones who have given this responsibility.

They are the ones who have been called. They are the ones who have been appointed by God through the authority of the church and the authority of the elders. They are the ones who are supposed to manage these services and these operations of the church. But, when it comes to the exercising of many things in the life of the church, many people will come and actually do things in the service of the church. And many of the physical needs of the church will correspond many times to things for which women are most suitable to serve.

So when it comes to things of food or things that might be related to the role of a woman, then this woman or women or sisters within the context of the church, they will come and serve. And we are not going to prevent sisters or women within the context of the Church from serving. They are servants of the Church, but they do not hold the office of the Church. However, every service that happens within the context of the Church has to be taken care of. by the deacons who are the ones who are in charge of this duty, of this office within the context of the Church.

So some people would say, and then I will just leave it for you just to take whatever position you want to have from there, is that, beloved brethren, that because there are duties within the context of the Church that will be more suitable for women, that more than likely the wives of the deacons will also be involved in the serving of his husband as the calling that he has for the context of the church and for the operations of the church. So if a deacon has been called to serve tables, so then more than likely his wife or other women will come and they will come and help and bring collaboration so that operation might be fulfilled. So then women in that sense, those who serve also in that regard, they should have particular qualifications. So at least not qualifications in the sense of an office, but at least characteristics of her spirit, which are very similar to the others, just because they are Christians. Now, the important thing for us, beloved brethren, is that we may understand this thing.

that the two offices that God has appointed for the church are deacons, are elders, and these are to be men. This is the testimony. Even, you know, like, I don't have the time, we don't have much time, but even typologically speaking in the Old Covenant, There are shadows in the Old Covenant of the offices of the elder and the office of the deacon. Paul will use references of the Old Covenant, of the priestly system, of the servants of the temple to speak of themselves as the ministers of the world. And there are also shadows and types of deacons in the New Covenant, speaking always of men.

Men are the ones who hold these offices. But beyond that, having clarity on that, beloved brethren, We are all servants in the context of the Church. We are all called to serve one another and to serve the Church in that which the Church has been called to do, which is grow up in conformity to Christ based upon and founded upon the Word of God. This is why is glorious the reward that is given to the deacons then in verse 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."

They obtain a great standing before the church, but then he's going to say something that I don't think that only applies for deacons, but for everyone. Those who serve well in good spirit and in good heart, they gain, or the translation will say, great boldness, this one says, great confidence in the faith that is in Jesus Christ. The more that we give ourselves externally as a manifestation of an inward reality in our hearts to the service of the saints, the more that we will see Christ in the environment of the church. Service, beloved brethren, is the substance of the gospel. This is what Christ did for us.

Gracious coming of the beloved Son of the Father, coming here. not to be served, but to serve, to give himself for the church. So then the serving of one another is a manifestation of Christ-like love, Christ-like grace. So then there's no burdens on our backs, and this makes us see Christ shining clearly in the eyes and in the faces of our brothers and sisters, because we are not serving themselves ultimately, but we are serving God through them for the glory of God and for the glory of Christ, for the edification of the Church. And then we do not do it because we have to be out of compulsion or because there's an obligation, but we do it out of love.

The service that comes from a heart that is filled with love will be Christ-like service. And this will nourish the life of each one of the saints and God blesses the different activities. Now, brothers and sisters, we're in a very important moment in the life of a church. Our prayer should be, our prayer should be that as we progress in time, that we might grow individually, each one of us, each one of you, each one of you. When you come in the secret place before Christ and you're reading a scripture and when you're praying, when you're communing with the Lord, each one of you, because your soul, your being, your heart, your mind, your eyes, your hands, your steps, everything that you leave is not only for you.

You have been set apart by the Spirit of Christ. You have been inserted into a body, and that body is a church. Serving one another is not something that is in our flesh. We love to be served. We love to be heard, we love to be respected, we love to be whatever.

This is not in our flesh. So service is something that is produced in us through the spirit. The more that we become like Christ, the more willing that we will be able to come down on our knees and wash our brothers and sisters feet. The more that we come on our knees in the presence of God, the more that we will fill our hearts and our minds with Christ's likeness to serve our brothers and sisters, not only moving or taking or doing, but also speaking words of Christ unto their hearts because we care for one another. Brothers and sisters, please do not be indifferent to these truths.

Do not be cold or dull to the truth and importance of the life of the church. Do not make it something that goes above your head or your ears. These are the words of God. And if the things that I'm saying are true and correspond to his scripture, so then the heart of the Christian is to take heed of these things for the sake of his personal relationship with the Savior and also the relationship of his or her church with Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.