Awake & Alive: 1 Timothy Reading Plan
Day 9
1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
Paul transitions into a section of the letter primarily concerned with church offices and order. There is a great deal of value to be gleaned from these sections when read through the lens of the letter’s theme. The objective is not moral betterment for the sake of morality alone, but rather a life transformed by the Gospel that results in a stronger witness, greater ministry, and a deeper, more authentic experience of joy. The only trait that seems to be specific to church leadership is the ability to teach. The rest of the qualifications listed are great guideposts not just for the pastor or leader but for every professing believer.
Most of the traits listed here are counter to the cultural norms surrounding the church at Ephesus. It is also of note that many of these traits can be simply deduced to the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This aligns with the theme of the book being a life, and church, transformed by the Gospel as one receives the Holy Spirit in response to receiving the grace of God through Jesus.
It is imperative to fight the urge to read this list as a “to-do” list for the believer. While it certainly is an admirable list of traits, the heart of Paul’s writing must be read through its dependence on the Gospel. This list is designed to allow the church, specifically its leadership here, to accurately portray God’s goodness to the community it is a part of while also leading to a deeper, more true experience of joy. In summary, this list is a reflection of a life changed by Jesus, not a prerequisite job description for those seeking to enter the faith community.