THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3, VERSES 1 TO 7:

3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

SURVEY OF THE CHAPTER
Verses 1-13 of this chapter form the third charge that Timothy was to pass on to the assembly at Ephesus. In verse 1-7 there is instruction concerning elders, and in verses 8-13 instructions concerning deacons. Paul had told the elders of the assembly at Ephesus that there were problems ahead for them, and men would rise up speaking perverse things. Because of this they were to be watchful. See Acts 20:31. This came to pass, hence the need for the instructions given here, only five years later.
Verses 14-16 form the third charge to Timothy himself, as is seen from the words, “these things write I unto thee”, (bearing in mind “thee” is singular). Timothy was to be encouraged by the charge to him, and then pass on the instruction to the assembly at Ephesus where he was in fellowship.
The whole of the epistle is about behaviour in the house of God, verse 15. Since Paul was writing to Timothy in the context of the needs in the assembly at Ephesus, the house of God in this context is the local church.

STRUCTURE OF THE CHAPTER

(a)	Verses 1-7	Qualifications of true elders.
(b)	Verses 8-13	Qualifications of true deacons.
(c)	Verses 14,15	Third charge to Timothy.
(d)	Verse 16	Truth about Christ to be declared and defended.

God requires that His house be orderly, and elders are responsible to Him for this. They should remember that they must give account at the Judgement Seat of Christ, Hebrews 13:17.

Various words are used for elders in the New Testament:
(a) Elder: Here the emphasis is on spiritual maturity, even if younger in years. Age is not specified in the qualifications, although we should bear in mind the word literally means “an old man”, but some are more mature at a younger age than others. A believer may be physically old, but not be an elder, either because he has not long been saved; or he has not matured, even though saved quite a while; or he is disqualified because he cannot meet the requirements this passage lays down.
(b) Pastor: Here the emphasis is on shepherd-care and teaching. Paul had exhorted the Ephesian elders to “feed the flock of God”, Acts 20:28. The Lord Jesus exhorted Peter to “feed My sheep”, John 21:16.
(c) Bishop, or overseer: Here the emphasis is on watchfulness and supervision. The Greek word is “epi-skopos”, to look over. Paul exhorted the Ephesian elders to watch, for there were enemies of the flock at hand. It is significant that the blind man was given his sight in John 9, and then the Lord Jesus spoke of Himself as the Good Shepherd in chapter 10. The once-blind man was potentially a watchful shepherd. He had showed great courage in confronting the Pharisees in chapter 9, and these were the wolves that would not spare the flock, see John 10:12; Acts 20:28-31. True shepherds do not avoid issues, but confront them.

Reasons for the list of qualifications:
(a) The apostles would soon be gone, (symbolised by Paul saying goodbye to the elders, saying he would not see them again, Acts 20: 38). There needs to be written instruction in their absence. It is not true that because there are no apostles today we cannot have elders. The apostles did not produce elders, or even authorise them, for these are Divine operations. This list is from the Lord through the apostles, and guides us now that they are gone.
(b) Paul had warned of men speaking perverse things, so we may use this list of features found in true shepherds to expose these “hirelings”, John 10:12.
(c) It sets out goals for younger men, showing plainly the high standard which is required of those who lead the people of God. The features mentioned in these verses are not developed overnight.
(d) It prepares young sisters for the possibility that they will marry a brother who will one day be an elder. The work of an elder will demand time and effort, and the elder’s wife must be aware of that and be sympathetic to it.
(d) It is a constant reminder to current elders. Serious lapses will have to be rebuked, 5:20, so elders need to “take heed therefore unto yourselves”, as Paul said to the Ephesian elders. They are to be “examples to the flock”, 1 Peter 5:3, so their character and conduct should be without blame.

In New Testament times, there was a plurality of elders in one assembly, as will be seen from Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5. It was only at a later date, when Scripture was departed from, that men asserted themselves so as to be the sole leader of a church. A further departure was to have one bishop over several churches. Then came the concept of an archbishop, which certainly has no sanction in the Word of God. It is only those who think lightly of God’s word that will go along with this idea. We need to continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship; for that is God’s standard for us.

The following are quotations from well-known writers and historians of the English “Established Church”:

Dean Alford: “The bishops of the New Testament have officially nothing to do with our bishops”.
Dr J. B. Lightfoot: “In the apostolic writings “bishop” and “presbyter”, (that is, overseer and elder), are only different designations of one and the same office”.
Dr Ellicott spoke of “the undoubted historical fact of the development of what we call the episcopate in the early part of the second century”.
Dr Handley Moule: “the title “bishop” in the New Testament does not denote a minister ruling over other ministers; this is generally admitted: he is the bishop not of the shepherds but of the flock. One local church might have several bishops”
“By the close of the second century a definite episcopacy in the latter sense of the word appears”.
Dean Stanley: “nothing like modern episcopacy existed before the close of the first century”.
Dr Hatch: “the diocesan system, as it now exists, is the effect of a series of historical circumstances. It is impossible to defend every part of it as being primitive”.
In view of these quotations, the Church of England is self-condemned, and should be separated from.

How we meet is important, for our God is the God of order, for “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints”, 1 Corinthians 14:33. So all churches should be ordered the same; they will be if they are guided only by Scripture. “One-man-ministry” and “clergy and laity” are left-overs from the Old Testament temple system. That has vanished away, as Hebrews 8:13 makes clear. All who continue with it are not in the good of what God has introduced in Christ.

It might be asked, how are elders appointed?

Consider the following:
1. The apostle addressed the elders of the assembly at Ephesus as those “over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers”, Acts 20:28.
2. The Spirit indicated who were elders through the apostles at first, for they “ordained them elders in every church”, Acts 14:23. The word “them” refers to the believers, not the apostles. It was the believers who needed elders, so the apostles pointed out what was there already.
3. Then through Timothy and Titus with apostolic authority, Titus 1:5. (Note elders, plural, in every church).
4. Now through this passage, and also Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Peter 5:1-4.
So there is no room for self-appointment, for that would make a man “he that climbeth up some other way”, John 10:1. Nor is it appointment by existing elders, although they should be alert for the signs of a true elder as they manifest themselves in younger men. It is certainly not a successional system, with sons taking over from fathers.
The assembly should recognise the evidence of the Spirit’s work in a man. If he matches verses1-7, and desires the work, he is an elder- even if some do not acknowledge him as such. If he does not have the qualifications, then he is not an elder, even if some do acknowledge him as such, and he meets with those who are elders. Believers are to obey true elders, but they have no obligation to obey those who clearly have not the qualifications. In such a situation, the true elders should rise to the occasion and deal with the matter.
With these things in mind, we come to the teaching of the apostle on this important matter:

(a)   Verses 1-7     Qualifications of true elders.

3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

3:1 This is a true saying- that is, is in line with “the faith” that is to be declared and defended by the local assembly. A true saying will correspond to the standard represented by “the faith”, that is, the whole body of apostolic doctrine.
If a man desire- so it is not forced upon him. As the apostle Peter put it, “not by constraint, but willingly”, 1 Peter 5:2. Those who are unwilling will soon tire of the work, or will give up when difficult decisions have to be made.
The office of a bishop- this is all one word, meaning overseership. The word office suggests work, which it is, first and foremost. The word bishop is in the singular here because verses 1-7 describe a particular sort of man. These are not qualifications that are distributed amongst the elders, for each individual must have them all.
He desireth a good work- so it is not a rank but a work. Good work needs good men to do it, hence the personal qualities required are listed next in verses 2-7.

3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3:2 A bishop then must be blameless- because it is a good work, it must not be spoiled. An elder leads by example, just as in Bible times a shepherd went ahead of the flock. The sheep keep their eye on him and are safe. The Lord acted as shepherd to David, and led him in the paths of righteousness, Psalm 23:3. The word blameless means not open to just censure. An elder should not be held to ransom by those who make base-less charges. All believers ought to be blameless, but the elders must be.
Sober- that is, not given to excesses of any kind. We are all exhorted to “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober”, 1 Peter 1:13, and this is especially true of elders.
Of good behaviour- as noticed, the true shepherd walks in front of flock, and leads by good example. The elders should not do what the flock should not do.
Given to hospitality- this is literally “love of strangers”, for public inns were often not suitable for believers in those times, as indeed today. It is increasingly difficult for believers to find suitable accommodation and food, so Christian travellers should be helped, even if they are unknown. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers”, is the word in Hebrews 13:2. And the possibility is held out that the unknown believer given food and shelter might indeed be an angel in disguise. Just because the word literally means “love of strangers”, we should not think the help in view should be limited to those we do not know. Is it consistent to entertain strangers, but not the believers you know?
Apt to teach- coming, as it does, in between “entertain” and “not given to wine”, this can include teaching given at home, as well as in the assembly. This is in private conversation. An example of this is found in Aquila and Priscilla, who taught Apollos the way of God more perfectly in their home, for we read that having heard Apollos preach in the synagogue, they “took him unto them”. This does not lend support to the idea of the assembly splitting up into house groups, which often is just an excuse to escape from assembly order. It is the norm for all the believers to come together into one place, 1 Corinthians 14:23.
Elders are expected to know the truth and teach it. The good elder/shepherd will cause the flock to “lie down in green pastures”. He will be a one to “feed you with knowledge and understanding”, Jeremiah 3:15, as a good pastor. An assembly should not need to import teachers from elsewhere all the time, although teachers are given to the whole church, so have their place, Ephesians 4:11.

3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

3:3 Not given to wine- wine-drinking is not prohibited, for Paul counsels it in 5:23 for Timothy where he advises him, (no doubt informed on the matter by Luke, the beloved physician), to “use a little wine”, for medicinal purposes. The Lord Jesus supplied wine at His first miracle in John 2 and manifested His glory thereby. So wine in itself is not evil, but it is the excessive drinking of it that is wrong.
We should remember that in ancient times the water supply was not always very safe, hence wine filled a need. The water supply is safe in the developed world, so we do not need to drink wine out of necessity Wine is not needed by those who are filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:18, for their satisfaction comes from spiritual things, and these cannot be produced by winedrinking.
No striker- violent behaviour is not becoming to those who follow the one who did no violence, Isaiah 53:9. Those with moral authority have no need to use force anyway. The true shepherd has a rod and a staff, to comfort the sheep, not to terrify them. The ancient shepherds used their rod to beat off those who would attack the sheep. In this way the sheep would be comforted by the courage of their shepherd, knowing he would defend them at all times. Paul warned the Ephesian elders that grievous wolves would come, and they must be alert to this possibility.
Not greedy of filthy lucre- this is base gain of any sort, not just financial. A man might be greedy for fame, influence, or money. If he is like that in character, he will have no time for caring for flock; he will be too busy with other things.
But patient- he must be this with all men personally, lest the world arrive at a false view of Christ. He must be patient, too, with saints when teaching them, for some are slow to learn. We see this illustrated in the “Good Shepherd” chapter, John 10. Having introduced the subject of the true shepherd of the sheep, the Pharisees did not understand. So we read, “Then said Jesus unto them again”, verse 7. He did not walk away because they did not grasp his meaning the first time.
Not a brawler- this would mean not just being aggressive physically, but with words. The true elder will be able to make truth known without being forceful.
Not covetous- covetousness not only breaks the tenth commandment, but it is contrary to the spirit of Christianity. So much so that Paul exhorts later in the epistle that we withdraw ourselves from those who suggest that gain is godliness, as it was in the law-age, 6:5. Then, wealth was a sign of God’s blessing. Christ “became poor”, and thereby gave character to the gospel-age, which is marked by God giving “His unspeakable gift”.

3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

3:4 One that ruleth well his own house- this is the training ground for those who have a desire to care for the flock of God. An elder’s household should be orderly, as he superintends with kindly authority. Even a Persian king knew that “every man should bear rule in his own house”, Esther 1:22. The husband is to rule the house, and his wife is to “guide the house”, 5:14. They thus complement one another.
Having his children in subjection with all gravity- children should be controlled, not running wild. It is not in their best interests to be undisciplined and lawless, apart from the stain on the testimony.

3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

3:5 For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?- this is irresistible logic. If a comparable but lesser task is not done well, the greater task will not be given. Note the change from “rule” to “take care”. The Christian father has authority from God to command his children, but he has not that sort of authority over the saints of God. He is to “command and teach” the word of God, 4:11, but the command is from the Lord, not from him.

3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

3:6 Not a novice- this is one who is inexperienced, one to whom Christian things are new. This may be because he is newly saved, or because he has not advanced in the things of God very far. This does not mean that a person must have had every experience before he can function as an elder, for Scripture gives us experiences of others, and the other elders may have gone through that experience and so may pass on their wisdom about it.
Lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil- if the one “full of wisdom”, Lucifer himself, could fall, the novice certainly can. See Luke 18:14. The condemnation of the Devil is the judgement the Devil received because he exalted himself in pride. He was cast out of heaven.

3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without- his conduct must not attract just criticism. Of course, unbelievers are quick to find fault, but they must not be able to rightly do so. We should be “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among ye shine as lights in the world”, Philippians 2:15.
Lest he fall into the reproach and snare of the devil- in verse 6 it is what Devil received because of pride, now we are warned as to what an elder falls into if he is not without reproach. Satan fell from his place, the elder can fall from his. The reproach is the consequence in the eyes of others, and God, of failure in testimony towards unbelievers, or as the apostle describes them here, “them that are without”, that is, outside the assembly. The snare of the Devil is the trap the Devil lays, into which the elder falls. How important it is that an elder should “take heed” to himself, as well as to the flock, Acts 20:28.

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3, VERSES 8 TO 13:

3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

(b)    Verses 8-13    Qualifications of true deacons.

Godly order in the Father’s household is further maintained by deacons. The word deacon used here is “diakonos”, having the idea of a servant with emphasis on his work. Paul used this word in Romans 15:8 when he wrote, “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God”. So even though the deacon is a worker, he has a dignity about him, because the work he does is from God, as Christ’s was. The usual word for those who serve God is “doulos”, and all believers are this. We should not confuse these two ideas, and call ministers of the word, for instance, the “Servants of God”, as if that was a use of the word “doulos”, and in that way suggest that other believers do not serve God.

A deacon is a person formally appointed to perform a specific task. Some deacons are appointed by God, but others are appointed by believers, hence we need a list of qualifications to guide us.
Deacons in the New Testament churches of two sorts, as indicated in Acts 6.
(a) Those who “serve tables”, Acts 6:2, meaning, in this context, those who were administering help for needy widows. This is called in verse 1 “the daily ministration”. Those who provide the resources should be involved in the choice of this sort of deacon, as we read happened in Acts 6:3. There is other deacon service, of course, such as having dealing with the gifts the saints have given. We see this in 1 Corinthians 16:3, where there were those who were appointed to journey to the apostle with a gift for needy saints. The same sort of thing is referred to in 2 Corinthians 8:19.
The deacons chosen were all men, but Phoebe is called a deacon in Romans 16:1,2. Phoebe was a deaconess in the assembly at Cenchrea. The apostle commends her for her work of being a succourer of many. The word “succourer” has legal connections. It was a word used in Athens of those seeking the welfare of aliens who were without civic rights. And it was used amongst the Jews of wealthy patronesses, those who provide resources for the destitute. This was her work as a deaconess, and she discharged her responsibilities well, hence the commendation of the apostle.
(b) Those who minister the word. The reference in Acts 6:4 is to the apostles, for they ministered the word, and the word is “diaconia”, the work of a deacon. Those who minister the word are appointed by Christ Himself, for it is the Word of God that is dispensed. In this case, the qualifications enable the saints to recognise false teachers, for false teaching always manifests itself in false behaviour. “By their fruits ye shall know them”, see Matthew 7:15-20.
It is interesting to notice that the same qualifications are needed for a minister of material things as are needed for a minister of spiritual things. This indicates the high standards the Lord expects of those who serve him. Just because a believer is “only serving tables”, that is no excuse for laxity of character.

3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave- as with elders, these are things the deacon must be. They must not be casual about their work for the Lord, but take it seriously.
Not double-tongued- it is vital that those who minister the word of God are consistent. They should not say one thing on the platform and another privately. Or one thing in one assembly and another thing elsewhere.
Not given to much wine- the work of God demands clear thinking. The same remarks as were made about verse 3 are applicable here.
Not greedy of filthy lucre- those who are deacons must not expect monetary reward. If they are entrusted with the saints’ money they must have no tendency to dishonesty.

3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience- this must be true of both sorts of deacon, as is seen in Stephen. Those who hold error in their hearts will sooner or later fail, to the harm of the testimony.

3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

3:10 And let these also first be proved- that is, let their character be tested against the requirements listed here, before they are entrusted with the task. It is not a question of being given a probation period to see whether they are able to do the work. Those Divinely enabled will not need this, although of course they will get better as they continue to serve.
Then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless- the testing has found no cause for concern. Blameless is the description of those who have no disqualifying features that make them unfit for the task.

3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

3:11 Even so must their wives- the plural pronoun might include the wife of an elder as well.
Be grave- serious-minded, like their husbands, verse 2.
Not slanderers- speaking evil of others, when the husband is trying to speak well of the Lord. The two do not go together.
Sober- a different word to that used in verse 2. This word means to be vigilant, alert to anything in their lives which spoils Christian testimony.
Faithful in all things- loyal to the Lord, and loyal to their husbands. Their character must not undermine the work of their husbands.

3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well- the same requirements as for elders, showing the high standard required of all. This shows the high value God puts on godly Christian households.

3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well- they value the opportunity of serving the Lord and His people, and discharge their responsibilities faithfully.
Purchase to themselves a good degree- acquire a reputation for faithfulness and integrity. Needless to say “purchase” does not mean buy with money, for we learn from Acts 8:18-24 that spiritual things cannot be bought. The idea is of gaining a firm hold of something. A carpenter may have difficulty removing a rusty screw because he cannot get any purchase on it, meaning his screwdriver will not grip it. A good degree is a high level of beneficial influence in the assembly, which the deacon obtains because of the strong grasp of the truths of the faith he has acquired.
And great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus- because they have the confidence of God’s people, true deacons have moral authority to uphold Divine principles. This word is used of Peter and John when they appeared before the Jewish authorities in Acts 4:1-14. They perceived that “they had been with Jesus”, meaning they were recognised as the two disciples that had been in the Palace of the High Priest the night the Lord Jesus was arrested, John 18:15. Peter had not been bold then, but was afraid before the accusation of a servant-maid. But he was anything but afraid when he is confronted with the hierarchy of Israel, and this is what surprised them. The secret of their boldness was the fact that their faith was under-girded by the resurrection of Christ; this gave them certainty and assurance.

THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE, THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, AS FOUND IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3, VERSES 14 AND 15:

3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

(c)   Verses 14,15   Third charge to Timothy.
His behaviour in the House of God.

3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly- so the epistle is a personal word to Timothy in the first instance, to encourage and authorise him in the assembly in Ephesus. The epistle sets out what Paul would say if present. This is a great blessing to us now, for we have no excuse for ignorance as to the mind of God.

3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself- this is guidance for Timothy as he acts for the apostle. This shows the importance the apostle attached to the things about which he writes. They are not a matter of indifference, to be lightly cast aside. Nor are they matters which may be delayed in their application. Some wish to translate the phrase “how thou oughtest to behave”, as “how one ought to behave”, making it more general, but the Authorised Version, as ever, is correct. We may learn from this charge to Timothy, but it is directed to him, as is seen from the use of the singular pronoun “thee” in the previous verse. Making it general obscures the sense. In any case the matters dealt with in the epistle are not comprehensive, (there is no mention of the Lord’s Supper, for instance), but consist of matters in connection with which the believers at Ephesus needed adjustment. So whilst the epistle is valuable to us, it is first of all an epistle to Timothy, and we learn from it when seen in that light.
In the house of God- Timothy was directed to remain with the assembly at Ephesus, 1:3, so this is what is referred to here. The first mention of a house is in Genesis 7:1, where God says to Noah, “come thou and thy house into the ark”, so by the “law of first mention” we learn that “house” means the people in the household. Here the reference is to the house of God, so those who are born again, and therefore have the life of God in their souls, make up the house or household of God.

We may say the following things about the House of God:
(a) It consists of those in the family of God, being born again. “As living stones, are built up a spiritual house”, 1 Peter 2:5.
(b) It is the place where God’s presence is known.  When Jacob was on his journey to Padan-Aram, he came to a place he afterwards called “Bethel”, meaning “House of God”, for he came to realise because of the dream he had, that “surely the Lord is in this place…this is none other but the house of God”, Genesis 28:16,17.
(c) It is where heavenly things can be reached, for Jacob said, “this is the gate of heaven”.
(d) It is where God’s Son administers as Firstborn, “but Christ as a Son over His (God’s) house, whose house are we”, Hebrews 3:6.
(e) It is ideally the place where the Father’s will is carried out, as is suggested by the words, “how thou oughtest to behave”. As the Father of the house, God has every right to order and discipline His house, so that it functions for His honour.

Every true believer is in the good of these things, but it is God’s desire that believers should gather together as an assembly, so that the teaching of the apostles may be applied to their conduct. The believers at Ephesus were gathered as an assembly, and Timothy was to serve God amongst them. This is God’s ideal.

Which is the church of the living God- this is a further aspect of the house of God, the local assembly. If “house” speaks of relationship, with the implication that those in the house have the life of the Father, then “church of the Living God” speaks of their responsibility to express that life. If He is the living God, then He can be relied upon to support and strengthen His people to maintain something for Him in a locality.
The Greek word rendered church is made up of two parts, the first meaning “out of”, the second meaning “a calling”. The two together indicate a called out company of people, separated from men in general and called together for specific purposes. The gospel calls out from the world. Christ calls together to Himself.

The use of the word “church”
The word is used in four main senses in the New Testament, but not always in connection with Christians. A brief look, however, at the way the word is used in other senses will help us to see why the Holy Spirit took it up to use in relation to believers.

The word is used in the following ways:
1. By Stephen, Acts 7:38, of the nation of Israel when they were in the wilderness.
2. By the town-clerk of Ephesus, Acts19:39, of a company of unbelievers.
3. By the Lord Jesus and His apostles of all the Christians of this present age, Matthew 16:18, Colossians 1:18.
4. By the Lord Jesus and His apostles of the Christians who meet together in a particular locality, Matthew 18:17, 1 Corinthians 1:2.

The first two uses of the word will help us to understand the last use, which is our present subject. A reading of the passages mentioned above will clearly show that the word church is never used of a material building. It is also clear from 1 Corinthians 5:2,13, that it is possible to be a true believer, and therefore in the church which is Christ’s body, and yet not be in a local church, either because one has been put away from it, or has never joined.

Stephen’s use of the word church
Stephen uses the word church of the nation of Israel because they were a called-out company. They had been redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, as described in Exodus 12; “baptised” in the Red Sea, Exodus 14:21,22; 1 Corinthians 10:1,2; and brought to the foot of Mount Sinai to listen to God’s word, Exodus 19:17, 20:1. As such they give to us an illustration of those in this age who have been called out of the world by the Gospel; redeemed by the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God; baptised in water to signify, amongst other things, allegiance to Him; and gathered together as a church in a locality to bow to the authority of the word of God. This illustration should not be pressed too far, however, or else we shall arrive at the unscriptural notion that since infants crossed the Red Sea, then infant baptism is in order. The Scriptures are crystal clear that this is not the case.

The use of the word by the town clerk.
The town clerk of Ephesus used the word in its secular sense in Acts 19:39, when he spoke of a “lawful assembly”. The townsfolk would understand that he meant by this a gathering of those possessing civic rights in a free Greek city, who were called together for the carrying out of public affairs. Strangers, and those deprived of citizenship, could not be part of such a called out company.

Characteristics of the members of a local church.
When we put these two uses of the word together, and apply them to a local church, we can say it has the following characteristics:
Only believers. It is composed only of those who have responded to the call of God in the Gospel, and have been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, just as a civic assembly did not include strangers.
Only those sound in doctrine and morals. It is composed only of those who have not forfeited their rights because of moral or doctrinal evil, just as a civic assembly did not consist of those who had been deprived of the rights of citizenship through misconduct.
Only those baptised. It is composed only of those who have been baptised by immersion in water after they were saved, just as all the people of Israel went through the Red Sea to get to the wilderness.
Only those subject to God’s Word. It is composed only of those who are prepared to submit to the authority of the Word of God, just as Israel gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai to hear God speaking to them, and then said “all that the Lord hath spoken we will do”, Exodus 19:8. Moses called that day “The day of the assembly”, Deuteronomy 9:10.
Only those who have joined. It is composed only of those who have been exercised in heart to join, just as the Israelites had been exercised in heart to sprinkle the blood, cross the sea, and gather at Sinai. When Paul went to Jerusalem, he “assayed to join himself to the disciples”, Acts 9:26. The word for join means to cement, or glue, and therefore indicates an act of commitment, not the start of a casual relationship.

Returning to our passage in 1 Timothy 3, we may draw some contrasts between the worshippers of the goddess Dian at Ephesus, and the worshippers of God.
The Ephesian idolators worshipped a meteorite, a lifeless stone, as an image of Diana sent down from Jupiter, Acts 19:35. Believers worship the Living God, who sent His Son down from heaven to express the life of God.
Their temple was erected on a raft of brushwood, to protect from earthquakes. The local assembly is built on the firm foundation of Christ Himself, 1 Corinthians 3:11.
The temple of Diana was a museum, to preserve the things of this world. The assembly preserves truth, that which pertains to the world above.
It also acted as a bank, where the treasures of earth were stored. The assembly has access to the one “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”, Colossians 2:3.
Again, the temple was a school for instruction in Satanic mysteries. The believers in the assembly are instructed in the “mystery of godliness”, verse 16.

The pillar and ground of the truth- a pillar is erected in testimony. Jacob had used a stone on which to place his pillow as he slept at Bethel. Having had a revelation from God, he erected that stone as a pillar, to mark the exact spot where the revelation was given. The assembly should give clear testimony that the truth of God is to be found there. The assembly itself is the pillar, to bear testimony to Divine truth in its entirety, even what the apostle called “the whole counsel of God”, Acts 20:27. The temple to Diana had 127 huge pillars, engraved with the names of the great men who had donated them. The assembly bears testimony to just one great man, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is in fact greater than any man could be, being the Son of God in flesh.
The ground of the truth means that the assembly should support and defend the truth of God. A local church exists to testify to the truth and to defend it. It is not an entertainment centre, or a debating society, but the place where God may make His presence felt, and where His interests are promoted.
The apostle could write to the Philippians and say, “I am set (“posted as a soldier”) for the defence of the gospel”, Philippians 1:17. And he exhorted them to “Stand fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel”, 1:27.