03.09. Elders

ELDERS.

Every body of people must have government. In the divine government Christ is King, and there are no privileged classes. In the church every member has duties to perform, and this work is functional rather than official. The eye may guide the movements of other members of the body, but does not boss them. The hand serves the body, but is not a slave to the body. There can be no domineering of one member over another. Paul warns each member of the church at Rome *’not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" (Romans 12:3), and uses the human body as an illustration to enforce the admonition. The disciples while Christ was with them clamored for positions of honor. He called them unto him and said: "Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:20-28).

OFFICIALISM. Does Paul contradict his Lord when he says: "If a man seek the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work?" (1 Timothy 3:1). A more exact and literal translation is: "If a man seeketh the oversight, he desireth a good work." But with the word "office" left in the text, it does not sanction the idea that a bishop is an official dignitary; for the word shows that it is a work to be sought, not an official position. Seeking to be a bishop is desiring a good work. The word "office" has several meanings, one of which is: "That which anything is fitted to performa function." In this sense each member of the body has an office, a function, as, it is the office of the eye to see, the ear to hear. We have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office (Romans 12:4). As in the human body, so in the body of Christ, no official dignity attaches to one member above another.

DUTIES OF A BISHOP (Elder, Overseer). definition.A bishop is an overseer. This the word means. As age and experience are necessary for the work, bishops were selected from the older and more experienced members of the church; hence, the words "bishop" and "elder" are frequently used interchangeably. But it does not follow that all the older men in the congregation are bishops or elders of the congregation. Age alone does not give the necessary qualifications. In Acts 20:17 it is said that Paul called to him the elders of the church at Ephesus, and in his speech to them he called them bishops. duties.Acts 20:17-35; Acts 20:28 : "Take heed unto yourselves, and to the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." The elder’s duty is twofold: (1) "Take heed to yourselves." If an elder realizes the solemn obligation resting on him, and the awful consequences, both to himself and the church, of a failure to fill the measure of the trust committed to him, he will not be satisfied with anything less than a rigid self-examination. Such questions as these will come up in his mind: Do any selfish motives enter into what I am about to do? Do I possess those qualities of leadership which inspire confidence and make others inclined to follow? Do I know enough about the Bible to teach this church? Do the members have confidence in my sincerity so as to be impressed with what I say? To feed the church is to impart Bible information to them in such way as to make them better men and women. A bishop must be a leader, not only in work, but in character and knowledge. (2) "And to all the flock." Each member must be the object of his constant care. He must have no pets, no favorites, and in his sight there must be neither rich nor poor. Of course he must show a special solicitude for those who need him most. "To feed the church." Many seem not to realize what is meant by "feed" the flock. To make the same speech each Sunday to the congregation is not edifying them—is not feeding them. To do his duty requires diligent preparation and a special effort to put that information before them in such terms as will interest them. A wise elder recognizes the fact that he cannot always do all the teaching that is needed. He will study the needs of the congregation and call to his assistance men who are specially prepared for the work needed. The results to a congregation are serious, if not fatal, when an elder imagines that he must do all the teaching. It is their duty to see that the congregation is properly taught and developed.

PLURALITY OF ELDERS.

Each congregation had a plurality of elders, or bishops, after they had been in existence long enough to develop elders. These were selected from the older, more experienced, better informed, and most pious element in the churches (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5). THE NEED OF QUALIFICATIONS. The character of the work of bishops makes certain qualifications essential. Thoughtful men know the nature of the qualifications necessary for the work of a bishop, even if none were revealed. In business affairs there is no expressed law giving the qualifications that a man must possess to be a manager of a business concern, but he who knows the nature of the work to be done knows the qualifications necessary to do the work. People usually do not exercise the care and thought in selecting their religious leaders that they do in the selection of their business leaders. Knowing this, the Lord laid down in detail the qualifications an elder must possess. These qualifications are not arbitrarily imposed, but are essential to the performance of the work. Paul says, "The bishops therefore must be"— and then gives the qualifications. Putting a man into the "eldership" who has not these qualifications does not make him an elder any more than putting a man’s name on the church book makes him a Christian. To be an elder, there are certain things a man "must be;" and to be a Christian, there are certain things a man "must do." To inquiring Saul the Lord said: "Go into Damascus and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Had Saul failed to heed that "must," he would not have become a Christian. The same Lord said an elder "must" have certain qualifications. Our denominational friends have decided that one of the things the Lord said one must do to be a Christian is nonessential, and some of us have decided that some of the things a man "must be" to be an elder are not essential. There is as much disrespect for the Lord, and as much disloyalty, in one as the other.

QUALIFICATIONS.

Read carefully1 Timothy 3:1-10;Titus 1:5-11;1 Peter 5:1-4.

"The bishops, therefore, must be"—

• "without reproach." No shame or embarrassment must be brought on the church by the conduct of its elders. There must be no questionable methods in their business dealings nor irregular conduct in their social life. "Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and snare of the devil." Questionable methods in dealing with the affairs of the church will render him peculiarly unfitted for the work.

• "husband of one wife." It is always safe to take the safe side. The lamented J. W. McGarvey said: "If I were an elder of the church, and my wife should die, I would go before the church the next Lord’s day and resign." The thoughtful person can readily see why an elder who discharges his duty should have a wife.

• "temperate." Of course a drunkard cannot be an elder.

• "sober-minded." Not frivolous, worldly-minded. Must not act from impulse or passion, but from conscientious, sober thought. An elder may do untold harm to the church or injustice to a member if he is given to acting from impulse or passion.

• "orderly." Thayer defines it: "Well arranged, seemly, modest." He should be so modest, his life so well-ordered, as to gain the respect and admiration of all..

• "given to hospitality." Literally, a lover of strangers."

• "Apt to teach."Skillful in teaching. If he be not better informed in the Scriptures than the members, he cannot teach them; and if he cannot advance the church in Bible knowledge, he cannot be an elder. His knowledge of the English language and his general information must be such that he can command the respect of the people in his community. Communities differ in their general information and Bible knowledge. Hence a man who might be able to teach in one community might be utterly out of place as an elder in another. A man is certainly not "apt to teach" if he cannot gain the respect and attention of the people. An ignorant man cannot be "apt to teach," and even some well- informed men are failures as teachers. To be "apt to teach" one must be able to interest others in what he is trying to tell them. An elder, then, in the language of Paul to Titus, must "be able both to exhort in SOUND DOCTRINE, and to convict the gainsayer. For there are many unruly men, vain talkers, and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped."

• "No brawler." An elder must not be quarrelsome, nor abusive, nor insulting. His gentlemanly bearing must be manifest to all.

• "No striker." Not a "bruiser, ready with a blow; pugnacious, contentious, quarrelsome person" (Thayer).

• "gentle.""Seemly, suitable, equitable, fair, mild, gentle." He must have a wholesome regard for the feelings and preferences of others. He must be considerate.

• "not contentious." One "must contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 1:3); but one who is of a contentious spirit, one who contends where no principle is involved, but only his likes and dislikes, is a nuisance and trouble maker anywhere. Untold troubles in churches have come from this contentious spirit. Elders must be free from this spirit.

• "No lover of money." "Not greedy of filthy lucre." "Lucre" is gain; "filthy lucre" is base, or dishonest, gain. An elder must be honest in his dealings, he must not even crave riches; no Christian should. "But they that are minded to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition" (1 Timothy 6:9).

• "A good ruler." "One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God)?" "Having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly." Men must have demonstrated ability to rule before they can be elders.

• "Not a novice"—not a new convert. He must have been a Christian long enough to develop a character which demonstrates his ability to fill the place. He must not, because of his position as an elder, be puffed up and fall into the temptation of the devil. Nothing is more detrimental than for an elder to feel that he has been exalted above the other members of the church.

• "not self-willed." Not "self-pleasing, self-willed, arrogant" (Thayer). The self-willed man seeks to have his way, regardless of the wish of the congregation or the law of the Lord, and such a spirit leads him into vicious interpretation of the word of God in an effort to justify his course and trickery and scheming to accomplish his purposes. Instead of gently caring for the weakest member as a good shepherd will do, he follows his own course regardless of the spiritual welfare of the members. Such spirit and such course cannot but result in constant friction and in driving some from the fold. Thus he, for his own pleasure, destroys him for whom Christ died and wounds the church for which he shed his blood.

• "Not soon angry." The hot-headed, impetuous man should never be thought of as an elder. The man so constituted should have enough respect for God’s word and the church to refuse to serve in that capacity even if chosen. Such men cannot be fair and just in their treatment of others. The elder has a difficult position to fill, and should be able to retain a judicial bearing even under provocation.

• "A lover of good"—loving goodness. If he loves the good in human character, he will love good men and seek to develop goodness in men.

• "just." He must be just in his dealings with men and in his judgment of them. If his attitude toward others is controlled by prejudice, passion, and selfishness, he cannot be fair and just toward them. Unjust treatment may destroy a soul for which the elder must give an account.

• "holy." That is, separate from the world. A worldly-minded elder cannot develop a spiritual membership, but will likely develop in the church pride and a desire for worldly show.

• "strong in word." "Holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the SOUND DOCTRINE and to convict the gainsayers."

• "self-control." If he control not himself, he cannot control others.

• "willing." Peter exhorts the elders to take the oversight, "not of constraint, but willingly," and according to Paul he should desire the work—not the office. One cannot succeed in the work when he undertakes it over his own protest, or reluctantly; and yet, if he un­dertakes the work solely for the honor it will reflect on him, he is disqualified.

• "not a boss." "Neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you." An elder should not, simply because he is an elder, seek to impose his will or preference, on the congregation over their protest, where the truth of the Scriptures is not involved. He should have a proper regard for the congregation, and they for him.

• "An example." "Making yourself an ensample for the flock." All efforts of elders in teaching and directing the church will avail little unless their lives are above reproach. Your character is the best index to your conception of righteousness.

In studying the qualifications of bishops, there is this to consider: Paul told Timothy what qualifications elders must have, and he also told Titus. Neither likely knew of the letter to the other. Each had only the letter to him to direct him in the matter. It seems, therefore, that if a man possesses the qualifications mentioned in either letter a church would be justified in selecting him for a bishop. Perhaps no man possesses all the qualifications in a high degree, but to be an elder a man should in a noticeable degree possess all the qualifications mentioned in at least one of the letters. Certainly it is understood that an elder must possess all the qualifications which are essential to a well-rounded Christian character, and in addition to these there are requisite traits he must possess which are essential to leadership and impartation of knowledge.

SELECTION OF ELDERS.

It is possible that in the membership of the congregation there may be a number who possess the necessary qualifications. Paul told the elders of the church at Ephesus that the Holy Spirit had made them bishops (Acts 20:28). The Holy Spirit makes elders or bishops, and the Holy Spirit makes Christians, but only when the Holy Spirit’s teachings are followed. If an "elder" possess not the qualifications laid down by the Holy Spirit, and if he be not chosen by the church as the Holy Spirit directs, he is a man-made elder, and a man-made elder is no more scriptural than a man-made Christian.

There is no specific way by which the elders are to be selected revealed in the Scriptures, but it is usually understood by Bible students that the method followed in the selection of the public servants of the church in the sixth chapter of Acts furnishes a guide to us in such matters. The apostles said to the multitude of the disciples: "Look ye out therefore, brethren, among you, seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business" (Acts 6:3). Inspired men made known the qualifications of the men, and the brethren were directed to find the men. This necessarily requires conferences with each other, that those possessing the necessary qualifications be found. Follow this method without passion or prejudice, and there will be no trouble following the selection. It is not the province of a visiting preacher, or a few men who are members of the congregation, to make the selection of the elders; nor is it the province of the elders, when the congregation needs some additional elders, to select others to serve with them. The eldership is not a self- perpetuating body. The congregation should select the overseers.

If an elder should move to another place, he is not an overseer in his new home, unless the congregation in such place selects him for that work, and this they cannot do till he has resided with them long enough to prove his fitness for the work. A new convert cannot be an elder in a congregation.

ATTITUDE OF CONGREGATION TOWARD THE ELDERS.

You have seen the need of elders in your congregation, you have found the men possessing the qualifications and placed in their hands the responsibility of the work; they are your elders by your own selection. What is your attitude toward them?

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your soul, as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy and not with grief: for this were unprofitable for you" (Hebrews 13:17). remunerating elders. In the service of Jehovah it is necessary for each Christian to devote some of his time thereto. In the days of the apostles, at least in some instances, the elders who served the congregation devoted such an amount of their time to the work that it was necessary to support them in the work. If the work of the church demands a great amount of the time of the elders, the congregation which is benefitted by their labors should not allow them to suffer the loss from their business, while they themselves enjoy the benefits derived from their labor in the church, but should support them. That elders were supported by the church is declared when it is stated that they should not take the work of elders for the sake of the remuneration which might be received (1 Peter 5:2). "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and teaching. For the scriptures saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And the laborer is worthy of his hire" (1 Timothy 5:17-18). deposing elders. A man who possesses the qualifications and has been selected by the congregation for one of the bishops will remain an elder in that congregation so long as he possesses the qualifications, or till he moves away. Let it be remembered that elders are human, and though they make mistakes, as well as all humans do, it is better to assist them in overcoming such mistakes, knowing that "they watch for your souls," than to organize a mob, attempt to depose them, or demand their resignation. Let it be remembered that if in your congregation there is an elder—a man possessing the qualifications, whom you have selected as one of the overseers of the congregation— he is an elder made by the Holy Spirit, and for you to seek to oust him is to antagonize the Holy Spirit. It is possible that he may appear to be guilty of things which disqualify him for the eldership, but even then he should be accorded a fair hearing. For some one to form a dislike for the elders, and make a motion to depose them, and attempt to carry such by a popular vote, without the elders having been given a fair trial, is nothing short of the mob spirit. resigning. The overseership of a congregation is a duty placed on a qualified man by the congregation, by the direction of the Holy Spirit. No man can resign a duty or responsibility without guilt. Perhaps it would be better to say that a man cannot resign from the over- seership at all; he can only refuse to discharge his duty, and to refuse to do one’s duty is a sin. If a man discovers that he does not possess the necessary qualifications for the work, let him be just with the congregation and himself and announce to the congregation that he cannot function in that work longer.

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION.

QUESTIONS.