Above Reproach

Ah...I have time this morning. T'is indeed a good thing to spend time here with God. :)

These words from Titus 1

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

10For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." 13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

I won't get through this all today, but it all seemed to kinda go together.

Elders....what qualifications do they need?

• Above reproach
• husband of one wife
• children are believers
• Not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination (not sure if this is for the children, or for the man himself)
• as God's steward, must be above reproach
• Not arrogant
• not quick-tempered
• not a drunkard
• not violent
• not greedy for gain
• hospitable
• a lover of good
• self-controlled
• upright
• holy
• disciplined
• one who holds firm to the trustworthy word as taught
• able to give good instruction in sound doctrine
• able to rebuke those who contradict the same.
  

Quite the list isn't it? Shows I think, the importance of choosing a good leading man of God.

Paul mentions it twice, the the overseer, the elders in a church must be above reproach.

Had to think on that for a minute. What does it mean for someone to be above reproach?
Does it mean perfection? Does it mean that everything must be "just so" all the time?

I don't think so. Everyone makes decisions and choices that are sinful, but the question is how does an individual respond to such things? Does he live a life of open repentance and dependence upon God? Does he live life in such a way that shows the importance of God in his life and in the lives of those around him? Does he try to know God more and live by what he learns of God?

Let us choose wisely and prayerfully the men that God sets in place over us.