DIGGING DEEP NO. 1123 February 17, 2026
1 TIMOTHY (PART 4)
FOLLOW THE LEADERS
1Tim.3: 8- 16.
The Deacon – 1Tim.3: 8- 13. The English word deacon is a transliteration of the Greek word diakonos, which simply means servant. The first deacons were appointed to be assistants to the apostles. In a local church today, deacons relieve the pastors/ elders of other tasks so that they may concentrate on the ministry of the Word, prayer, and spiritual oversight. Even though deacons are not given the authority of elders, they still must meet certain qualifications. Many faithful deacons have been made pastors/ elders after they proved themselves.
Grave – Vs.8. A deacon should be worthy of respect, a man/ woman of Christian character worth imitating. A deacon should take his responsibilities seriously and use the office, not just fill it.
No double- tongued – Vs.8. He does not tell tales from house to house. He is not a gossip. You can depend on what he says.
Not given to much wine – Vs.8. The word describes a person who sits long with the cup and thus drinks to excess. A godly leader would certainly want to give the best example and not be an excuse for sin in the life of some weaker brothers.
Not greedy for money – Vs.8. It may be tempting to steal or to use funds in selfish ways. Those who handle finances need to have a spiritual attitude towards money.
Doctrinally sound – Vs.9. The great doctrines of the faith are hidden to those outside of the faith, but they can be understood by those who trust the Lord. Deacons must understand Christian doctrine and obey it with a good conscience. It is not enough to sit in meetings and decide how to run the church. They must base their decisions on the Word of God, and they must back up their decisions with godly lives. A deacon who does not know the Bible is an obstacle to progress in a local assembly. A deacon who does not know the Word of God cannot manage the affairs of the church of God. Simply because a church member is popular, successful in business, or generous in his giving does not mean he is qualified to serve as a deacon.
Tested and proved – Vs.10. This implies watching their lives and seeing how they conduct themselves. In most churches, a new member or a new Christian may begin serving God in visitation, ushering, helping in Sunday school, and numerous other ways. This is the principle in Matt.25: 21. It is worth noting that quite a few leaders mentioned in the Bible were first tested as servants. Joseph was a servant in Egypt for thirteen years before he became a second ruler in Egypt. Moses cared for sheep for forty years before God called him. Joshua was Moses servant before he became Moses successor. David was tending his father’s sheep when Samuel anointed him king of Israel. Even our Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant and labored as a carpenter; Apostle Paul was a tent maker. It always weakens the testimony of a local church when a member who has not been proved is made an officer of the church. An untested Christian is an unprepared Christian. He will probably do more harm than good if you give him an office in the church.
Godly homes – Vs. 11- 12. The deacon’s wife is a part of his ministry, for godliness must begin at home. The deacons must not be men who have been divorced and remarried. Their wives must be Christians, women who are serious about the ministry; not given to slanderous talk, and faithful in all that they do. It is sad to see the damage that is done to a local church when the wives of elders or deacons’ gossip and slander others.
A willingness to work – Vs.13. He is to use the office, not fill it. A faithful deacon has a good standing before God and men, and can be used of God to build the church. He has a spiritual boldness that makes for effective ministry. It is a serious matter to serve the local church. Each of us must search his own heart to be certain that he is qualified by the grace of God.
The Believers – 1Tim.3: 14- 16. Elders, deacons, and church members need to be reminded of what a local church is. In this brief paragraph, Paul gave three pictures of the church.
The house of God – Vs.15. God’s church is a family. One of Paul’s favorite words is “brethren” 1Tim.4: 6. When a sinner believes in Jesus Christ as Savior, he immediately is born again into God’s family Jh.1: 11- 13; 1Pet.1: 22- 25. Paul advised young Timothy to treat the members of the local church as he would treat the members of his own family 1Tim.5: 1- 2. Because the local church is a family, it must be fed; and the only diet that will nourish the people is the Word of God. It is our bread Matt.4: 4; milk and meat 1Cor.3: 1- 2, Heb.5: 12- 14, and honey Ps.119: 103. A pastor must take time to nourish himself so that he might nourish others 1Tim.4: 6. A church does not grow by addition, but by nutrition Ephe.4: 11- 16. Like a family, a church needs discipline in love. Children who are not disciplined becomes rebels and tyrants. The spiritual leaders of the assembly should exercise discipline 1Cor.4: 18- 5: 13; 2Cor.2: 6- 11. Sometimes the children need rebuke; other times the discipline must be more severe. Spiritual leaders must have the gentleness of a nursing mother and the strength of a loving father.
The assembly – Vs.15. Paul wanted young Timothy to know how to conduct himself as a leader of a local church. Many books have been published purporting to tell us how to start, build, and increase a local church, and some of them contain good counsel. However, the best counsel for managing a local church is found in the teachings Paul shared with Timothy and Titus. The church is God’s assembly; He has the right to tell us how it ought to be governed.
The pillar and ground of the truth – Vs.15- 16. The main truth to which a church should bear witness is the person and work of Jesus Christ 1Tim.3: 16. Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh, not only at His birth, but during His entire earthly ministry Jh.14: 1- 9. This reminds us of the commissions the Lord gave to His church to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth, and He will return one day to take His church to share that glory.
In Conclusion – What an exciting challenge it is for our local church to witness of Jesus Christ to lost sinners at home and around the world.