August 18
Overseers
Titus 1:6-9

  1. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
  2. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
  3. But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
  4. Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Paul gives to Titus qualifications for those he is to appoint as Overseers in the church of the cities as Paul had instructed him.  One who is to lead a church must be blameless or above reproach.  There must not be areas in his life that would appear to condone sinful behavior.  An Overseer must be faithful to his family, not prideful or self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to alcohol, not a brawler and not greedy of financial gain.

He must be "hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled" (New American Standard).  The Overseer must hold fast to the Word of God so he is able to refute those who contradict.  One who is a leader of a church must be steadfast in the Word of God and continue to live so.

To be blameless does not mean this person has never done anything wrong, "for all have sinned."  But it means in their current lifestyle and current behavior they are not continuing to practice these things.

We must be careful in this area as well as others that we don’t think we are called to a position based on how ‘good’ we’ve been.  It’s not about earning something because we’ve been so good, but it’s a matter of becoming wise and learning to stand on the Word so as to be prepared to handle the affairs of the church.

 

Confession:

I understand those who are leaders in the church are to have a current lifestyle of being ‘blameless’ and faithful to the Word of God.  As a leader over that which God has called me to, I will strive for the same standard in my life.

 

 

Obedience is a tree of life!