The following message was delivered at Grace Community Church in Panorama 
City, California, by John MacArthur Jr.  It was transcribed from the tape, GC 
56-6, titled "The Required Character for a Pastor: Family Leadership"  A copy 
of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, 
Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.

I have made every effort to ensure that an accurate transcription of the 
original tape was made.  Please note that at times sentence structure may 
appear to vary from accepted English conventions.  This is due primarily to 
the techniques involved in preaching and the obvious choices I had to make in 
placing the correct punctuation in the article.

It is my intent and prayer that the Holy Spirit will use this transcription 
to strengthen and encourage the true Church of Jesus Christ.

                     The Required Character for a Pastor
                              Family Leadership
                                 (Titus 1:6)
                                     by
                               John MacArthur

We are so blessed week in and week out to be studying together the Word of 
God, and have its truths opened to our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit.  
What a tremendous, tremendous privilege it is.  Every text that we come to as 
the months and years go by carries with it such great truths, such heart 
searching truth, such life changing truth.  I find that the adventure of my 
own preparation each week is an exhilarating joy.  This week, however, as was 
last week is a bit hard for me to preach because I am talking about what I 
do, in talking about the qualifications for one who is a pastor.  

I want you to understand that I come to this pulpit humbly, and I come to 
this pulpit not at all advocating myself as the pattern or the model for 
these things.  I come to the pulpit as one who is really, myself, under the 
authority of what the Scripture says, and I must bring it to bear upon my own 
life, so this is, indeed, an exercise in my own spiritual life.  I have been 
through this text now for days and days, and it has searched out my own 
heart, as do all of those that particularly pertain to the ministry and those 
who are qualified.  Whatever God has done in my life and ministry and 
whatever He is doing and shall do in the future is strictly and only due to 
His grace, which is abundant in me, and for which I give Him all the glory.

We are studying Titus, chapter 1, and we are looking at verses 5-9, which 
give us the required character for a pastor or an elder.  We are examining 
what kind of man the Lord wants to lead His church.  This instruction is 
explicit, unarguable; it is not negotiable.  It is simple and 
straightforward; it tells us precisely, without equivocation that there are 
certain men who fit as leaders in the Lord's church, and there are certain 
men who do not.  It is crucial for the life of the church, the future of the 
church, that it might continue to become more and more like Jesus Christ, 
that the right men are its pastors, elders, overseers, [and] leaders.

In general, the role of leadership is one of example.  Obviously, precept is 
there, but behind anything we say is what we are, and that is why in this 
text, starting in verse 5 and running down to verse 9, you don't hear 
anything about teaching until you come to verse 9.  Only as the last category 
of discussion does the Apostle Paul talk about men who are skilled in holding 
forth the faithful word.  Up until that point everything has to do with 
character.  The character of the man is the foundation of his preaching and 
teaching, because the pattern of his life is the platform for his 
proclamation.  We are preachers and we are teachers, we are articulators of 
truth but at the same time that is done from the platform of a virtuous life.  
Leadership primarily is example.  We are called to live what we preach and 
teach.  We are to set a pattern for others to follow in our own lives as well 
as what we say.

The Apostle Paul reminds us of that in a number of places, as do other New 
Testament writers.  Philippians 3:17, Paul says, "Brethren, join in following 
my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in 
us."  Follow people who follow me because I follow Christ--that's leadership 
in the church.  In 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3, and verse 9, Paul says that we 
"offer ourselves as a model for you, that you might follow our example."  In 
1 Timothy, chapter 4, and verse 12, Paul says to Timothy, that you are to be 
an example "in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity"--an example that 
others can follow.  In Hebrews, chapter 13, and verse 7, the readers are told 
to remember those who led them, who spoke the Word, and they are to imitate 
their faith.  Follow their life pattern.  In 1 Peter 5, Peter says that 
undershephards, pastors, are to be examples to the flock.  I supposed it is 
summed up in 1 Corinthians 11:1 where Paul says, "Be ye followers of me, as I 
am of Christ."

And so leadership is basically spiritual virtue, spiritual character, 
spiritual maturity, godliness, holiness, righteousness, integrity of life 
that sets a pattern for others to follow.  When Paul wants to find a way to 
illustrate this kind of leadership; when he wants to find some other arena to 
draw as an analogy for this, interestingly enough, he chooses the family.  
Look at a very important text, 1 Thessalonians, chapter 2.  Paul here is 
describing to the Thessalonians the nature of his ministry, and he describes 
it beginning in verse 7, in some very wonderful terms.  1 Thessalonians 2:7,  

      We proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly 
      cares for her own children.  Having thus a fond affection for 
      you, we were well-pleased to impart to you, not only the gospel 
      of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear 
      to us.  For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how 
      working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we 
      proclaimed to you the gospel of God.  
        
      You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly  
      and blamelessly we behaved towards you believers; just as you 
      know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each 
      one of you as a father would his own children, so that you may 
      walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own 
      kingdom and glory.

Verse 7 mentions a mother and verse 11 mentions a father, and all around 
those two are various characteristics of a mother and a father.  The 
gentleness, the nursing mother, the tender care, the fond affection, the 
giving of our lives, the very dear way in which we treated you.  The labor, 
the hardship, the work, the upright blameless example, the exhortation, 
encouragement, and imploring of you, all speak of parental activity.  We 
lived with you, we nurtured you, we loved you, we cared for you, we set a 
pattern for you, we sacrificed for you, we worked for you, we witnessed to 
you, we exhorted, encouraged, implored you.  We wanted you to be worthy and 
to walk in a worthy way.  

There you have the image of the consummate leader in the church.  He is not 
like a CEO in a company, not at all.  He is like a father in a family; he is 
like a mother in a family.  He is a combination of both of those in a 
spiritual parent.  He is tender and loving and compassionate.  He has a 
compulsive love which gives its life for the nurturing of others no matter 
how great the toil to do so.  He is strong, he is persuasive, he is 
motivating, he is courageous, he sets the pace for others, he sets the model 
by example, and this is a parenting kind of picture.  He lives a life to be 
imitated.

The spiritual leader in the church is not primarily a producer as industry 
calls them, somebody who works hard.  He is not primarily a manager, that is, 
somebody who gets people to work; he is a leader--that is someone who lives a 
life that others want to copy.  That's what leadership is.  The producer is 
somebody who can do a job.  The manager is somebody who can mobilize people 
to accomplish an end.  The leader is someone that others want to be 
like--that's what spiritual leadership is.  We are not just producers.  I am 
not just in the church to produce sermons.  We are not just managers.  I am 
not here to organize and structure and mobilize the church to some 
accomplished goal.  

All pastors and elders are here to become patterns that you desire to follow, 
people you want to become like because they pattern for you the very things 
that they teach from the Word of God.  There is no better way to see that 
than in the analogy of parenting, and that is why Paul chooses it there in 
1 Thessalonians.  Paul many times refers to those that are Christians and 
saints in his life as his children.  John calls them, "His children in the 
faith."  Peter calls the believers "children."  Why?  Because they all 
understand that spiritual leadership is a kind of parenting role where you 
live before people, you set an example before them, as well as teaching and 
instructing them--they go together.  

When you have the responsibility to lead people to Christ, and to lead them 
to sanctification and holiness, and to lead them to service for the Lord 
Jesus Christ--you are fathering them, you are nurturing them, you are 
parenting them, moving them along, and your life must back up what you say, 
if you are to have the power of integrity and creditability in that effort.  
Now, I believe that's really a very important concept to have in mind as you 
come to the text of Titus, chapter 1.  Let's go there.  Titus, chapter 1, 
Titus says,

      For this reason (verse 5) I left you in Crete, that you might 
      set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I 
      directed you, namely, if any man be above reproach, a one-woman 
      man, (and now for this morning we look at this statement) having 
      children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.

Now if you are to be a leader of the Lord's church, if you are to be a father 
to the family of God (as we read about in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 2) what 
better way to qualify yourself than by proving your spiritual leadership in 
your own family.  If you want to know whether a man lives an exemplary life, 
if you want know whether he can lead someone to faith in Christ by the power 
of his own virtue, if you want to know whether he can teach the truth, if you 
want to know whether he can model it, whether he is consistent, whether he 
can lead people to salvation, lead them to holiness, lead them to serve God, 
then look at the most intimate relationships in his life and see if he can do 
it there.  See if he has integrity there.  See if the credibility is there.

Does a man have integrity and virtue?  Does a man have true godliness and 
righteousness in all his ways?  Are the principles that he wants to teach 
lived out in the most intimate way in his own life?  Is he able to lead 
someone to Christ by the power of his testimony and consistency?  Is he 
trustworthy?  Is he godly?  Is he virtuous?  Do you want to know the answer 
to that?  Look at his family!  And you will find the people who know him 
best, who know him most intimately, who see him most closely, who understand 
every part of him.  If you want to find the answer to what kind of man he 
is--ask the people who know him best.  

There are many fathers who work hard and some fathers who manage their 
households well, keep everything controlled, but do not lead their children 
to Christ, and do not lead their children to godliness, and do not lead their 
children to serving the Lord.  The men who do are candidates for being pastor 
or elder.  That's what he is saying here, since spiritual leadership is a 
kind of parenting where you don't just talk it, you live it.  And where you 
must be able to lead people by your life as well as your precepts to certain 
levels of understanding the truth, which leads to salvation and holiness and 
service, you need to look at some proving ground where you can see that 
happening.  Paul is simply saying here that the proving ground is in the 
home.  It's in the home.

Now, this is somewhat a provocative concept, I understand, and you may be 
having all kinds of thoughts, not all of which I will attempt to answer 
anymore than this text does.  But the simple statement here is, "The man who 
is to be considered for leadership in the church is a man who has proven his 
spiritual leadership in the most intimate place--that's his own family."

Now remember, Paul is arming Titus here, as at the end of verse 5 he said, "I 
already directed you about this."  He is simply writing down what they have 
already discussed, not so much for Titus' benefit but for the benefit of the 
churches in which Titus will be having to have to do his work.  And it isn't 
an easy work, he's on that island called Crete and he is going from place to 
place to straighten up what is broken or bent or crooked, and to ordain 
elders in every city where there was a church.  Just going in and saying, 
"Look, I am going to pick some elders out here and have you people affirm 
them," was not an easy task, and the church might sort of quibble about who 
would be selected, so to arm Titus effectively, the Lord inspires Paul to 
write down the very specific qualifications.

Now these qualifications starting in verse 6, down to verse 9, can be divided 
into four categories.  The first was sexual morality; the second (we are 
looking at today) is family leadership; the third, in verses 7 and 8, is 
general character; and the forth and final one in verse 9, is teaching skill.  
If someone is to be an elder or a pastor they must qualify in all four 
categories: sexual morality, family leadership, general character, and 
teaching skill.  And when a man does, of course, in general he will be a man, 
as verse 6 says and verse 7, "Who is above reproach."  A fourfold package, if 
you will, and if you are not qualified in one of the four--you do not 
qualify.

Now, what he is saying today is we are looking at the matter of family 
leadership, and he is saying, 

      The instruction is simple, Titus, a pastor or elder, overseer in 
      the church must be a man who has demonstrated his spiritual 
      leadership ability and his integrity by leading his family to 
      the truth he holds most precious, which is the very same thing 
      he must do in the church.

The family, then, becomes the proving ground for his unique kind of 
leadership.  Can he lead by precept?  Can he lead by principle, and can he 
support it by the virtue of a righteous life?  Look at his children.  His 
leadership in the family will be the most obvious place to find the answer.  

Now let me say this, a few footnotes:  

1.  It may be that you, as a father, have made every effort, every good and 
righteous effort possible to lead your children to faith in Christ, and you 
have not seen the fruit that you would desire.  You are not responsible for 
your child's rejection before God, but neither would you be qualified to be 
an elder or a pastor in the church.  

2.  There is nothing in the Scripture that bars a single man from being an 
elder.  Paul at the writing of this was probably single, as best we can tell.  
There is nothing in Scripture that bars a single man from leadership, from 
being an elder in the church.  Furthermore, there is nothing in the Scripture 
that bars a childless man from being an elder in the church.  But where you 
don't have marriage, or you don't have children, you have to find other 
experiences than those in the home to ascertain the man's spiritual 
leadership; and if, indeed, he has been faithful as a spiritual leader in 
other arenas that will be available to assess.  

So I want you to understand that I don't think that this is a prohibition 
against single people or against childless people being elders or 
pastors--not at all.  It is just that there are going to have to be other 
areas in which you look to see the impact and the virtue of that life.  And 
also when you see this in verse 6, as flowing right behind the statement, "If 
a man be above reproach," and right before the statement, verse 7, "the 
overseer must be above reproach," you are really talking here primarily about 
an "above reproach" man.  It is almost like a negative, rather than a 
positive.  We are wanting to emphasize the positive impact of his 
Christianity, but there is also the point that he must have "children who 
believe and are not accused of dissipation or rebellion," because they would 
become a reproach on him.  And obviously if he is not married and doesn't 
have any--they couldn't.  

So, it's important for us to note those things, but the general thrust is 
this: the family is the proving ground where a man demonstrates his spiritual 
leadership, and if he has children who believe, who are not involved in 
dissipation and rebellion, they will never bring scandal upon his good name 
and the integrity of his spiritual leadership.  When a man stands in a pulpit 
and says this is how to live, this is how to conduct yourself, this is God's 
high standard, this is what God expects of you, this is how you are to raise 
your children, this is how you pass godliness from one generation to the 
next, and you look at his life and you say, "Wait a minute, you have got wild 
and uncontrolled children, who live in rebellion and reject the gospel.  Why 
are you the guy who is telling us how to do this?"  You can see it brings 
reproach upon his life.  It questions the integrity of his message.  It sucks 
the creditability out of it, and thus the impact. 

It is a unique thing that preachers and elders do.  It is a unique thing that 
requires a very unique grace from God to qualify them to do it.  But, please 
remember just because someone is not married, or doesn't have a child, 
doesn't mean that they are disqualified, it just means that the demonstration 
of their spiritual leadership has to be somewhere else.  And we need not 
worry that one of their children would bring reproach upon them.

Paul is saying, "You want to make sure you select men who have a good 
reputation (as he says elsewhere) outside the church as well as inside the 
church, who will never be discredited by some unbelieving wayward child, one 
who claims to believe but is unruly and sinful."  That kind of child would be 
a reproach, shattering the model of godly virtue that he is to hold up before 
the people on the inside of the church and the outside of the church.  

So the standard is both positive--he is to reflect the power of godly living, 
and he is also to be protected from embarrassing scandal by wayward children.  
Both are essential perspectives for his candidacy to be an elder.  

Now some people want to make this an issue of sovereign election whenever you 
get into this discussion.  There is a lot of discussion about this statement, 
by the way, a lot of it.  Some people want to say, "Well, it certainly can't 
mean that you have to have converted children because that's all up to God's 
election, that's all God's sovereignty, and if He doesn't choose to elect 
your children then you are in real trouble."  Let me answer that by saying 
this, that is an unbiblical and fatalistic approach, and is not worthy of a 
proper consideration of the impact of a godly life or the responsibility for 
evangelism.  Salvation comes to people through the faithful witness and godly 
example of other people.  Is that not true?  

Salvation comes to people through the faithful witness and godly example of 
other believers.  All through Scripture we are continually taught that a 
godly life leads people to salvation.  Election is the issue with God and the 
issue by which we give Him glory, but it is not the consideration to be in 
our minds in the process of spiritual living and witness.  All through 
Scripture we are taught that a godly life leads people to salvation.  Let me 
show you by way of reminder.

Matthew 5:16; I will give you a number of texts, you might want to write them 
down.  Just listen as I read them, Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before 
men in such a way, that they may see your good works and as a result glorify 
your Father who is in heaven."  In other words, you can live a kind of life 
that leads people to glorifying God.  

In Acts, chapter 2, we find that this is indeed what happened in the early 
church.  It says, "They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' 
teaching (Acts 2:42), to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, to prayer.  
They had all things in common (verse 44)."  Verse 46, "They were worshiping, 
they were taking their meals together, breaking bread.  They had gladness, 
sincerity of heart."  Verse 47, "They were praising God."  Here are some 
powerful transformed lives.  "They had favor with all the people," (the 
result) "the Lord was adding to their number day-by-day those who were being 
saved."  Why were they being saved?  They were being saved because of the 
power of these transformed lives--the impact of godly example.

In Romans, chapter 11, the Apostle Paul writes in verse 14, he says, "My 
desire in preaching to the Gentiles is to somehow move to jealously my fellow 
countrymen and save some of them."  Paul is saying, "If I can minister 
effectively among the Gentiles, if my life and ministry is effective there, 
it will create a jealously there that will save some Jews."  In other words, 
what I do has a direct impact on the salvation of others.  1 Corinthians 
9:22, Paul says, "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.  I 
have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.  I do 
everything for the sake of the gospel."  In other words, he says, the way I 
deal with people is to lead them to salvation by my life.  He says, "I become 
a slave to all, that I might win the more" (verse 19).  "I become a Jew to 
the Jews.  I become as without law to those who are without law."  I become 
whatever I need to become to live a life pattern and to reach people that I 
might save them.

In 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 31, Paul says, "Whether you eat or drink 
or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.  Don't give an offense to 
a Jew or to a Greek or to the church."  He says, "Just as I also please all 
men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that 
they may be saved."  I do what I need to do, not to offend anybody because 
how I live my life leads people to salvation.  Do you see that?

Look at Philippians, chapter 2, here it is again, it is the same great 
concept.  He says in verse 15, Philippians 2, "You are to prove yourself to 
be blameless, innocent children of God, above reproach in the midst of a 
crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the 
world."  Here we are living in a world of sin and iniquity.  We are to be 
blameless, innocent children of God, above reproach in the middle of this 
crooked perverse generation.  We are to be lights in the middle of the 
darkness, holding fast the Word of Life.  Why?  So that in the day of Christ 
(that's in the future), I may have cause to rejoice because I didn't run in 
vain nor toil in vain.  

What does he mean?  In the day of Christ I will see the impact of your life 
was to lead others to Christ.  That's his point.  In the day of Christ I will 
rejoice when we are all gathered to Christ, and I will see the power of your 
living--your example.  In 1 Timothy, chapter 4, verse 12, Paul says, "Don't 
let anyone look down on your youthfulness; in speech, conduct, love, faith, 
purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."  You ought to be a 
living illustration of what Christianity is.  That's what a Christian leader 
should be--a living illustration of what Christianity is.

Then in verse 13 he talks about the preaching and the teaching.  Go down to 
verse 16, "Pay close attention to yourself and your teaching.  Persevere in 
both of those things, for as you do this, you will ensure salvation both for 
yourself and those who hear you."  How you live, along with what you say, 
brings salvation to people.  Look at 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 11, "I urge 
you as aliens and strangers, abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war 
against the soul.  Keep your behavior excellent among the pagans, so that in 
the thing in which they slander you as evil doers, they may on account of 
your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation."  

Do you know what the day of visitation is?  The day of judgment.  He says, 
wouldn't it be wonderful if in the day of judgment, the pagans who watched 
your life glorified God?  In other words, they weren't being judged--they 
were among the redeemed.  They were glorifying God in His judgment because it 
wasn't coming on them.  They were praising God for delivering them, and what 
was the impact that caused them to believe?  It was the power of your "good 
deeds," as they observed them, in your life.  So stay away from fleshly 
lusts; keep your behavior excellent, because it can be on account of your 
good deeds that people will glorify God in the day of judgment rather than 
fearing Him.

Look at 1 Peter 3:1, "You wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that, 
even if any of them are disobedient to the Word (unconverted), they may be 
won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your 
chaste and respectful behavior."  The power of a virtuous life.  The power of 
a godly life is laid out for us all through Scripture, all through Scripture.  

You can't just go off on the concept of election and say, "Well, if they are 
elect, they will get saved, and if they are not elect, they won't get saved."  
The fact of the matter is, God saves people through the means of godliness in 
the lives of others.  And if I, in my home, am committed to living a godly 
life, and a virtuous life, and to proclaiming saving gospel truth that is 
lived out in integrity, there is every reason to believe that God in His 
grace will use that to redeem my children.  It may not always happen, but for 
a man that stands in the pulpit to be the model, and who will not be 
scandalized by some activity on the part of his children, it is necessary.  
And God in His grace, makes it possible.

Let me give you a couple of specific illustrations for the power of Christian 
parenting to lead children to salvation.  Look at 1 Corinthians, chapter 7.  
1 Corinthians, chapter 7, very interesting.  There are a lot of issues in 
this chapter about marriage, none is more interesting than the one in verses 
14 to 16, where you are talking about a marriage of an unbeliever to a 
believer.  First of all he says (you know), "Don't divorce them, if you are 
married to an unbeliever--don't divorce them" (verses 12 and 13 talk about 
that).  That "Don't send her away" (or him away) thing means, don't divorce.  
Why?  Well, verse 14, "The unbelieving husband is sanctified through his 
wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband, 
for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy."  Isn't that 
interesting?

What he is saying there is, where you have one partner that is converted, 
another partner that is unconverted, the unconverted partner can be 
sanctified and the result will be holy children.  Now some would say that 
sanctification is a temporal blessing kind of thing, and it may well include 
that, but follow into verses 15 and 16, "Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, 
let him leave; the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases, but 
God is called us to peace."  In other words, if you have an unbelieving 
partner and they want to leave the marriage, they want out of the marriage, 
let them go, you are not in bondage.  Verse 16, "For how do know, O wife, 
whether you will save your husband?  Or how do you know O husband, whether 
you will save your wife?"  

That tends to interpret for me verse 14, so that it is possible that an 
unsaved partner can become saved by living with a believer, and that is what 
he is saying.  If you have a mixed marriage, stay there, it maybe that God 
will lead you to bring that person to salvation, with the result that you 
both having come to Christ, your children will be made holy.  Where you have 
godly parents there is every reason to believe you have the opportunity, the 
wonderful opportunity, to raise up godly children.  He says you don't know 
that that's going to happen (verse 16); it doesn't always happen in a mixed 
marriage but it can happen, and when it does happen, it tends to make the 
children not "unclean" but "holy."  It should really be the norm; it should  
be the pattern in a Christian marriage that you have holy children--if that 
Christianity is real and if those believing ones are faithful to live out 
what they say they believe.  

An illustration of this, further, would be 1 Timothy, chapter 2.  1 Timothy, 
chapter 2, looks at this whole idea of the godly life in the home.  1 Timothy 
2:15, this is a discussion about women and the role they play in the church, 
the life of the church.  He starts out in verse 9 and 10 by talking about how 
they dress, and what they look like, and they are certainly to dress 
modestly, properly, discreetly, not calling attention to themselves, but 
calling attention to their godliness.  And then in verse 11, not just how 
they dress but how they behave in the church, they are to receive instruction 
with submissiveness, to be quiet, not to teach and take authority.  And the 
reason for this is creative: God made Adam first, and he was to be the head, 
and Eve was to follow along.  And it was illustrated how important it was 
that she follow her husband by the "fall."  

Eve was deceived and fell into transgression, led the whole human race into 
transgression.  Why?  Because she came out from under the leadership of Adam 
and acted independently.  She acted on her own.  The serpent was there; she 
didn't go back and check with Adam: "Adam, this snake is talking to me.  He's 
telling me bad stuff!  What do I do?"  She didn't lean on the strength of her 
husband; she didn't follow his headship.  She acted independently; she led 
the race into sin.  She produced, then, a cursed society.  She raised up a 
cursed seed because of her sin.  Adam, of course, sinned in falling in line 
with her, but she led the transgression.  And so there is a certain stigma on 
women that they led the race into sin.  Eve was the first to go: she led the 
race into that iniquity.  Verse 15 comes back and says this, "Women shall 
preserved from this stigma (delivered from this stigma, relieved from this 
stigma) through the bearing of children."

What is that saying?  Women who once raised a generation of cursed children 
because of woman's sin, can now raise a generation of godly, blessed, 
children because of a woman's righteousness.  That's the point.  So the woman 
is preserved from the stigma; delivered from it through bearing children, if 
(follow this) if these women continue "in faith, and love, and purity, with 
self-restraint."  What does that mean?  Well it simply means, if a woman 
maintains her godliness, her faith in the Lord, her love for God, her 
holiness and purity of life, manifested in self-restraint and self-control, 
therefore, she walks in a godly way.  She will bring forth children who will 
bless, rather than children who will curse.

There is the promise to a woman, that a godly woman can raise a generation of 
godly children.  Godly parenting is a norm for Christians.  This certainly is 
illustrated personally in the life of Timothy, look at 2 Timothy 3:15.  Paul 
says to Timothy, "From childhood you have known the sacred writings which are 
able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation, through faith, which is 
in Christ Jesus."  From the time you were a little child you were taught the 
Scripture which leads to salvation.

Go back to chapter 1, verse 5, "I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, 
which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am 
sure that it is in you as well."  There you have it, grandmother Lois was a 
godly woman: she raised a godly daughter.  Godly Eunice was a godly woman: 
she raised a godly son--Timothy.  This is the pattern; godliness passed from 
one generation to the next.  It is a wonderful and magnificent pattern.  God 
has designed that the primary unit of human society for which, from which, I 
should say, righteousness is passed generation to generation to generation, 
is the family.  

Now all of that simply to say this: to simply pass this whole thing off as an 
election issue is not legitimate.  It is not biblical, it is fatalistic.  The 
Scripture says people are converted as a result of how we live and what we 
preach.  A godly life proclaiming truth, living with integrity is going to 
have a tremendous impact on the conversion of other people, and you are going 
to see it in the family, in the home.  By the way, as another footnote, it is 
somewhat of a curiosity that there is no mention of the wife here.  It says, 
"He must have children who believe," but it doesn't say anything about his 
wife.  I think that it is fair to say that the assumption is that she is also 
a believer.  It's a mute point because it would be assumed.  In 
1 Corinthians, chapter 9, the Apostle Paul, talking about his own 
Apostleship, and his own leadership, and the rest of the Apostles, and all 
the brothers of the Lord, and Peter and all of that, says this, "Do we not 
have a right to take along a believing wife?"  (And there is an emphatic 
statement).  

Anyone in Christian ministry has a right to have a believing wife.  He is 
simply saying, "We have a right to be married," but he makes it very clear 
that she is a believing wife, I think that was an assumed reality.  Another 
thing that leads to that conclusion or that assumed reality would be 
2 Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 14, "Do not be bound together with 
unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what 
fellowship has light with darkness?  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, 
or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?  Or what agreement has 
the temple of God with idols?"  The point being, if you are in that kind of 
marriage where there is a believer and an unbeliever, there is not in 
existence the kind of harmony that can create the spiritual power and energy 
of a godly family.  It isn't there!  So we assume that the wife was a 
believer, to which the man was totally devoted in faithfulness, and the 
children also followed along in the faith.  

A truly godly life is the most powerful tool God has in saving sinners.  The 
power of a godly life that speaks the truth.  How can we lead people to 
conversion?  How can we lead people to holiness unless we can show them the 
power of it in a life.  And what are we to do in the church?  We are to teach 
you how to raise a godly generation.  How can we teach you how to raise a 
godly generation if we can't do it?  So a pastor or elder must be this kind 
of a man: "above reproach (back to Titus 1), a one-woman man, and having 
children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion."  Let's look 
at that text now more specifically.

"Having children who believe," that is literally what the Greek says (teknon 
echon pista), "Having children who believe."  "Having" is present tense, 
"children" has no regard for age at all; in fact, it is the same word used 
back in verse 4 to speak of Titus, "My true child" who was a grown man.  It 
simply means "sons and daughters, offspring" and generally speaking the tone 
of this text assumes them to be adult.  You say, "Why do you say that?"  I'll 
show you in a moment, but primarily it is associated with "not accused of 
dissipation or rebellion."  That hardly refers to little children, there 
aren't too many dissipated, debauched little kids.  That is a term which 
would more accurately be reflective of an adult life.  Further, elders by 
definition, were older men who tended to have older children.  Some of them 
did have young children and that is (I think) referred to in 1 Timothy as I 
will mention in a moment.  But the word "children" here has no regard for 
age: "whatever age they are."  If he wanted to use little children, he could 
have used "teknon" (Greek).  If he wanted to talk about babies he could have 
used "brephos" (Greek), that means infants, but he just uses a general word 
for "sons and daughters."

We know that elders could have had young children; they could have had older 
children.  Probably the norm was older children, since "by definition" they 
were older men, but many of them did surely have young children as well.  
It's not an issue of his age; it's an issue that his children believe and 
they are not dissipating, and they are not in rebellion in whatever age they 
are in life.

Now, let's take that word "children who believe."  Now if you have an 
"Authorized" or "King James" it may say "faithful."  This has been much 
debated over and over through the years.  It's a very debated issue and in 
order to try to help bring some clarity to that debate I am going to beg the 
issue a little bit this morning, so indulge me.  

Some people say, "It means faithful children," and all "faithful children" 
means is they are just obedient to their parents.  O.K.?  They don't have to 
be Christians.  This is a big point people make: they don't have to be 
Christians--they just have to be obedient to their parents.  Well, that would 
assume then that they were little children.  Wouldn't it?  Because, do adult 
children have to be obedient to their parents?  No.  And I don't think this 
text could be related to little children since it says that they are not to 
be accused of "dissipation or rebellion."  Those terms are very graphic 
descriptions of wild, unruly, sordid, lascivious living, which would be much 
more characteristic of older children than little kids.  I think here, then, 
it is safe to say that he is talking here about faithful adult children for 
the most part, who are not going to scandalize the ministry by their unruly, 
wild living.  

Now, others are willing to say it does mean, as it is translated properly 
here in the New American Standard (NAS), it means "children who believe," but 
that is the battleground.  Some say, "No, it just means faithful, obedient 
children.  They don't have to be converted."  Others say, "they do have to be 
converted."  You say, "Now, wait a minute.  What if your children don't fit 
into this category because they are not old enough to believe?  They are not 
at that age yet, they are still little children.  Elders could have small 
children.  Right?"  I think 1 Timothy 3 covers that, Paul giving requirements 
there for one who is an elder.  In verse 4, 1 Timothy 3, says, "He must be 
one who manages his own household well, keeps his children under control with 
all dignity."  That clearly must refer to younger children because you don't 
keep your adult children under control.  You are not in the same role with 
them that, maybe, you once were.  So I think, really you have the emphasis of 
1 Timothy 3 on the controlling of the household, the controlling of the 
children with all dignity (and I will say more about that in a moment); and 
in Titus you tend to see the older child who now believes and whose life 
follows that belief, not being accused of anything that would scandalize the 
ministry.

Having said all of that, the word itself "pista" (Greek), a very important 
word you need to understand, simply means "believe."  The opposite of it 
"apistos" (Greek) means "to not believe, disbelief, unbelief."  So it is best 
to see this as "believing" just in the simplicity of the word.  You say, 
"Well, can't it be translated 'faithful' in the sense of loyal or 
trustworthy?"  Yes, and let me explain that to you.  It has what commentators 
will call an "active" and a "passive" sense.  The "active" idea is one who 
believes; the "passive" idea is one who is to be believed, or to put it 
another way, one who trusts or one who is to be trusted.  

Some people will say, it just means somebody who can be trusted, somebody who 
can be believed.  Somebody who is loyal to his father, who is an obedient 
child.  The problem with that is never is this term "faithful" used to apply 
to any one other than a believer.  It can emphasize the loyal side of it; it 
can emphasize the trustworthy side of it; it can emphasize the passive side 
"to be believed," but never without the active side--it is two sides of the 
same coin.  In other words, if it said, "Having children who are faithful," 
we would immediately ask the question, "Faithful to what?"  Well, the answer 
would have to be, "Faithful to what their father taught them,"  and the most 
precious and priority thing he ever would have taught them would have been 
what?  The Gospel--the Truth!

Although the word "faithful" is used several times in the New Testament of 
inanimate objects like "faithful sayings" five times in the epistles (like 
the "faithful word"), it is used most always of individuals--people.  It is 
used of the faithful Creator God who is faithful to what He knows to be true 
and the faithful High Priest Jesus Christ who is faithful to what He knows to 
be true.  You have to be faithful to something.  But most of the time it is 
used of individuals and it describes someone who is trustworthy and loyal to 
what they believe--to what is true.

To see it in contrast, compare it with the negative (Greek) "apistos" (you 
put the little "a" at the front--it negates the word).  John 20:27 says this, 
"Be not 'apistos' but pistos"  In other words, "Be not unbelieving, but 
believing."  There's the opposite.  The opposite of belief is unbelief, and 
it could be the opposite of faithfulness is unfaithfulness which would mean 
rejection of the truth.  2 Corinthians 6:15 says, what part has "pisto" 
(Greek) with "apisto" (Greek) or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?  
So the word in it's negative form always means unbelief.  I would conclude 
the word in its positive form can mean trustworthy or faithful, but never 
disconnected from believing.  He is faithful to what he believes--that's the 
idea.  

For example, let me illustrate that; Ephesians 1:1, "Paul and Apostle of 
Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and who are 
faithful in Christ Jesus."  The only way to be faithful is to be in Christ 
Jesus.  They are faithful saints who are in Christ Jesus.  The active and 
passive unite there.  Colossians 1:2, you have the same thing; he's 
addressing the people, "To the saints, the Holy Ones and faithful brethren in 
Christ."  You always see faithful associated with believers--faithful 
believers.

Look at 1 Timothy.  Let's just look in the pastorals and see how "faithful" 
is used.  1 Timothy 1:12, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has 
strengthened me because He considered me faithful, putting me into service."  
What does he mean "faithful?"  He means loyal to what he believed; loyal to 
the truth.  You can't divorce faithfulness from belief.

Chapter 3 of 1 Timothy, verse 11, "Women who are to serve in the church are 
to be dignified, not malicious gossips, temperate, (there it is) faithful in 
all things."  What does that mean?  Simply obedient?  No, believers who are 
living obediently--faithful to what they know to be true.  Look at chapter 4, 
verse 3, "Beware of these people who teach that you are to avoid marriage, 
and they advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be 
gratefully shared in by those who are faithful, who believe and know the 
truth."  The words are so interchangeable that the translators go back and 
forth, but the "faithful" always believe, and the believing are always to be 
faithful.  

Down in verse 10, "It is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed 
our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of 
believers," or the faithful.  Verse 12, he says, you are to be an example in 
all these areas of those who are faithful, those who believe.  Down in 
chapter 5, verse 16, the word appears again, "If any woman who is a believer, 
or any woman who is faithful has dependent widows, etc."  Down in chapter 6, 
verse 2, again, "Let those who have believers as their masters not be 
disrespectful to them, because they are brethren, but let them serve them all 
the more because those who partake of the benefit are faithful and beloved," 
believers and beloved.

So you see, once in a while it's believers, once in a while it's faithful.  
They go back and forth, but always the "faithful" are "believers" and the 
"believers" are "faithful"--they are interchangeable.  To take the word 
"faithful", pull it out of the believing context, isolate it as if it only 
meant submissive to the father's leadership, without believing what the 
father taught, would be to distort the word.  If you look at the Scripture, 
every Scripture in the New Testament that I looked at (I got them all) where 
the word is used, it always refers to believers, unless it is referring to an 
inanimate object, or God, or Christ.  

For example, 

1.  The "faithful servant" of Matthew 24 and Luke 12 is a believer.
        
2.  The "good and faithful servant" of Matthew 25 and Luke 19 is a believer.
        
3.  The "faithful person" of Luke 16 is a believer.
        
4.  The "faithful mother of Timothy" Acts 16:1 is a believer.
        
5.  The "faithful stewards" of 1 Corinthians 4 are believers.
        
6.  The "faithful Timothy" of 1 Corinthians 4:17 is a believer.
        
7.  The "faithful ministers" of Colossians 1:7 and 4:7 are believers.
        
8.  The "faithful Onesimus" of Colossians 4:9 is a believer.
        
9.  The "faithful Moses" of Hebrews 3:5 was a believer. 
        
10.  The "faithful Silvanus" was a believer (1 Peter 5:12).
        
11.  The "faithful martyrs" including Antipas of Revelation 2 were believers.
        
Always they are called "faithful" because they are believers; it is never 
used in the New Testament of somebody who is not a believer.  So the word 
then describes both active and passive sides.  

So what is Paul saying?  He is saying, "Not only is this man to have children 
who believe, but children who are also. . . ."  What?  "Faithful to what they 
believe."  That's what is implied in the rest of the statement "Not accused 
of dissipation or rebellion."  They believe it and they live it.  

So many people want to leave this matter of salvation out and say that he 
doesn't have to have saved children as long as they just submit.  Well, what 
are you going to do right here when you get to this point?  How can they be 
called faithful if they don't believe what they must be faithful to?  And if 
they are adult children here they certainly wouldn't be obeying their father; 
faithful would mean nothing.

In 1 Timothy it says, "Keeping his children under control with all dignity."  
I believe that looks at them when they are young, and when he has young 
children they are obedient; they are under control.  "With all dignity," what 
does that mean?  It means the father maintains his class, and his humility, 
and his respect, and his admiration, and his stateliness, and his gentleness.  
In other words, it is not an overbearing control, a domineering control, an 
abusive control, but he controls them with respect and admiration, so that 
they look to him and they admire him and they want to be like him, and they 
aspire to be what he is, and they love him, and they obey out of delight and 
joy and respect.  In verse 5 of 1 Timothy 3 said, "If he can't control his 
family in that way how's he going to manage the Church?"

So I believe that when they are little they follow their father's example.  
You say, "Are you saying if your children aren't old enough to be saved that 
you can't be an elder?"  No, when they are young they are under control and 
they believe whatever their little hearts can believe, and they affirm 
whatever they can understand, and they live by those principles being taught 
to them by the parents, and someday that blooms into saving faith.  

The church ought to be able to look at that man's life and see that process 
taking place; see those little children affirming, believing as much as their 
simple hearts can believe.  We could say "believing with a simple faith; 
progressing towards a saving faith."  But when it comes to the point that 
they are old enough to believe they are to be faithful to the truth they have 
been taught.  As I have said, the home is God's basic unit of society for 
passing righteousness from one generation to the next, and it, therefore, 
becomes the proving ground for spiritual leaders, and we are to have children 
who are faithful to what is most precious to us.  

Now, "not just believers;" let me just tap this point one more time by 
looking at those words "dissipation" and "rebellion."  But "faithful 
believers," I think they are both there.  "Not accused of dissipation or 
rebellion;" "dissipation" is "asotia" (Greek): it means just what it says.  
It is used in Ephesians 5:18 associated with drunkenness and wild revelry and 
pagan festivals.  It means "wild, wasteful," literally, "without saving; 
saving nothing," just throwing yourself away--indulgent.  The second term is 
"rebellion:" "out of control; wild; unruly."  

His children are to be believers who are faithful, who live obediently: under 
control when they are small, following their father's faith until it emerges 
into their own faith and at that point they don't live a wild and rebellious, 
out-of-control, unruly, wasteful life; but they live a faithful Christian 
life.  

A pastor who has children who are wild, self-indulgent, disobedient, and 
rebellious, even if they claim to be Christians, is not suited to be an elder 
or a pastor.  What a standard this is!  

The man who is selected to be an elder or a pastor has exhibited the 
leadership and life integrity to lead people to salvation and sanctification 
and service to God, because he has done it or is doing it in the proving 
ground of his own family.  He is known as one who has obedient, controlled 
children who believe as they are able the truth of the Christian gospel, and 
live according to its principle; and their simple faith when they are young 
is emerging into a saving faith at some point.  Those children become the 
proof of his spiritual leadership.  

Even the little ones believe.  I look back at our little ones as they were 
growing up and continued to affirm their faith in Christ, affirm their love 
for Christ; even though it wasn't a saving faith it was a simple affirmation 
of the things precious to father and mother, and it became a saving faith.  
This is the proving ground; this is where the man is tested.  He is not a 
better man; he's not a more virtuous man; he's not a more godly man, but he 
is a man who uniquely suits the ministry.  

Other men may be godly men, faithful men, loyal men, and perhaps have 
children that are wayward.  That does not hinder his relationship to the Lord 
Himself, because he is not ultimately responsible for what his children 
choose to do; but it does not either qualify him for this unique role of 
leadership.  You might put it this way: we who do this need a special 
abundant portion of God's grace, don't we, because of the uniqueness of our 
task.  And whatever has happened in any of our lives who lead the church, 
whatever has happened in our lives to qualify us in any measure is purely, 
and simply, and only, because of the grace of God--the grace of God! 

Thus does the Apostle arm Titus with both a moral qualification for 
leadership, and a leadership qualification.  They are absolutely foundational 
to the ministry and where they don't exist the church will remain at a low 
level because the pattern isn't there to lift the church.  We need to pray 
for our leaders; pray for all of us; all those who lead the church anyplace, 
anytime that they might be these kind of men who know this kind of grace, 
that the Lord's church may be what would please Him most.

Father, we thank You again this morning that this Word is clear; it is 
penetrating; it is provocative; it is not easy to receive; it is hard to hear 
because it is so demanding, and it somehow makes us feel like some men are 
better than others; elevated above others.  Lord, let it not be so.  May we 
remember that he who is suited to leadership is the one who is most humble, 
and even Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give 
His life.  But may we also understand that out of the humility of such a life 
there are unique qualifications that must be met, and when met can set a man 
in a place of leadership, where he can live and teach as a pattern that 
others can follow.  Not a perfect one, for none is that, but at least a 
reflection.  At least some kind of representation of that kind of godliness 
that you want passed from generation to generation through all the families 
in Your church.  

Thank You Lord in this church for leaders who have been blessed and graced 
with such families as can be followed.  Keep them that way; keep them 
faithful; keep the children faithful that they might never be a rebuke to the 
one who serves in Your name.  Amen.


Transcribed by Tony Capoccia of

BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD               MODEM (318)-949-1456
BOX 130                            300/1200/2400/9600/14400 DS HST
SHREVEPORT, LA 71110