1 Timothy 3:7

“And he must have. good reputation with those outside the church”: Please note that the elder is. man from the community in which the congregation is located and not some administrator with headquarters in. distant city.

Often people can put on. front when with other Christians and at the services. Is this man. Christian the other six days of the week? This is. man who does not let his guard down and is always faithful in all circumstances.

He that believes that Christianity applies to every realm of his life. it applies in business dealings, with relatives and in-laws, during times of recreation, at the supermarket, and so on.

“Too often men are selected and appointed to the eldership without regard for their reputations among those people who are not Christians. Those outside the church must consider this man. fair, honest, good, sincere, godly man. He must be right in his dealings with all men” [Note:. Phillips pg. 169]

Sometimes people can deceive themselves into thinking, “Well. can rip them off, because they deserve it”, or “I can lie to them, because they do not deserve to hear the truth”. The church can very easily lose its influence, if the elders have!

How can the church convert people in the community, when one of its elders has wronged the community?

“The good which. church is capable of accomplishing in. community depends very much upon its reputation, and the reputation of the church depends much upon that of its representative men” [Note:. McGarvey pg. 54]

If someone does not speak well of him, we need to remember to consider the source. Christians will make some enemies (Luke 6:26). Their reason for not caring for him needs to be evaluated? (Titus 2:8).

1 Timothy 3:7 “So that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil”:

“That he may not be exposed to scandal and get caught in the devil's snare” (NEB). The term “reproach” means, “reveling, disgrace, insult, fall into disgrace”. And. “snare” is whatever brings peril, loss or destruction,. trap (1 Timothy 6:9; 2 Timothy 2:26). “So he may not be involved in slander and get snared by it” (Ber). Unfortunately, some people in the world are looking for. reason not to believe or to discount Christianity and an elder with. bad reputation in the community can be. convenient way of dismissing Christ. In addition, it is difficult for. man with. damaged reputation to lead or correct anyone else.

Closing Observations

1. The devil is real and fell into condemnation.

2. The devil is not equal with God, but rather is under God's condemnation.

3. The devil does lay snares for men.

4. The devil is extremely conceited and is blinded in. sense.

5. There are people who are “outside” the church.

6. The world is not always wrong, that is, what the world says about. particular hypocritical Christian might be correct.

7. The world is not depraved, that is, even non-believers can spot hypocrisy, immorality, greed, and compromise. The world does understand Biblical standards of honesty.

8. It is foolishness to appoint. man loved by the church but who has destroyed his reputation among non-Christians.