We continue our Bible Study of the Book of Titus, discussing the specific qualities of an elder, qualities we can all strive to obtain and improve upon. Presented by Tim Martens, July 4, 2020, at United Church of God in Northwest Arkansas.

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Book of Titus
Part Three
Characteristics of Elders
by Tim Martens ©2020
Bible Study

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Desire to Do a Work is a Good Thing
 I Timothy 3:1-7
 Bishop is a Christian officer in charge of a
church
 Strong’s Concordance #3713 on “Desire”
“to stretch oneself”

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Our Destiny
 Exodus 19:6
 You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a
holy nation
 Revelation 5:10
 And have made us kings and priests to our
God – and we shall reign on the earth.

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If a man is blameless
 Titus 1:6
 BAGD: irreproachable

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Husband of one wife w/faithful children
 Titus 1:6
 Strong’s #4103 Faithful, trustworthy, believing
 Children not accused of dissipation, profligacy,
excess, or riot
 Children not insubordinate (Strong’s #506) –
undisciplined, disobedient, or spoiled

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Bishop must be blameless
as a Steward of God
 Titus 1:7
 Irreproachable (Strong’s #410)

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Not Self-Willed
 Titus 1:7
 Strong’s #829 not self-pleasing, stubborn,
arrogant
 Reference 2 Peter 2:9-10-11 regarding false
teachers

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Not Quick Tempered
 Titus 1:7
 Strong’s #3711 irascible, inclined to anger
 Proverbs 18:13 Answering too quickly

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Not Given to Wine
 Titus 1:7
 Strong’s #3943 staying near wine, tippling,
drunken, addicted to wine
 Reference: I Timothy 3:3

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Not Violent
 Titus 1:7
 Strong’s #4131 a smiter or pugnacious
(quarrelsome), striker
 Reference I Timothy 3:3

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Not Greedy for Money
 Titus 1:7
 Strong’s #146 given to filthy lucre, fond of
dishonest gain
 Reference I Timothy 3:3 and
I Timothy 3:8 regarding deacons

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Be Hospitable
 Titus 1:8
 Strong’s #5382 fond of guests
 Reference I Peter 4:9 listed as a spiritual gift

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A Love of What is Good
 Titus 1:8
 Strong’s #5358 promoter of virtue, love of
good men (good company)
 I Corinthians 15:33
 “…Evil company corrupts good habits.”

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Sober Minded
 Titus 1:8
 Strong’s #4998 self-control, moderate as to
opinion or passion.
 BAGD: prudent, thoughtful
 Reference Titus 2:2, 5 and I Timothy 3:2

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Just
 Titus 1:8
 Strong’s #1342 upright, righteous, equitable in
character or act, innocent, right
 BAGD: conforming to the laws of God and
man, applied to model citizens
 “Just” describes the character of God
(Romans 3:26) and Christ (Acts 3:14)

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Holy
 Titus 1:8
 Strong’s #3741 right to intrinsic or divine
character, purity from defilement
 BAGD: devout, pious, pleasing to God
 Reference to the character of God (Revelation
15:4) and Christ (Acts 2:24 & 13:35)

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Self-controlled
 Titus 1:8
 Strong’s #1468 strong in a thing (masterful),
self-controlled in appetite, temperate
 BAGD: self-controlled, disciplined

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Holding Fast
 Titus 1:9
 Strong’s #472 hold to, support
 BAGD: cling to the trustworthy message

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The faithful word
 Titus 1:9
 Strong’s #4103 trustworthy, believing
 BAGD: trusting or cherished faith

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as he has been taught
 Titus 1:9
 Strong’s #1322 instruction, doctrine
 BAGD: teaching

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that he may be able to by sound doctrine
 Titus 1:9
 Strong’s #5198 & #1319 sound health;
instruction, learning
 BAGD: Christian teaching; that which is taught

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exhort
 Titus 1:9
 Strong’s #3879 to call near, invite, invoke,
consolation, beseech, call for, comfort, intreat
 BAGD: appeal to, urge encourage

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and convict
 Titus 1:9
 Strong’s #1651 confute, admonish, convince,
tell a fault, rebuke, reprove
 Greek-English Dictionary: prove guilty,
condemn

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those who contradict
 Titus 1:9
 Strong’s #483 to dispute, refuse, answer
again, deny, gainsay, speak against
 Greek-English Dictionary: to object to, oppose

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those who contradict (continued)
 The New Bible Commentary explains verse 9
this way:
“It is only possible to refute false teachers if
the true doctrine has been well understood.”

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Book of Titus
Part Three
Characteristics of Elders
by Tim Martens ©2020
with thanks to Vince Symkowiak
Bible Study