Qualified to Plant Part 3: Vices and Virtues

 In our last entry, we discussed the vital importance of home management for someone who aspires to be a pastor.  Clearly, the pastor must be a faithful man with faithful children.  In today’s portion of the Titus text, we’ll examine some of the personal attributes of a pastor, but first we must see why Paul believes the home management of a pastor is so important.

For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach (Titus 1:7a).

“Above reproach” came in loud and clear in part one of this series and the home management aspect of being above reproach certainly makes sense, but here Paul tells us why it is so important.  The man who pastors becomes the steward or manager of God’s people and resources.  If a man is unable to manage his own family and resources, it is a good indication that he will not be a wise steward with God’s. 

What follows is a list of vices to be avoided and virtues to be possessed.  We must remember that this all falls under the heading of being above reproach.  It is good to desire to be a pastor.  Those who have that desire must be marked as above reproach.  That means that they are faithful to their wives and they have faithful children.  It also means that they avoid the following:

He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain (Titus 1:7b).

This list, while not exhaustive, sets out some clear excluding characteristics.  The list isn’t shocking to anyone who has read the Scripture.  Pride, greed, drunkenness, and (unrighteous) anger are condemned elsewhere.  Clearly anyone whose life could be characterized by any of these vices would be disqualified.  But I think Paul is giving us more than a list of “do’s and don’ts”.

As a pastor, when I look at this list, I am not looking at it as something to hand a search committee or a rubric for evaluating potential employees, but as a list of sins that are tempting for someone who is in a steward’s position over God’s resources.  Anyone who has ever preached a sermon, even an awful sermon, knows how quickly the approval of men can foster pride and arrogance.  Where pride is allowed to thrive, the other vices follow quickly.  Proud people are entitled people.  Entitled people get angry when they don’t get what they want.  When anger is unchecked, it can easily lead to violence.  Entitled people are also given to the self-indulgence that leads to drunkenness and greed.  When we begin to boast (externally or internally) in anything other than the cross, we’re dealing in idolatry. May it never be!

Thankfully, Paul doesn’t just tell us what is wrong, but what is right.  We’re not legalistically going through a list and patting ourselves on the back if we pass the test.  We are striving to be the kind of man that as accurately as possible reflects the glory of the Father to the world around us and leads and guides the Father’s people in spreading His fame to the ends of the earth.  What does that man look like?

…but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined (Titus 1:8).

Pride gives way to hospitality.  Greed yields for the good of others.  Drunkenness and violence are swallowed up by disciplined, self-controlled holiness.  We’re not this way by nature, but we are no longer left to our natural devices.  By the grace of God, the man of God gently and kindly loves the people of God sacrificially.  He strives for their good and relies upon the grace of God to humbly remain above reproach.  It’s a tall order, but we have a great God!

Soli Deo Gloria