Sermon Transcript:

This morning we continue our mini-series on deacons as we prayerfully consider who may be called to serve in that way here at Redeeming Grace Church. Last week, we looked at why deacons were originally established and we saw that God gives deacons to protect the unity, the preaching of the Word, and the love of the church by caring for practical needs. This morning, we will look at the qualifications for deacons that the Bible gives us.

We already saw much of this implied last week when the apostles instructed the church to choose men of “good repute,” who were “full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” By the time Paul wrote to Timothy, the office of deacon had become more clearly defined, and he gives us a fuller picture of the character these men are to possess. Yet the emphasis remains the same. Although deacons care for practical needs, theirs is a spiritual ministry with spiritual qualifications. The Lord values godly character above natural ability in those who serve His church. That is our main point today:

Christ calls deacons to display the character of the gospel they serve.

For the most part, the qualifications are clear, but a few of them raise practical questions. Two concern how we apply the qualifications to particular situations, such as singleness and divorce. A third raises a question about whether both women and men can serve as deacons. Although that last question is already addressed in our church constitution, I will spend a little more time there because it doesn’t explain the reasoning behind the position it takes.

The apostle Paul begins chapter 3 of his letter to Timothy with the qualifications for elders, or pastors. Then, in verse 8, he turns to the qualifications for deacons. That’s where we will start.

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.

The qualifications closely resemble those for elders, except that there is no qualification to teach. Notice that essentially, the qualifications for deacons are a description of mature faith rather than special skills. Jesus is not looking merely for capable servants, but for servants whose lives reflect the gospel they proclaim.

Deacons must be dignified, meaning they must be worthy of respect. They should not be people who cause the ministry of the church to not be taken seriously. There is a dignity with which they conduct themselves in their office. They are not people who are crude or foolish. People will not follow the example of those they do not respect.

They are not to be double-tongued. This simply means that they are not the kind of people who say one thing to one group of people and something different to others. They are to be trusted in their communications to be forthright rather than trying to flatter or manipulate people.

Paul says they are not to be addicted to much wine. Many believers choose total abstinence out of wisdom and love for others, and one who abstains certainly meets this qualification. The qualification itself, however, is not total abstinence but self-control.

The emphasis is on not being influenced by it. They must not be alcoholics or addicts. They cannot be devoted to or have a reputation for drinking. By application, we can say they must be clear-headed. There should be nothing in their relationship to drink or any other substance that would call into question or cloud their judgment.

Next, they must not be greedy for dishonest gain. Those who are materialistic must not be appointed to this office. When we think of the kinds of responsibilities deacons have, we can see that a common temptation would be to use the office for financial gain. They have influence over the material resources of the church. Paul is not merely prohibiting the desire to gain from dishonest activity, that is prohibited for every believer. What he is specifically addressing is the inappropriate use of their office to gain material benefits. 

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. They must sincerely embrace and understand the truths of God's Word. Though the deacons are not required to be “able to teach” as are elders, they must understand the basic doctrines of the faith. The word mystery in the New Testament refers to things that were hidden but now revealed to those who have spiritual discernment. Here it refers especially to the gospel and the truths that have now been revealed in Christ. 

This is the glorious truth that for centuries was hidden in shadows and promises but has now been fully revealed in Jesus Christ. God the Son took on human flesh, lived the perfect life we have failed to live, died on the cross bearing the judgment our sins deserved, and rose again in victory over sin and death. Now forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life are freely offered to everyone who turns from their sin and trusts in Him alone for salvation.

A deacon must hold firmly to that gospel because there is no greater treasure to guard. Every need we encounter is ultimately connected to the gospel. Before anyone can faithfully serve Christ, they must first belong to Christ. The question is not if they can give the right answers in Sunday school, but whether they have been born again. 

The gospel does more than forgive sinners, it transforms them. The One who died for our sins also rose again to make us new. These qualifications are not a list of virtues we produce by our own strength. They are the fruit of the Spirit of Christ at work in a person's life.

This is a question everyone who says they believe in Jesus must ask. Have we repented of our sin? Are we trusting in Christ alone? Do we sit in judgment over the word of God, accepting what we like and rejecting what we don’t, or do we receive it as the final word; trustworthy and authoritative?

Those who would serve as deacons must exhibit these marks of faith, holding firmly to the truth of the gospel with a clear conscience, sincerely believing what they profess and living in a manner consistent with it. The apostle says that nobody should fill this office unless they have first been tested and proved themselves blameless in these areas. 

This means a brand new convert would ordinarily not qualify. Time is needed for these claims to be tested and for their authenticity to be made clear. Those who are immature or struggling in their faith should focus on their own hearts before they take on this kind of responsibility.

It is a bit like how when you are on an airplane and they give you the safety briefing. They tell you to “put on your own mask before helping others.” All of us fall short and none of us are perfect, but this is a calling for those who are mature.

All these qualifications guard the integrity of the ministry and protect the testimony of the church. Deacons represent the church as they care for God's people, so their lives must adorn the gospel. Not as if they are anything in themselves, but to be themselves a display of the mercy and grace of God.

So far, so good, but the next couple of verses are where we run into questions about how best to apply these qualifications and faithful churches sometimes reach different conclusions. These are the areas I expect most of the questions will come as we prepare to install deacons here, so let’s take a look. We read in verses 11 and 12,

11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.

The first few qualifications in verse 11 overlap with the previous verses, but then an additional requirement is added about managing households well. That makes sense, right? If a person isn’t able to maintain peace or care for those at home, and if they can’t manage their own finances and resources, it is obvious that it would be unwise to have them overseeing these things on behalf of the church.

But these statements about husbands and wives raise several important and practical questions. What about those who are single or divorced? Does this mean only men can serve as deacons and women are excluded?

Any church who is appointing deacons must come to a position on these matters and they are not simple questions. The elders spent a considerable time studying these questions and although we began with different views, by the grace of God, through our working through them together, we were able to come to a consensus on each of them.

I say this to let you know that if you are unsure of anything you hear today, we encourage you to ask questions. You can email us or put your question on a connection card and drop it in the offering box and we are happy to follow up with you.

These issues have been discussed by faithful Christians for centuries and there are good godly churches who disagree with us, but our elders are in unity and this is what we believe the Bible teaches. 

First, verse 12 says that deacons must be the husband of one wife, so can a single man serve as a deacon? Yes, we believe so. We do not think this is an absolute requirement for a couple of reasons. A literal translation of this is that he must be a “one woman man.” While that would rule out something like polygamy, we believe it doesn’t necessarily refer to marital status, but to the character of the man. It calls for a track record of faithfulness and self-control.

Then, as now, most men in the church would be married, and Paul is speaking generally. However, we know not every leader was married. Jesus was single and so was the apostle Paul (at least during his ministry). 1 Corinthians teaches that it is better to remain single, if possible, so we can be more focused in our service to the Lord. It is true that neither Jesus or Paul held the office of deacon, but there is an even stronger reason for thinking this refers primarily to character.

All of the other qualifications in the list refer to the current character and reputation of the person. So, by interpreting one woman man in terms of character rather than counting relationships, we are simply being consistent with how the other qualifications are applied.

When Paul says a deacon must not be greedy, we do not ask whether he was ever greedy at any point in his life. We ask what kind of man he has proved himself to be now. In the same way, “a one-woman man” refers to the tried and tested fruit of the person with regard to purity and faithfulness. 

How then should we think of this in terms of one who has been divorced?

We believe the answer is similar to the previous one. The qualification refers primarily to proven character. Divorce is a very serious matter and it would raise many questions that must be considered. What was the reason? Was it biblically permissible? How long ago was it? Was the man a believer at the time? The implications of all these things on the overall qualifications would need to be carefully considered.

I think anyone truly qualified would understand and welcome that kind of scrutiny. A great deal of prayer and discernment is needed with questions like this. But we don’t think that means divorce is an automatic and permanent disqualifier. Other questions are also relevant. How faithful are they in their current relationship? What is their reputation now and over how long has that reputation been built? Have these characteristics been tested and proven true?

Some churches believe the safest thing to do is to simply say “no” to anyone who has been divorced. I trust they do this in an effort to be sure they are being faithful. It seems simpler and safer. But we must be careful to examine the biblical qualifications as best we can and not impose criteria that God has not.

Since we believe these are character qualifications that are to reflect the outworking of the gospel in those who would serve as deacons, all things being equal, we would not necessarily consider a man in his mid 20’s who has never been divorced to be more qualified according to this standard than a man in his late 50’s who was divorced in his youth, but has more than 30 years of faithful obedience. This is just one example.

Finally, we come to the question, “Can women serve as deacons?” Our church constitution allows it, which sometimes surprises people, and no explanation is given, so as we consider moving ahead with deacons, I thought it would be helpful to unpack this a bit.

Sometimes people argue that since these verses specifically mention husbands and give instructions to wives it is obvious that only men can fill this role. I understand how that can be confusing. But this is one of those cases where the translators had to decide which interpretation they favored in order to bring it into English.

The Greek word for women and the Greek word for wives are the same word. Also, the word “their” as in “their wives” or “their women” is not in the Greek text. That is added to make sense of the translation they chose.

So, this passage can be translated two different ways. It could be translated just as the ESV has it. Or, it could be translated like the NIV has it, which reads,

In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 

Verse 11 might refer to deacons' wives, or it might refer to qualifications for female deacons. Grammatically, both are possible. We have to interpret which it is based on the context. Frankly, there are good arguments for both translations, but we believe the NIV is the more accurate way to read it.

We believe this reading makes better sense of the overall structure of the passage. Paul begins with the qualifications of elders in verse 2, which says,

Verse 2: “.... an overseer (elder) must be…”

Verse 8: “deacons, likewise, must be dignified…”

Verse 11: “the women, likewise, must be dignified…”

The structure of verse 11 exactly matches the structure of verse 8. Both begin with the word likewise, followed by dignified, and then list three qualifications. The two lists of qualifications, while not exactly the same words, mirror each other significantly. 

Each “must be” introduces qualifications for an office and Paul isn’t contrasting deacons and their wives, but deacons, both male and female from elders. This would explain why the qualifications in verse 8 and 11 closely mirror each other. The same kinds of character qualifications apply to both men and women who serve in these roles.

It also explains why there is no set of qualifications for the wives of elders earlier in the letter, because the passage is dealing only with the qualifications of those who would serve in a recognized office on behalf of the church. It makes more sense that female deacons would be expected to share certain qualifications with elders, such as being “sober minded,” than that spouses would, especially since no such requirements for the wives of elders themselves are listed.

So, verses 1-7 give us qualifications for Elders. Then verses 8 through 13 are about deacons, with 8-10 giving us general qualifications. Verse 11 is a brief comment on female deacons and verse 12 is a comment on male deacons before closing with a blessing on all deacons in verse 13.

This answers "What does this passage teach?" But we cannot stop there. Since we have to choose between two possible interpretations, we must also ask if the rest of Scripture rules out or confirms one or the other. It is like fitting a piece into a puzzle. If we have it in the right spot, it will not only fit, but the overall picture will make sense.

If the office was open to women, we would expect to find some other confirmation in the New Testament that women served in this way. I believe we have exactly that in Romans 16:1–2. The apostle Paul writes,

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you…

Again, the word translated servant is the word for deacon. Of course, the word can simply mean "servant." But notice that Paul doesn't merely describe Phoebe as someone who serves. He identifies her as a servant or deacon “of the church at Cenchreae.” Rather than simply describing what she does, Paul identifies the particular congregation with which her ministry is connected. 

That is especially significant because Phoebe is not in Cenchreae. She is with Paul in Corinth and she is traveling to Rome, yet Paul still identifies her by her relationship to her home church. It is a bit like when I preach in other places, they introduce me as a pastor of Redeeming Grace Church in Southgate. This phrase “of the church” when we find it in scripture and early Christian literature usually means that the person is recognized in some official way by that church.

Notice, he commands the believers in Rome to receive her in a manner worthy of the saints and to assist her in whatever she may require. He doesn’t just say Phoebe is here to help. He says, give her whatever she needs. Paul introduces her as someone who is recognized by him and the church in a special way.

We therefore have at least two passages in the New Testament that can be interpreted as referencing female deacons. But since both passages could be understood differently, we need to ask a few more questions. 

Are there any passages that directly limit the office to men? The answer is no. Unlike the office of elder/pastor, which the Bible clearly limits to men, there is no explicit command or limitation anywhere in the New Testament that prohibits female deacons. 

Some argue that since deacons are closely connected to elders, the office itself implies spiritual authority and therefore falls under Paul's prohibition in 1 Timothy 2:12 about women having authority over men in the church. But the New Testament always clearly distinguishes these two offices. As Matt Smethurst observes:

“Unlike elders, deacons are not charged with shepherding the whole flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2). Unlike elders, deacons need not stand ready to “give instruction in sound doctrine, and … rebuke those who contradict it” (Tit. 1:9). Unlike elders, deacons will not answer to God for the spiritual welfare of individual souls (Heb. 13:17). Never once do we read a verse like “be subject to the deacons” (cf. 1 Pet. 5:5) or “obey your deacons and submit to them” (cf. Heb. 13:17), for such language is exclusively applied to the office of elder.”

Others see female deacons as a slippery slope, caving to modern cultural pressures and opening the door eventually to female pastors and other more radical ideas. But it would be just as sinful to refuse the office to those the Holy Spirit has qualified as to install those He didn’t. We do not want to be like the Pharisees, creating our own traditions alongside the Scripture. We must do our best to understand and apply God’s word regardless of what people on either side of the culture wars think.  

Pastors and deacons are two different offices, with different functions and different qualifications. It is not until 1853 that we have any examples of females being recognized as pastor/elders in any church that taught orthodox theology. Female pastors are a completely modern phenomenon. But when we look at deacons, we see an entirely different picture.

Women deacons were common in the first few hundred years of church history. Church Fathers such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Olympias, John Chrysostom, and Jerome, all writing in the first centuries after Jesus all mention female deacons. Church manuals discuss them. Even those outside of the church, such as the Roman governor Pliny the Younger, mention deaconnesses.

In the early middle ages, they were essentially abolished because of a false teaching that arose in the Roman Church that shifted how ordination was understood. As a result, for centuries the office was only open to men, not because of what the Bible said, but because of unbiblical innovations in doctrine. 

In the 1500’s after the Reformation, there was a renewed emphasis on getting back to the Bible,  and there was a resurgence of attention to women deacons. The pastors of the churches in Geneva, along with John Calvin established a group of deaconnesses. Although their duties were not exactly the same as the male deacons, they were there. Dr. John Gill, one of the most influential baptist pastors and theologians of the 1700s wrote that women should be considered for the office. Charles Spurgeon, in the 1800’s, and B.B. Warfield in the 1900’s all spoke favorably about female deacons.

These men were certainly not influenced by feminism or modern ideas. In their day, the controversial thing would be to argue for rather than against expanding women’s roles. Unlike the office of pastor, christian history has a tradition of women deacons going back to the beginning. 

I know that was a lot of information and more technical than I would typically get into in a sermon, but it was my desire that you were able to hear not only our elders' positions on these things, but a little bit of why we have those views. In summary, we do not believe a person must be married in order to serve as a deacon. Although we would want to exercise great caution, we do not believe that a divorce automatically or permanently disqualifies someone from serving. And we believe that women who meet the qualifications may serve as well.

We spent a lot of time on these controversies today and we cannot cover everything in a single message, but let’s not miss that Paul’s central concern is that whoever serves displays a character shaped by the gospel. If you still have questions, that is understandable and we encourage you to reach out. You can write “lets talk” on a connection card or email one of the pastors and we are happy to circle back with you.

The key thing, however, that I hope you will understand from the message this morning is that any person, whatever their background or situation, who is called to serve as a deacon must be a mature believer who lives out the faith in their life. Not a spiritual superhero, but someone who has been transformed by knowing Jesus. Remember our main point?

Christ calls deacons to display the character of the gospel they serve.

The apostle Paul finishes his overview of the qualifications for deacons not with a set of requirements, but with a promise. A wonderful blessing for those who serve well in the office. He says in verse 13,

13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Those who serve Christ faithfully as deacons do not labor unnoticed. Paul says they "gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus." On the one hand, faithful service earns the respect and trust of God's people. Those who consistently demonstrate humility, integrity, wisdom, and love naturally become people whom others listen to and follow. Their influence is not built on personality or position, but on Christ shining through them.

Perhaps the Lord is stirring your heart to serve in this way. If so, I encourage you to pray about it. Serving as a deacon is both a privilege and a blessing. Paul says that those who serve well gain "great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus." As they walk in obedience, bear the burdens of God's people, and watch the Lord work through their service, they come to know Christ more deeply and trust Him more fully. There is a kind of spiritual growth that comes through serving others that simply cannot be experienced from the sidelines.

Jesus says willingness to serve is linked to greatness in the kingdom. Mark 10:42–45 says,

42 … “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

That is why these spiritual qualifications matter so much. They are a testimony that we are being conformed to the image of Jesus. The character of a church will not rise above the character of its leaders. Godly leaders encourage godliness. Worldly leaders produce worldliness. If we desire a healthy church ten years from now, we must prayerfully seek men and women of proven godly character to lead through their service. Price and small compromises in character may seem insignificant at first, but given enough time they will shape the personality of the congregation. 

We want Christlike pastors and deacons, so that we may be conformed to the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our desire for ourselves and our church above all else should be that we be made like Jesus. In the coming weeks, our task is not to find the most gifted, the most accomplished, or the most capable people. But to find men and women whose lives increasingly reflect the character of Jesus Christ and His willingness to serve. 

Nearly 200 years ago, the Scottish Pastor Robert Murray McCheyne expressed this beautifully:

"It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus."