There are some people who are naturally argumentative. They might be bad-tempered, but generally it seems they love to be right all the time and argue their point until they win or the other person backs down. I attended a meeting where various points were raised on the agenda. Most of them were calling for word changes to various points of the constitution or operating documentation of the organization.
One delegate, a good man … a highly qualified man, extremely knowledgeable … objected to every single suggested change. He was in the minority as every time the suggested change was voted for, yet he repeatedly rose to argue the error of the suggested change … and why he believed he was right to object. Although this was the first time I met the man and even spoke to him about other matters, I left feeling he was extremely good at what he did, but would not like to work with him or for him because he always wanted to be right … and his argumentative nature made me feel like I did.
Today we come to another two attributes of an elder … the first is, he must be not be quarrelsome.
1Ti 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
1) Quarrelsome. The word comes from a word grouping related to physical combat as in a military sense … like Russia’s war against the Ukraine or when sporting disciplines line up against each other … maybe the Bulls against the Sharks or Pirates against Chiefs. A good example would be the All Black Rugby team hyping themselves up with their war cry song before their opponents before the game started. Today quarrelsome means the “battle of words” more than the battle at war or on the sports field. The picture is one of constant grumbling about matters which leads to disturbing the peace.
(1) The elder must not think he is always right. He has the Word of God in hand, with Biblical principles that need to be applied. He may not bring his own feelings or interpretations into the fray because when he does, and it is in opposition to the Bible, he might try to argue his “rightness” and destroy any respect he enjoyed.
(2) People avoid an argumentative person. We have all done this. When we know someone likes to quarrel about everything and anything said, we do our best not to be found near such a person. If this is an elder who is called to rule, teach and care for God’s people, he will be avoided rendering his ministry useless. Before nominating anyone for the position of eldership, make certain they are loving, friendly, available, able to listen and men of peace.
2) The elder must not be a lover of money. The concept here is that the elder must “be free from the love of money” or “without love of money”.
(1) Idolatry.
1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
This is the person who loves money as a god more than God as God. The passion for money is such that this soul drifts away from God and finds themselves in all sorts of problems because God is not God.
(2) Greed.
Ecc 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
Here is a person who wants more and more money, never having sufficient and is never satisfied with what he has.
(3) Dishonest gain compared with honest investments.
Pr 13:11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
How many people have “worked” their money contrary to the laws of their country only to find that because it’s illegal, they lose on their illegal investment, because there is no security. The opposite is investing money legally and seeing it grow.
(4) Service rather than greed.
1Pe 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
This is quite startling and exactly what Paul writes … rather than being greedy for money, the elder must serve God. His God is the God whom He serves and not the idol god of money.
(5) Freedom and contentment.
Heb 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
Like all sins … sin holds one captive. That captivity is bondage. This is true of money. The writer to the Hebrews says believers need to be free from the love of money so that they may trust God. If God is the one who appoints the elder, he needs to trust God not only to use him to serve the Body of Christ, but to depend upon God to provide his every need … and this includes money … his livelihood. As the Lord’s servant he must wean himself off materialism and secularism to be able to trust God for every need. When Jesus spoke of depending upon God for the care of the physical body, inside and out … He said … (Read Like 12:22-31):
Lk 12:22 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. … 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
This amounts to all of life and livelihood. The elder must trust God to meet all his and his family’s needs as well as all the Church’s needs. Thinking of these two issues today, quarrelsome and money … some paid elders are forever quarreling about their pay package. What they ought to do is thank God for the position He has given them and then fulfil the office as best they can, trusting God to meet all their needs.
Thank You, Father, that You have promise never to leave Your people in the lurch. Thank You that all elders may depend upon You for all their needs. Amen.