The Ruling Elder’s Holiness

Introduction

There it was—Section III Question G. I knew they would ask:

Do you feel you meet the New Testament qualifications for the office for which you are a candidate?

The reason I was uncomfortable answering the question is I was all too familiar with the biblical qualifications for the office of elder. I was asked to evaluate my own life and make an assessment as to whether I met the New Testament qualifications. I knew the times and ways I have failed—failed to be intentional in leading my family, inattentiveness to the spiritual and emotional needs of my wife, harsh words to my children, indifference at times to study God’s Word, neglect of prayer, and harbored bitterness. Is it possible for any man to give himself a passing grade when he knows so many points of personal failure?

If you are an officer in the church, particularly a Ruling Elder in the PCA, it is likely that 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are never too far from conscious thought. When considering ordained office, these texts appear as a hurdle to clear or even a barrier to entry. But for those of us who serve in the office, they remain a continual call to pursue personal holiness. It is true that the call to live out true faith, which produces good works pertains to every believer. But for ordained officers in the church, the bar is raised. Does this mean elders must be “super Christians”? Have they reached some pseudo-Christian perfectionism? Not at all.

 

Is Perfection Required?

Noah was “a righteous man” (Gen. 6:9), Job was “blameless and upright” (Job 1:1), and David was famously “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). How should we understand these inspired and inerrant descriptions of mere men? Were they perfect or unstained from even a single mark of sin? First, we know from Scripture that cannot be true (Rom. 3:10-20). Like us, these were fallen men, brought forth in iniquity (Ps. 51:5), and with a heart bent toward all manner of evil (Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9). That is, they possessed original sin.

Second, we see each of these men demonstrate failure as they followed in the footsteps of their rebellious father Adam. They participated in actual sin, even horrendously so in some situations (2 Sam. 11). Noah was drunk and shameful, Job was self-righteous, and David committed adultery and murder. How are we to understand those positive biblical description of their lives?

This is instructive for current and potential officers of the church. Scripture informs how we understand ourselves and our suitability to the office. We know these were not perfect men, but they were men whose lives were marked by faithful external obedience which flowed from internal affections. Can we and others say the same of ourselves?

 

The Antinomian Anathema

One tendency may be to understand our personal holiness in a similar manner that we understand the imputed righteousness of Christ on our behalf. Salvation is all of grace (Rom. 1:16-17; Col. 2:6-7). Our acceptance before a holy God is only possible if we approach Him clothed in the perfect works of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:12-21). There is nothing we could possibly do to merit favor with the great “I Am”. All our fleshly works are counted as “filthy rags” (Is. 64:6).

But here is the question: Are we fulfilling the qualifications for the office of elder only as long as you look at Christ’s perfect works while ignoring our growth in Christlikeness?

The passages detailing the high calling of Elders to personal holiness assume there are those who will not meet the qualifications. That’s not to say that those who don’t meet the qualifications are unbelievers or in need of formal church discipline. It doesn’t mean they aren’t resting upon and receiving Christ alone for their salvation. But it is true that we are called to evaluate our growth in holiness, to discern whether we have the spiritual maturity to lead in Christ’s Church. We should put ourselves under the microscope and discern the work of Christ in our lives. Is the gospel bearing fruit in our lives? Is it evident to ourselves and others? Are our lives marked by faithfulness?

 

The Source of Holiness

Before we evaluate ourselves, it’s good to consider the source of our personal holiness. To whom do these good works belong: us or God? Scripture gives us a clear answer: Yes! They are God’s works, and they are our works. Scripture tells us to “work out your own salvation…for it is God who works in you” (Phil 2:12-13) and that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). 

At one glance, these texts appear to intentionally blur the line between God’s work and our own. Does that mean we join forces with Christ as 50/50 co-laborers in the renewal of our hearts and minds? Notice what Paul says in Philippians 1:6, “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.” Christ is the originator of any good in us and He is the guarantor of its completion. He is “the founder and perfector of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). It really is our faith, but it really is Christ’s work. As the Westminster Confession puts it, the process of sanctification is brought about “really and personally”. This process should be nowhere more apparent than in the officers of the Church of Jesus Christ.

 

Self-Deception

The holiness of officer candidates is a prerequisite for our service in the church. Our service to the church never replaces our sanctification. Brothers, we are so easily ensnared in this trap of self-deception. Yes, provide counsel for troubled marriages, but don’t neglect your own marriage. Yes, teach the Sunday School class, but don’t neglect to preach the gospel to yourself. Yes, attend Presbytery and General Assembly, but don’t neglect the needs of your children in your home. Yes, pray with and for the saints, but don’t neglect your personal communion with your heavenly Father. Our service in the church must flow from our priority of sanctification.

 

Self-Evaluation

How are you doing in your call to live a holy life? Are you evaluating yourself to see if you are growing in a life that is set apart from the world and lived wholly unto our God? Self-evaluation can be observed in three-pronged manner: past, present, and future.

Consider the past five years. Five years is not going back so far that you can’t remember details, yet far enough that significant progress can be made. Can you observe where you’ve grown in personal holiness? Have you strengthened your marriage, devotional life, and family leadership? What new godly habits have you formed? Can you see where God has brought you from a place of fleshly weakness to a place of Spirit empowered strength? Can your family or friends confirm these positive trends?

Look at your present life. Are you using your busyness with ministry as an officer as a substitute for personal piety? Are there any broken relationships in which you’re able but unwilling to pursue reconciliation? Is the whole of the Sabbath lived unto the Lord? Do you prayerfully and intentionally prepare your heart to receive the preached Word and partake of the Lord’s Supper?

Look ahead to the future. Are there areas where God is calling you to die to self? How will you deliberately expand your knowledge and understanding of Scripture? What prayer habits could be strengthened or developed to maintain regular communion with your Savior? What unhelpful distractions need to be removed from your life? Will your marriage or family life be entering a new phase which requires intentional preparation on your part?

 

Conclusion

Brothers, we have a high calling. No doubt, each of us (if we examine our lives) will find many instances where we have failed in our personal holiness and faithfulness. Let us fall neither into despair nor indifference. Rather, let us bring the Word to bear on our own lives. Let us preach to ourselves that which Jesus first preached in Galilee: “repent and believe the gospel” (Mk. 1:15).