OVERSEER OF THE BODY part 5

“He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.”
I Timothy 3:6-7

We continue and conclude in our study today about the qualifications of being an ‘episkope’ and find ourselves staring into the words of conversion. It is here Paul writes that an ‘episkope’ must not be a recent convert. In my original opinion, I believed this may be one of the first qualifications we have looked at that could be more aimed at the minister as opposed to the general sense of the word. Here is why I thought this. While pride is a factor for each person and at any stage of one’s life, my thinking was that ministers tended to struggle with the sin of pride more. Ministries are built, congregations swell, funds pour in, and the list goes on. How could these items not go to the minister’s head just as the lack of them toy with his mind? But how can they also not go to ours who are not in a pulpit position? So then, before I make any more assumptions, let us see how this truly does translate from the Greek.
The ‘episkope’ must not be a ‘recent convert’, or a novice as is stated in the King James Version. In the Greek this is the term NEOPHUTOS, meaning newly planted. To break the word down further, it is a merge of the words NEOS, meaning new or youthful, and PHUO, meaning to puff, blow, or swell. In essence, the ‘episkope’ must not be one who is newly blown on, and I would venture to say this blowing is the conversion to the belief in God. But why is Paul stating that he must not be a fresh convert? The obvious reason is that his understanding of the Word may be lifted or slightly off base still. As a baby believer, the depth of one will not be as deep as one who has been studying God’s Word longer. This is not to say that the fire on the new believer is not enough to spark the fire of others, but simply that in relation to the ‘episkope’ teaching the Word, he may not be ready for the qualification yet.
Another reason, and the reason Paul alludes to here, is based on pride. The fresh convert may become conceited and filled with pride. As I was studying I found these terms related to each other. To ‘become conceited’ is the Greek word TUPHO, meaning to make smoke. But as the verse continues in the Greek, the new convert can move from TUPHO to TUPHOO, from making smoke to being enveloped in smoke, or enveloped in pride and self-conceit. Simply put, the new believer can be lacking true depth in his walk with God still that his theology is his own understanding, and furthermore, he begins to teach his theology as truth. This is where many preachers, both new and old, fall. The pride of their belief is taught, but is never truly the truth of God.
Paul lastly gives warning here, saying that the new believer who is put behind the pulpit can run the same risk of falling as the devil. This term ‘fall’ is not only the falling down or falling off something, but is the word EMPIPTO, which also includes being trapped in or under something. That something is judgment, KRIMA, translated as condemnation or damnation. As we consider what we know of the devil, it was his pride that became his downfall (Ez 28:16-17). It is also pride that he uses as his chief weapon. He used it with Eve in the garden, he tried to use it as a temptation with Christ, and he will surly enough try to use it with anyone else.
So while we can see this qualification and warning of Paul fits for the ministry definition of ‘episkope’, does it also fit in the broad sense of the one being searched by God? I venture to say yes. I have been a believer since the age of five, a total of thirty-four years now, and I can honestly say that not one day goes by where in some manner I still do not struggle with pride. I struggle with pride at work and my ability to daily meet my goals while others do not. I struggle with pride when I learn a new tidbit that others do not know. I struggle with pride in how I handle my money, how I look, and how I function, just to name a few. But in all these areas God continues to humble me. And I am glad He does, because if I ever get too big for my britches, I want Him to deflate me. While I may not be a recent convert spiritually, I can be a recent convert in areas of life. To say I have the authority of NASA when I simply read something off the internet about the moon is absurd. Yet it happens all the time. And because it happens, I need to consider this qualification.
As we progress, let us once again define ‘episkope’ as an elder or bishop. However, we also found this same word has a little deeper meaning to it and is defined as the act by which God looks into and searches out the ways and deeds, or character, of man. With these definitions fresh in our mind, we read that the ‘episkope’ must have a good reputation with outsiders. Let us now define what this means.
The word here for ‘good’ is the same word used for ‘well’ in verse 4. This is the word KALOS, meaning to leave no room for blame. The word for ‘reputation’ is the Greek word MARTURIA, which means testifying, or what one testifies as if before a judge. In seeing these words in their original language, we read that the ‘episkope’ must also have a blameless testimony with unbelievers. But how can this be as no person has ever been without sin except for Christ? While this may be something we cannot fully obtain, we do have a way. It is only because of the sacrifice of Christ that we even have the chance to stand before the throne of judgment and be seen as clean. It is His sacrifice that becomes our testimony. And how is the enemy defeated? In Revelation 12:11 we read that, “They overcame [the enemy] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Our blameless reputation comes as a result of the price Jesus paid for us, our accepting His price, and our denouncement from the enemy.
But why is this good reputation needed? It is needed so that we do not fall into disgrace and the enemy’s trap. The ‘episkope’ is not to fall, EMPIPTO, into disgrace, ONEIDISMOS. ‘Oneidismos’ is defined as reproach, from the root word ONEIDIZO, meaning to be cast into one’s teeth. Paul is stating here that a good reputation is needed so that we do not fall into the teeth of the enemy, because it is then he will chew us up. We probably have all been there, or close to there, where our actions did not match our words and we were the enemy’s snack. But he also urges this so that we do not fall into the enemy’s trap. This is the Greek word PAGIS, meaning a noose, snare, entanglement. It also means the allurement to sin by which the devil holds us bound. I venture to say we have all been here as well.
As we close the book on the qualifications found in I Timothy 3 alone, I want us to consider how this verse relates not only to the minister, but also to the one whose character is being searched. Whether we ever step into ministry or not, we are called to be witnesses. We are to reflect God’s ways so that people will be drawn to a personal relationship with Christ. When our example is poor, we can never be a ‘kalos’ witness. But when our example reflects these words of Paul, we then hold a greater chance of allowing our actions to speak. If it is true that a picture is worth a thousand words, then I want my picture to be worth something. I want my lifestyle, pulpit or not, to speak volumes of God and in the end draw others to Him. How about you? Pulpit or not, will you step up and be an ‘episkope’?