8 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. 10 Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13 Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
14 I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, 15 so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.
16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:
Christ was revealed in a human body
and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
and taken to heaven in glory.
Tori's Comments:
More elaboration on the previous guidelines... that above all, we are apart of God's family. We are representatives, ambassadors of His household and should act accordingly.
Terrie's Comments:
I think one might wonder why we are reading all these instructions that don't pertain to us in general. 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus are letters that were written specifically to Pastors for the purpose of instructing them in their role. As we read these letters it is good to keep in mind the intent of the letter. Many of us are members of the church but probably not in the role of a pastor so some things that are mentioned may just be good reading but may never be practical instruction in our lives.
If we are a wife of someone in leadership then we "must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do."
Final thing I noticed about this passage was that even though it refers to a "mystery" the mystery isn't a mystery anymore. When Jesus Christ came and ascended into heaven the mystery was revealed. This is the good news!
Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
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Please keep all comments respectful. We want to remember that each of us is at a different place in our walk with God. This is a place for us to share openly about what has been revealed to us as we open up Gods word and to learn from others. Please take every opportunity possible to build each other up in love :-)