An Elder’s Qualifications

Faithful Children

Titus 1:6

 ⁶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or        unruly. 

            When we consider the qualifications for an elder concerning his children, we see that they are to be faithful and they are not to be accused of riot or unruly. Seems simple enough, right. But no, men still have a strong desire to soften these requirements in order to appoint men as elders who linger on the edge of these requirements due to the behaviour of their children.

            But how can anyone skirt around these qualifications? They seem self explanatory.

            Well the first and most common way is to try and confuse the issue with the word “faithful”. Faithful is an English word and it has several meanings. But, remember, the word faithful is not in the Bible. The Bible was written in Greek and the Greek word used here is “pistos”. This text says that a man’s children must be “pistos”. The meaning of the word pistos can be Belief, Believe, Believers, Faithful, Faithfully, Faithless, Sure—Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary

                Now the English word “faithful” carries these English meanings; Loyal, True, devoted, true-blue, unswerving, precise, exact, unerring.

            Now instead of trying to accept the meanings of the Greek word, “pistos”, which may not allow some men to serve as elders, it is easier to select one of the meanings of the English word “faithful” and it softens the requirement for an elder’s qualifications.

            Now if you use the definitions of the word “pistos” an elder’s children will have to be believers. This means that an elder’s children will have to be “Christians”. But if you select a definition of the English word “faithful” they will only need to be “loyal”.

            But even this definition, “loyal” carries with it a problem for elder’s children. When we consider that an elder’s responsibility to the church is to try to make sure that the members remain faithful Christians and their souls are safe and saved, to what could any of his children be “loyal” to that would have any bearing on his qualifications as an elder? It’s pretty simple, isn’t it? It sure doesn’t mean that they are loyal to a political cause, or saving the environment. No, that definition just won’t do when we are describing an elder’s children.

            Without even half trying, anyone can see and come to a logical conclusion that an elder’s children are to be believing Christians.

            But the problem doesn’t end here.

            Suppose everyone accepts this and accepts that an elder’s children must be believing Christians ….. but …. Not every one of them has to be a Christian. Some of his children can be “unfaithful” or perhaps they have never been baptized at all. You see, the text does not specifically say “all of his children”.

            But hold on here just a minute. Here is what the text says; having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

            Now think about that phrase for a minute. Whatever applies to the “faithful children” also applies to the children about “riot and unruly”. Now let’s apply the same standard to both cases. Can a few of an elder’s children be involved in unruly behaviour? Would it be acceptable for 1 or 2 of his children to be involved in vandalism or immoral behaviour? How about a permissive daughter caught up in drinking and carousing the clubs? Tell me, where is the line in behaviour where his children cannot cross? Suppose they refuse to submit to Christ and have no respect for the church? I think this is all clear enough, don’t you?

            An elder’s children are required to be faithful Christians, every one of them!

Carl O. Cooper