NEGATIVE QUALIFICATIONS:

Elders must not be and must not do certain things. [Christians in general fall into this category as well ].

(an Elder must not:)

1. BE A BRAWLER: Quarrelsom over wine; sit long at the wine. No more dangerous practice is known to man than the use of strong drink. No fighter or wrangler. Controls his temper. Does not speak or act with anger. Peaceable and peace-making. [ All Christians are to live peaceably with all men if at all possible ] Rom. 12:18; Eph. 4:31,32; 5:18. Wine kindles wrath.

2. BE A STRIKER: Apt to fight; apt to be violent; a contentious one, not to ever by any provocation, raise his hand against his fellowmen. Ungoverned in temper, ready to resent insult or wrong, real or imaginary, ready to fight. Jesus drove animals out of the temple with a whip, but we do not read of him beating the people involved with a whip, Jno. 2:15. Parents are allowed to use the rod of chastening upon their children for disciplinary purposes, Prov. 13:24. But elders are to use the power of example instead of a rod or whip. Physical punishment even to capital punishment is allowed the civil authorites, Rom. 13:3,4. But the kingdom of Christ is not ruled by the sword of man, Mt. 26:51,52; but by the two-edged Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. [ No Christian should be a striker ]

3. BE A LOVER OF MONEY. Will not use wrong means to make money; must be an example of liberality, not to gain money by base means or to gain by its base means. His ability to prosper in an honest manner does not mean that he is a lover of money. A person who realizes that his life does not consist of the things which he possesses, Lk. 12:15. He is rich toward God. He realizes that he cannot serve both God and mammon, Mt. 6:24. He knows that his greatest gain is godliness. Elders must be men who have set a strong example in being free from the love of money and worldly things, 1 Tim. 6:6-19. [No Christian should be a lover of money to the extent that it comes between him and the serving of the Lord, Heb. 13:5; Matt. 6L19-21, 33].

4. BE SELF-WILLED: Arrogant, self-pleasing, my way or else. This does not mean that he is not to be firm and steadfast in his purpose, but that he must not be of such a stubborn spirit that he clings to his own will and refuses to reason or accept facts. An elder must have sincere desire to fully investigate all sides, to know the full truth, and then be guided by it, and not by self-will of his own. A man must be able to conquer himself. Worldly men are self-willed, 2 Pet. 2:10. He does nothing through vainglory, Phil. 2:3,4. He does not seek the pre-eminence, 3 Jno. 9. A self-willed member can spoil a congregation an especially a self-willed elder. He refuses to co-operate unless he himself is pleased. Nothing is more desperately need in the church than humility. [ No Christian should be self-willed, Phil. 2:1-10; Eph. 4:1-3; 2 Pet. 2:10 ]

5. BE SOON ANGRY: Easily enraged. Hard problems will confront elders, they must be cool headed. One who can restrain and govern himself. Controlling his temper. Not irritable. Not given to outbursts of wrath. Be slow to wrath, Jas. 1:19. [Christians are not to be soon angry, Col. 3:;8; a Christian should nefer go away in a rage, Jas. 1:18-20; Prov. 15:23; 1 Pet. 2:23].

6. BE CONTENTIOUS: Such always lives in foment and strife. Even truth and right should not be maintained in a contentious spirit. Not to become beligerant, Titus 3:9; Jas. 3:16, not disputers and quarrelers [ Nothing can disrupt a congregation or a business meeting more than a contentious member ]

7. BECOME AN ELDER BY CONSTRAINT: The eldership is to be entered into willingly, not by coercion or over persuasion, 1 Pet. 5:2. [No Christian should do things in service to the Lord by constraint or over persuasion by others, but because he sees the need of doing them for his own good, and he loves the Lord himself]

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