Qualifications:  Prudent

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Another character qualification is that he must be “temperate”—the meaning of the Greek word is “sober”, and we can use the word “circumspect”—the Authorised Version uses the word “vigilant”. Unfortunately, we can very easily get into a word muddle if we compare translations here, because the next word that Paul uses some translate as ‘sober’, ‘sober-minded’—just to confuse the unwary reader. Obviously there is some close link in thought, but we must try and consider them separately. So what does Paul mean by the word he actually uses here? The Greek word literally means, “not mixed with wine”. So to associate the idea of “temperance” with it is not far wrong. This is certainly a real consideration—his view on alcoholic drink. Now, many Christians have differing ideas on this subject, and one has to respect the varying views. But is there not some mileage in the idea that as a pastor he ought to be setting an example on this issue? Not many years ago, I heard of a case where the pastor of a church did not give a strong lead on the subject, and told his young people that going into a pub is not wrong. (No—it is not wrong in itself.) But he also indicated that it was perfectly legitimate to indulge in alcoholic beverages. Putting the two together, these young people became very confused, and received the message that their pastor said it was all right for them to go to pubs and drink alcohol—and it caused them problems. So this is something you will need to work out in the climate of today, which generally considers that there should be no restrictions. I personally think that a pastor should be setting a good example and erring on the side of caution in this matter. Nevertheless, the bottom line is, that he himself should be “sober”—“temperate”. And the implications of Paul’s statement appear to me to point in a specific direction.

To put it in a more general way, he is to be a man of “sober” tastes and habits. Not a man who is sombre or sad, and who evidently does not enjoy life—but a man whose pleasures are not primarily governed by the senses. He is to be a man who is filled with spiritual and moral earnestness and seriousness. He takes life seriously. He takes his own conduct seriously. And thus he does not mislead, or give wrong impressions. This applies to his general conduct—for example, his attitude to work, to his family, to recreation, to sports, to relationships, especially to that of the opposite sex, and any other area of life. He is to be a man who takes life seriously—but not the long-faced variety! He must be a well-balanced person.

Take Luke for example. He was such a man. “It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account” (Luke 1:3). Here was a man who was careful, meticulous, who weighed things up, and who could discern the truth—a man who was “temperate”.

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