Qualities
of Deacons and Members
No. 5
By
Shelby G.
Floyd
5.
Deacons Must Be “Holding the mystery of
the faith in a pure conscience”
In
the New Testament when the writers use the word “mystery,” they do not mean
that it is something unknowable. Usually they have reference to the church and
the gospel plan of salvation, which was a mystery from the beginning of time,
but now has been revealed unto us in the inspired documents of the New
Testament by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. “Deacons in like manner must be…holding
the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience” (1
Timothy 3: 9,
Members Must Be “Holding the mystery of
the faith in a pure conscience”
Every member of the body of Christ—the church—must also hold the mystery of the faith with a clean conscience:
Romans 16:25-27
Now to him who is able
to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according
to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed
and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal
God, so that all nations might believe and obey him— to the only wise God be
glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
NIV
The writer of Hebrews exhorted the baptized believers to have a heart full of faithful assurance in drawing near to God. Their hearts had been sprinkled from an evil conscience when their bodies had been washed with pure water,
Hebrews 10:22
Let us draw near with
a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without
wavering, for He who promised is
faithful.
NKJV
The apostle Peter makes it very clear when all of us can have a pure conscience. It is when we accept the truth of the gospel and are baptized into Christ:
1 Peter 3:21
There is also an
antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ,
NKJV
|
Deacons |
Attribute |
Christians |
|
“Deacons in like manner must be holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience” –1 Timothy 3:9 |
Doctrinally sound, pure conscience —1 Timothy 3:9 |
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near
to God with a sincere heart in full
assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and
having our bodies washed with pure water.
[Emphasis SGF] NKJV |
Let every man who aspires to be a deacon and every
Christian who serves the Lord, hold the faith that was once delivered to the
saints, with a sincere and clean conscience. Copyright © 2009 Shelby Floyd, All
Rights Reserved