OVM KJV

                                                                                                  1 Timothy 3

1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 

A bishop is the overseer of the body of Christ, and he is the person in charge of the congregation.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 

"Vigilant" means to be watchful, careful and alert to what is going on around them. "Apt to teach", Greek - "didaktikos",= the bishop is "able to teach". What's important in the selection of a bishop is that they understand the Word of God to the point of rightly dividing the Word with love and understanding. The worldly won't see many of the things they do as love, but as judgmental and harsh.

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 

"Not given to wine" = letting it over take you in drunkenness. If your a pastor for money and fame your greedy of filthy lucre.

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 

This is a matter of disciplining those you have been given. Problems will come, but The Pastors and Christians overcome them with God in their lives.

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 

When a person doesn't have God as the first in their life, they won't have Him as The First in taking care of the church. This is why most of the "churches" today have chatterers and traditions instead of God as the focus.

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 

A "novice" = someone that doesn't know God's Word well enough to teach or someone that doesn't know how to teach. These are everywhere in churches today. Most have been indoctrinated under a curriculum of some denomination.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 

This person will be fair and honest in all that they do. Those that know that person will see them that way.  Not everyone will see you as fair and honest though. Those that hate The Truth will never see you as a good person. These have twisted what is good to evil and evil to good. Isaiah 5:20
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 

A deacon must fit the same set of requirements as a Bishop or minister. The deacon must not do it for the money, but for the service to the law and Word of God. A minister is worthy of his hire, when he is fulfilling the duties of the pastor of a church.

9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 

A good pastor will know the mystery well enough that they can teach it. God tells us things are a mystery, but He shows us what they are within His Word.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 

Just as the deacon lives, their spouse should also.

12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

The deacon will need to know The Truth well enough to teach when the Pastor is absent.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 

Paul is telling us the rules and regulations for being a Bishop or deacon. He will be there in person shortly and will go into more with them.

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

The house of God is for worshipping before a living God, PERIOD! You do this by seeking His Word in Truth. It's not the party the "church" has turned it into today. Ten minutes of hearing "God's Word", some even lack that, it's not enough! It isn't what we are to be doing. It's not about the bands and music, the dinners, or pagan traditions they have brought into the church today. The "ishtar" = "easter" egg hunts and false teaching from denominational org. It should be Chapter for Chapter and verse for verse from The Living Word of God.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 

The important thing is you're not in a place that plays church. The entire foundation of the house of God, is to teach God's Word with understanding. If you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father. Jesus Christ is God manifested in flesh, that came to dwell amongst men.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.