FRIDAY March 28, 2025
An Orderly Home
A bishop then must be ... one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)
1 Timothy 3:2, 4-5
The husband is always to be the spiritual leader of his home. He is to love his wife and his children. He must follow the blueprint for marriage, as written in Ephesians 5:22-33. Love is what drives him to take care of his own household––his wife and his children.
The word rule means “to preside over, to govern his house.” It suggests that a pastor is one who directs and cares first for his home, and is then qualified to direct, care for, and administer areas of the church. Christ gave His life for the Church, and elder is to follow that sacrificial example.
If a leader is obeying the Scriptures and has his home in order, then he is qualified to lead in the church. His children are to be in submission to his leadership. They are to be obedient. The entire family is united by prayer and the Word of God. Children will be children, of course, and they can cause problems and rebel; but this is specifically speaking about having a bad reputation in your home as a pastor because of a failure to lead the home in a godly manner.
Think about the terrible failures of Eli the Priest. His sons were in the priesthood, but they were wicked and corrupt. They were extortionists and slept with different women (1 Samuel 2:12-36).
David was King of Israel. He also had sons that caused him to have a bad reputation as a father. He was a weak disciplinarian, and his sons caused him shame. Amnon raped his half-sister, and two years later, Absalom killed him (2 Samuel 13). He then tried to take over his father’s throne (2 Samuel 15), but he was killed by David’s commander, and nephew, Joab. The king suffered the most agonizing grief (2 Samuel 18:7-33).
Learn from these men’s mistakes. Men, make sure to have your home in order and rule your own household well!
A father’s holy life is a rich legacy for his sons.
~Charles H. Spurgeon~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
