Christians enjoy a blessed position of holiness before God by no merit of our own. Through our union with Christ we have been sanctified once for all, yet we are called to live that position out practically. Practical change begins in the heart, and holiness comes through humility.
The qualifications and duties of elders are spelled out clearly in the Scriptures because leadership is so foundational to the health of the church. But the congregation also has responsibilities to the elders that are crucial for maintaining unity and fulfilling the Great Commission.
Are the qualifications for deacons less than those for elders? Are deacons required to teach? Can women serve as deacons? We find the answers to these questions here as the Apostle Paul wrote this letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that we might know how we "ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15).
There is so much misunderstanding among Christians of biblical leadership in general, and the role of both elders and deacons in particular. When we do a deep dive into the office deacon, we find that it is a wonderful part of our Lord Jesus' design for the life and growth of his church.