The Qualifications of the Office of Elder (6): The Elder’s Relationship to His Wife and Children
This article examines the biblical qualifications for church elders as set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, specifically addressing the requirements that an elder be "the husband of one wife" and maintain proper oversight of his children. Kuiper explores both what these qualifications permit (unmarried men and those without children may serve) and what they positively require, emphasizing the elder's need for sexual purity, marital faithfulness, and a high view of marriage as a sacred institution before God. The article situates these qualifications within the broader context of Presbyterian church government and the elder's responsibility to counsel others on matters of marriage and family.
Previous article in this series: May 1, 2014, p. 349. In our last article we began treating those qualifications of the office of elder that relate to his family life. The elder must be "the husband of one wife" and have "his children in subjection with all gravity" (I Tim. 3:2, 4; Titus 1:6). In that article we asked whether God requires the elder to be a married man and a father. We concluded that God does permit unmarried men, as well as married men without children, to be elders. But...
Full article available on sb.rfpa.org