LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Assignment Title: Ethical Principles of 1Tim.3:1-7 as a Panacea to Ministerial Misconduct
Course: CHMN 699 - Internship
Student: Kristine Sage
Date: January 29, 2022
Professor: Dr. Joel Breidenbaugh
Ethical Principles of 1Tim.3:1-7 as a Panacea to Ministerial Misconduct
The standard of God as contained in 1Tim.3:1-7 is that ministers must have the nature of God and
be right in their relations to Him so that they could be right in their relations with their followers. God
expects a high moral standard from his ministers; they are expected to honour God and keep his name,
temple and altar holy in the presence of the people in all the nations. It becomes necessary to apply the
principles outlined in 1Timothy3:1-7 in the selection and appointment of church leaders; the word of
God must confirm such call, and effort must be made to ensure that such a person has the qualifications
listed in I Timothy 3. Lutzer (1998) explained that this could be done by asking the following probing
questions rhetorically “Is he mature? Does he have the necessary gifts? Has he disqualified himself
through moral or doctrinal compromise? A code of ministerial ethics patterned after 1Tim.3:1-7 will go a
long way in curbing ethical misconduct among ministers of the Gospel.
The minister must have a reasonable level of education and training adequate for the setting in
which he operates. He must also demonstrate the capacity for continuous learning and knowing. He
must be spiritually minded, regenerated and divinely empowered by the Holy Spirit. . Effort must be
made by the pastor to prevent any lifestyle that will bring stigma or reproach to the name of God in his
life and family. Churches and ministries should see the need to take good care of their Pastors as very
important as this will help the ministers to overcome temptations with regards to money and it will also
help the church. The remuneration of Pastors should be improved and adequate welfare package should
be put in place for their families. . Churches should have policies about standard of conduct, screening
procedure, supervision guidelines, adequate insurance coverage, honest pastoral referees, and
procedure for handling allegations of unethical behaviour and misconduct by ministers.
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