Right-click to download PDF version

In this world today there are many misguided people calling themselves elders who do not fit the biblical criteria set out in Scripture. So let’s see what the biblical mandate is to being recognized as fulfilling the job of an elder in the body of Messiah.

One thing we must always remember is that we do not choose Yahweh, but He has chosen us.

John 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I chose you out and planted you, that you should go and should bear fruit, and your fruit remain, that whatever you should ask the Father in My name, He may give you.

In order to be a leader in Yahweh’s congregation this is a scripture we must have ingrained in our mind. So many charlatans and false teachers today have not been commissioned by Yahweh but have merely set themselves up as a leader by selling books or CD’s. If we look at the biblical example of leaders in the Bible we will see that most of these men that were chosen by Yahweh, not only did not set up themselves with the job, but many times they ran away from it. Also, clearly, to be recognized as an elder one must be bearing the fruit of an elder. What exactly does Scripture say that an elder of Yahweh actually is? First, let’s take a look at the strict biblical requirements of an elder of Yahweh.

1st Tim 3:1 Faithful is the Word: If anyone desires the office of an Elder, he desires a good work.

1st Tim 3:2 He who becomes an Elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, alert mentally, sensible, of good behavior, hospitable, and able to teach;

1st Tim 3:3 not a drunkard, or one whose hand is quick to strike, but humble, not contentious, not loving money;

1st Tim 3:4 ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all purity.

1st Tim 3:5 But if anyone does not know how to rule his own house, how will he care for a Congregation of YAHWEH?

1st Tim 3:6 He should not be a new disciple, lest being puffed up he may fall into the condemnation of the devil.

1st Tim 3:7 But he must also have a good witness from those outside, that he not fall into reproach and into a snare of the devil.

First, we see that in order to even be considered an elder in the eyes of Yahweh that one must first be a faithful servant in the body of Messiah. What does this entail? In the day and age we are living in the Bible also tells us in 2nd Tim 3:1-4 that people will be truce breakers, selfish, not true to their word, so being faithful is the exact opposite.

Since we are in the Laodicean era of Yahweh’s congregation people are more selfish and self-centered than ever before. People boldly proclaim that elders and ministers are no longer needed and that all we need is the Holy Spirit to lead us and not men. This is why it is extremely important, that men must show their faithfulness to Yahweh, His leadership and His congregation over a good period of time before they could ever be considered for ordination.

Also, it is very clear from Timothy that an elder must be blameless and not of shoddy reputation. He also clearly must be the husband of only one living wife, which would disqualify any person who has been divorced and has 2 living covenant wives. His wife likewise must have only one living husband.

He also must be alert and sensible, not making radical, unsound decisions and be hospitable and not with a sharp tongue, and also able to teach. This would disqualify anyone in the congregation who is either not grounded in sound doctrine, or even if they have been ordained, has left sound doctrine and is now preaching unscriptural doctrines, or even worse, heresy.

He must also not be a drunkard, or have a spirit of anger, being quick to raise his voice and argue with others. He must not be contentious, but must be humble. This also is not an act that someone puts on until hands are laid on him. Even if someone had hands laid on him for elderhood and later it was determined that the person deceived the elderhood and indeed was contentious, or did not fit any of the above criteria, then it stands to reason that the person would have lost his position and would not be recognized as an elder in the body of Messiah.

I believe the biggest thing that we should be getting out of the above criteria is that the above scriptures stating the position of an elder are relating to a “job description” and NOT a title. 1st Tim 3:1 clearly states it’s an “office” of an elder.

When someone within the congregation is performing the task of an elder, then there is the laying on of hands by the other elders to recognize that performance within the congregation. It also stands to reason that if someone either was no longer fulfilling the scriptural requirements of an elder within the congregation or if someone removes themselves from the position of serving in the congregation, then they would not be fulfilling that position scripturaly any longer, nor be recognized in that capacity any longer in the congregation.

Whether someone was still within the congregation and disqualified themselves from the job of an elder, or left the congregation due to some sin, such as divorcing their spouse and remarrying, or having a spirit of anger be shown, or maybe they simply left to be in private ministry on their own with no checks or balances because they could not be under any judicial order, then this would clearly disqualify them from the position of an elder.

In turn, if someone who was fulfilling the job of an elder within the congregation left the congregation and went out on their own and was not fulfilling the job of an elder within the congregation any longer, then as mentioned, they would not be recognized as an elder since they would not be performing that role in the congregation any longer. In order to be recognized as an elder in the Congregation of Yahweh you must be serving the people in the congregation and be performing the job description of an elder within the congregation.

Clearly, becoming an elder is not the same as acquiring a college degree that you would bring with you as a title in any other job you are trying to be recruited for. Yahweh’s congregation is not like the world but someone recognized for a certain job in the congregation is only recognized as long as he is performing that particular job assignment.

They must continue in the criteria which inspired hands to be laid on them, which is maintaining and being under judicial order, which they agreed to when they were ordained. However, if they change to their own private interpretation and leave and have removed themselves from the ordained body of elders that Yahweh has recognized and ordained, then they have disqualified themselves from the job they are no longer qualified to perform.

Ordination cannot be performed without the elderhood to lay hands on the individual, so it stands to reason that if an individual would reject the elderhood that gave him the ordination, then he would not be recognized by the congregation in that capacity any longer. If someone in the congregation was a good person or even a friend of an elder, he would not ordain them simply because they wanted to, but only if they were fulfilling the Elohim required mandate. (1st Tim 5:21-22)

Last, but not least, it must be mentioned that the most important characteristic of a true elder and servant of Yahweh is humility. There can never be envy and jockeying for position in Yahweh’s true elderhood, but our service toward Yahweh and His children should be based on love, and a true humble desire to serve our Creator to the best of our ability.

We should never be serving to be recognized by man, or simply to get a pat on the back and constantly be recognized by people within the congregation; although, we should always be grateful to those who are serving us and try to give recognition where due, as servants of the Most High Elohim that should never be the motive in our service to Him. If we are looking for human recognition, then we will ultimately burn out in our service to Yahweh and usually this will happen sooner than later, and some will leave the most special job of an elder.

Conclusion: There is a very strict requirement to being recognized as an elder in Yahshua’s set apart congregation. Only those who are fulfilling the Biblical role of the job of an elder while being part of the congregation should be recognized as an elder in the congregation. A person can only be set apart for elderhood by the laying on of hands of other properly ordained elders.