Brother Rushmore, Can a Person live so rotten before becoming a Christian that that would disqualify him from becoming an elder or deacon? ~ Al Lawson
Included in the qualifications of elders are stipulations that address your question. First Timothy 3:2 states that a “bishop” or an elder “must be blameless.” (See also Titus 1:6-7). Blameless here means not worthy of rebuke or not culpable. Especially in contrast to a similar reference in verse seven of the same context that pertains to the way non-Christians perceive of a candidate to be an elder, verse two specifically represents the esteem in which members of the church hold a man being considered for appointment as an elder. In verse seven, the phrase “must have a good report of them that are without” notes that those outside of church membership must also consider a candidate for appointment to the eldership as blameless or not culpable.
A man whose past sins still overshadow his esteem in the minds of brethren and non-Christians lacks the esteem or confidence by brethren and non-Christians to be appointed to so important a responsibility as an elder in the Lord’s church. It may be that those past sins have been forgiven by God and man, yet the consequences of the past sins may persist and make it impossible to serve in some capacities in at least the areas in which those things are known. However, if one’s past sins, for which he has been forgiven, do not undermine the confidence of the congregation over which he is being considered for appointment as an elder or the confidence by the community in his reputation, one’s past, forgiven sins would not prohibit a man from consideration for appointment to the eldership.
The apostle Paul was a murderer, yet he rose to a height of unparalleled Christian service in the first century. Most of his successes with the Gospel of Christ were in areas of the world where he had not committed Christians to imprisonment and death. He also penned more New Testament books than any other writer (13 epistles). The apostle Peter denied Christ but proved to be valuable servant, among other things, preaching the first Gospel sermon each to the Jews and to the Gentiles. He also penned two New Testament books. In addition to being an apostle, Peter was also an elder (1 Peter 5:1).
