Ephesus, where Timothy led a growing church, was the centre of the pagan cult of Diana (or Artemis). The magnificent temple in Ephesus was one of the ‘seven wonders of the world’ containing an ebony statue of the goddess. It was a culture in which women strove for dominance; and ungodly sexual practices were considered normal.

Paul wanted Timothy to choose church leaders whose lifestyles had godly integrity. Even the non-believers could be able to see that these people are well disciplined and are able to live in such a way that others are encouraged to godly lives. Godliness should start at home. A faithful husband who is able to bring out the best in his wife and children is the sort of person who may be considered for church leadership.

Deacons are servants. They serve Christ by serving His church. Their task is to enable God’s family to receive what He wants to give them, and give to others what God wants to pass on in blessing. In one sense they are trustees who enable divine resources to be available where they can be best used. Faithfulness is a primary qualification for this role. Polygamy, either in parallel (where a man may have intimate relationships with more than one woman at the same time), or in series (where a sequence of women find the favour of one man), is not a biblical model of family life.

The Holy Spirit taught Paul that Christians can be lured away from Christ by false teachers. These people mislead believers; they are hypocrites themselves and are not telling the truth. They have not followed Christ although they pretend to be part of the church, but really they are being manipulated by demonic spirits. They appear devout because of their strict way of life but they demand that their followers behave in ways that are not part of the essential Christian lifestyle.