A bishop must be blameless

A bishop then must be blameless… 1 Timothy 3:2

To be above reproach or blameless is, arguably, the most general of all the elder qualifications, so it has to be defined more generally. A good start might be to say that it means being beyond reach of any criticism or accusation that, if true, would either disqualify a man from office for aberrant conviction, deficient character, or sinful outward conduct; or would cast serious doubt on the credibility of his own personal profession of faith in Jesus and the reality of his repentance. He certainly is not sinless, but neither does his example invite the kind of disparagement that undermines his public ministry or the testimony of the church he serves.

Paul Alexander, pastor of Grace Covenant Baptist Church in Elgin, Illinois