The church's health and effectiveness depend on its faithfulness to the word. Faithfulness to the word depends on biblical church order and qualified leadership.

The church's health, well-being, and ability to guard the gospel that has been entrusted to it depend on being biblically ordered and led by qualified elders. This is not an issue only for church leaders. Every church member must be invested in and concerned with the proper ordering of the church and choosing biblically qualified elders.

This passage teaches two requirements for a church to guard the truth of the gospel faithfully.