[Linux4christians] Divorce & Leadership [Was: Baptists]

[Pastor David]

1.  There is no evidence that Timothy, or Paul for that
	matter, was married at the time of their service -
	so marriage cannot be a perquisite for leadership.

2.  As the quoted text clearly states 100% of what occurred
	prior to salvation belongs to a dead person - the
	only one trying to hold that against the one whom
	GOD *made new* is the "accuser" the devil.  (Which
	means that any human doing so is siding with the
	devil rather than with God.)

3.  Even as a Christian the Bible reluctantly allows for
	divorce.  Keep in mind that God's moral preference
	is that every believer live sin-free, whether
	married, single, or divorced.  If the "sin" of
	divorce excludes one from service than all other
	sins also exclude one, therefore no one could
	serve in leadership.  Selective application is real
	poor scholarship!

4.  I have always found it to be evidence of the hypocrisy
	of tradition-over-truth that one may have been a
	rapist or an axe-murderer or a drug-dealer or a
	pedophile or have engaged in all manner of
	sexually-immoral conduct prior to salvation (and
	perhaps even as a believer) and that is never even
	asked -- but woe be to the one whose marriage has
	failed.  (One example of bizarre hypocrisy is in the
	Moody Bible Institute -- one may *not* teach if
	divorced but one may be trained and recommended as a
	pastor.  Figure that one out Biblically if you can!)

5.  Yes, polygamy is one target of the one-wife requirement,
	non-Biblical divorce as a believer is another, but
	a Biblically permitted divorce as the "unforgivable
	sin" is clearly not the purpose of the text.

PD

 > Billy Staggs wrote:
> 
>> Is everyone completely sure that this is pertaining to divorce and not
>> polygamy, which was quite commonplace in the day?  
> 
> I for one am not.
> 
>> Besides, the Bible
>> does outline some good reasons for divorce, would they be the exception
>> to the "husband of one wife" clause, or would you be excluded from
>> ministry (as Deacon / Pastor) if you remarried because your spouse was
>> unfaithful or died?
>> I wonder what the Catholics think of this since none of their pastors
>> are married to "one wife" at all.  Do you think that passage works in
>> reverse?  Do you have to be married to your one wife in order to qualify
>> for being a Deacon or are you excluded on the basis of being single?
> 
> Based on the following Scriptures I don't believe that it is required to be
> married to hold such an office.
> 
> (1 Corinthians 7:1-2 - KJV)
> 
> 1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man
> not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man
> have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
> 
> (1 Corinthians 7:6-9 - KJV)
> 
> 6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. 7 For I would that
> all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God,
> one after this manner, and another after that. 8 I say therefore to the
> unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9 But if
> they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
> 
>> Hrmm...
>>
>> --Linc.
> 
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-- 

Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!  Pastor David
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Senior Pastor (Interim) Bethel Missionary Baptist
http://bethelstatesboro.org (new site pending)
Bible Commentary & Daily Reflection-Action-Devotional
http://bibleseven.com/b7/b7studies.html
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