Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | The husband of only one wife? | Titus 1:6 | EdB | 124706 | ||
Justme I don't think we can interpret God's word by what seems fair to us. I also don’t think we can poick the best of four nor do I think we should judge what is right or wrong by which has the most powerful testimony. I also don't think limiting a man from serving as a deacon, elder, overseer or pastor is the end of his use to God or his fellow Christians. I believe God established these qualifications for reasons thatI think of that are valid. However whether I can justify their validity or not is not the point. The point is what did God say here. He said a 'one women man.' What is a one woman man? A man that has two women? Has been married to two women? had a lousy first wife and got an excellent second wife? I don't think so I think it means exactly what it says a "one Women man" Is that fair to the poor guys that married a lousy wife who ran off with the local football team. It sure doesn't seem fair to us but then we are not God. Maybe God's view of this guys ability to make life choices is so bad he should never pastor a church but he would make a great Christian conference speaker, Sunday School teachers, chaplain, missionary and evangelist. Let us say this same passage was written in a way that nobody could Wordsmith it, let’s say the passage clearly said no divorced men in any church office. Would you then call that unfair, unjust or even the unforgivable sin? No! You would say divorce is a sin that can be forgiven but carries a consequence that you can’t hold church office. Would we try to condition it by saying whether it mattered if the divorce was before or after salvation? No again we would say the consequence of divorce is you can’t hold a church office. Would we call God unfair? No more than we would call God unfair if someone jumps off a building and prays the sinners prayer on the way down and still dies. We would say it is the consequence of the action. Look at God’s call on man. Is it to glorify man? Is it to give the person a job or something to do? Is it our right? Who decides who God will call, us or God? Why does God put a call on a person? When God calls a person God has a job for the person to do, that will bring glory and honor to God. It is not about that person but rather about what God has for the person to do. God and God alone decides that call and sets down the criteria for that call. We are to follow that criteria to insure we don’t place a person in position that God wouldn’t call him for. This whole thing is about God not us or our qualifications or the lack thereof, it is scripture defining what God calls acceptable criteria for a person to serve him. EdB |
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2 | The husband of only one wife? | Titus 1:6 | justme | 124756 | ||
EdB: Your responce was welcome. I think we understand how the other has come to the conclusion the other has about this huge issue. I think that unless we have reasearched this to what say is the "priesthood of the believe" and can back our view with a solid Biblical answer than we are only shooting off the hip, of emotional feelings. In my observation this issue still goes back to the orignal intent of Paul, and how the Greek reads. I was hoping you might address is a divorce takes place before becoming a Christian, would you view still be the same? Do you see any circrmsatnce that would be an exception? I believe Scripture points to the liberation of people from sin, and freedom to serve the Lord. I also believe and have observed that religious people are eager to preach (2 Cor.5:17) becoming a New Creature in Christ, and behold all things become new. However not for anyone who has beeen divorced! In other words God sets free, and liberates, then the religious not only keep one bound, but have a different satndard for the divoced, a higher standard than for someone who has murdered, sold drugs, been involved in every sexual sin you can name. I cannot find this understanding anywhere in Scripture. Ed, is not all sin firgiven exactally the same way? Is there any sin God does not forgive and cleanse with the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ? If we add stipulations to the limitations Christ's justification and forgiveness, we make confession and repentance inadiquate as a requirement for forgiveness of sin. 1 John 1:9,10. To refuse to recongnize a genuine call of God on ones life, perhaps due to our wrong understanding of Scripture, do we not make a very serious error? I wonder how many have been refused to be allowed to minister, because of bad theology, and not understanding the true meaning of Scripture. In no way do I justify divorce. I find divorce when someone is a Christian very disturbing, heart-braking, and distructive to ones testimony. Often divorce takes a lifetime to restore relationships within the faimily, and children of that marriage. Finally may no where does the Bible say the word "qualifications", however "character" is mentioned several times. There is a big difference in lifestyle character, and qualifications. I hope thsi give some more imput for consideration. Blessings. justme |
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3 | The husband of only one wife? | Titus 1:6 | EdB | 124833 | ||
Justme You said, "I believe Scripture points to the liberation of people from sin, and freedom to serve the Lord. I also believe and have observed that religious people are eager to preach (2 Cor.5:17) becoming a New Creature in Christ, and behold all things become new. However not for anyone who has been divorced!" Again I say it is not a SIN issue. If the person is in Christ Jesus his sin is forgiven. However all of our actions carry consequences aside from the sin issue. If a person practices fornication he is sinning, if he then stops and asks Jesus into his heart he is forgiven. However he then finds out he has genital herpes which cannot be cured. Does that mean his fornication can never be forgiven? NO! However his actions/behavior did carry consequences that will live in him the rest of his life. If a person robs a bank, shoots a guard and is captured, tried and found guilty and sentenced to death then finds Jesus is his death sentence commuted? His eternal death sentence is, however in all likelihood he will still be executed. Does that mean he is not forgiven? NO! It means his actions/behavior carry consequences that will cost him his earthly life. A person is married and divorces, commits adultery and then finds Jesus. However according to 1 Tim 3:2 and Titus 1:6 he can’t be a elder, deacon, overseer or pastor. Does that mean he is not forgiven? NO! However his action carried consequences and one of those consequences is he can’t be a elder, deacon, overseer, or pastor. Does that mean he has not value or that he can’t serve God? NO! It simply means he does not meet qualification for one of those offices. However there are thousands of other jobs God has for him that he can do. We put such a premium on titles and that no ought to be. Some of the most effective and most productive (if you will allow me to use that word) people in the work of Christ carry no title other than servant of the Most High God. They share Jesus not because they are getting paid or have job title but because Jesus has placed in their heart a desire to serve. We look at 1Tim 3:2 and Titus 1:6 as a limitation or handicap, perhaps it is a blessing. People that don’t meet these guidelines for church office are now free to minister as servants of God rather than servants of the church. Any one can do the work of the deacon without the title, any can do the work of a elder without the title. Any can minister the word of God without a title. You ask is it wrong to deny a person a call to minister? I say yes. However this discussion is not about denying a persons call to minister but rather about denying that person a specific title or position. I have a very dear friend that was married and divorced and remarried and divorced and then saved. He is now married to a dear Christian woman. He felt he had a call to preach. He went to Bible college and seminary. He applied to credentials and was rejected. He was crushed. I was crushed for him. Instead of getting bitter or arguing that this wasn't fair he simply said God must have something else for him. Shortly thereafter God opened doors for him to minister to Senior Adults in a Assisted Care center. He became their Chaplain and is ministering to patients, patient families, staff and staff families. He holds services throughout the week and ministers to hundreds. I can tell you most pastors would kill for his ministry. He has none of the cares of church buildings, boards and church in fighting. Today he will tell you he would have never done it, if he had gotten his credentials. He would have tried to start a church and these precious people he is now ministering to would be without the someone to love them and care for them. It is not that God doesn't love people that have been divorced it is just that God wants to use them in different ways. We always try to decide if what God says is right or not by judging if it seems fair to us. God said His ways were different than man's ways. EdB |
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4 | The husband of only one wife? | Titus 1:6 | justme | 124911 | ||
EdB: I erspect you views, but we do understand things differently. I choose love or all. Nothing has been said to cause any ill feelings amd with genuine love I call you my brother. Blessing EdB. justme |
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5 | The husband of only one wife? | Titus 1:6 | EdB | 124913 | ||
justme I agree no hard feelings. And I too love all. I don't see this as a love issue, a sin issue or some sort of stigma. I see it simply as a fact just like the fact the person is a divorced. I certainly don't see this standing in the way of serving God or even ministering His word. There are many many other ways to do that. Be blessed my friend and I'm praying for your health. EdB |
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