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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Church is kidnapped to Sodom! | James 2:8 | jesusfreak508@aol.com | 58611 | ||
John, I too have wrestled with the difference between membership and leadership, and I think David is an excellent example. But what I have come down to is that the Bible doesn't seem to speak to leadership in this (I'm still looking), so I feel we have to be bound by what it does address. And a leader is a member. I just get real queasy about going outside the Bible; I think the technical term is allegorical (not going by what the Word says but by what we think the Word means). Once you start doing that, where do you draw the line? For me the issues are clear. Paul and Timothy tell us how to pick our leaders. That should be our model. But that begs the question about ministers who were drug addicts or adulterers or like Paul, murderers, who were saved then began a ministry. So how far back do you look to judge their moral character, etc? But that's another question. The Bible doesn't tell me what to do in the case of a leader who met the criteria, then stumbled or outright fell (as this prof certainly did), but it is very clear what to do when a member does. Matthew and Paul, too in 2Cor 2:6 when he readdresses the 1Cor member, say if they repent we have to forgive and comfort and restore. Actually in this case, we don't really know if this guy has even been rebuked, much less if he repented. Which if he hasn't, then in case the point is moot anyway. Melanie |
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2 | Church is kidnapped to Sodom! | James 2:8 | Morant61 | 58653 | ||
Greetings Melanie! This is a great topic because of it's importance to the church body. We become a part of the Body of Christ through grace by faith alone. However, simply because we are a part of the Body of Christ does not automatically mean that we must or can be leaders within it. Everyone knows that even leaders fail. The issue is when does failure rise to such a high level as to disqualify someone from leadership. My response would be twofold: 1) When sin is a continous pattern. 2) When sin is scandalous. What do I mean by this? A leader may fail, but when he or she exhibits a continous pattern of failure, even in little things, then that person should not be in leadership. Anyone may lose his temper in the heat of the moment, but someone who is always losing his temper should not be a leader. We know that God views sin as sin, but man categorizes sin. Murder is a more serious offence in our eyes than speaking a harsh word to someone. In that sense, I would say that anyone who committs scandalous sin should be removed from leadership. This does not mean that the person is no longer a Christian. It simply means that they have forfitted the right to lead others. Consider this possible example in light of what has been happening in the Catholic Church. Suppose that as a board member, it came to my attention that one of our Sunday School teachers had just confessed to child molestation. That teacher had repented and gotten right with God. Should I leave it there and continue to allow that teacher to teach children or should I take action to remove that person from leadership? My point is simply that even repentance does not undo the damage done to a person's reputation or the weakness that sin reveal's in a person's character. Leadership is a responsibility, not a right. Thus, the rules in 1 Timothy and Titus about who can be a leader are put in Scripture to help us identity those who are able to and should serve in this capacity. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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3 | Church is kidnapped to Sodom! | James 2:8 | mbooker | 58671 | ||
Good Morning Brother Tim! I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your posts. I have seen instances where you have disagreed with a poster, but the way you do it... it(your post) just over flows with gentleness that it takes me a moment to realize you are disagreeing!! :) 2 Tim 2:23-24 seems to describe you... And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; Thank you for providing a good example for me! Abba Father Bless... Meredith |
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4 | Church is kidnapped to Sodom! | James 2:8 | Morant61 | 58673 | ||
Greetings Meredith! Thanks for the kind words. I wish that I always demonstrated the love of the Lord, but alas, I sometimes get irritable or impatient too! Just ask my family! :-) However, I have long been a firm believer in Prov. 15:1 - "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." It seems to me that our attitude, especially when we are trying to reach someone with the truth, should be loving and compassionate. I like what Paul said to the Thessalonicans: "but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children." (1 Thess. 2:7). That's not to say that one cannot confront error, we must. However, I firmly believe that one can confront the strongest of error in a way which makes it clear that we love the person to whom we are responding. I pray that all of us on the forum remember this. I can't count the number of times that I had typed some witty or biting response to a post and then exercised better judgement and used the backspace key to erase it. :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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