Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Divorced Pastors
Read it ALL. Nobody said that he can't be a staff member. In some instances they cannot serve at all. They are out. God hates divorce. God hates sin. Moses allowed the divorce, not God. There are very specific scriptures that detail what is acceptable as terms for divorce, according to man. If your pastor meets the criteria, then that is up to you to decide if HE should be your pastor. You better make sure that he is telling you the truth about the situation, and that you get the story from both sides. Some pastors have their own "pride of life" interests, and see the pastorate as their life's calling, or just panic because they can't get their high by being infront of people, in a position of leadership. Well look where that has taken Washington. Pastors fail to realize that their life is their continuing resume for the position. If their life contradicts God's word and it's criteria, then they need to be replaced, or go on a sabatical to get the issues resolved.Some divorce situations are not acceptable. These situations are considered adultery if lived out. We have specific qualifications given in Timothy. No matter how one interprets those scriptures, adultery is wrong. A pastor living in adultary is unfit for leadership of a church. Would you let a practicing adulterer in your pulpit? Does God forgive and forget? Sure. But his forgiveness is for the sin offense of that husband or wife to God. God's forgiveness is not for the sin offense that the husband or wife has committed against their family and church. We can, and should forgive, but there are still things that the divorced family will reap in the future. This reaping of their iniquity should be considered.We cannot know if a man is saved. Only God can. But, we can see the "fruits of the spirit" and the "works of the flesh" on the outside. We are to be judging them against the scripture, to see if he is the right man for the task. Some people think that this is unfair. Well it was unfair to want to be a priest and not be a Levite. But that is what God chose, and that was the criteria.Maybe if we churches stuck to God's word, and upheld the standards more than the men, the men would think twice about the decisions that they make, and the consequences that would come.
God hates divorce. God hates sin. Moses allowed the divorce, not God. There are very specific scriptures that detail what is acceptable as terms for divorce, according to man. If your pastor meets the criteria, then that is up to you to decide if HE should be your pastor. You better make sure that he is telling you the truth about the situation, and that you get the story from both sides.
Some pastors have their own "pride of life" interests, and see the pastorate as their life's calling, or just panic because they can't get their high by being infront of people, in a position of leadership. Well look where that has taken Washington. Pastors fail to realize that their life is their continuing resume for the position. If their life contradicts God's word and it's criteria, then they need to be replaced, or go on a sabatical to get the issues resolved.
Some divorce situations are not acceptable. These situations are considered adultery if lived out. We have specific qualifications given in Timothy. No matter how one interprets those scriptures, adultery is wrong. A pastor living in adultary is unfit for leadership of a church. Would you let a practicing adulterer in your pulpit?
Does God forgive and forget? Sure. But his forgiveness is for the sin offense of that husband or wife to God. God's forgiveness is not for the sin offense that the husband or wife has committed against their family and church. We can, and should forgive, but there are still things that the divorced family will reap in the future. This reaping of their iniquity should be considered.
We cannot know if a man is saved. Only God can. But, we can see the "fruits of the spirit" and the "works of the flesh" on the outside. We are to be judging them against the scripture, to see if he is the right man for the task.
Some people think that this is unfair. Well it was unfair to want to be a priest and not be a Levite. But that is what God chose, and that was the criteria.
Maybe if we churches stuck to God's word, and upheld the standards more than the men, the men would think twice about the decisions that they make, and the consequences that would come.
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