Divorce and Christian Service Part 5

IFB and Social Classing Part 2 – Divorce and Christian Service

Divorce and Christian Service – I submit that there are no qualified pastors or deacons. No man can, without error, keep and or maintain the qualifications in Titus and 1 Timothy. So, dear pastor or deacon, now that you are disqualified……………… What sayest thou? It seems that a lot of IFB churches throw around Scripture to mutilate the divorcee but intentionally exclude themselves in necessary and scriptural guidance and discipline. Consider Matthew 5:28 “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” It seems that this verse disqualifies all men as pastors and deacons.

I must mention another burning argument that necessitates consideration. This is the scenario: A lost man who has been remarried multiple times has now been gloriously saved! You may see where this is going.

Keeping that in mind, I asked a local Pastor if this, now saved man, who is a multiple divorcée, is qualified to present himself to the church as a pastoral candidate with God’s call on his life. (by the way, amen for the call on his life)

The Pastor’s answer to me was, yes, he is qualified to be a Pastor. Hold on, so God’s Grace is sufficient to count this new brother among the living and recognize his call, but God’s Grace is not sufficient to cover the divorce of a man after salvation who has God’s call on his life? There is not one shred of Biblical evidence to support his convoluted reasoning. Please, dear Christian, study to show thyself approved!

Encounter with a second Pastor:

I asked him if a man that was divorced before Salvation would be “qualified” to Pastor after Salvation. Before going on, let me clarify, most Baptists use the word qualification to denote the Pastoral instruction found in Timothy and Titus. Many years ago I heard a preacher refer to those “qualifications” as characteristics and attributes. These words make more sense than the word qualification. I encourage studying these words.

So, back to the conversation with the Pastor, I was shocked to hear the Pastor say that the man divorced before Salvation is NOT “qualified” to be a Pastor. It is imperative to emphasize that his answer is the most arrogant, overbearing, self-centered, unscriptural, and spiritually immature piece of teaching to ever cross the lips of any Pastor I’ve known. –Self-Righteousness- He does not believe 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

“A mistake that makes you humble is better than an achievement that makes you arrogant.” unknown

Frankly, this teaching is a slap to the face of Christ and the atonement provided through grace and mercy. His answer is assuredly the teaching of limited atonement.

Two Pastors in the same area cannot agree on the teachings of Pastoral “qualifications”, so when you all can get it together, take your stand, otherwise, stop throwing around your spiritual arrogance and ignorance of the Scripture.

The complete post can be found at https://drdonporter.com/self-righteousness-and-grace/

So, I challenge you to properly look at the purpose of the attributes and characteristics in Titus and 1 Timothy. You need to step back and truly understand Godly faith, hope, restoration, and forgiveness. Strive to step down from your perch of perfection, because you aren’t remarried, and look into the mirror and honestly compare yourself to your own sinfulness.

If you consider a divorcee unqualified but you are miraculously qualified, explain! You can’t pick qualifications. Offend in one, offend at all.

May God prick your heart with the power found in Galatians 6:1 – Are you spiritual?

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