I would like some understanding here too. One of the brothers mad a comment that they are in deep into the Greek...what do you do with 1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop <episkopos> then <oun> must <dei> be <einai> blameless <anepileptos>, the husband <aner> of one <mia> wife <gune>, vigilant <nephaleos>, sober <sophron>, of good behaviour <kosmios>, given to hospitality <philoxenos>, apt to teach <didaktikos>; mia mia mee'-ah irregular feminine of 1520; one or first:--a (certain), + agree, first, one, X other. One or first...first one...only? It doesn't say one at a time. The Holy Spirit could have cleared the issue by saying one at a time...right? In Him, JT www.norwalkfwb.org ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pastor David Warner" <dwarner@...> To: <pastorsforum@...> Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 7:06 AM Subject: RE: [PastorsForum] backsliding > The point continues to be missed. Whether on purpose or not, I cannot tell. > The issue of divorce and/or remarriage is being diverted from the original > issue. > The question is not whether God forgives the sinner as well as the sin of > divorce, but does divorce disqualify a man from being a pastor. > It is not about believers in general for which the only qualification is > faith, repentance, belief on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is meeting the > standard set forth in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus and revolved around the "husband of > one wife" or as another put it, "a one woman man." Again, the > issue is not whether God can use a divorced man or woman, the question > remains, does a divorced man meet the biblical qualification set > forth in the Scriptures concerning a pastor (or deacon for that matter.) > Those who want to throw out the "husband of one wife" often not only > allow for divorced men to be pastors but also women (divorced or not) to be > pastors. If we follow the Bible, the matter is clear to me. > Let's not change the subject and then announce an answer to a question that > wasn't even asked. > David W > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: J [mailto:jelewis@...] > Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 8:26 PM > To: pastorsforum@... > Subject: Re: [PastorsForum] backsliding > > > jok, > > > > Why do church people not understand that divorce is NOT listed in the Bible > as the "Unpardonable Sin????" Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the > ONLY unforgivable sin, not divorce, or even divorce and remarriage. > > > > God FORGIVES !!!! GLORY!!!! God CLEANSES !!!! Hallelujah!!!! > > > > If God forgives the sinner of his sin (divorce, adultery, marrying a > divorced person, etc), WHO ARE WE TO HOLD IT AGAINST THEM???? > > > > If God can use a sinner (of any type of sinful life รจ gossip, abuse of body > through overeating or lack of rest, lying, stealing, immorality, drug abuse, > murder, etc.) who has been saved and forgiven, He Can Use a Forgiven > Divorced Man or Woman. All of us have sinned in various ways and all of us, > I hope, have been forgiven of our sins. > > > > Of course, there must be a time where the candidate (forgiven person) > proves himself by demonstrating that he or she is living a "redeemed life" > and has truly changed from the sinful way of living, and is NOW living in > and Walking in Victory. > > Paul, who had abused the church and murdered innocent Christians, had to > prove he was real in his faith before others in the church would receive his > ministry. His ministry was not discounted because he had committed > grievous sin. He was not a "second class Christian" because of his shady > past life. > > Neither should we discount the Grace of God in the lives of people who have > been forgiven and who demonstrate by holy living that they are changed by > the power of the living Christ. > > > > Thank God for His abundant Grace and Mercy in Christ!!!! > > > > Jerry Lewis > > Southside Baptist > > > > PS: There are innocent parties to divorce. They should not be treated > badly because of the wrongdoing of their spouse. > > > > PSS: May God have mercy on those hard - hearted "Pharisees" who condemn and > offend "God's little ones." There are many "lost sheep" who are strewn by > the wayside, cast away by unloving church people who could not reach out to > them in their time of hurt. May the church Grow Up and love like Christ > loved!!! > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "john okeefe" <jxpxus@...> > To: <pastorsforum@...> > Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 12:37 AM > Subject: Re: [PastorsForum] backsliding > > > > jerry - > > > > you are a very insightful man - very cool :) i would > > say i agreed with you - but then you might be put on a > > "bad list" of some kind :) LOL - > > > > one of the things we are looking for is a honest and > > transparent relationship with people who are our > > leaders :) i have been getting a hard time from > > people who think i should not be a pastor because i am > > divorced - and to be honest, i am very comforatble > > with the decision i made concering that part of my > > life and i have no problem being a pastor - and God > > has no problem also - because i bring with me what God > > is looking for in people he is calling to minister to > > this generation - honest, transparent, open leaders > > who are not perfect, but who are forgiven :) > > > > pax > > jok > > > > > > --- J <jelewis@...> wrote: > > > David W, > > > > > > > > > > > > I know the estimate seems high, but 95% of church > > > members fit either one or more of the points listed. > > > > > > > > > > > > The SBC (of which I am a part) claims 16 Million > > > members, however, on any given Sunday, only a little > > > over a third will be in attendance at Sunday morning > > > worship. Where are the other two thirds???? Why > > > are there always many members that are never in > > > attendance? > > > > > > > > > > > > What percentage of your church members can you say > > > are dedicated, loyal, faithful, and committed to the > > > program of God???? What percentage of your church > > > members are consistently witnessing and winning > > > souls to Christ? What percentage are faithful > > > tithers? How many diligently seek the Lord before > > > making decisions? How many never compromise in > > > their moral standards? (Even many Christians > > > justify cutting corners with tax returns, driving > > > speed limits, etc.) How many are moved more by > > > their feelings than they are by the Word of God? > > > How many have a real heart hunger and passion for > > > the things of God? > > > > > > > > > > > > Bottom line . We are desperately in need of REVIVAL > > > in the church today!!! > > > > > > > > > > > > I like Charles G Finney's definition of revival > > > .."Revival is a new beginning of obedience toward > > > God." > > > > > > > > > > > > Loving Christ the Captain of our Salvation!!! > > > > > > Jerry Lewis > > > > > > Southside Baptist > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Pastor David Warner > > > To: pastorsforum@... > > > Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 8:06 PM > > > Subject: RE: [PastorsForum] backsliding > > > > > > > > > AMEN. We all need to get right and be right with > > > God. I think maybe the 95% is a little high, but > > > only a little! > > > David W > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: J [mailto:jelewis@...] > > > Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 4:50 PM > > > To: pastorsforum@... > > > Subject: Re: [PastorsForum] backsliding > > > > > > > > > Pastor Hughes, > > > According to your criteria, 95% of all > > > evangelical, Bible - believing, Baptist church > > > members (both Independent Baptist and SBC) are > > > backslidden. > > > The church is spiritually sick and needs > > > REVIVAL!!! > > > Jerry Lewis > > > Southside Baptist > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Pastor Hughes > > > To: pastorsforum@... > > > Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 12:10 AM > > > Subject: [PastorsForum] backsliding > > > > > > > > > anybody backslidden out there...... > > > > > > here we go....hang on.... > > > Pastor Hughes > > > East Mesa Baptist Church > > > http://www.azboss.net/~embc/ > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: Pastor Hughes > > > To: embc@... > > > Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2003 3:10 PM > > > Subject: backsliding > > > > > > > > > The Ways of a Backslider Pro. 14:14 with II > > > Pet. 2:6-8 > > > The life of Lot offers many "ways" of a > > > backslider. You're probably backslidden if: > > > > > > > > > 1. You walk by sight, rather than faith - > > > Gen. 13:10 > > > 2. You make decisions without praying - Gen. > > > 13:11 > > > 3. You are comfortable around worldly and > > > wicked people - Gen. 13:12; 19:1 > > > 4. You are a continual burden to God's > > > people - Gen. 14:11-16 (Lot was always a burden to > > > Abraham.) > > > 5. You seek to honor men rather than God - > > > Gen. 19:1 > > > 6. You have experienced a compromise in > > > moral standards - Gen. 19:8 > > > 7. Your testimony is not taken seriously - > > > Gen. 19:14 > > > 8. You are not trying to win souls - Gen. > > > 19:15; 18:32 (Lot had won no one outside of his > > > family.) > > > 9. You linger about obeying God's word - > > > Gen. 19:15-16 > > > 10. You deny God's word - Gen. 19:18-20 > > > > > > Pastor Hughes > > > East Mesa Baptist Church > > > http://www.azboss.net/~embc/ > > > > > > ===== > > john o'keefe > > http://www.ginkworld.net > > > > __________________________________ > > Do you Yahoo!? > > Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! > > http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/ > > > > -- > > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: > pastorsforum-unsubscribe@... > > > > "In essential things, unity; in non-essential things, liberty; and in all > things, charity." > > > > > > > > -- > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: pastorsforum-unsubscribe@... > > "In essential things, unity; in non-essential things, liberty; and in all > things, charity." > > > > -- > To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: pastorsforum-unsubscribe@... > > "In essential things, unity; in non-essential things, liberty; and in all things, charity." > >