David wrote: > 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.

The problem here seems to be that if one doesn't share the same
interpretation of "one wife" as you, then they are automatically lump in
with liberals who want women to serve as deacons. No one that I know of is
trying to "throw out" this verse. Is it not possible to disagree about
divorced men serving because of the "one wife" thing and not be for women
deacons? These kinds of statements are why tempers flare and unkind things
are said. One brother inplied that if one supports the SBC missions program,
they are supporting "virgin birth denying doctors and professors." Another
brother said that, sure, divorced men or those caught in adultry or other
sin can be restored, they just can't be pastors again. How can one be
restored but still disqualified? Either they are restored or not restored
but not some restored. How restored can one be if not completely? Can we not
just speak with reason and love without calling each other names?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Pastor David Warner" <dwarner@...>
To: <pastorsforum@...>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 10:06 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