The Advent Truth
There was a time when churches debated deep theological questions. Today, some churches are debating whether pastors should be required to be faithful to one spouse.
Let that sink in.
A proposal within the Presbyterian Church (USA) would require clergy who are in sexual relationships to be in monogamous ones. In other words, it is proposing a standard that sounds remarkably similar to what the apostle Paul wrote nearly 2,000 years ago: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…” (1 Timothy 3:2) and “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife…” (Titus 1:6). Yet this proposal has sparked significant opposition from various committees and activist groups within the denomination. (Fox News)
Think about how far the conversation has shifted.
The controversy is whether church leaders should be expected to practice monogamy.
Paul did not present the qualifications for church leaders as suggestions. He presented them as requirements. A pastor is not merely someone who can preach a sermon. A pastor is someone whose life reflects the moral standards God has established for spiritual leadership.
The gospel welcomes every sinner to come to Christ. Praise God for that. Every one of us needs grace, forgiveness, and transformation. But grace does not eliminate God’s standards. Forgiveness is not the same thing as qualification for leadership.
Isaiah warned of a day when people would call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). We should not be surprised when biblical standards become controversial in a culture that has largely abandoned biblical authority.
If you’d like to study the biblical case for male pastoral leadership and ordination in greater depth, I invite you to read my study linked at the end.
Don’t take my word for it. Open your Bible. Read 1 Timothy 3. Read Titus 1. Then ask yourself whether Scripture is still our standard—or whether we are rewriting the standard to fit the culture
There was a time when churches debated deep theological questions. Today, some churches are debating whether pastors should be required to be faithful to one spouse.
Let that sink in.
A proposal within the Presbyterian Church (USA) would require clergy who are in sexual relationships to be in monogamous ones. In other words, it is proposing a standard that sounds remarkably similar to what the apostle Paul wrote nearly 2,000 years ago: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…” (1 Timothy 3:2) and “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife…” (Titus 1:6). Yet this proposal has sparked significant opposition from various committees and activist groups within the denomination. (Fox News)
Think about how far the conversation has shifted.
The controversy is whether church leaders should be expected to practice monogamy.
Paul did not present the qualifications for church leaders as suggestions. He presented them as requirements. A pastor is not merely someone who can preach a sermon. A pastor is someone whose life reflects the moral standards God has established for spiritual leadership.
The gospel welcomes every sinner to come to Christ. Praise God for that. Every one of us needs grace, forgiveness, and transformation. But grace does not eliminate God’s standards. Forgiveness is not the same thing as qualification for leadership.
Isaiah warned of a day when people would call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). We should not be surprised when biblical standards become controversial in a culture that has largely abandoned biblical authority.
If you’d like to study the biblical case for male pastoral leadership and ordination in greater depth, I invite you to read my study linked at the end.
Don’t take my word for it. Open your Bible. Read 1 Timothy 3. Read Titus 1. Then ask yourself whether Scripture is still our standard—or whether we are rewriting the standard to fit the culture
The Advent Truth
There was a time when churches debated deep theological questions. Today, some churches are debating whether pastors should be required to be faithful to one spouse.
Let that sink in.
A proposal within the Presbyterian Church (USA) would require clergy who are in sexual relationships to be in monogamous ones. In other words, it is proposing a standard that sounds remarkably similar to what the apostle Paul wrote nearly 2,000 years ago: “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife…” (1 Timothy 3:2) and “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife…” (Titus 1:6). Yet this proposal has sparked significant opposition from various committees and activist groups within the denomination. (Fox News)
Think about how far the conversation has shifted.
The controversy is whether church leaders should be expected to practice monogamy.
Paul did not present the qualifications for church leaders as suggestions. He presented them as requirements. A pastor is not merely someone who can preach a sermon. A pastor is someone whose life reflects the moral standards God has established for spiritual leadership.
The gospel welcomes every sinner to come to Christ. Praise God for that. Every one of us needs grace, forgiveness, and transformation. But grace does not eliminate God’s standards. Forgiveness is not the same thing as qualification for leadership.
Isaiah warned of a day when people would call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). We should not be surprised when biblical standards become controversial in a culture that has largely abandoned biblical authority.
If you’d like to study the biblical case for male pastoral leadership and ordination in greater depth, I invite you to read my study linked at the end.
Don’t take my word for it. Open your Bible. Read 1 Timothy 3. Read Titus 1. Then ask yourself whether Scripture is still our standard—or whether we are rewriting the standard to fit the culture
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