Requirements for the ministry - No double married preachers allowed!
I felt to publish this study to clear up a lot of the confusion being published for and by men who are Biblically disqualified from the ministry but who are taking advantage of corruption in many organizations their deviation away from the Bible.
1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
There are requirements for the ministry that exceed the requirements for salvation. That means that there are those who will be saved who are not qualified for the ministry. Also consider that of those qualified for the ministry only a few will actually be chosen by God. Also, it is God who calls men to preach, not families or organizations.
Notice that a deacon (a young preacher), an elder, or a bishop; all must be the husband of only one wife. So if a man has a living ex-wife and has re-married; he is disqualified from the ministry. Also if his wife and children are not in subjection to him, then he is disqualified from being a pastor...
So, you see, there are many filling pulpits who have no business there, and I speak of the true Church and not the false church.
Consider that marriage is not a sin that is washed away by Jesus Name baptism, but rather it is a covenant. If a married sinner man comes and obeys Acts 2:38 without his wife is that marriage suddenly washed away?
1 Corinthians 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1 Corinthians 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
A divorced man who obeys Acts 2:38 still has an ex-wife when he comes up out of the waters of baptism. If he owed alimony before he was baptised, he still owes it after baptism. If he had children from his first wife they are STILL his children. Baptism does not wash away an ex-wife, nor does it wash away children. Corrupt religious organizations are defying
the Word of God when they license divorced and remarried men to preach.
Remember marriage is a covenant not a sin.
I Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
I Timothy 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
I Timothy 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
I Timothy 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
I Timothy 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
I Timothy 3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being [found] blameless.
I Timothy 3:11 Even so [must their] wives [be] grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
A man's immediate family members can, by their unfaithfulness disqualify a man from the ministry.
I Timothy 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
While God calls men to preach it is not out of order for those in the ministry to recognize God's calling on other men. But notice again the requirements. We can also be confident that Paul is not speaking of false accusations here considering some of the charges that had been leveled against him in the past.
Titus 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
All through we see one issue coming up that a minister must be the husband of only one wife. That does not mean one at a time and it does not mean that polygamy is acceptable in the Church membership. The issue is divorce and remarriage.
I have heard so many excuses from those who violate the Word of God, but I can find no where in the Bible where God ever accepted an excuse.
Some of the looser in this hour suggest that if a person was married before they came to the Lord then it doesn't matter, BUT, a man owing alimony before baptism still owes it after baptism. Baptism does not wash away a marriage or divorce.
Marriage is a covenant, not a sin.
Also we must remember that if any preacher is preaching any variation from the apostolic doctrine (Acts 2:38).....
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
A glance at Acts 19 will verify that Paul adhered faithfully to the Apostolic Acts 2:38 doctrine. (The Church at Ephesus was founded in Acts 19).
Acts 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto Johns baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.
8 ¶ And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
Bro Steve Winter
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