Preachers and Divorce

My favorite Preacher, Billy Sunday and while I never got to see him, I have always enjoyed hearing the stories of those who have and reading his sermons.

So I was standing in line at Walmart in Linton waiting to check out, listening to the two white haired ladies in front of me talking about their minister and his ex-wife. This totally floored me and immediately I thought of 1 Timothy 3 and began to question what’s wrong with this picture.

1 Timothy 3 (KJV)

1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. 14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Look at the words of Paul wrote to Timothy, “…the husband of one wife…” and “(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”

For years the church accused anyone who did not live up to the standards set biblically (Ever hear of being ‘churched’?). We never made allowances for people’s mistakes or for their learning a closer walk. We all come as babes into the family of God and like a child learning to feed itself or walk; we too must learn how to adapt to the life. But when it comes to a man who has dedicated his life and spent years learning the gospel and then finds himself at this great of a crossroads I would think that he would realize that he needs to step aside.

The Greek phrase here would translate as “a one woman man.”

Let’s face it divorce represents a failure in the home. And yes God can and does forgive for this. But this would disqualify a man for church leadership.

Second a marriage that ends in divorce should only prove that the man in question cannot run his house.

1 Timothy 4:12 (KJV) tells us that, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” A man of the cloth who sees his marriage end in divorce and watches his home life dissolve can no longer be an example to believers.

God’s truth is God’s truth. Don’t look the other way just because you like or feel sorry for someone. Love the person but hate the sin.

In the Old Testament we find the words of Malachi (2:14-16 KJV) 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16 For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

God hates those who do not care and nurture their wives.

God sat in place the qualifications of the Pastor, if those qualifications are not met then that man should not be a Pastor, for them to stand in the pulpit is a sin. And if a congregation decides to turn their head to the sin being committed they too are guilty of sinning.

Too many of my posts have been somber of late, I guess I need to lighten up and enjoy the countryside a little in the near future. 

Do you ever remember sleeping like this in church? I do! And the other vivid memory of church as a boy was my mother and grandmother fanning themselves (and me) with those handheld fans that had scripture on one side and a funeral parlor ad (Duesterberg / Frederick maybe?) on the other. I assume they finally air conditioned the First Baptist Church of Bicknell. I assume.