I am probably going to stir up some serious hornets nests with this one but it's been on my heart for awhile so I am going to do it. Now if you disagree with me that's fine, but I hope you read and then pray for wisdom before you start tearing me apart.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
John the Apostle the author of 1 John was an eyewitness to the Life of Christ. He was also an eyewitness to the career of Peter.
John says there is not a sin but one that keeps you from God, and that sin is rejection of Christ.
John does not tear Peter apart for Peter's failures. John does not denounce Thomas for his doubt, John does not sabotage the ministry of Peter because Peter denied Christ.
Instead John stands next to his brother as Peter preaches on the greatest day for the christian since the resurrection.
How can Peter stand and preach when he fell so far so fast?
How can Peter possibly have a ministry when he publicly denies Christ 3 times?
How can Peter serve when satan himself influences Peter and Peter gives in to that temptation by standing in the way of Christ to the cross?
How can Peter stand and preach and proclaim the Gospel and lead the new formed church when Peter took the disciples and went fishing instead of praying and waiting on the Lord?
How did Peter possibly have a ministry after all his sins and failures?
John was there at the tomb with Peter, John was there at the mount of Transfiguration, John was there when Peter healed the lame man. John was there when Peter cut off the servants ear.
Are you seeing here what I see? John saw first hand all of Peter's failures. John was there and saw firsthand all of Peter's successes.
John left Peter alone in his writings and did not condemn him for his sins, did not start a campaign to remove him from the ministry.
John was by his side a friend, a fellow minister.
I am seeing too many people condemning men they don't like, they don't agree with even though they both preach the same message, Christ crucified.
I am seeing ministries attacked because one man thinks another man shouldn't be in the ministry because of that man's sin.
1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
We are losing this nation and instead of preaching the Gospel we have our slings and arrows out for another brother.
You can't be a pastor if your wife leaves you because you couldn't control your house.
By that same logic if there is a split in your church you better walk away from the pulpit because you did not keep safe all that was placed under your charge.
If you left the church you were called to after a year or two then you can not be a minister because you are not the picture of Christ and His Bride forever faithful and true.
Don't you dare tell me that God can forgive the church hopping pastor but not the one who sins.
Don't you dare tell me that one sin is bigger than the other.
Don't you dare tell me that you can disqualify someone God has called because you know the Bible. Well so does God and He says fight the good fight, keep the faith. He didn't say stay perfect and true to be mine. If He requires you to be perfect to serve none will ever serve.
God says that He is the judge, God says He is the author and finisher of our faith. At what point are you allowed to stand against a brother's ministry? At what point are you to disqualify them or to remove the call of God from them?
If there is apostasy, if there is heresy, if there is a cult then stand against it. If there is something you think, or a difference in opinion, not doctrine, then leave them alone.
We all say we are not our brother's keeper until they make us mad and we denounce them.
We all say that we are answerable only for ourselves right up until it's time to be personally offended by someone else's behavior because we don't "feel" it is right.
For years and years the pastoral epistles have been wrestled over, the qualifications of a pastor have been defined, redefined, revised for personal preference.
Husband of one wife. Well golly gee what does that mean, polygamy? divorced, widowed? What about concubines or mistresses?
Sober? What's that mean? You say that means wine and drink then why the added not given to wine?
Ruling your house with all gravity, does that mean you can't laugh and play?
Of good report, hospitable hmmmm a lot of pastors are not people persons. So they are out.
Not brawlers, then how can you preach against sin for that will start a lot of fights.
Not a striker, guess a union man can't be a pastor then. Especially one who goes on strike.
You say that isn't what that means? Why not? That's how I read it.
You know so many have been disqualified by man.
We have just about run out of good men for the pastorate because we have so easily disqualified them.
By doing so we have left the way open for those who don't even know Christ to stand in the pulpit and preach heresy.
Do you think God would let a man who crafted idols, who was a habitual liar (even after he was called he lied alot) be His minister? Abraham
Do you think God would have a murderer in the pulpit? Moses.
Do you think God would have a man who failed in his ministry the first time because he didn't go where God would have him go? Jonah
Do you think God would have a man whose wife left him for a life of sin 3 times and he was told to go get her each time and stay in the ministry? Hosea
Do you think God would use a sinner, who robbed and stole, as a disciple? Matthew.
Do you think God would use a murderer, many times over to lead His church? Paul.
Do you think God would use a man who loved his cigars? Spurgeon.
Do you think God would use a man who failed to have one convert ever? Jeremiah.
Well but they are different. Are they? Why?
God calls man. Man can not take that call away. Man can ignore it, doesn't mean it isn't there.
Man can do it wrong, go the wrong way, make a mistake, fall in sin, But God does not take His hand off that man.
A fall in sin does not mean a fall from grace. For if you can fall from grace then you can lose the guarantee of salvation. Nothing can pluck me out of the Father's hand. Grace is not extended only when we are perfectly serving Him, for why would we need grace if we can attain perfection without Him? We fall into grace, the grace that forgives when we sin.
God didn't tell David to rest from being a king because he sinned, but he had to deal with the consequences.
God didn't let Moses into the promised land but never removed him from his position until his death. Moses' sin kept him from full blessing but did not disqualify him from his service!
God didn't tell Hosea your wife left you, you can't be a true picture of me. No God says this will happen, do it. it is MY Will.
We know that every man who follows the call of God will be attacked. Hard.
Yet we are so eager to see one who sinned kicked out of any service for God.
Isn't that kind of self-defeating? Why do we so limit the armies of God? Generals make mistakes, colonels make mistakes. General Grant lost some battles in the Civil War but he won the war.
We make people live with the consequences of their sin always in the forefront when they are in the spotlight when they sin.
yet the pew sitter who falls we welcome back with open arms because, by God they are a sinner saved by grace, they are reunited to their standing in the church because after all Christ died for them.
Well what pastor who sins, what teacher who sins can not be forgiven and reinstated?
You say but they can not lead anymore because they are not the perfect picture of Christ anymore. Neither are you, you are born the same way, tempted the same way, sin the same way as they do!
Christ died for man because man is not perfect, Christ had to redeem you, you the perfect pastor can not do a blessed thing if not for God in your life.
Are you the older brother upset because the younger made a bad judgment call?
What it comes down to is this, in my opinion.
If you have the call of God no man can say nay.
If your brother sins and you do not forgive, God will not forgive you.
If a fellow minister sins, who are you to decide they are unfit? That is God's decision.
is your lie less a sin than whatever they do?
Is your temper less a sin than theirs?
Is your sin of a lesser degree than a brother's?
All sin is in the same category, as is the forgiveness of God.
God says you must preach the gospel. God said it.
Man can not remove it.
It is time to stop the divisiveness and stand united. It is time to stop winnowing the ranks because of a sin. Time for God's people to unite.
I would rather have a man who sinned leading a church than a person willfully living a life against the bible leading the church.
Our God is a God of second chances, not a one and done God. Thankfully.
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
John the Apostle the author of 1 John was an eyewitness to the Life of Christ. He was also an eyewitness to the career of Peter.
John says there is not a sin but one that keeps you from God, and that sin is rejection of Christ.
John does not tear Peter apart for Peter's failures. John does not denounce Thomas for his doubt, John does not sabotage the ministry of Peter because Peter denied Christ.
Instead John stands next to his brother as Peter preaches on the greatest day for the christian since the resurrection.
How can Peter stand and preach when he fell so far so fast?
How can Peter possibly have a ministry when he publicly denies Christ 3 times?
How can Peter serve when satan himself influences Peter and Peter gives in to that temptation by standing in the way of Christ to the cross?
How can Peter stand and preach and proclaim the Gospel and lead the new formed church when Peter took the disciples and went fishing instead of praying and waiting on the Lord?
How did Peter possibly have a ministry after all his sins and failures?
John was there at the tomb with Peter, John was there at the mount of Transfiguration, John was there when Peter healed the lame man. John was there when Peter cut off the servants ear.
Are you seeing here what I see? John saw first hand all of Peter's failures. John was there and saw firsthand all of Peter's successes.
John left Peter alone in his writings and did not condemn him for his sins, did not start a campaign to remove him from the ministry.
John was by his side a friend, a fellow minister.
I am seeing too many people condemning men they don't like, they don't agree with even though they both preach the same message, Christ crucified.
I am seeing ministries attacked because one man thinks another man shouldn't be in the ministry because of that man's sin.
1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
We are losing this nation and instead of preaching the Gospel we have our slings and arrows out for another brother.
You can't be a pastor if your wife leaves you because you couldn't control your house.
By that same logic if there is a split in your church you better walk away from the pulpit because you did not keep safe all that was placed under your charge.
If you left the church you were called to after a year or two then you can not be a minister because you are not the picture of Christ and His Bride forever faithful and true.
Don't you dare tell me that God can forgive the church hopping pastor but not the one who sins.
Don't you dare tell me that one sin is bigger than the other.
Don't you dare tell me that you can disqualify someone God has called because you know the Bible. Well so does God and He says fight the good fight, keep the faith. He didn't say stay perfect and true to be mine. If He requires you to be perfect to serve none will ever serve.
God says that He is the judge, God says He is the author and finisher of our faith. At what point are you allowed to stand against a brother's ministry? At what point are you to disqualify them or to remove the call of God from them?
If there is apostasy, if there is heresy, if there is a cult then stand against it. If there is something you think, or a difference in opinion, not doctrine, then leave them alone.
We all say we are not our brother's keeper until they make us mad and we denounce them.
We all say that we are answerable only for ourselves right up until it's time to be personally offended by someone else's behavior because we don't "feel" it is right.
For years and years the pastoral epistles have been wrestled over, the qualifications of a pastor have been defined, redefined, revised for personal preference.
Husband of one wife. Well golly gee what does that mean, polygamy? divorced, widowed? What about concubines or mistresses?
Sober? What's that mean? You say that means wine and drink then why the added not given to wine?
Ruling your house with all gravity, does that mean you can't laugh and play?
Of good report, hospitable hmmmm a lot of pastors are not people persons. So they are out.
Not brawlers, then how can you preach against sin for that will start a lot of fights.
Not a striker, guess a union man can't be a pastor then. Especially one who goes on strike.
You say that isn't what that means? Why not? That's how I read it.
You know so many have been disqualified by man.
We have just about run out of good men for the pastorate because we have so easily disqualified them.
By doing so we have left the way open for those who don't even know Christ to stand in the pulpit and preach heresy.
Do you think God would let a man who crafted idols, who was a habitual liar (even after he was called he lied alot) be His minister? Abraham
Do you think God would have a murderer in the pulpit? Moses.
Do you think God would have a man who failed in his ministry the first time because he didn't go where God would have him go? Jonah
Do you think God would have a man whose wife left him for a life of sin 3 times and he was told to go get her each time and stay in the ministry? Hosea
Do you think God would use a sinner, who robbed and stole, as a disciple? Matthew.
Do you think God would use a murderer, many times over to lead His church? Paul.
Do you think God would use a man who loved his cigars? Spurgeon.
Do you think God would use a man who failed to have one convert ever? Jeremiah.
Well but they are different. Are they? Why?
God calls man. Man can not take that call away. Man can ignore it, doesn't mean it isn't there.
Man can do it wrong, go the wrong way, make a mistake, fall in sin, But God does not take His hand off that man.
A fall in sin does not mean a fall from grace. For if you can fall from grace then you can lose the guarantee of salvation. Nothing can pluck me out of the Father's hand. Grace is not extended only when we are perfectly serving Him, for why would we need grace if we can attain perfection without Him? We fall into grace, the grace that forgives when we sin.
God didn't tell David to rest from being a king because he sinned, but he had to deal with the consequences.
God didn't let Moses into the promised land but never removed him from his position until his death. Moses' sin kept him from full blessing but did not disqualify him from his service!
God didn't tell Hosea your wife left you, you can't be a true picture of me. No God says this will happen, do it. it is MY Will.
We know that every man who follows the call of God will be attacked. Hard.
Yet we are so eager to see one who sinned kicked out of any service for God.
Isn't that kind of self-defeating? Why do we so limit the armies of God? Generals make mistakes, colonels make mistakes. General Grant lost some battles in the Civil War but he won the war.
We make people live with the consequences of their sin always in the forefront when they are in the spotlight when they sin.
yet the pew sitter who falls we welcome back with open arms because, by God they are a sinner saved by grace, they are reunited to their standing in the church because after all Christ died for them.
Well what pastor who sins, what teacher who sins can not be forgiven and reinstated?
You say but they can not lead anymore because they are not the perfect picture of Christ anymore. Neither are you, you are born the same way, tempted the same way, sin the same way as they do!
Christ died for man because man is not perfect, Christ had to redeem you, you the perfect pastor can not do a blessed thing if not for God in your life.
Are you the older brother upset because the younger made a bad judgment call?
What it comes down to is this, in my opinion.
If you have the call of God no man can say nay.
If your brother sins and you do not forgive, God will not forgive you.
If a fellow minister sins, who are you to decide they are unfit? That is God's decision.
is your lie less a sin than whatever they do?
Is your temper less a sin than theirs?
Is your sin of a lesser degree than a brother's?
All sin is in the same category, as is the forgiveness of God.
God says you must preach the gospel. God said it.
Man can not remove it.
It is time to stop the divisiveness and stand united. It is time to stop winnowing the ranks because of a sin. Time for God's people to unite.
I would rather have a man who sinned leading a church than a person willfully living a life against the bible leading the church.
Our God is a God of second chances, not a one and done God. Thankfully.
Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
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