How far does "Restoration" allow?

Salemander, the reason you are getting so many sharp responses is you are completely out of line when it comes to forgiveness and restoration. It is not even Biblically close.

 

I am?? How do you even think that without any evidence.

All I have seen from you is making rash judgements in favor against this pastor.

I fully know the need for forgiveness and restoration, but you're adding that in some sort of vile mixture to what I addressed in response to the OP and NOT to the situation.

I have no doubt the pastor acted accordingly, else he wouldn't have had the heartbreak of asking the man to sit down.

It may be your idea of pastors that is the real problem?

Your ideal seems to allow sin to have no aftereffect or consequence.

I know why I'm receiving the vile remarks from carnal people.

Yall can conitinue to rail upon my person all you want, but you don't know my heart neither have you addressed it.

I say restore the young man from the beginning, even restore the young man in the present, but it seems more by the event that the young man did something amiss to justify the pastor's actions.

If you are going to judge my view, the Biblical view, of forgivenesses and retorations you'd better first start asking before judging.

I never said Joshua's offering in the OP was delibertate and intentional to cause contention, but it seems when I only stated that doing as he has done is an injustice without allowing the other views or comments from the parties involved.

I'm forgiving what you and rbell have said against my person as we speak, so please reconsider what you're saying before going to the Judgement Seat of Christ.:tonofbricks:

 

There is a BIG difference in letting sin have its consequences, and someone paying the price for that sin for the rest of their natural life. That mindset is not forgiveness and restoration. I sure am glad the Lord did not treat Peter that way. If a pastor has that mindset, maybe he is in the wrong position. Nothing has been said against your person by anyone on this thread. I am not into the martyr game.

 

Much has been said about my person and HOW I forgive and restore.

You're presuming alot of "ifs" i responded as to probably why.

I have NEVER said that his sin had to be forever paid for by his person, only that his sin had consequences and ample time to be fully restored is the measure.

Obviously the pastor had good reason to dismiss the young man.

If the pastor has the mindset that one cannot be forgiven and restored to thier position for any sin other than adultery in the pastoring or deaconship of any church he WRONG. BUT the mindset of the congregation is still at risk in the church due to the sin being made public info and continually in their minds.

 

Why are you singleing out adultery? For one thing, what started this was the admission of ponography on the internet. What makes adultery and greater or less great that any other sin before a holy God? Since the Lord said we commit adultry by what goes on in our mind on a daily basis, how clear are you, the pastor in question, or anyone else on this board of that sin? My main question to you is, why did you single out that sin?

 

While you're busy admonishing others about being presumptuous without knowing the full details, you are doing just that. Look at your posts.

You're presuming based on your own experiences and seemingly ignoring the fact that there are other experiences that are not the same as your own.

 

It may be that your view of Holy Matrimony and God's view differ.

Viewing pornography is lust that commits adultery in one's heart and is not the physical act.

The physical act of adultery disqualifies men from serving as preachers and deacons when concerning remarriage.

 

My faith in any man of God who pastors a Baptist Church goes further than any young man's demand to fill a position.

This whole thing has been subjected to what is offered and without regard for any facts.

I've shown both sides of my experiences with youth pastors, most of which are positive.

I have yet to see where a youth pastor was asked to step down when he wasn't guilty of something to warrant the request.

Besides, it is the pastor who is the head of the assembly, not THE YOUTH PASTOR.

 

While very often I could agree with this, from personal experience I can tell you it happens.

 

I would really like to see what Scripture you have to make that statement. Sin is sin. Adultery is a terrible sin, none the less, it is a sin just like the ones we all commit every day. You are creating your own definitions. Adultery in the heart is the same as the physical act in Gods eyes. There may be different consequences here on earth, but since we are talking of spiritual matters, you tell me which Scripture makes it ok to be a pastor if lusting after a woman in the mind vs the physical act. All Paul says is the husband of one wife. Now, granted, if a person is having an affair, he has no business in a leadership or pastoral roll. Here we get back to your original problem, a lifetime sentence for sin. That is baloney. I know plenty of couples where adultery was a factor, repented of, and the marriage was saved, now serving God.

 

No it's not, adultery in the heart is clarified as being in the heart. One cannot contract STD's from adultery in the heart.

One cannot go to prison for murder if he only thought it, but if he physically murdered then he very well could.

I have never presented any thing like a lifetime sentence for sin.But if you chopped off your arm and couldn't have it sown back on, you'd still be missing your arm. You cannot change the consequences for sin, only repent and be forgiven, but you still have to consider the difference between men and the Lord in this area. We all know where the "baloney" lies.

I have never said this young man was perpetually guilty, only that the pastor must have had good reason for asking him to step down.

Me too, that is not what I was referring to. The ones I know resigned their positions, but I have yet to hear anyone of them go into the explicit details of thier sin in their testimony.

 

The physical act of adultery disqualifies men from serving as preachers and deacons when concerning remarriage.

This is what I have said and stick by it.

 

I pray God will show him clearly His next place of service.

 

I will pray as well.

 

Sure, Brother, I will even pray more for all of you.

I guess my only concern would be that he and that pastor agree on the why of it all, or at least agree to just disagree.

 

Myu prayer would go with all three of you Joshua.I am sure that God has something good prepared for you friend.I have been following this and it is my hope that even though the pastor has requested your friends resignation that there is no ill will between the two and I don't get the picture that the pastor means harm toward your friend.my
:godisgood: heart goes out to you for your obvious empathy for your friend.