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Requesting elder authority/support regarding street evangelism

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evangelist6589

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I do understand the reasoning. From the article I gathered that "unfaithful" can be taken to mean much more than adultery, therefore there are numerous reasons a divorce can be justified under Mark 10:11 (because Jesus did not mean "adultery" literally, but graphically). I don't necessarily agree with Keener, but I get his reasoning.

I am glad that you are not as stressed as you were. I know from the experience of a few friends that a bad marriage makes for a hard life. You know where I stand on divorce and remarriage, but you don't answer to me or anyone else on this board and I am in no way telling you how to live your life. So if you were to ask me if divorcing your wife was biblical, then the answer is no, it is not. If you asked me if it was biblical for you to date and perhaps remarry, then the answer is the same...no, it is not. But if you are asking me if you were free to divorce and are free to date, then the answer is of course you are. What ever you do here you are doing freely. I believe that this is why Peter cautions us to live our lives here in fear (because we call on Him as Father who judges impartially our deeds). So I have no right to tell you what to do, but as a friend I will simply say to remember that we are accountable for what we do during our time on this earth. You are not accountable to me or any other member here for how you live your life (but you are accountable). And I wish you the best.

BTW, what book are you reading?

Remarriage after divorce in today's church 3 Views.

The majority on this board hold to the second view
 

JonC

Moderator
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So what do you suggest I do? Stay single all my life? What kind of a life is that? It's plain HELL.
I don't have any suggestions for you, brother. I can tell you what the Bible says, but not what to do. Right or wrong, those are the choices you will have to make (like your choice to marry your wife and your choice to divorce). I can encourage you and pray for you...and journey through scripture with you...but it is up to you to choose what you will do. It seems to me everything is laid out before you and you just have to decide.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
If living single all of your life is plain hell, then there is something wrong. A very wise pastor once taught us that if you can't be happy by yourself, you won't be happily married.
But you don't realize you can be happy by yourself until you are married :D
 

blessedwife318

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What is Evan going to do if the girl he finds on the dating site Google him and finds his posting here. I know when I was online dating before I met my husband I Googled any guy I was going to meet in person. I can tell you I would not go out with a guy if I found out he was looking for money, and could not support his family.

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blessedwife318

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If living single all of your life is plain hell, then there is something wrong. A very wise pastor once taught us that if you can't be happy by yourself, you won't be happily married.

This is so true. I was 31 before I got married to my wonderful husband and while I did not like being single, I learned to take it day by day. We cannot look for happiness in our spouse as they will fail us. Our happiness or better yet joy is found in Christ who will never fail. That is something I keep in mind with trying to have a baby. A baby can't bring lasting happiness and expecting that is setting that child up for failure. Same is true for a spouse of you are expecting them to keep you happy they will fail, and you will fail them in return.

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Revmitchell

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While i agree with what you say about *Difficulties*, i would have to say that when someone is in Blatant unrepentant sin they must stop *service* and get back to worshiping at the Master's feet.

No sorry there is no biblical support for such a thing and it would only put someone in further sin.Failure to serve God would be that sin. BY the way serving and worshiping are the same thing.
 

JonShaff

Fellow Servant
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No sorry there is no biblical support for such a thing and it would only put someone in further sin.Failure to serve God would be that sin. BY the way serving and worshiping are the same thing.
Care to tell us how it's biblical to keep pastoring while a person is in blatant unrepentant sin?

Serving (as engaging people with your gifts) can be a form of worship, but it's not the *same thing*.

Particularly in the realm of an office...pastor, teacher, evangelist, deacon, etc...yes one should stop serving in that capacity. It's difficult for a person laid up in a hospital bed who is on the mend from a heart by pass to be out helping other people. Sometimes getting ministered to is what a person should fully concentrate on.

And that is the heart beat of this thread, you can't minister while you're in need of being ministered to...that's like a person who has suffered a gun shot wound to the head trying to give mouth to mouth to a unresponsive person...hard to do when you yourself are lying motionless on the ground as well.
 
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The Biblicist

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Christ commands us to "make disciples". That is the primary reason for evangelism.

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Christ does not command all Christians to make disciples. Take note of the different pronouns in Matthew 28:19-20 ("ye" versus "them"). Those identified as "them" have been evangelized and are Christians but they are still the objects of the commission to make disciples. They have yet to be baptized, they have yet to be brought into a teachng observing assembly. Unbaptized, and untaught believers are not authorized to "make disciples" as that would be like authorizing the blind to lead the blind. In contrast, those being authorzied ("ye...you") "HAVE" already been through this process of discipleship already - they have already been evanelized, baptized and taught how to observe all things commanded. Furthermore, this contextual "ye" are those who are LIKE FAITH AND ORDER with Christ in the SAME gospel SAME baptism and SAME doctrine and practice as the commission does not authorize anyone to go evangelize by "another gospel" as such would be "accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9) or administer another baptism as that would be rejecting the "counsel of God" (Lk. 7:29-30) or teaching another faith and order as that would be a heretic who departs from the faith once delivered (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Thes. 3:6).

Now, all Christians can be gospel witnesses, but the Great Commission is more inclusive than mere witnessing or evangelization as the command is not merely to witness but to "make disiples" and the three participles describe or define how that is to be done (1) Go with the gospel (2) baptize "them" or the gospel converts and then (3) teaching "them" or baptized believers how to observe all things commanded.

When this commission is reduced to mere evangelization or stops at evangelization the result is not obedience but disobedience to this commission.
 

The Biblicist

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Wrong. Mark 16:15-16 says to preach the gospel to every creature, or do you deny the scripture?
You must take in all accounts of the Great Commission rather than merely picking and choosing the one you want to obey. "Go" preach the gospel and baptizing are but two aspects of a threefold command to "make disciples" (Mt. 28:19-20). The third aspect is "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded." Look at my previous post and you will see that not all Christians are authorized to "make disciples" because not all Christians have been baptized or instructed how to observe his commandments and that would be like authorizing the blind to lead the blind, as one cannot teach what he has not yet learned.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
When I read Ephesians 5:22-33, I cannot help but think of love between a husband and a wife in different terms than is often presented in our culture.

We are to love our wives as Christ loved the Church, and wives are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. This (in both cases) is descriptive of love (just as we, as Christians, submit to one another in reverence to Christ). Simply, we are putting the needs of the other above our own.

The passage does not present this love as conditional on the other person. Thankfully God’s love was not conditional on us, as the object of His love - for while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. The command for husbands to love their wives is not conditional upon wives loving them back. The command for wives to love their husbands is not conditional upon husbands loving them back. The command for believers to love other believers is not conditional upon their brethren loving them back. We are to be imitators of God. We are to love as Christ loved.

The problem with expanding “adultery” to include abusiveness is that it tears apart the meaning of marriage as is presented in Scripture. Hosea serves as a good illustration of this love, even in the face of adultery (where divorce is only permitted, I do not see where it is encouraged). Christ died for us while we were, spiritually, adulterers. Because of God’s love, God sending His Son into this world so that all who believe would live, we (who believe) enter into a covenant with God that is not dependent on us. God will never leave or forsake us. And this has everything to do about God, not us.

God is faithful to his covenants, and this type of faithfulness is illustrated in marriage. God loves us in such a way that He gave His Son for us while we were still sinners….adulterers, abusive, enemies, rebels, slanders, haters of God, under condemnation…unconditioned in regards to us loving Him back. How can we say, then, that we as husbands are loving our wives as Christ loves the Church, putting their needs above our own, if we view the bonds of marriage so lightly that harsh words spoken justify divorce?

There are two issues on this tread. One is divorce in general and specifically among Christians. The other is justifying divorce through Scripture. I understand life often throws us curve balls, and I even understand divorce for things other than adultery. I realize the reasons people leave their spouses, and I even agree that some are really good reasons. But I do not understand Christians trying to justify their actions by tweaking Scripture to their desires and needs. This compounds sin and nullifies Scripture to the world. One reason Christianity in our nation and in our culture is so superficial and lukewarm (at best) is because so many bend Scripture to justify their desires rather than allow God’s Word, as prescriptive, to incline their hearts and minds to God.
 

StefanM

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So what do you suggest I do? Stay single all my life? What kind of a life is that? It's plain HELL.

I understand the frustration to some degree. It seems unfair, and you desperately want to be able to change (i.e. remarriage, in this case).

But is it really "plain HELL"?

I know that I wish I could be healed from my chronic illness, but that doesn't appear to be God's will. His grace is sufficient.

I may not feel like it is sufficient (I often don't), but that doesn't really change anything. My illness often gets so bad that I would probably rather die than to go through another day, but that hasn't happened yet (thankfully).

There are far worse fates than being single. Paul even encouraged singleness, and the fact is that without a partner, you are free to minister (in whatever capacity God calls you) without distraction.
 

evangelist6589

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I understand the frustration to some degree. It seems unfair, and you desperately want to be able to change (i.e. remarriage, in this case).

But is it really "plain HELL"?

I know that I wish I could be healed from my chronic illness, but that doesn't appear to be God's will. His grace is sufficient.

I may not feel like it is sufficient (I often don't), but that doesn't really change anything. My illness often gets so bad that I would probably rather die than to go through another day, but that hasn't happened yet (thankfully).

There are far worse fates than being single. Paul even encouraged singleness, and the fact is that without a partner, you are free to minister (in whatever capacity God calls you) without distraction.

I have lots of debt so I can't minister except on the streets.
 
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