Divorced & Remarried Ministers Can They Still Minister?

Posted: Saturday, August 16th, 2008 at 2:45 pm By: Bill Haynes

 

"Divorced & Remarried Ministers, Can They Still Minister?”
 
I Tim.3:2
 
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
 
Titus 1:6
 
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
 
          These two verses will be discussed together. Various translations are given in appendix C. They vary quite a bit and this is unfortunately due to prejudices by the translators. The main three Greek words given on the cover of this work are simple and uncomplicated. There should be no mistake as to their simple meaning and translation. However, a number of translators have done what no translator should do, they have inserted their prejudices and commentary into these three words. Their versions become perversions. Nowhere in the Greek phrase “one woman man” is the words, “not a divorced person” or “not a remarried man.” If this were Paul’s intention he would have used the words divorce and remarriage. Others imply “one woman man for life” and as others add, “married only once.” However, the Holy Scriptures are inspired and infallible and do not need these additional words added to it. It stands clear and simple and to add one’s comments and prejudices are not only a translator’s worst mistake but it is sin to change God’s message, confuse and shame the innocent victims of biblical divorce and the death of a mate.  The general rule of all translators is to take the original Greek or Hebrew word in its use in time and culture and find the closest English word in weight and meaning and translate it word by word. A paraphrase is not a Bible but a running commentary. A paraphrase is taking the original words or phrases and putting them in one’s own words which leaves great room for interpretation rather than translation. Some translations have become paraphrases to suit the agenda of the translator.
            There are various interpretations of these verses and they are summarized as follows:
  1. Many commentaries believe that this verse teaches that elders should not be involved in polygamy. Polygamy was a problem in that day among the Jews and Gentiles however it was not allowed by the membership of the Christian churches much less tolerated behavior for elders. To hold that the phrase only refers to polygamy would be too narrow a view.
  2. Some commentaries teach that the phrase forbids remarriage after the death of a wife and especially after divorce for any reason. Many early church fathers were against remarriage for any due to the asceticism and Gnostic influence of their day that eventually led to celibacy in the priesthood of the Catholic church contrary to Paul’s own teaching in Romans 7:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 7:39. Paul encouraged younger widows to remarry 1 Timothy 5:14. It is time for the protestant churches to abandon this catholic tradition that was never taught by Paul. Remarriage is not a sin for those widowed or biblically divorced or Paul would not have encouraged it for anyone.
  3. A few teach that this phrase forbids divorced men from entering the ministry. They would translate the phrase “married only once”. However, Paul is not discussing the marital status of the candidate but his sexual purity. To hold one’s marital status as a qualification would have disqualified Paul himself since he was a single person. Many hold to the suggestion that Paul had been a member of the Sanhedrin court. Marriage was a requirement for membership. It is not impossible to believe that Paul had been widowed or divorced before salvation. Matthew 5:32 and 19:9 allows whosoever (including ministers) to divorce and remarry if their former spouse was guilty of illicit sexual behavior.  The innocent victim or party is free to remarry and serve God.
  4.  Most all commentaries agree that the phrase means that the candidate must be, “faithful to his wife” or “blameless of illicit sexual misconduct.” This is the only meaning that is not too narrow as polygamy or expanded beyond the natural simple meaning of the three Greek words Paul was inspired to give.
 
The context of the phrase also points to this fourth view. The following qualifications of an elder including “one woman man” are clarifications on what is “blameless” or “beyond reproach”. Historically most fallen ministers fall out of the ministry due to sexual misconduct or greed. That is why Paul lists sexual purity and irreproachable sexual conduct as necessary. No one should serve in leadership of any church who is guilty of infidelity to his wife due to harlotry, concubines or any other form of illicit sexual behavior including homosexuality. He must be strictly faithful to his wife or be declined. He must be a “one woman kind of man.” He must be exclusive with his wife.
What about the legalistic views that dominated some of the protestant churches? Traditions that have never been biblical and have been passed down by the asceticism of some of the early church fathers and Catholic celibacy must be abandoned by the protestant church.
            Like the Scribes and Pharisees that Jesus dealt with, the legalists of this day are dangerous souls. Like Paul’s pre-salvation condition he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He was a legalistic monster persecuting Christians everywhere he went. The church has been guilty of being religious but not righteous in dealing with the innocent victims of biblical divorce. They have treated these people as adulterers and at best second class Christians. It is time for churches to stop shooting their wounded. In the Old Testament their unfaithful mates would have been stoned to death leaving the victim of an unfaithful mate free to remarry without shame. However, religious legalists are actually helping Satan accuse the brethren and have caused tremendous confusion in the church.
            Let us take the legalist position to its natural extreme. A “one woman man” is to them a man who has never had a sexual encounter in his entire life before or after salvation except with his one wife. This would destroy Christianity because the truth is perhaps seventy-five percent or more of pulpits have men standing in them who were sexual before salvation and some perhaps after marriage out side the marital bond. In this new generation the average male waits to marry until the age of twenty-six or twenty-seven. They have never been married but the average male is sexual with seven to nine different women before their first marriage. In most churches these men are still qualified to be candidates for the ministry. However, the virgin who marries a woman and she becomes unfaithful and is forced into divorce is disqualified. This is wrong and it is time for a change. It is not unheard of for ministers who have fallen into immorality to be restored to the pulpit as long as his wife doesn’t divorce him. I’m thankful for restoration of the fallen, however, this is quite a double standard. At least the victim of divorce from a sexually unfaithful mate has not committed adultery and yet they are often denied their calling of God as an elder. 
            It has been the author’s experience over forty years in the ministry that the legalists/perfectionists are their own worst enemy. Perfectionism is one of the primary characteristics of an addictive personality.    Most elders who are always pointing out the faults of others and are very unforgiving, have the most immoral skeletons of all in their own closets. You will know them by their fruit. It isn’t love. Remember what Christ told the Scribes, Pharisees, and Hypocrites in Matthew 23:25-28 - 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.   The daughters of legalistic dictators often grow up marry and divorce early because they are not going to put up with what their mothers put up with and become the very thing they hate. They become the controlling perfectionists just like their legalistic fathers were and their husband divorce them. The son of a legalistic minister and mother often divorce, if they carry on the dictator example of their earthly father. 
            You shall know them by their fruit. We must get away from perfectionism and legalism or we will be unmerciful and unloving. All believers must depend on the righteousness of Christ and His love. Works can save no one. By this people will know we are His disciples. 1 Corinthians 13 teaches the more excellent way of love rather than legalism/perfectionism. Yes we must be conservative and not liberal. We must hate sin yet love the sinner. True believers lovingly lift up the repentant fallen brother or sister not continue to kick them while they are down especially if they are knocked down by a former unfaithful mate.
 
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