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divorce
and leadership
We believe that divorce is not what God
wants from couples, but we also understand that it happens and that at
times God allows for divorce. While this paper is not designed to
answer all questions concerning the nature of marriage, and the
relationship that is Christ centered and God blessed, we will however
answer the question: Can a divorced person hold a position of
leadership in the church?
While we understand the complex nature
of the issue, our desire is to give a simple biblical answer, without
sounding simplistic. From our study, the only thing that is clear is
"The husband of but one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2) is that this
qualification rules out polygamy. Therefore, we will not press
this phrase beyond what is clear from the Scripture.
What is clear
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The Scripture allows for remarriage
after the death of a spouse (1 Cor 7:39-40)
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Divorce is permitted for the act of
being, or thinking of being, unfaithful (Matt 5:20-32)
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Desertion is grounds for divorce (1
Cor 7:12-16)
Therefore, if the divorce is based on
Scriptural reasons, and a remarriage occurs, it is our position that the
remarriage, or the divorce, does not bar a person from holding a
leadership position at in the church.
(c) john o'keefe
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