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Originally Posted by North Jersey Baptist  Quote:
Originally Posted by Archlute Quote:
Originally Posted by North Jersey Baptist P.S. My comments do not extend to more grievous acts of immorality such as criminal sexual behavior. In those cases a person should never enter into vocational ministry. | The qualification of "criminal" sexual behavior as an absolute bar to future ministry is problematic to make on several levels. What constitutes a criminal act? A nineteen year old youth having sex with his seventeen year old girlfriend? Should that really be a bar? It is criminal behavior as defined by the law. Even if we include more serious crimes, we would seem to be denying the radical work of God's grace upon one's life, even as the example of the murderous and blaspheming Paul has already been brought into this thread. We might want to add that "never" is a really long time. What if the man has been living righteously for fifteen years? For twenty five? Is this position really consonant with the merciful nature of our Savior who called the chief of sinners into his service?
FWIW, a discussion of this issue came up during our Ministry of Discipleship/Christian Education course. It went nowhere, and there were students who passionately argued both sides. However, the prof (an experienced minister of some years) agreed with those of us who would hold to the ability of God's grace to make a radical change in any man's life, no matter how wicked their earlier history (how's that for an appeal to authority?).
Placing extra-biblical qualifications such as these upon a man with a past who yet feels called may seem wise, but they are still man-made categories that infringe upon the domain of God's grace.  | Adam, I was trying to be delicate in what I typed. By criminal sexual behavior I mean rape, pedophilia, sexual assault - things of this nature. I don't believe we would be denying the work of God's grace if we prohibited such men from ministry. While my view is purely subjective, the nature of these crimes is so heinous that I could not see such a man being a shepherd to others. Crimes such as pedophilia have been proven to be habitual. It becomes ingrained in the character of the person. I could not support a person who committed such an act in becoming a minister of the gospel. I do not speak for others, just for myself. |
Thanks for clarifying, Bill, although I understood what you were getting at. Thank you also for clarifying that your were setting forth your personal and subjective position.
I also would be quite cautious about a man with a serious past, but I think that we allow too much social psychology to influence us when we start talking about habitual sins. Crimes such as pharisee-ism have proven to be habitual as well, yet we don't often talk about that being a bar from ministry. Most people in our culture would say that being a pedophile is worse than being a Pharisee, but I am not so certain that God sees it this way.
It really doesn't matter very much to me, since in either case I would expect to see a long term track record of spiritual fruit, sanctified living, and God-given gifts of preaching, instruction, and wise counsel.