[QUOTE=Aquila;1267656]First, the Greek phrase translated "have one wife" is more literally translated out of the Greek as meaning "be a man of one woman". No sister wives or concubines (common in that era). Also, no mistresses. It's more about faithfulness to a single woman than a social status.
Some have proposed that if a man were divorced and remarried he has two wives. If this were true... is he entitled to have conjugal relations with his first wife??? Nope. Most would argue because she isn't his wife. Thus, his second wife is obviously his only wife. He is a man of one wife.[/QUOTE]
as a family member of a Oneness UPC pastor (an Uncle who passed a few years back) he was very stern and did not waiver at all on this~ He felt as if one divorced they could never remarry bc it was a sin and they would be living in adultery. I am of one marriage of 30 years and is my husband but I seen my cousin (the daughter of my uncle) live in an abusive relationship and where he was with different women until there was a divorce. Her dad told her she would be living in adultery if she got remarried. She left the church and later remarried when she learned this was NOT so from another UPC pastor. I do not get the whole issue at all. I do not think God is pleased with all the divorces .... however, when a spouse cheats....there is NO working thru that IMO and so they need to move on, and I do not think God would want to see that person pass up a chance at finding a decent person to marry and enjoy their life with and be happy.
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I'm not sure what you want me to explain? According to Timothy a Bishop is to have one wife. But unless i'm mistaken many men are leaning towards fellowship that believes you can re-marry in the case of fornication (adultry). I am just wondering why the sudden shift in beliefs
The context of Pauls letter ot Timothy was the reality of polegamy.
Paul and Jesus cover divorce and remarriage in other passages. You cannot take Pauls comments here out of the context of the words of both Jesus and Paul in other locations.
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Papa George Glass was a very high ranking pastor in the UPCI.
He was divorced from his first wife due to her adultry and married to his second wife for a very long time.
The UPCI as an organization has ALWAYS been open to the Innocent Party position.
There may be some within the Org who taught differently but the organization as a body held to the Innocent Party view for its entire time.
GLGSR was part of the leadership at the Merger.
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Youtube John Macarthur on divorce. He gives a fantastic exposition on the scriptural teaching of divorce, including the "exception clause".
As for the Bishop being "the husband of one wife", it doesn't mean he could only be married once and never remarried. Some think it meant he couldn't be divorced and remarried, but that would contradict Paul and CHrists other teachings on the subject of remarriage. Others think it was in opposition to polygamy, but that practice was outlawed and not as common as many seem to think in that time.
The greek translates according to some scholars/lexicons as "a one woman man". It, according to these scholars (who I agree with) implies that the Bishop must be a man who is wholly given to his wife, in love only with her.
I think it is far to easy to think Paul was only intending to prohibit polygamy or remarriage among BIshops. I think his real purpose was to push that bishop must be wholly devoted and in love with his wife whomever she may be. That as an example to the saints, which BIshops are, he should set the bar for how to love ones wife. I wonder how many of our "BIshops" would fail the test because they show no passion or love to their wives, choosing instead to give all their time and love to a building and saints while his helpmate finds herself neglected and lonely.
This is a bit different from what I wrote previous but I like it! still think there is an element of the pologamy angle in Pauls comments but this is good.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Because of the hardness of the hearts of the Jews,Moses gave them a bill of divorcement. "FROM THE BEGINNING IT WAS NOT SO". From a bible era perspective,a man betrothed to his wife EXPECTED TO SEE evidence of her virginity upon their union. If not,he could put her away as a fornicator. See Mathew 1. If we are truly filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ,we are expected to have clean hearts and minds. DIVORCE...while inevitable if you are being divorced, does not free you to not keep your end of the contract. After Calvary a marriage is only broken by death.
I used to hold that position Dan. Then I spent a little while actually studying what the scriptures said and listened to some really good expository teaching on the subject and saw I was wrong. There is an "exception clause" in scripture because, get this...God recognizes exceptions.
I used to hold that position Dan. Then I spent a little while actually studying what the scriptures said and listened to some really good expository teaching on the subject and saw I was wrong. There is an "exception clause" in scripture because, get this...God recognizes exceptions.
This is a Scriptural,logical position.It is too bad that you have listened to the wrong voices..If we are filled with the Spirit of truth,we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. God is not the Author of confusion.We MUST deny the flesh and remain the husband of one wife.
Ultimately it all boils down to pastoral theology. Everyone has a view on this, and that's cool. However, whatever one believes about the subject we live in a world wherein couples divorce and remarry. If couples are remarried in a manner that doesn't agree with a particular theological perspective... what is to be done with them? That's the crux of the matter. What is to become of a couple in what many would describe as a "sinful" or "adulterous" marriage?
-Do we cast them out of the church unless they divorce?
-Do we minister forgiveness and welcome them into the body, but refuse to allow them to be involved in leadership or ministry?
-Do we minister forgiveness and lavishly bring them into the grace of God, allowing God to determine how He desires to use the couple?
And how is the church supposed to determine who the "guilty party" is in all circumstances? What if an ex lies against a former spouse? How can we honestly determine such cases at all times? Is this something the church should consume it's energy doing?
In our small country assembly we TEACH early and often the importance of making a life together,as man and wife! Everyone is welcome, The Word is sharp and it sometimes divides.We do not presume to have the authority to cast out or forgive.God's Word will do the work.
as a family member of a Oneness UPC pastor (an Uncle who passed a few years back) he was very stern and did not waiver at all on this~ He felt as if one divorced they could never remarry bc it was a sin and they would be living in adultery. I am of one marriage of 30 years and is my husband but I seen my cousin (the daughter of my uncle) live in an abusive relationship and where he was with different women until there was a divorce. Her dad told her she would be living in adultery if she got remarried. She left the church and later remarried when she learned this was NOT so from another UPC pastor. I do not get the whole issue at all. I do not think God is pleased with all the divorces .... however, when a spouse cheats....there is NO working thru that IMO and so they need to move on, and I do not think God would want to see that person pass up a chance at finding a decent person to marry and enjoy their life with and be happy.
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