by nininc on July 10th, 2006

Question

Help answer this question below.

Can a divorced man be voted in as a deacon in the Baptist church?

Like
Report

Share:: Facebook; Twitter; Other

Answers. 24 helpful answers below.

by wfbrad on July 17th, 2006
possibly in some of the more liberal ones. In most Baptist Churches though the answer is no. For we Baptists the Bible is supposed to be our highest authority in all situations. The Bible spells our the requirements for church officers very clearly in 1 Timothy 3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Comments
- EXCELLENT ANSWER!
  
  Report
  
  by Answers101 on July 19th, 2006
- Yes, if he is divorced his wife because she commited adultry and hasnt married again, he is still within scriptural law, and therefore can be a deacon.
  
  Report
  
  by guitarman18 on November 20th, 2006
- if she committed adultary he can remarry, but only in adultary or death is it accepted
  
  Report
  
  by medicgirl on July 28th, 2008
- The qualifications are for polygamy and bigamy not divorced. To deny a divorced man from severing the Lord and the church as a deacon is sin and Baptists have been guilty of this for along time. Here is the support for my statement: Ask yourself as the Pharisee's did of Jesus, does God hate divorce...the answer is of course, yes! Then ask the question does God permit divorce...the answer once again is yes, under certain circumstances as stated above...now ask why? Two reasons, Jer. 3:8 records the words of the Lord by which he states himself that he has issued a "Bill of Divorcement" against His people Israel for their spiritual adultery and harlotry. In Ezra 10 God requires his people to "put away" their wives of foreign lands, why to purify His people. So, using the Baptist logic that man is no longer qualified to be a deacon or a pastor because of a divorce even for permitted reasons, that would mean that Baptists consider God no longer qualified to be God...doesn't make sense does it. God is the creator, we are the created and of course he is qualified to be God, and so are divorced men to be deacons and pastors. Next, if God, as He said in his own words, issued a "Bill of Divorcement", would He really require us His created to live by a higher standard than He? Of course not! Then you can come to the interpretation of vs. 12 of 1 Timothy 3.
  
  Report
  
  by Chappy on February 20th, 2011
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
4 comments | Post one | Permalink
by Mr. McClister on July 10th, 2006
Yes...
Comments
- My ex-husband was.
  
  Report
  
  by Beverlyofhills on July 11th, 2006
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
1 comment | Post one | Permalink
by itsjustmeagain on September 29th, 2010
Wowl, if you have read through all these comments you must really be searching for God's truth. The good news is the simple truth still remains. You will need some context, what is taught throughout the whole of Scripture, but the truth is always worth it.
It is a shame the way people are so quick to give you their religious opinions without biblical bases. I sure hope what I say will be biblical and helpful to you.
Paul tells Timothy that a deacon must have "one" wife. He does not say he must have "a" wife or that he could not have ever had more than one wife. All he says is "Let the deacon be the husband of one wife." It's not really that tricky.
The Bible teaches us (Mark 10:1-10) that all divorce is a sin and that God hates all sin. We may feel justified because of the hardness of our heart, but in God's eyes it is a sin. We should never make excuses for sin or make light of any sin. The fact is, Paul did not talk about divorce in his qualifications for a deacon, he simply said a deacon must have "one wife". Logically speaking, if a man divorces nine women and marries his tenth, how many wives does he have? One! I am in no way suggesting that a man who has been married ten times should become a deacon, just logically dissecting what Paul said about the number of wives a man must have to be qualified for serving as a deacon. Some biblically ignorant people actully try to teach from this one verse (1Tim.3:12) that a man can't be a deacon if he doesn't have a wife and children. Meaning a single man could not serve as a deacon. (Sorry Paul and Jesus, disqualified, lol)
Consider what Jesus taught about marriage and service in Matthew 19. He clearly taught it is better to not be married and so be able to devote our entire life to the ministry of the Gosple without any family distractions. I encourage you to read Matt. 19 along with 1Tim.3:8-13 as you search for context.
Here are some other passages to consider as well. James 3:1-12, 1John 1:5-10, 1Cor.5:9-13, 1Cor. 6:9-11, Titus 3:1-11.
Please don't make any profound scholarly comments about my post before reading the Scriptures I have suggested. lol I know God will help you as you seek His answer.
God's blessings,
Pastor Steve
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by samandersn on January 12th, 2010
Obviously there was rampant polygamy in the early church culture. Once becoming a Christian, they would have to get rid of as many wives as needed to make it to one. To state that a divorced man who remarries and currently has a wife really has two wives goes against logic and the scriptures. Even though God hates divorce, he made provisions for it. What about a deacon before he gets married? What if he was a fornicator? Isn’t he really “married” to those women, even if he didn’t have the honor to marry one of them? What about the married man who lusts in his heart over another women? Isn’t he an adulterer? What is the huge hang-up about this? I feel that it is pride. It makes those that haven’t been through the heartbreak of divorce feel superior to those that have. I went visiting one time a prospects’ house and she asked me if our deacons could be divorced. I said no. She said then it would have been better for her son to have killed his ex-wife than to have divorced her, because murderers can still be forgiven and be deacons (as long as he doesn’t remarry!)

The gospel should be flexible enough for all cultures for all times.

What if you went to an island to plant a church and there were two types of men: those that had two wives and those that had none? You would tell the new converts to get rid of one wife and let the men that had no wives take one. Now every man has one wife. Yet you would have to wait for the next generation to have any deacons!!!!!!

I am burdened that our church has taken the out role of the Holy Spirit to keep us in line, and replaced it with man’s traditions and rules, which squelches His influence. Open up deacons to reformed sinners and take away some of the pride and see what happens! Some our best servants are divorced men and former alcoholics, praise God! One last thing. Here is a small list of Bible personalities that could not be deacons:
Abraham, Caleb, David, Gideon, Jacob (Israel), Solomon They all had more than one wife and many drank wine.
Jesus He was unmarried and drank wine.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Dan on October 29th, 2008
The fundamental problem in the church at Corinth was not polygamy, OR divorce, but was the use of concubines (having illicit extramarital affairs with different women). Paul was telling the men at Corinth that they had to be faithful to their current wife. In this sense, they were to be "one woman men". If this applied to men, it would also be true that only married men could be deacons, and at various spots in the NT, both Paul and Jesus were referred to as deacons (servants), and neither was married.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by tomsims on December 1st, 2006
Every Christian is a deacon in the sense that a deacon is a servant by definition. Beyond that, it is up to the local church since, next to the Bible, two of the highest values of Baptists is the autonomy of the local church and the priesthood of every believer.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by smsedmc on November 20th, 2006
it depends on your church and their interpretation of 1st Timothy where it says that a deacon is to be the husband of but one wife. The original intent was against polygamy, but later others put it against remarrying after a divorce.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Anonymous on December 4th, 2008
PAUL AND JESUS WERE NOT REFERED TO AS DEACONS IN THE SENSE OF ACT 6, THE DEACONS IN ACT 6 WERE TO SERVE TABLES, CARING FOR THE WELFARE OF THE WIDOWS WHILE THE (DIAKONOS GK. IS USED IN THE SENSE OF SERVANT, DEACON, MINISTER) JESUS AND PAUL WERE MINISTERS OF A HIGHER CALLING THEY WERE LEADERS, PASTORS, NOT DEACONS SERVING TABLES IN VERSE 2, THE DISCIPLES SAYS IT IS NOT REASON THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE THE WORD OF GOD TO SERVE TABLES. SERVANT HERE SIMPLY IS REFERRING TO DEACONS, NOT SERVANTS IN THE SENSE OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL VS. 4 THE SERVANTS (MINISTERS) OF THE GOSPEL WOULD GIVE THEMSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER, AND TO THE MINISTRY TO THE WORD
SERVANT;
DEACONS- SERVANT, CHOSEN BY THE CHURCH
MINISTER- SERVANT, CHOSEN BY GOD
JESUS AND PAUL MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MARRIED... NEITHER WERE THEY EVER DIVORCED, NEITHER WERE THEY VOTED OR CHOSEN BY THE CHURCH TO SERVE ON A DEACON BOARD,
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Anonymous on December 4th, 2008
I AGREE WE SHOULD ALL WITNESS AND SPREAD THE GOSPEL, BUT ON THE SUBJECT OF SELECTING DIVORCED MEN FOR DEACONS, WHEN IT COMES SELECTING DEACONS, IT IS NOTHING OF CHANCE, BUT CHOICE AND NOT JUST ANYBODY CAN DO IT, THOSE CHOSEN BY THE CONGREGATION MUST MEET CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS, ACT 6:3 HAVE HONEST REPORT, FULL OF HOLY GHOST AND WISDOM, WHOM WE MAY APPOINT OVER THIS BUSINESS CHANCE IS LUCK, CHOICE IS FOR ONE TO CAREFUL SELECT,
WHEN DOING WHAT GOD AUTHORIZES US TO DO, WE'RE TO OBEY WHAT HIS WORD SAYS,BY CHOOSING NOT CHANCING
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Rev Don Myers on June 18th, 2009
Jn:8:7: So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
What gives us the right to judge I know what the bible says but can God not forgive me of the wrong that I have done and the wrong I still do
Mk:10:18: And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Are you above God ? Before I was saved I was divorced and remarried and I know that God wiped all my sins away . And now I preach every Sunday I was holding service Friday Saturday and Sunday I gave my call to preach about 6 years ago and I still run into people that says that I cannot be called because of being divorced and remarried . Now if we are talking about living in sin then braking the ten commandments is sin ? what day do you serve .... Take that bible as a whole .And remember when you point one finger at someone you have three on the same hand pointing back at you .
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Anonymous on December 4th, 2008
I TIMOTHY3:8-13 HIGHLIGHT VERSE 12, THE DEACONS OF "THE" CHURCH WERE HUSBANDS HAVING ONE WIFE, ONE WIFE IN A SENSE THAT THEY WERE MARRIED MEN, SOME WILL DOWN SIZE THE FACT THAT THE DEACON MUST BE MARRIED, BUT ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURAL INTERPRETATION, HE MUST BE MARRIED OTHERWISE HOW CAN HE EXCERSIZE THE PROPER AUTHORITY OVER HIS CHILDREN (RULING THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR OWN HOUSE WELL), UNLESS WE APPROVE OF HIS ILLEGITMACY "MAKING BABIES AND SERVE THE BOARD" SOME NOT ALL BUT SOME CHURCHES NOWADAYS DO ANYTHING TO CONDITION THEIR CHURCHES, BY OVERRIDDING WHAT GOD PLAINLY SAYS, "RULE WELL" IF THE MAN IS DIVORCED, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE HE WAS RULING VERY WELL, IF HE WAS RULING WELL NOTHING SHOULD HAVE CAUSED EITHER PARTY TO PART.I DISAGREE WITH THOSE WHO DEFEND THIS ABSURD THOUGHT, PUTTING A DIVORCED MAN ON THE BOARD, A DIVORCED MAN SHOULD'NT BE VOTED IN THAT CONSECRATED POSITION
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by BROADWAYTHECAT on March 13th, 2009
I think the answer is yes as long as he does not remarry.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Carl on March 13th, 2009
he could sever as a deacon but if it was me whom am an ordained deacon i would step down. If the remarry he cannot serve as a deacon. the church needs to ready 1timothy 3:8-13.

Good luck
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by capernaum07 on November 12th, 2008
Nope. He can't be a pastor either. And any church claiming to be "liberal" be wary of. God's word still stands!
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Chappy on February 20th, 2011
The qualifications are for polygamy and bigamy not divorced. To deny a divorced man from severing the Lord and the church as a deacon is sin and Baptists have been guilty of this for along time. Here is the support for my statement: Ask yourself as the Pharisee's did of Jesus, does God hate divorce...the answer is of course, yes! Then ask the question does God permit divorce...the answer once again is yes, under certain circumstances as stated above...now ask why? Two reasons, Jer. 3:8 records the words of the Lord by which he states himself that he has issued a "Bill of Divorcement" against His people Israel for their spiritual adultery and harlotry. In Ezra 10 God requires his people to "put away" their wives of foreign lands, why to purify His people. So, using the Baptist logic that man is no longer qualified to be a deacon or a pastor because of a divorce even for permitted reasons, that would mean that Baptists consider God no longer qualified to be God...doesn't make sense does it. God is the creator, we are the created and of course he is qualified to be God, and so are divorced men to be deacons and pastors. Next, if God, as He said in his own words, issued a "Bill of Divorcement", would He really require us His created to live by a higher standard than He? Of course not! Then you can come to the interpretation of vs. 12 of 1 Timothy 3.
Dr. Stephen J. Fuller

Read more: Can a divorced man be voted in as a deacon in the Baptist church? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/64144#ixzz1EZS1VPWr
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by itsjustmeagain on January 18th, 2011
Baptist churches are supposed to be autonomous. The one I pastor is independently governed and apparently we differ in our convictions from some.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by itsjustmeagain on January 18th, 2011
Just wanted to say thanks to all those seeking to honor God with their words. Clearly some have done well while others have failed.

I do pastor an independent Baptist church and I am very careful about yielding to both God's Word and the Holy Spirit's leading in this regard.

It is sad how the Scripture can be twisted by a persons own understanding as apposed to having a humble heart and receiving God's Word and applying It in the Spirit it has been written. Only a Spirit filled humble heart can properly interpret and apply God's written Word. The religious are very noisy and hard-hearted about this subject, but they are also gentle and very tolerant too. Neither honor God with their hearts. They have always been like their father, sly like a lion on approach, but when in biting distance they are load and hurtful.

Let me be clear, I am far from liberal in my doctrine. In fact, I constantly and passionately speak out against many evils, such as divorce, homosexuality and other sins that grieve the heart of God.

Perhaps the word lifestyle should be considered as we think about who ca be a leader. It is our supernaturally changed life that makes us a Christian (not a forgotten prayer or a vow of service for all you once saved always saved folks)and it is our new lifestyle that qualifies us for leadership. God does not desire spiritual compromise when it comes to Christianity or our leadership, but He also does not want us to judge wrongly one another or the leadership. In Jesus' day the religious were guilty of both. I guess things don't change that much over time.

You will know a tree by it's fruit and you will know a tree that is mature enough to lead others by that same fruit. The Spirit is clear for all those who desire to know God's love and love one another.
If a man has divorced his wife he has grieved not only the human heart, but the very heart of God. Godly sorrow brings repentance, true repentance brings fruitfulness, a lifestyle that is growing in the Lord. Is the man you desire living a lifestyle in keeping with repentance? Allow both God's Word and His Holy Spirit to lead you and you will know if the man you are considering is qualified, divorced or not. You will also know if He is asking you to lead. We have enough religious hypocrites, perhaps you would make a fresh change for the body of Christ. Praise God!
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Pastor Terry_S on September 5th, 2010
It should not make any difference as to the "denomination" but it does in this case of course. Baptists are ALL WRONG in making the decision as to a divorced man not being able to serve. What should make a difference is the fact that was that man divorced before or after becoming a believer? I was divorced when I was a child of the devil. I was not in the "Body of Christ". If someone is judging me prior to my becoming a Christian then they are in violation of:

1Corinthians 5:12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?

You can not judge an unbeliever according to the Word of God because that person does not follow God's rules they follow the leadership of their father the devil.

In 1 Timothy the best way to look at the qualification is that a man that loves and is devoted to one woman. Even with looking at the polygamy thought in this...polygamy was not something that was seen much at all at the time of Paul's writings.

My final thoughts are DO NOT hold a good man down because of some RELIGIOUS BELIEFS!!! Man has made so many rules that really do not line up with God's Word.

Matthew 15:9 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

Many that profess to be Christians are more concerned about "their denomination" than they are about being a "CHRISTIAN".
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by free4life79 on November 22nd, 2006
In a scripual baptist church a divorced man cannot be a deacon because just like the other person before me said the bible says no.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by Roger in Bangkok on November 22nd, 2006
I think that in most churches it would be covered in their more secular "constitution and bylaws". Others would of course declare that scripture is their only constitution and bylaw.

Others will declare that the divorce is not an issue as long as the man has not remarried.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by capernaum07 on November 12th, 2008
Nope. He can't be a pastor either. He can serve God, just not from the pulpit.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by joebud on August 18th, 2008
Depends on his level of financial contribution.
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by crazyfishinnut on August 17th, 2008
He cannot if he is beleiving in the KJV or GOD's Bible
Some of MAN"s bibles like the ASB or the NIV might water some things down and make them less important But he is clear on this
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink
by TheLorax on November 24th, 2008
Of course. Anyone should be allowed to spread God's word. It is nobody's right that they can or can't and nobody should stop anyone from getting the chance!
Comments
Add a comment...
- Like
- Report
No comments. Post one | Permalink

Question

Can a divorced man be voted in as a deacon in the Baptist church?

Answers. 24 helpful answers below.

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

Answerbag.com Your favorite Q&A site is on Facebook! Become a fan to connect with the ever-growing community of Answerbaggers, share your thoughts and find out what Answerbag's up to next!

Answerbag.com
Your favorite Q&A site is on Facebook! Become a fan to connect with the ever-growing community of Answerbaggers, share your thoughts and find out what Answerbag's up to next!