Question from a friend of WordTruth Press:

WordTruth Press Response:

Also we need to understand the reason for the qualifications of a pastor (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9). This is the highest leadership position in the local church. One who is a pastor influences people, good or bad, for generations. So it is imperative that such an individual have the spiritual gifts for the job as well as the high character qualifications. Deacons, likewise, hold the other explicitly defined office in the local church and have similarly high qualifications (Acts 6:2-4; 1 Timothy 3:8-13).

So the issue for a pastor or deacon is two-fold:

• Can a man hold either position if he has gone through an unbiblical divorce?
• Can a man hold either position if he is divorced under either of the two exceptions?

In the first case (an unbiblical reason for divorce, one who simply divorces his wife because he no longer desires her or because he desires another is rightly called by Scripture an "adulterer" (Matthew 5:32,19:9, NIV).  You cannot permit an adulterer to hold a leadership position in the church of Jesus Christ - this clearly violates the pastoral qualification "the husband of but one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, NIV) and deacon qualification "the husband of but one wife" (1 Timothy 3:12, NIV). 

Some have argued that if the man divorces in this manner and later becomes a Christian then it is OK for him to become a pastor. I do not believe there is any biblical support for this position. The blood of Jesus Christ brings remission for all sins (1 Peter 3:18) so what difference would it make whether the sin was committed before the moment of salvation or later? Also, if the man has truly repented of sin and trusted in the LORD Jesus, then he would certainly make every effort to seek forgiveness from his wife and attempt to reconcile. That would be of far greater importance to God than for the man to become a pastor. As Jesus stated explicitly, the most important command is to love God with everything you've got and to love others in the same way (Mark 12:29-31).

Some also argue that a Christian should know better and that makes him more culpable.  But it may be years before a Christian becomes aware of this teaching in Scripture. The main point to keep in focus is the critically important role of leadership in the church. Because its importance to the well-being and continuity of the church, unbiblical divorce automatically disqualifies you from the office of pastor or deacon.

Now, what if the divorce occurred under one of the exceptions granted in Scripture, or without the consent of the husband? Here is where the phrase "husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, NIV) again comes into play. Does it mean you can only have one wife, even if your first wife died? Or does it mean you can never have experienced any divorce? Or does it mean you can be divorced lawfully but not remarried? Or does it mean simply that you only have one wife at a time?

My studies of the qualifications for leadership in the church throughout the pastoral epistles show that anyone who serves as pastor or deacon is expected to conform to very high character standards. The congregation needs these kinds of leaders as models and mentors for their own lives. My personal conviction is that even if a pastor has been divorced under the exceptions noted or if he did not consent to the divorce, I would not put such a man in the pulpit as the pastor nor allow him to serve as a deacon. The congregation will not generally recognize the distinctions -- divorce is divorce in the eyes of most people (this is from personal observation in ministry). Also, keep in mind that divorce is never totally one-sided. Whatever issues brought about the divorce need to be dealt with through sound biblical counsel. Unfortunately for the divorced man, it means he cannot serve God in one of these two leadership roles. Such a man, however, can still serve God and be used in mighty ways, just not as a pastor or deacon.

Each local church needs to establish clear policies and guidelines for the pastor and deacon positions. These policies and guidelines should be derived from Scripture and serve to interpret and apply the biblical commands to their particular church. A local church may examine the circumstances of a man's divorce, deem it biblical, and decide to allow the man to serve as pastor or deacon. This is a decision of the local church. In such a case, the congregation would need to be informed of the issue and the assessment of this prospective pastor/deacon prior to any vote or confirmation. All qualification standards to be used should be documented and consistently applied.

The church may insist on even higher standards than Scripture. At first glance, this position may seem unreasonable. However, as this question illustrates, there are disagreements between even conservative, Bible-believing Christians as to the exact interpretation and application of the pastoral qualifications. To avoid even the possibility of going beyond what Scripture defines, some churches set the bar at a higher level. This is fine so long as those standards are intended to elevate the character requirements for those in these two key leadership positions. Standards that are added for ungodly purposes such as excluding people for reasons of nationality or skin color would obviously be violating God's commands (Acts 17:26). But any addition to the qualifications noted in Scripture must be considered carefully by the local church and clearly communicated to the congregation.

Some people will not be satisfied to serve in a congregation that holds the biblical standard, much less a higher standard.  While we must strive for unity of the Spirit as a church body (Ephesians 4:3), the authority and truth of Scripture cannot be compromised or the church will fail its mission.

May God bless you with wisdom to know His will and the courage to follow Him!

Rev. Randy Lariscy :-)
President - WordTruth Press℠