Follow The Word!

‘A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach’ 1 Tim.3:2 [KJV]

Some issues can only be addressed based on the Word of the God and not based on the doctrines of men. ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness’ 2 Tim.3:16 [KJV]. The Word of God says, ‘that male and female created He them’ – one man one wife. God did not create three wives for Adam. ‘For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife’. The word wife here is singular. So it is clear in scripture that God’s standard and counsel for us is one man one wife. Even though some step out of line following after the desires of their hearts,  God doesn’t want one man to marry several wives. There was an aberration in the Old Testament. Having said that, there are people that before they gave their lives to Jesus they had already married more than one woman. When such a man gives his life to Jesus, what is he to do? If He had given his life to Jesus and then attempted to marry a second wife then it’s easier to tell him that he cannot marry a second wife. However out of ignorance this man has followed his own pleasures and married three wives. But now he is born again, the Bible does not say that he should chase all the women away. What the Bible says is that this man cannot be a bishop and he cannot be a pastor no matter how anointed he is. Why because a bishop must be the husband of one wife. God says that if a man desires the office of a bishop he desires a good thing. When the Bible places the first criteria of being a bishop as being the husband of one wife what does that tell you? Simply that in that church there are people that had married many wives. I agree that now that he is born again there will be moral issues that need to be worked out such as will he be allowed to sleep with all three women? Yet the scripture does not say the man should chase away the other wives and render the children fatherless. And I think it is wisdom to go by what the scripture says and not live our lives based on the doctrines of men.

Prayer: Father, I pray that the guidance that I need in life will come only from Your Spirit and Your Word. May I not give counsel contrary to Your Word, in Jesus Name.