Salvation of women pastors

What can I do to be saved? Place to discuss sin and its remedy.

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Salvation of women pastors

Post by email » Sat Sep 05, 2009 3:22 pm

Hello again. Thank you all so much for your past help. Here is another one.

I read the article about women pastors. If a woman has the title of pastor, does that mean that she is not saved or just doesn't fully understand what the Bible says about it? Should we immediately question her salvation?

Thank you so much again.
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m273p15c
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Women pastors

Post by m273p15c » Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:52 pm

It's great to hear from you again!

When I study with people, in general, I try to come to the topic of salvation, as soon as I possibly can. Calvinism and other false doctrines, which distort God's plan for salvation (Galatians 1:6-8), are so widely held that I feel encumbered to get to the point of salvation quickly. For this reason, if for no other, I would try to speak with a female pastor regarding her salvation. I believe Paul gives us a good example for inquiring about people's conversion (Acts 19:1-5).

If a female pastor has followed God's pattern unto salvation, then she need only confess and repent of her unqualified service as a pastor. The Scriptures give us a pattern of one simply confessing his or her sins and seeking forgiveness, if he or she learns of the sin after being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 8:12-23; I John 1:6-9). Obviously, she would also want to try to set right any unscriptural influence she had previously exerted as a pastor (Matthew 3:7-8).

Now regarding a female pastor's standing before God, I leave that up to God. He is the Judge, and He is the one Who issues final condemnation or salvation (James 4:11-12). My duty toward others is merely to speak the truths found in the Bible, warn people of the danger of disobedience, and plead that they return to God. For what it is worth, the word "judge" seems to be used in at least three subtly different senses in the New Testament:
  1. Judgment of a generic deed being right or wrong. (Example: Is adultery wrong?)
  2. Judgment of a specific deed in application to a specific person. (Example: John Doe has cheated on his wife. Here are the facts... Here are the witnesses... Is John right or wrong in this matter? Should he repent?)
  3. Judgment of a specific person being condemned or saved eternally. (Example: I say, "John Doe is going to hell!" Or, God says, "John Doe is condemned to hell!")
All saints are called upon to perform the judgments described in points 1 and 2 (Hebrews 5:12-14). This is part of all teaching and preaching (Mark 6:16-20; Acts 17:30-31). In fact, churches are even commanded to withdraw fellowship from unrepentant Christians (I Corinthians 5:1-13). How could they do this without first determining what was sin, that the person had sinned, and that the person refused to repent? However, the third level of judgment should only be executed by God. No other man has that authority or power (Romans 14:4; James 4:11-12).

As application, and to reiterate, if I discovered any disciple that gave me cause to suspect that he or she had not previously adhered to the Bible pattern for conversion, I would make inquiry. If he or she had not followed the gospel pattern (for example, not baptized for remission of sins), then I would demonstrate that pattern (for example, Acts 2:37-38), warn of the danger of disobedience (Matthew 7:21-23), and plead for repentance (for example, Acts 19:1-5; II Corinthians 5:10-11). If that person is a member at the local congregation I attend, then if necessary, I can ultimately bring the matter before the church and its elders for judgment unto clarification, repentance, or withdrawal (Matthew 18:15-17). Beyond that I can only "shake the dust off my feet" (Matthew 10:14; Acts 13:51).

Let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

May God help us to have a sincere love of truth,

m273p15c
May God help us to love truth sincerely and supremely (II Thessalonians 2:11-12)

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