|
Answer:
The best answer to this question does not come from the opinion of
people, rather it must come from the unchangeable and eternal Word of
God (2 Timothy 3:16-17)...
1 Timothy
2:12-3:13 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over
a man; she must be silent. (13) For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
(14) And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was
deceived and became a sinner. (15) But women will be saved through
childbearing-- if they continue in faith, love and holiness with
propriety. (3:1) Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his
heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. (2) Now the
overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife,
temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
(3) not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (4) He must manage his own family
well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (5) (If
anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take
care of God's church?) (6) He must not be a recent convert, or he may
become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. (7)
He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will
not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. (8) Deacons,
likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in
much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. (9) They must keep hold
of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. (10) They
must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let
them serve as deacons. (11) In the same way, their wives are to be
women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and
trustworthy in everything. (12) A deacon must be the husband of but
one wife and must manage his children and his household well. (13)
Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great
assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Titus 1:5-9
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out
what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I
directed you. (6) An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one
wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of
being wild and disobedient. (7) Since an overseer is entrusted with
God's work, he must be blameless-- not overbearing, not
quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing
dishonest gain. (8) Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what
is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. (9)
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught,
so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those
who oppose it. (NIV)
While the
title "pastor" exists in only one Bible passage (Ephesians
4:11), an entire office and tradition has grown up around it's
current usage. Scripturally, a pastor is one of the elders (or,
better stated, the elders are all pastors); each are under-shepherds
(which is what the word "pastor" references). Therefore the
Biblical qualifications for an elder are the only valid standard for
this office. In an effort to side-step the issue, some use the
following passage to try and say that the restrictions of the other
passages need not apply...
Galatians
3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
The
context of the Galatians text is in regards to our standing in the
matter of salvation, that all who are saved have become sons of God
and joint heirs with Christ (Galatians 3:26,29). This passage does
not negate, or supercede, or contradict, the other passages of
Scripture (nor can there ever be a contradiction in God's Holy Word).
While our standing in regards to salvation is common ground, God has
and does equip, gift, and call specific individuals to certain tasks
based on qualifications that He has set. How can we dare to go
against them?
Isaiah
55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways," declares the LORD. (9) "As the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts. (NIV)
View this
related article, on Understanding God's Authority Structures,
for more details on a woman's role in the church. |
