How do you get around Jesus' own words?
"Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." -Mt. 19:6 (KJV)
Besides, looking at the context of Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, I don't see that passage referring specifically to bishops, elders, or deacons.
I also offer this Link. It is commentary by Charles Hodge on 1 Cor. 7. I have read it, and don't see it applying specifically to bishops, elders, or deacons, rather just a general letter addressing several problems that were present in the church at Corinth.
One of them was sons taking taking their mothers for wives.
"It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife." -1 Cor. 5:1 (KJV)
Sexual immorality was a big issue in the church at Corinth.
Hodge comments:
"The second evil in the church of Corinth, to which Paul directs his attention, is allowing a man guilty of incest to remain in its communion. He says it was generally reported that fornication was tolerated among them, and even such fornication as was not heard of among the heathen, v. 1. He reproves them for being inflated, instead of being humbled and penitent, and excommunicating the offender, v. 2. As they had neglected their duty, he determined, in the name of Christ, and as spiritually present in their assembly, to deliver the man guilty of incest to Satan, vs. 3-5. He exhorts to purity, in language borrowed from the Mosaic law respecting the Passover. As during the feast of the Passover all leaven was to be removed from the habitations of the Hebrews, so the Christian’s life should be a perpetual paschal feast, all malice and hypocrisy being banished from the hearts and from the assemblies of believers, vs. 6-8. He corrects or guards against a misapprehension of his command not to associate with the immoral. He shows that the command had reference to church communion, and not to social intercourse, and therefore was limited in its application to members of the church. Those out of the church, it was neither his nor their prerogative to judge. They must be left to the judgment of God, vs. 9-13. 1. It is reported commonly (that there is) fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
Having dismissed the subject of the divisions in the church of Corinth, he takes up the case of the incestuous member of that church. It is reported commonly (o[lwv ajkou>etai ). This may mean what our translation expresses, viz., it was a matter of notoriety that fornication existed among them. %Olwv may have the force of omnino , ‘nothing is heard of among you except, etc.’ Or it may mean, ‘In general, fornication is heard of among you.’ That is, it was a common thing that fornication was heard of; implying that the offense, in different forms, more or less prevailed. This is the less surprising, considering how little sins of that class were condemned among the heathen and how notorious Corinth was for its licentiousness. To change the moral sentiments of a community is a difficult and gradual work. The New Testament furnishes sad evidence, that Jewish and Gentile converts brought into the church many of the errors of their former belief and practice. The word fornication (inappropriate contentei>a ) is used in a comprehensive sense, including all violations of the seventh commandment. Here a particular case is distinguished as peculiarly atrocious. The offense was that a man had married his step-mother. His father’s wife is a Scriptural periphrase for step-mother, Leviticus 18:8."
Source
So look at the scriptures as a whole, not just picking a piece out here, and say this applies to bishops, elders, and deacons too.
There were a lot of problems Paul addressed in the church at Corinth my friend.
God Bless
Till all are one.
I have heard this about the Corinthians may times,it is a point that sites a corrupt Church.
One of the main issues behind this was gossip,not unlike events we all know have happened among today's Churches.
1 Corinthians: 15. 33. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
At Ephesus Paul run up against a monetary system that profited from Idolatry.
At the Church of the Galatians Gnostic Jews were undermining Paul's teaching to the point he asks (are you under a witches spell?)paraphrase.
Romans and the rest of his Churches Paul had contention and the Gnostic Jews were ever present.
Just for conversation I have heard the fornication at Corinth to demean almost everything.
A popular Preacher said this was why tongues were demonic.
A quick look at Romans 1 and 2 will show Paul dealing with big issues there.
I personally believe this sort of actions inspired Romans 7,as well Paul's thorn.
He was buffeted or beat against.
The question how do I get around Jesus's own words ,I believe is a simple difference between us in our belief of free will.
Jesus inforces his teaching by saying what God has joined together let no man put asunder.
Many marriages are not in God's will,they are spawned by our flesh.
God has not joined us to a witch or harlot,but those of us who walk in the flesh at a point in time are carnaly minded not truly seeking God's will.
I believe the Children of such unions would be born elsewhere predestined.
It is God who gives life,and the calling of lives to come.
A Christian married to a witch?
All things work together for good for those who love God.
1 Corinthians: 15. 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1 Corinthians: 7. 13. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
There is one other thought in Jesus teaching on divorce,but I am not fully committed to this.
The thought was this was a proprietary teaching on the law of Moses directed at the Hebrew men.
You find them asking about a women who's husband's died and who's wife would she be in heaven in another chapter.
Jesus responds no ye not ye will be as Angels?
God Bless you Deacon,and as you might guess I have been divorced but no none knows about the beatings I took the money that was taken and the amount of hatred I was shown.
I cannot believe God calling us to peace would ordain this or punish me for not dieing.
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