MbiaJc said:
However the priesthood is not, a priest son does not inherit his earthly fathers position as a priest.
Nowadays, no. But according to the Old Testament it did:
"And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons." -Ex. 28:1 (KJV)
According to this, all facets of the tabernacle worship, lighting of incense, the sacrifice, etc., were for Aaron and his
sons. And not only was Aaron and his sons only, but we are told that:
"And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and
the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons." -Ex. 29:9 (KJV)
The Priesthood would be for Aaron and his sons in perpetuity. And unless the Bible is incorrect, perpetual (Strongs #5969; "owlam") means:
"long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world
- ancient time, long time (of past)
- (of future)
- for ever, always
- continuous existence, perpetual
- everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity
http://bible1.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Hebrew/heb.cgi?number=05769&version=kjv
Not only would the priesthood be Aaron's, but it would fall on Aaron's sons, and their sons, and their sons sons, and so on, and so forth. Just as the passover observance was made perpetual (Ex. 12:24 - "And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons
for ever. (KJV)), so does the priesthood. (Least wise until Jesus became our great High Priest, Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 4:14-15; 5:5, 10; 6:20; 7:1, 26; 8:1, 3; 9:11; 10:21)
Dean there is a big difference between king and priest. You are leaning to your own understanding, not the word of God. And no he did not start His ministry at age 12. His ministry started when John baptized Him and the Holy Ghost rested on Him in the form of a dove. Some complicate the answer to the question, trying to make it fit their preconceived ideas. The simple truth is the Church and its leadership is set up like the Leviticus priesthood. God said, priest start their duties in the temple at age 30 and serve in the temple till age 50. >>THAT SETTLES IT<< It is the same with women, God said they couldn't be Preachers or Pastors>>THAT SETTLES IT<< It doesn't matter that she is capable of doing it. What maters is God is not going to call her to preach or pastor>>THAT SETTLES IT<<Same way with mans service, God does not use him till is designated time is complete. Notice I didn't say call him, because his call to salvation and discipleship is one and the same. God does not call one to salvation and years later to preach or pester. He does it all at the same time. We are all priests and all are to preach and pastor at the right time. Our service in the Church is simply using the gifts given to us by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and also some by the Church.
BTW preaching is only heralding the Gospel the good news. Evangelist (heralds the Gospel) actually comes under the gift of teaching. Every thing else vocal either come under the gift of Apostle or Prophet. Carefully compare 1Cor. 12:28 with Eph. 4:11. EPh. 4 does not have but 3 verbal gifts which agrees with 1Cor. 12:28, however there are 4 positions.
Ok brother, I'll heed your point on one condition, show me in the NT, where the age to be priests, evangelists, prophets, pastors, elders, deacons, etc, is limited to anybody over age 30?
"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." -1 Cor, 12:28 (KJV)
" And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" -Eph. 4:11 (KJV)
Now what does this have to do with the question of age in regards to Pastoring? And unless I'm mistaken, these gifts are from the Holy Spirit, and as such, they are given upon repentance and believing. Does the Holy Spirit give the gift of apostles, prophets, evengelists, pastors and teachers only when a person reaches the age of 30?
So a person who graduates high school at 17, enroles in seminary, gets his Masters at 25, and his Phd. at 27, or D. Min at 27, they aren't qualified to Pastor
because they aren't at least 30?
Years ago, If a person felt the calling to preach, the church would watch and verify the calling. If it was verified they would liscense the person and sent them out. Plain and simple. Where was the age requirment then? That is something which has just recently came about and I'm 100% set against it.
In fact, if you read the qualifications for "bishop" there isn't even a requirment for calling:
"If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." -1 Tim. 3:1 It says "if one
desire the office of a bishop." The only thing I see for "bishops" is that they must be:
"A bishop then must be
blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." -1 Tim 3:2-7
Where does it say they have to be 30?
The only requirment that I see is the one for deacons:
"And
let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless." -1 Tim. 3:10
I don't see anywhere where there is an age requirement here. Where does it say they have to be 30 here?
I know you may not be able to get it, but I wrote to Tony Cartledge, the editor of
"The Biblicial Recorder" to express my displeasure at the qualifications that have been the tend lately concerning the hiring of Pastors. He personally wrote me back and said that letter was too long to publish, but if I would shorten it to 300 words, he would be glad to publish it. Look in
"The Biblicial Recorder" and look at the ads that churches have asking for Pastors. It will break your heart. Here's the link:
http://www.biblicalrecorder.org/advertising/classifieds/index.shtml
One such ad read: Wanted, Senior Pastor for church in Triad Area. Congregation of 600, Sunday School of 350. Qualifications are: Phd. or D. Min from acredited Southern Baptist Seminary or equivelent in experience. 10 plus years in the ministry. To lead all phases of church worship. Send resumes to:
The ad no where asked for the calling placed on the person by the Lord. All that mattered was the "technical" qualifications.
And that is the problem today. To many men in the pulpit with the education and not the calling from the Lord.
I have the calling, the church testified to it. I have been ordained a Deacon. I have been liscensed to preach, and have a pastoral diploma that is acredited from these six theological seminaries of the Southern Baptist Convention -
Golden Gate, Midwestern, New Orleans, Southeastern, Southern and Southwestern, but because I don't met the "technical" qualifications (i.e., MA, Phd. D. Min.), I have been turned down for a Pastorate.
I don't care how old the person is, if the calling is from the Lord, who are we to say you can't preach or evangelize, or Pastor until your 30.
If the calling
is from the Lord, the Spirit
is upon the person, and their preaching
is Biblically sound, and then to say, You can't do any of that until your 30, isn't that awful close to:
"Quench not the Spirit." -1 Thes. 5:19
By making statements like that, are you awful close of quenching the Spirit in that person?
I've seen it before. The Pastor at my church done the exact same thing to my Brother-In-Law, we attended seminary together. He feels the calling as I do. While he and I both know and ackonwledge that his divorces would make it hard for him to pastor, it isn't totally out of the question. But one night as my Brother-In-Law and I were tlking to the Pastor, the Pastor made the statement that he'd never be able to preach or Pastor since he had been divorced. Boy did the Pastor kill the Spirit in my Borther-In-Law.
Being divorced
may disqualify one from Pastoring, but no where does it disqualify one from Evangelism or teaching.
Now you have your beliefs and I say God Bless you in your convictions. But I believe that if the calling is from God, and the Spirit gives the gift, it is wrong to stifle a person and tell them they can't exercise the God-given gift until they are 30.
I love ya brother, but I just don't see it the same way you do.
You have your beliefs, and I have mine. May the Lord bless you in yours.
God Bless
Till all are one.