Comment on Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference by Sean Pitman.
By that logic it seems like all ordained pastors would have to be married. Are you suggesting that we revoke the credentials of those who aren’t married? Also, by that logic, it would seem as though women might not be required to keep several of the Ten Commandments – since several are specifically addressed to men only. After all, nowhere in the Ten Commandments does it tell women that they can’t covet their neighbors husbands. Only coveting a neighbor’s wife is specifically mentioned (Exodus 20:17). Also, we are not talking about priests here, but simple pastors to the flock of Christ – common citizens of the Kingdom where only Jesus is the head.
We are to call no one “father” or in any other way elevate anyone to a state of superiority within the church simply because of the office that is held (Matthew 23:9). Only as we see the power of the true Head of the church leading in someone’s life do we give recognition to the Divinity that is shining through the weak human vessel – be that vessel a man or a woman.
God is no respecter of persons here when it comes to His church or who is most effective at spreading the gospel message or managing a church congregation. “It is the accompaniment of the Holy Spirit of God that prepares workers, both men and women, to become pastors to the flock of God.” (EGW, T. V6, p322). “Piety and devotion are what count — It is not always men who are best adapted to the successful management of a church. If faithful women have more deep piety and true devotion than men, they could indeed by their prayers and their labors do more than men who are unconsecrated in heart and in life.” (EGW, Manuscript Releases 19:56).
In short, it seems clear to me as that, for His church, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) – and there is no head of the Church except for Jesus (Ephesians 1:22 and 5:23) – and all are called and can be ordained to minister for Him regarding the good news of the Gospel. If we are all one is Christ Jesus, how in the world can someone claim some sort of automatic leadership role, ahead of say, my wife (who is way more gifted by God and more consecrated in heart and life than most men I know), simply because of his Y-chromosome? when only Jesus claims such a priestly leadership role in the church today?
Again, there is no need to have a human male priest represent what Jesus was going to do through the symbolism of the Sanctuary service since Jesus has already come in fulfillment of all of these symbolic types and rituals. At this point, there is no more symbolism – just the reality of Jesus Himself and what He has already done for us and is now doing on our behalf. Our only job as ministers in His Church is to point others to Him and encourage them with what He has already done. And, this can be done by both women and men who are guided by His Spirit.
Sure, I remain, by Divine appointment, the head of my own house and the head of my wife – because of this fallen world in which we live. However, this Divinely appointed headship ends there – within the home. It does not seem at all clear to me that this husband headship spills over into God’s church during these last days.
Sean Pitman Also Commented
Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
LOL 😉
Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
Thanks…
Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
I still fail to see an explicit statement forbidding the ordination of women pastors here…
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Thank you Ariel. Hope you are doing well these days. Miss seeing you down at Loma Linda. Hope you had a Great Thanksgiving!
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Thank you Colin. Just trying to save lives any way I can. Not everything that the government does or leaders do is “evil” BTW…
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Only someone who knows the future can make such decisions without being a monster…
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Where did I “gloss over it”?
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I fail to see where you have convincingly supported your claim that the GC leadership contributed to the harm of anyone’s personal religious liberties? – given that the GC leadership does not and could not override personal religious liberties in this country, nor substantively change the outcome of those who lost their jobs over various vaccine mandates. That’s just not how it works here in this country. Religious liberties are personally derived. Again, they simply are not based on a corporate or church position, but rely solely upon individual convictions – regardless of what the church may or may not say or do.
Yet, you say, “Who cares if it is written into law”? You should care. Everyone should care. It’s a very important law in this country. The idea that the organized church could have changed vaccine mandates simply isn’t true – particularly given the nature of certain types of jobs dealing with the most vulnerable in society (such as health care workers for example).
Beyond this, the GC Leadership did, in fact, write in support of personal religious convictions on this topic – and there are GC lawyers who have and continue to write personal letters in support of personal religious convictions (even if these personal convictions are at odds with the position of the church on a given topic). Just because the GC leadership also supports the advances of modern medicine doesn’t mean that the GC leadership cannot support individual convictions at the same time. Both are possible. This is not an inconsistency.
