I oppose the circumnavigation of the Bible by traditions that ignore what is said in the Bible like this:
1 Timothy 3:1-7 KJV “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6. Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
Shared using AndBible: Bible Study. (https://andbible.github.io)
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Here's a Vatican translation:
Chapter 3
1
1 This saying is trustworthy: 2 whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.
2
Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach,
3
not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money.
4
He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity;
5
for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the church of God?
6
He should not be a recent convert, so that he may not become conceited and thus incur the devil's punishment. 3
7
He must also have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, the devil's trap.
Wait, I'm confused. You're acknowledging that Scripture says we need bishops?
Are you saying that the problem is that the Catholic church fails to live up to these standards? That's true, the church is made up of sinners. But you're suggesting that the solution is to... do away with the office of bishop (that Scripture tells us is important and good).
I must be misunderstanding the point you're trying to make here...
How many Catholic Bishops are married to a woman, one woman and have a family?
(Wondering if a married Protestant "bishop" can't "bishop" until he and his wife are able to produce children.)
The thrust of the qualification is that a bishop can't be a two-woman man. Not a womanizer. Just one wife, if married. Historically, bishops and priests that were married could not remarry if their wife died -- and couldn't GET married at all if ordained while single.
If marriage was an absolute requirement, then Paul couldn't have been a bishop. Neither could Jesus. The consensus is also that John (the apostle) was unmarried.
Jesus should not even be compared in your equation at all. The word of God is the word of God.
Perversion is clear.
The apostasy desires that all exceptions become the rule and that the common sense of Scripture be disregarded.
Again, I ask, is your way a way of salvation or is it a convoluted structure meant to numb men into believing they are not saved through Jesus Christ. Clearly the LORD made man and woman to be married and in service with each other.
Do you want to prove a point and apologize for apostasy or do you want to send souls to be with Christ?
Jesus is a very good comparison for those who believe the Bible, which calls him the "Shepherd and Bishop of our souls" (1 Peter 2:25, KJV).
As the model for all bishops, Jesus lived a celibate life. And so Paul did as well, and John, and Timothy. And throughout history (for those who don't choose to ignore it), there have been so many to this day who served as bishop unmarried.
Paul strongly recommends the single life for those who want to want to focus on the affairs of the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 7:32-34). How would that not align perfectly with the bishopric? If not the bishopric, what other vocation demands more attention to the Lord's affairs?
Yes, God made man and woman to be married, but the generality doesn't rule out the exception, as both Paul (1 Cor. 7) and Jesus (Mat. 19:12) make abundantly clear for Bible believers.
Obviously I reject apostasy and want all souls to be saved in Christ.
If we love Christ, we should love his Book AND his Church (aka, "the pillar and foundation of the truth") -- his visible Body.
