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Our world church is experiencing a crisis that could potentially split the Seventh-day Adventist movement. On May 9, 2012, the Pacific Union Conference executive committee voted to table a motion that would make the ordination of ministers a gender-neutral issue. This is more than just a departure from the traditions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; it is a departure from biblical Christianity. Moreover, the Pacific Union and numerous other conferences and unions have dissented from the position of the General Conference, placing them in open opposition to the world church.
The Pacific Union set forth seven points within the preamble of its resolution to ordain ministers without regard to gender; however, the biblical support for these points is tenuous at best. The following is a point-by-point rebuttal of the same:
Whereas Scripture is clear that the end-time Church is blessed precisely because men and women preach God’s message (Joel 2:28, 29 and Fundamental Belief 17);
We don’t have to guess or wonder what the fulfillment of Joel 2:28,29 will look like. The apostle Peter tells us in Acts 2:16, 17, that the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost was a fulfillment of Joel 2:28, 29. There were 120 men and women gathered in the upper room, all of whom were filled with the Spirit for ministry. See Acts 2:1–4.
This fulfillment in Acts 2 made no change to God’s design for men to fill rolls of spiritual leadership. Immediately before the outpouring of the Spirit, the disciples chose a replacement apostle for Judas. He is chosen from among “these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us” (Acts 1:26). They prayed that God would show them which of the two men He would have replace Judas. Matthias was chosen.
The end-time church is also blessed with both men and women who can share the gospel, but this is not to be confused with the appointment to church leadership. The passage in Joel also emphasizes the inclusion of “all flesh” being called to minister for Christ—but this does not conflict with God’s Word regarding leadership. Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthian church: “I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God,” which implies that a woman is to submit herself to her husband as to the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:3; also Ephesians 5:22). Equally important, the husband as the spiritual head in the family is to submit himself to the Lord (Ephesians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 11:4).
Whereas we are commanded to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8 );
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http://christorculture.com/portfolio-view/response-to-the-pacific-union-conference/
The Pacific Union set forth seven points within the preamble of its resolution to ordain ministers without regard to gender; however, the biblical support for these points is tenuous at best. The following is a point-by-point rebuttal of the same:
Whereas Scripture is clear that the end-time Church is blessed precisely because men and women preach God’s message (Joel 2:28, 29 and Fundamental Belief 17);
We don’t have to guess or wonder what the fulfillment of Joel 2:28,29 will look like. The apostle Peter tells us in Acts 2:16, 17, that the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost was a fulfillment of Joel 2:28, 29. There were 120 men and women gathered in the upper room, all of whom were filled with the Spirit for ministry. See Acts 2:1–4.
This fulfillment in Acts 2 made no change to God’s design for men to fill rolls of spiritual leadership. Immediately before the outpouring of the Spirit, the disciples chose a replacement apostle for Judas. He is chosen from among “these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us” (Acts 1:26). They prayed that God would show them which of the two men He would have replace Judas. Matthias was chosen.
The end-time church is also blessed with both men and women who can share the gospel, but this is not to be confused with the appointment to church leadership. The passage in Joel also emphasizes the inclusion of “all flesh” being called to minister for Christ—but this does not conflict with God’s Word regarding leadership. Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthian church: “I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God,” which implies that a woman is to submit herself to her husband as to the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:3; also Ephesians 5:22). Equally important, the husband as the spiritual head in the family is to submit himself to the Lord (Ephesians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 11:4).
Whereas we are commanded to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8 );
_________
http://christorculture.com/portfolio-view/response-to-the-pacific-union-conference/
