DiggingforTruth

To all who are students of the Word, trying situations come, that prove our understanding of God's word and Christian maturity.  The topic of women's ordination, which is being presented before us, is one such situation.  The word of God, unequivocally says "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).  Romans 6:23 adds that "the wages of sin is death".  Therefore, the human race (all of us) deserve death, and no one should escape its claws.  Yet, in His mercy, God makes exceptions for our benefit and for the building of our faith. Enoch and Elijah are exceptions in God's word.  Members of the human family, they both escaped death, even though they fell short of the glory of God.  It is important to note, these two characters are exceptions, equally, this was God's will and not human will.  In the same way, Ellen White became a prophet by God's will and not because she was voted by human agencies. How does this tie in with the subject of women's ordination in the church?  Many argue that because Ellen White was appointed of God to be a prophet, they conclude that it is also God's will that women should be ordained into the ministry.  We should pause and make a point. There is a difference in holding the office of a prophet and that of a priest.   These are two different rolls that exist in the ministry, but are not to be interchanged.  Throughout the bible, we find examples of women serving as prophetess or judge (Miriam, Deborah), but never an instance of a woman serving as priest.  I find that, for lack of knowledge and wisdom, some in leadership positions (recently in the Columbia Union and Pacific Union), are making grave mistakes, and even giving themselves authority over matters of the church that do not belong to them.  Men could never have voted Ellen White into the ministry as a prophetess, but God did.  This was an exception and not a foundation of new theology. Our brother in Christ, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, clearly outlined to Timothy, the conditions of a bishop / elder / head of church.  Among several conditions, inspiration reveals to us that the candidate is to be "a husband of one wife".  Notice, inspiration does not say - the spouse of a husband -.  The issue put before us is too clear to be a subject of controversy.  Let us reason together and be in ONE ACCORD, is my meditation and prayer.