Adventists Pastors & Leaders Who Commit Adultery-How Should We Think?

[Tammy]

It has come out recently, that some big name leaders/Pastors have committed adultery. I think these are the best collection of Spirit of Prophecy statements that tell us how we should view this situation.

Quote:

False Shepherds of the Flock. No sooner are they placed in temptation than they reveal their moral defects--that they are not partakers of the divine nature, neither have they escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, but that they are earthly, sensual, devilish. Satan finds in them something that he can work up into marked iniquity, and he improves his opportunity. And the result is [that] those who claim to be shepherds of the flock are carnally minded, leading the sheep of their care, whose purity, modesty, and virtue they should strictly guard, into licentiousness and lewdness. {TSB 236.2}

An Enormous Sin. I saw that the seventh commandment has been violated by some who are now held in fellowship by the church. This has brought God's frown upon them. This sin is awful in these last days, but the church [members] have brought God's frown and curse upon them by regarding the sin so lightly. I saw it was an enormous sin and there have not been as vigilant efforts made as there should have been to satisfy the displeasure of God and remove His frown by taking a strict, thorough course with the offender. {TSB 248.1}

It has had an awful, corrupting influence upon the young. They see how lightly the sin of breaking the seventh commandment is regarded, and the one who commits this horrid sin thinks that all he has to do is to confess that he was wrong and is sorry, and he is then to have all the privileges of the house of God and be held in [the] embrace or fellowship of the church. {TSB 248.2}

They have thought it was not so great a sin, but have lightly esteemed the breaking of the seventh commandment. This has been sufficient to remove the ark of God from the camp, if there were no other sins to cause the ark to be taken away and weaken Israel. {TSB 248.3}

Suspension From the Church for Adulterers. Those who break the seventh commandment should be suspended from the church, and not have its fellowship nor the privileges of the house of God. Said the angel, "This is not a sin of ignorance. It is a knowing sin and will receive the awful visitation of God, whether he who commits it be old or young." {TSB 248.4}

High-handed, Deliberate Sinning. Never was this sin regarded by God as being so exceedingly sinful as at the present time. Why? Because God is purifying unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. It is at the very time when God is purifying this peculiar people unto Himself that [unsanctified] individuals step in among us. Notwithstanding the straight truths they have heard--the terrors of the Word of God set before them, and all the blazing truth for these last days calculated to arouse Israel--they sin with a high hand, give way to all the loose passions of the carnal heart, gratify their animal propensities, disgrace the cause of God, and then confess they have sinned and are sorry! {TSB 249.1}

And the church receives them and says "Amen" to their prayers and exhortations, which are a stink in the nostrils of God, and cause His wrath to come upon the camp. He will not dwell in their assemblies. Those who move on thus heedlessly, plastering over these sins, will be left to their own ways, to be filled with their own doings. {TSB 249.2}

Those who anciently committed these sins were taken without the camp and stoned to death. Temporal and eternal death was their doom; and because the penalty of stoning to death is abolished, this sin is indulged in beyond measure and is thought to be a small offense. --Ms 3, 1854. {TSB 249.3}

I fear that as a people, we are not viewing this matter as the Lord views it.

[Gail]

Sigh... I've thought about this a lot recently.

Firstly- I've thought about what should happen to them. But more than that, I've thought about my attitude toward them. What should it be? Do the blessings that I received through them suddenly negate? That would be a great loss for me...

Certainly it is a humbling (or should be) experience for them, but it is also for me...

But perhaps this is where the rubber hits the road when it comes to realisation that no one is exempt from temptation or a fall. Like David, their influence will likely never again be the same.

It's a difficult question! But restoration in Jesus is what we should seek for all involved. AND a turning away from sin is always desired, no matter who it is.

How can we know if this is done high-handedly or while thinking it a small offense? I suppose I would think any of my own sins were small.

Good food for thought!

[Tammy]

When you say "restoration" Gail, what do you mean? Do you think they should be allowed back to be leaders of the people again?

[Gail]

I don't know about that... that is for their bosses to decide, I guess.

Restoration would be set back on the right track in a walk with God. I think that is more important than whether they get their jobs back or not.

[John317]

Those are quotes we need to take to heart individually and as a church. I hadn't seen most of those statements before. Thank you for bringing them to our attention.

[Tammy]

I can't see how they can be allowed to be leaders if we really believe the statements from the Spirit of Prophecy.... That doesn't mean that I believe they cannot be forgiven, I do....but there are consequences to sin....and loosing your position as a leader, I believe is one of those consequences...

[Tammy]

You are welcome...I thought it was the best collection of statements from the Spirit of Prophecy that I'd seen so far...

[lazarus]

I can't see how they can be allowed to be leaders if we really believe the statements from the Spirit of Prophecy.... That doesn't mean that I believe they cannot be forgiven, I do....but there are consequences to sin....and loosing your position as a leader, I believe is one of those consequences...

Obviously, they cannot remain as leaders when the event has become known but I cannot see anything in these statements that indicate that an individual cannot be restored to his position.

[Tammy]

Originally Posted By: Tammy

I can't see how they can be allowed to be leaders if we really believe the statements from the Spirit of Prophecy.... That doesn't mean that I believe they cannot be forgiven, I do....but there are consequences to sin....and loosing your position as a leader, I believe is one of those consequences...

Obviously, the cannot remain as leaders when the even has become known but I cannot see anything in these statements that indicate that an individual cannot be restored to his position.

[nuff sed]

IMO leaders who commit adultery should "NEVER" be allowed into positions of leadership again. Forgiven????Yes..... They may be restored into fellowship but I do not believe that they should be allowed into leadership positions. The basis of "Trust' was deliberately broken and that can never be completely repaired. Unfortunately there ARE some who have been 'restored, repaired and re-elevated' (whatever that means).. I know a couple of them.... Nuff Sed.

[Gail]

I am more concerned about the spiritual condition of the person him/herself. Regarding the leadership position, if there is a weakness in one area that has caused a fall, it would, like in cases of the child molester, be very unwise to place the person where s/he is tempted again. That is unfair.

But I concede that Satan tries extra hard with leaders. My concern is that the church doesn't just dump them when they boot them out. Like anyone, it would be helpful to provide a hedge around them- accountability group, prayer group, even a spiritual mentor or two.

With some people, a fall would crush them. Others have such little conscience that they don't see anything wrong in their actions. God can reach those who fall on the Rock and are broken.

[lazarus]

IMO leaders who commit adultery should "NEVER" be allowed into positions of leadership again. Forgiven????Yes..... They may be restored into fellowship but I do not believe that they should be allowed into leadership positions. The basis of "Trust' was deliberately broken and that can never be completely repaired. Unfortunately there ARE some who have been 'restored, repaired and re-elevated' (whatever that means).. I know a couple of them.... Nuff Sed.

I have a lot of agreement with what you are saying. There may be very few who would be willing to do the "work" necessary to deal with their issues. I'm reluctant to suggest a hard and fast rule because I don't see it in scripture.

[Tammy]

Sadly it seems so many times, that people worry far more about the Pastor who committed the sin, rather than the woman who he seduced. My heart goes out far more to the unfortunate woman who trusted who she thought was a man of God. There is so much of this happenning within the Church that an organization has been started to help these women called, The Hope of Survivors

[Gerr]

I just want to point out that a woman is just as capable of seducing a man.

[Gail]

Many women, especially if they have been molested before, will submit. They will especially fall if there is a need for affirmation and emotional kindness and a smooth talker is there to give it to them.

I don't know if people intentionally support the pastor more... I think that the leader is probably the person that others know more and the attention just goes to them.

But they both need help.

[John317]

I agree with Ellen White's statement.

I was first baptized when I was about 14 by a pastor who a while later deserted his wife and went off to Mexico with another woman. He finally came back to Christ and the church, and the last I heard of him he was working in one of our schools as a janitor.

My wife was baptized about 20 years ago, and her pastor also ran off with another woman. I don't know if he ever repented and came back, but he died of cancer a couple of years ago.

In the 1980s, I went a well-known pastor for counseling for about 6 months, and he left his wife and ran off with another woman. About 10 years later he died of cancer.

I think we might be astonished at how many pastors (SDA and non-SDA) run off with "another woman."

Lesson: We need to pray earnestly and often for our pastors and leaders because Satan works especially hard to overcome them.

[Tammy]

I think you are right John, that this moral disease is far more rampant than we want to admit.

And yes, women can be the seducers...but if the Pastor is really connected to the Lord....when the woman is trying to seduce him, no answering chord will respond to the seduction in his heart. It is because his heart is not right that he gives into sin.