Can a deacon who just accepted Christ remain a deacon?
Maybe I'm looking at this wrong but I don't see how they could.
Acts 6:3
Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom
NIV
Deacon's that accept Christ
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by jim1203, Mar 25, 2007.
Page 1 of 3
-
Baptist Believer Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Instead of penalizing the deacon for swallowing his pride and coming to Christ, why don't you suggest that he or she move to an "inactive" portion of the deacon body for a time until they grow in the Lord for a while. If your deacons are truly servants instead of rulers, then the deacon should continue to serve the congregation, but not necessarily in an official capacity with the full force of the church's resources. -
-
The church is not to appoint deacons without them being qualified. That the deacon is saved and not a novice in the Word is required. 1 Timothy 3:10 says that the deacon must be proved.
Any church that is not discerning enough to prove a deacon before appointing him need not have say so in any of the affairs of the church. -
I am stunned. How do you get to be a deacon without already having Christ? This is new to me.
-
Take myself for example, I had attended church for about 5 years, and I thought I was saved, then when I was twelve, I finally realized I had never accepted the Lord.
Too often, when a person comes forward, all we have them do is sign a card :saint: but they never actually get saved:tear:
I was preaching at a SBC church in Northern New York about 4 years ago. During the invitation, a lady, maybe in her late '50 came forward. She realized she had never been saved, that day she gave her heart to the Lord :praying: even though her husband was a deacon!
Many will miss heaven by 12 inches, they have a head knowledge of the Lord, but not a heart conversion.
In the prayer section, I stated we will be starting a new church in Camillus. I intend to sit down with each individual and http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=38616 hear their salvation testimony. :1_grouphug:
Faith is the Victory
Salty -
I don't think anyone questions that deacons should be saved, but I can see how it might be possible to elect a man to deacon who only thought he was saved. The question is what to do with him (her? :eek: ) now. I think Baptist Believer has offered up a very good solution.
Of course I think I would hope that said deacon would resign his position realizing that he was not qualified and is now still not completely qualified for the position. Course that brings the question of just how long should a man be saved before he accepts, or rather is considered for deaconship.
Interesting subject. -
How's that?
If there is no one that fits the above qualifications then the church is not to appoint them as deacons. -
Maybe this is why churches are such a mess now days. They don't seem have the discernment to know if a person is saved or not. He was probably voted to be a deacon based on how nice he is or that he was at church everytime the door was open.
-
Baptist Believer Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
It's too easy to be religious or come forward as a child when the evangelist asks, "Do you love Jesus?" As a child and a youth I had an astounding number of people trying to manipulate me into saying the magic prayer and getting baptized, while never explaining the gospel is a coherent way. As a result, I grew up in a Southern Baptist church with many religious non-believers.
True believers of Christ actually attempt to follow His commands and display the fruit of the Spirit in their lives while scarcely noticing their "goodness." Those who are not true believers are characterized by the works of the flesh and demonstrate their unregenerate state by engaging in controversies, power plays and lack of grace toward "sinners".
I am convinced that an enormous number of Southern Baptists (as well as other kinds of Baptists) are unregenerate. They may be very religious and know the lingo, but Christ will say to them, "Depart from Me, for I never knew You!" -
I can remember the day when a deacon came to Christ in a church I was attending for a short time. He would have called himself a Christian but then one day he claimed that he realized he was not.
Some people are told as kids all of the right stuff and get dunked without knowing Christ.
The wife of a a friend of mine from my seminary days told me that she accepted Christ while her husband was pastoring a church. Her dad was a SBC evangelist. he told me that one time he was preaching and during the invitation she came forward.
Even Jesus' disciples did not know who would betray Him. So people can be fooled but not God. -
To be able to know who is saved and who is not with out a shadow of a doubt would take an infallible man. I do not believe there is one of those on earth. If there is then he can be pope or something.
HBSMN
Are you saying that you know a way to tell if somebody is saved beyond a shadow of a doubt. -
I would think that he should step down.
-
we can tell if one is saved.
Paul constantly referred to many in the Churches he wrote to as saints, or brethren.
Yes, I believe we can tell who is of God and who is not.
Here is another...
John 13:35 (KJV) By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Yes, there is a way to tell. -
Well, deacons are "ordained" and there is no way he could of been ordained if he was not saved, so it should not even be a question. He is not ordained as a deacon and is a deacon in name only. He must step down, and if the church later wants to ordain him, then that would be up to the church. As for now, he should and must step down.
-
Ya know, in Heaven there is a great shout of joy that another sheep (child of God) has been found/brought into the fold . Funny that here on this board I haven't heard any such praise and glorifying of God...... He's your Brother!!!!!
and will probably make twice the deacon he was before.....
And for sure ya have to be joking about how an unsaved could be a deacon. WHEN SO MANY OF OUR PULPITS ARE FULL OF THE UNSAVED!!!!!!!! -
Mt. 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. "Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
When I was in seminary there were students studying to be pastors who came to Christ. They had come from SBC churches. -
-
-
RE: Deacons that accept Christ
Page 1 of 3