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CONSTITUTION
of the
Biblical Mennonite Alliance
(Ratified June 5, 1998 and Amended August 8, 2003, August 4,
2006 and August 3, 2007)
Preamble
Jesus Christ, having all power given unto Him
in heaven and in earth by the Father, who raised Him from the
dead and set Him at His own right hand, far above all
principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is
to come, and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to
be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body,
the fullness of Him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1:20-23);
He, being ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill
all things, received gifts for His Church, and gave all offices
necessary for the edification of His church and the perfecting
of His saints (Ephesians 4:10-12).
Jesus, the Mediator, the sole Priest,
Prophet, King, Saviour, and Head of the Church, contains in
Himself, by way of eminency, all the offices in His Church, and
has many of their names attributed to Him in the Scriptures. He
is Apostle, Teacher, Pastor, Minister, Bishop and the only
Lawgiver in Zion. It belongs to His Majesty from His throne of
glory to rule and teach the Church through His Word and Spirit
by the ministry of men; thus mediately exercising His own
authority and enforcing His own laws, unto the edification and
establishment of His Kingdom.
Christ, as King, has given to His Church
truth, ordinances and officers; and especially has He ordained
His system of doctrine, living, government, discipline and
worship, all of which are either expressly set down in
Scripture, or by good and necessary inference may be deduced
therefrom.
Since the ascension of Jesus Christ to
heaven, He is present with the Church by His Word and Spirit,
and the benefits of all His offices are effectually applied by
the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, we, as duly ordained Anabaptist
ministers of the gospel, fully acknowledging the priesthood of
all true believers, yet sensing God's definite direction in
providing for the leadership and guidance of His sheep, and
acting by Christ's authority as delegated to us, do hereby
establish this constitution as an initial structural outline of
the organization of congregations and ministers which we believe
Christ has called into being for "such a time as this".
Article I Name
This organization shall be called BIBLICAL
MENNONITE ALLIANCE.
Article II Mission Statement
Acknowledging the Holy Scriptures as God's
timeless truth which is completely sufficient for all of man's
needs (Matt. 4:4), the Alliance is committed to the world-wide
propagation of that inerrant Word in order to provide
fellowship, instruction, accountability, prayer, missions, and
service opportunities to the congregations and ministers of
conservative Anabaptist theology and practice.
Article III Doctrine
The Alliance endorses the Mennonite
Confession of Faith of 1963 as a minimum expression of its
doctrine.
Article IV Membership
Introduction
The Alliance shall be composed of
congregations and ministers who uphold the practice of the
doctrine of the Alliance and who are in harmony with its
procedures.
A. Congregational Membership
Congregations may be received into Alliance membership after
thorough examination by the Council of Overseers and
satisfactory vote of the Alliance. The ordained ministers of
each member congregation shall also be its voting messengers to
the Alliance. These ministers must also be members of the
Alliance. If a congregation is without an ordained minister, the
Council of Overseers may authorize a lay or licensed leader to
vote on behalf of that congregation provided that said
individual is fully examined using the approved ministerial
questionnaire. Such authorization shall be in effect only as
long as the congregation is without ordained leadership.
B. Ministerial Membership
1. The ministerial membership of the Alliance shall consist of
ordained men such as overseers, bishops, ministers, and deacons.
They shall be the final decision-making body of the Alliance.
2. Ordained ministers may become members of the Alliance by
satisfactory vote of the Alliance ministers after they have been
given written and oral examinations arranged by the Council of
Overseers concerning their call to the ministry, doctrinal
beliefs, life practices, and ecclesiastical polity. As a
prerequisite to the oral examination, a written recommendation
must be submitted by the candidate's regional overseer.
3. Ministerial members of a congregation that has not joined the
Alliance after two years shall have their status changed to
affiliate member. Affiliate members may not serve on the Council
of Overseers or Board of Executors.
4. Ordained ministers who are involved in full-time
evangelistic, missionary, or Bible conference ministries may
become members of the Alliance by the above process provided
that they are recommended by the overseer of their region.
Article V Meetings
A. Annual Convention
Each summer, the Alliance will hold a multi-day meeting which
will include Biblical exposition, training in ministry, prayer,
fellowship, and mutual sharing. The entire Alliance constituency
shall be encouraged to attend.
B. Ministerial Enrichment
Each winter, there will be a multi-day meeting for the Alliance
ministers. The program shall include Biblical exposition,
training in ministry, prayer, fellowship, and mutual sharing.
C. Business Sessions
All business sessions shall be scheduled by the Board of
Executors. Quorum for business sessions shall be the members
present.
Article VI Regionals
A. The Alliance shall be divided into regions
for purposes of local fellowship and accountability. Each of
these regionals shall operate under the watchcare of an
overseer. When a regional exceeds seven congregations, the
Council of Overseers will initiate a process for the formation
of an additional regional(s).
B. All the BMA ministerial members in a
region are encouraged to meet quarterly under the leadership of
their Regional Overseer for fellowship, prayer, and
accountability. One of these meetings will be held during
Ministerial Enrichment and one of them will be held during the
summer Convention.
Article VII World-wide Missions
A. Taking the great commission of our Lord
very seriously, the Alliance will endeavor to do its part to
carry the gospel into all the world - attempting to establish
Biblical Anabaptist churches wherever our missionaries labor.
BMA mission work shall prioritize un-evangelized fields (those
with less than 5% Christian population); however, such shall not
be the exclusive BMA missionary thrust. Under-evangelized fields
shall also be given appropriate consideration.
B. The mission agency known as DestiNATIONS
International (DNI) is and is to remain a wholly owned and
integral subsidiary of Biblical Mennonite Alliance.
C. DNI shall be directed by a mission board
consisting of seven Alliance ministers nominated by the Council
of Overseers and elected by the Alliance. The DNI Board will be
specifically accountable to the Council of Overseers on policy
issues and to the Board of Executors for the execution of said
policies. Ultimately the DNI board will be accountable to the
Alliance for the conduct of all Alliance mission work. The term
of office for DNI board members shall be seven years. A board
member may not serve on the board more than seven consecutive
years. A former board member may be elected to the board after
having been off the board for a least a year.
D. The board is authorized to appoint
sub-committees (which should be chaired by an Alliance minister
and may include laymen from Alliance congregations) to handle
most collateral responsibilities. Long term ministries that are
supplemental to church planting, such as an orphanage, should be
overseen by sub-committees.
E. The administrative officer of the mission
shall be a President. He shall be an ordained minister, a member
of the Alliance, nominated by the Council of Overseers in
consultation with the Mission Board and elected by the Alliance.
To be eligible for this office the candidate must evidence a
strong commitment to the BMA missionary vision as summarized in
section A of this article. The term of office for the President
is 4 years. He shall be an ex officio (voting) member of the DNI
board.
F. Great care shall be taken by those with
oversight responsibility in the mission to guard the doctrinal
stand of the Alliance in all areas of missionary activity.
G. The President, in concert with the DNI
board, shall prepare an annual Guideline Budget covering all
aspects of Mission operations which shall be presented to the
Alliance for approval at the annual Convention Business Session.
Article VIII Short Term Missions and
Service Ministries
Introduction
BMA shall provide various world-wide
opportunities for short term mission experience, voluntary
service and compassion ministries. These are seen as distinct
from, yet complementary to, the regular BMA mission program.
A. To administrate these programs a three
member Voluntary Ministries Committee of Alliance ministers and
lay members of Alliance congregations shall be appointed by the
Board of Executors and confirmed by the Alliance. The term of
office for committee members shall be three years with a one
term succession possible. A committee member may not serve more
than six consecutive years without at least a one year break.
The committee shall be chaired by an Alliance minister
preferably with experience in voluntary ministries. The chairman
shall be chosen annually by the committee with the assistance of
the BMA moderator or assistant moderator.
B. The committee will be specifically
accountable to the Council of Overseers on policy issues and to
the Board of Executors for the execution of said policies.
Ultimately the committee will be accountable to the Alliance for
the conduct of its assigned ministries.
C. The committee shall actively work to
provide short term mission and voluntary service opportunities
to enable BMA youth (and others) to serve the Lord, edify the
church and gain missionary experience. For purposes of this
section, short term missions shall be defined as of one year
duration or less. The committee shall diligently work to enlist
our youth in these programs and maintain accountability
structures in the best interests of the Alliance. When the short
term mission or voluntary service ministry directly involves the
responsibilities of DNI, the committee shall operate under and
in concert with DNI.
D. The committee shall oversee BMA interests
in disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and voluntary work
projects. Bona fide efforts shall be made to cooperate with and
supplement the work of other Anabaptist relief agencies as long
as the positions and policies of BMA are not compromised. Where
feasible, special effort shall be made to harmonize work
projects with other BMA outreach.
E. As the need arises, the committee will
facilitate alternative service for conscientious objectors.
Article IX Training Institutions
Introduction
Recognizing that training for Christian
service is essential as illustrated by the three year training
course that Christ conducted for the disciples, the Alliance has
two schools for the training of its leaders and members for
Christian service - the Biblical Mennonite Alliance Bible
Institute (BMABI) and the Mission Training Center (MTC). These
schools are and shall continue to be wholly owned and integral
subsidiaries of the Biblical Mennonite Alliance. Extreme care
shall be taken in the structure and operation of these
institutions to insure as much as possible that there is no
compromise of the doctrines and applications of the Alliance.
A. Biblical Mennonite Alliance Bible
Institute
1. The BMABI shall be directed by a board of five Alliance
ministers nominated by the Council of Overseers and elected by
the Alliance. The BMABI board shall be specifically accountable
to the Council of Overseers on policy issues and to the Board of
Executors for the execution of said policies. Ultimately, the
BMABI board will be accountable to the Alliance for the
operation and doctrinal purity of the Institute. The term of
office for BMABI board members shall be five years. A board
member may not serve more than two successive terms.
2. The BMABI board shall concentrate on
structuring an educational and social environment at the Bible
Institute that first involves spiritual formation and second
provides intellectual stimulation in the area of Biblical
knowledge and understanding. The board is encouraged to appoint
ad hoc and/or sub-committees (which should be chaired by an
Alliance minister and may include laymen from Alliance
congregations) to help handle those responsibilities that do not
directly relate to the educational mission of the Bible
Institute. Such appointments shall be subject to the approval of
the Alliance. Ad hoc committees shall be subject to annual
renewal. The term of office for sub-committee members shall be
three years with one permitted renewal.
3. The administrative officer of the BMABI
shall be a Principal. He shall be an ordained minister, a member
of the Alliance, nominated by the Council of Overseers in
consultation with the BMABI board and elected by the Alliance.
The term of office for the Principal is 4 years. He shall be ex
officio (voting) member of the BMABI board.
4. The Principal, in concert with the BMABI
board or board-appointed ad hoc committee, shall prepare an
annual Guideline Budget covering all aspects of the Institute's
operations which shall be presented to the Alliance for approval
at the annual Convention Business Session.
B. Mission Training Center
1. The MTC shall operate under the general supervision of the
DNI board. A sub-committee of Alliance ministers and lay members
of Alliance congregations shall be appointed by the DNI board
and confirmed by the Alliance specifically to oversee the
affairs of the Center. The chairman of said committee is to be
an Alliance minister. The term of office for sub-committee
members shall be three years.
2. The administrative officer of the MTC
shall be a Director. He shall be an ordained minister, a member
of the Alliance, nominated by the DNI board, approved by the
Council of Overseers, and confirmed by the Alliance. The term of
office for the Director shall be five years. He shall be ex
officio (voting) member of the MTC sub-committee.
3. The Director shall be accountable to the
President of DNI in cooperation with the chairman of the MTC
sub-committee.
4. The Director in concert with the
sub-committee shall prepare an annual Guideline Budget covering
all aspects of the Center's operations which shall be presented
to the Alliance for approval at the annual Convention Business
Session.
Article X Publications
Introduction
Believing in the importance of publishing
materials for information, instruction, and discipleship, the
Alliance shall make every effort to provide relevant literature
available to its constituency. This would include original
essays, pamphlets, booklets, books, and periodicals.
A. Publications Board
The publications ministry of the Alliance shall be directed by a
board of three Alliance ministers nominated by the Council of
Overseers and elected by the Alliance. The Publications Board
shall be specifically accountable to the Council of Overseers on
policy issues and to the Board of Executors for the execution of
said policies. Ultimately the Publications Board shall be
accountable to the Alliance for the content of all Alliance
publications. The board shall be responsible to insure the
theological purity is not violated by any BMA publications. The
term of office for Publications Board members shall be three
years. A board member may not serve more than two successive
terms.
B. Editor of Publications
The administrative officer shall be the Editor of Publications.
He shall be an Alliance minister nominated by the Council of
Overseers and elected by the Alliance. The term of office for
the Editor is 4 years. The Editor may select, with the approval
of the Publications Board, various committees from the
membership of Alliance congregations to assist him in his task.
All publications that bear the endorsement of BMA must be
reviewed by the Editor of Publications.
C. Intra-Alliance Communication
A regular newsletter including congregational and regional
Alliance news, elucidation of Alliance positions on contemporary
issues, and open forum topics will be published. Other
informational literature may be published at the discretion of
the Publications Board.
D. Teaching Literature
The Publications Board shall do whatever is feasible to provide
instructional materials for use by BMA congregations. This would
include such things as New Believers' Class curriculum, Sunday
School curriculum, and other materials to enhance and promote
Biblical discipleship.
Article XI Officers
A. Regional Overseers
1. Regional Overseers shall be selected by their respective
Regionals as follows: At a regular meeting of the regional, the
Alliance Moderator and/or the Chairman of the Council of
Overseers shall assist the ministerial members through a
nomination and selection process. Two-thirds of the total
congregational members voting on the matter from the regional
congregations must then ratify the selection by vote. Finally,
the Alliance must confirm the selection.
2. A Regional Overseer must be a minister of an Alliance
congregation with considerable experience in the ministry and
who demonstrates capability in supervision.
3. Term of office for a Regional Overseer shall be five years
with re-appointment possible.
4. The duties of the Regional Overseer shall include:
a. Organize and conduct quarterly Regional
meetings.
b. Motivate to holiness and maturity by loving example and
counsel all those ministers and congregations under his
oversight while avoiding "teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men."
c. Assist local ministers in resolving congregational problems.
d. Develop vision and encourage growth and multiplication of
congregations.
e. Communicate decisions of the Council of Overseers to local
ministers.
f. Represent the region to the Alliance.
g. Promote Alliance programs and activities.
h. Report regional activities to the Council of Overseers.
i. Facilitate the process of licensing and ordaining new leaders
in the region.
j. The above does not require the Regional Overseer to
administer the ordinances.
5. In summary, the responsibilities of the
Regional Overseers are to be seen as primarily pastoral and
preventative rather than administrative. While a Regional
Overseer may indeed be called to assist with conflict
resolution, his primary objective should be to provide
shepherding support in creating a culture of peace.
B. Council of Overseers
1. The Council of Overseers shall be composed of all the
Regional Overseers. There shall be no limit to the size of this
group.
2. The duties of the Council of Overseers shall include:
a. Give leadership in policy-making for
approval by the Alliance.
b. Be the Appellate body in cases where problems can not be
resolved at the regional level.
c. Be responsible to discipline congregations and ministers who
turn away from the Alliance doctrines and their respective
applications.
d. Prepare appropriate reports to the Alliance of Council
actions.
3. The Chairman of the Council of Overseers
shall be nominated during a regularly called meeting of the
Council and be elected by the Alliance. He must meet the
requirements of a Regional Overseer but need not be currently
serving in that capacity. He will act as liaison between the
Council of Overseers and the Board of Executors. The term of
office for the Chairman is four years.
C. Board of Executors
1. The Board of Executors of the Alliance shall consist of seven
members: Moderator, Assistant Moderator, Secretary/Treasurer,
Chairman of the Council of Overseers, President of DNI,
Principal of BMABI, and Editor of Publications.
2. The Moderator, Assistant Moderator, Secretary/Treasurer, and
Chairman of the Council of Overseers shall be elected by the
Alliance after having been nominated by the Council of
Overseers. They must be ministerial members of BMA and members
of an Alliance congregation. Regional Overseers shall not
normally serve on the Board of Executors.
3. The Board of Executors is to be seen as the administrative
arm of the Alliance.
a. It shall be responsible to see that the
work of the Alliance goes forward and that tasks are completed.
b. It is not a policy-making or legislative body. Co-ordination
of all the parts and ministries of the Alliance shall be the
responsibility of the Board of Executors.
c. The Moderator or Assistant Moderator shall preside at the
meetings of the Alliance.
d. The President of DNI, the Principal of BMABI, and the Editor
of Publications shall implement Alliance decisions pertaining to
their respective responsibilities.
4. Board of Executors' term of office shall
be four years.
D. Term Limitations
The following officers shall not serve more than two successive
terms: Moderator, Assistant Moderator, Chairman of the Council
of Overseers, and Secretary/Treasurer. (Exceptions to this
section may be made by official action of the Alliance upon
recommendation by the Council of Overseers when such is deemed
necessary.
Article XII Administrative Secretary
In order to facilitate the business of the
Alliance, an Administrative Secretary shall be appointed to care
for the organizational and operational details. He shall receive
reasonable remuneration for his services (to be set by the Board
of Executors).
A. Qualifications
1. He shall be a BMA ministerial member.
2. He shall manifest the gift of administration including
attention to details.
3. He shall be able to make adequate time available in his
schedule for timely completion of BMA related tasks.
B. Duties
1. He shall maintain a working office for BMA which shall
include filing space and sufficient equipment to fulfill his BMA
related responsibilities. The office need not be solely
dedicated to BMA purposes but shall be secure for the orderly
conduct of BMA business.
2. He shall assist in planning the various BMA Board and
committee meetings with view to synchronizing schedules,
arranging for meeting locations, and coordinating business
considerations.
3. He shall be responsible for all general correspondence and
communications from the BMA office to the ministerial body.
4. He shall act as recording secretary for BMA Business Sessions
and Board of Executors' meetings and shall see to the
reproduction of all necessary ballots and reports, etc. He shall
follow up these meetings with all correspondence details such as
thank you notes, notification of speaker assignments, etc.
5. He shall prepare the Annual Directory for printing together
with other programs and BMA materials.
C. Selection, Accountability, and Term of
Office
1. The Administrative Secretary shall be appointed by joint
action of the Council of Overseers and the Board of Executors
subject to the approval of the BMA ministerial body.
2. He shall be directly accountable to the Board of Executors
for the conduct of his BMA responsibilities.
3. The term of office shall be four years and shall be staggered
opposite the Moderator's term. Indefinite reappointment shall be
permitted.
Article XIII Exempt Organization Policy
No part of the net earnings of the Alliance
shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its
members, officers, or other private persons, except that the
Alliance shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable
compensation for services rendered and to make payments and
distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in this
constitution. No substantial part of the activities of the
Alliance shall be the carrying of propaganda, or otherwise
attempting to influence legislation, and the Alliance shall not
participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or
distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of
any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this document, while maintaining tax exempt status,
the Alliance shall not carry on any other activities not
permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from
federal income tax under section 602 (c) (3) of the Internal
Revenue Code or any corresponding section of any future federal
tax code.
Article XIV Dissolution
Upon the dissolution of the Alliance, assets
shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the
meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or
corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Article XV Amendments
This constitution may be amended by the
Alliance at a regular business session by a two-thirds vote of
those present and voting provided that the proposed amendment is
presented in writing to the Alliance ministerial body at least
thirty days before the vote is taken.
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Position and Policy Statement
The
following doctrinal and practical Biblical
application commitments, initially
established at the birth of BMA, are
intended as requirements for BMA pastors and
congregations.
1.
The Mennonite
Confession of Faith (1963) forms the
basis for our statements of belief and
practice.
We recommend a thorough acquaintance
with the principles and standards contained
therein.
Congregations are encouraged to
develop written positions, policies, and
statements of encouragement on pertinent
contemporary issues.
Some issues with Alliance-wide
interest may result in proposals for
consideration and adoption by the
Alliance
.
2.
We agree that the church is the
pillar and guardian of the truth.
As such, it has a vested interest in
the education of its families through Sunday
School, preaching, and meaningful worship.
Since Christ is the fountainhead of
all true knowledge, every effort should be
made to provide a complete Christ-centered,
high quality education for the children of
our congregations.
The believing father is primarily
responsible to prepare his child(ren) for
all of life.
In the interests of its
accountability to the Scriptures, each local
brotherhood is expected to assist and
encourage its fathers in this responsibility
(Deut. 6:6-9; Eph. 6:4; Col. 2:3; I Tim.
3:15).
3.
We agree that the proper application
of the headship order is for the Christian
man to take seriously the Biblical
commandment to be a Christ-like leader in
the home and congregation and for the woman
to complement him as his helper.
4.
We agree that, in order to maintain a
clear witness, the best application of the
Biblical requirement of “long hair” for
the sisters is “natural length.”
We also agree that the best
application of the headship ordinance is
that the sisters wear their veiling as a
part of their regular attire.
While a uniform style is not required
across the
Alliance
, we do expect a veiling (or covering) of
substantial size.
We believe Christian men should have
short hair and unveiled head.
5.
We agree that the personal appearance
of the true Christian believer must present
a clear witness to Biblical teachings in
such matters as modest apparel, gender
distinctions, and simplicity.
We agree to refrain from all
decorative jewelry, the wedding band, and
any makeup that alters the natural
appearance.
6.
We agree to urge our constituency to
exercise Spirit-directed caution in the use
of all media.
Whenever the use of any media
promotes an ungodly worldview or
desensitization to sin, such use must be
avoided (Psalm 101:3).
Congregations should hold heads of
households accountable for media use in
their homes.
7.
We agree that divorce and remarriage
is outside the will of God and thus
unacceptable.
A second marriage with a former
spouse living constitutes a state of
adultery, requiring repentance and
separation.
8.
We agree that God’s gift of sex is
to be reserved only for marriage.
All forms of homosexuality,
lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest,
fornication, adultery, and pornography are
sinful perversions.
9.
We agree that human life is a special
gift of God.
Abortion constitutes the inexcusable
taking of unborn human life; thus, it is
murder.
This includes termination of
pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth
defects, gender selection, birth or
population control, or the mental well-being
of the mother.
Infanticide and euthanasia, including
assisted suicide, are also to be recognized
as murder.
10.
We agree to prioritize the command of
Christ to make disciples in all nations, and
to establish churches for membership in the
Alliance
across
North America
and beyond.
To
assist
Alliance
congregations in the formation of Biblical
positions and policies, the following works
are recommended:
- Separated
Unto God,
by J. C. Wenger
- Introduction
to Theology,
by J. C. Wenger
- Doctrines
of the Bible,
by Daniel Kauffman
Adopted
by ministers of BMA 6/5/1998; updated
2/4/1999, 2/2/2000, 7/24/2009
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Do Divorced
and Remarried Persons Need to Separate?
Adultery: An Act or a State?
A basic but often unidentified issue involved in
discussions about what a person who has committed
adultery should do in order to repent is this: was
his sin of adultery only an act, or is it considered
to be an ongoing state of sin? If it was an act of
sin only, then the person may acknowledge his sin,
be forgiven, and be careful not to repeat it again.
This allows one to continue in the remarriage
relationship. If, however, adultery is a continuous
state of sin until the present partner is put away,
complete repentance and full assurance of God's
forgiveness do not exist until the adulterous union
is discontinued.
Both positions have very serious
implications. If adultery is an act only, then to
require separation is to needlessly break up homes
and to lay a heavy and unnecessary burden on persons
who desire to repent. It could also result in
placing a stumbling block in the path of earnest
seekers. If adultery is a state; however, then to
assure persons of forgiveness while living with
their partner (with the first spouse still living)
is to give them a false hope of salvation and to
sanction their going to hell since no adulterers
will enter the kingdom of heaven (I Cor. 6:9). It
also undermines the foundations of marriage and
weakens the will to work through marriage
difficulties.
How does God view adultery...as
an act or a state? We believe the Bible clearly
present adultery as an ongoing state of sin until
the adulterous union is discontinued. Read and
meditate on the following passages:
Genesis 20 As long as Abimelech had another man's
wife under his roof, he was a "dead man" until he
released her to go back to her rightful husband,
even though he had not yet touched her. This was
true for even a pagan king.
Ezra 9 & 10 Though a somewhat different situation,
ie. marrying foreign women, their unions were
illicit and their sin was considered to be removed
only when they separated themselves from their
wives. (10:2-4, 10, 11)
Jer. 7:8-11 (Note preceding context) The Israelites
were committing adultery and then going to the
Temple saying "We are safe'--safe to do all these
detestable things..." God said they were trusting in
deceptive, worthless words.
Mal. 2:13-17 God hates divorce, the breaking faith
with the wife of one's youth. Can He accept in our
time that which He once hated? Is it only the act of
breaking faith that He hates, or does He hate both
the act and the ongoing state of breaking faith?
Mt. 14:3,4(NAS) John the Baptist rebuked Herod for
taking his brother Philip's wife. He did not say:
"It is not lawful for you to have taken her" but
rather "It is not lawful for you to have her". Some
say the sin was that of incest. Actually, Herod had
committed two sins: adultery and incest. The only
way to repent of both was to release the woman. John
was rebuking a sinner, which shows that immorality
is sin, not only for the saint, but also for the
sinner. If adultery were merely an act, John died in
vain. He should have been more discreet and
sensitive, calling only for Herod to say he was
sorry and giving permission to continue on with
Herodias. Instead, Jesus commended John as being the
greatest man born of women. Note also in Mk. 6:18
John's warning to Herod was repeated, continuous
action: "For John had been saying..." This is why
Herodias nursed a grudge against John. If he had
said, "Just recognize you sinned, but stay with her
and don't commit adultery again with another woman",
Herodias wouldn't have had reason to be so upset
with John.
Lk. 16:18(NKJV) If adultery and divorce effectively
terminate the marriage relationship so that the
divorcee may then be remarried, how could Jesus'
words be true: "Whoever marries her who is divorced
from her husband commits adultery"? Notice also that
he says "whoever", not merely the Christian who does
it.
Mk. 10:10-12 Jesus clearly states that remarriage
after being divorced is adultery.
Rom. 7:2, 3 Only death breaks the marriage bond. If
the woman marries another man "while her husband is
still alive" (not: "before her husband divorces
her"), she is an adulteress. It does not say "she
commits an act of adultery" but rather "she shall be
called an adulteress". Some say that this is only an
example used to illustrate our relationship with the
Law. Granted, it is an example. However, the
teachings about our relationship with the Law can
only be true if the example also is true. It is hard
to think of how one could improve on this passage in
terms of its simplicity, clarity, and conciseness.
I Cor. 7:10, 11 The Lord's command through Paul: no
divorce, no separation. But if separation does
occur, then no remarriage. Either the individuals
must remain unmarried or else be reconciled.
I Cor. 7:39 Marriage is for life, not until divorce
separates.
Following are other related
passages and perspectives that point to adultery as
being an ongoing state of sin until the adulterous
union is discontinued:
The marriage vow states "till death do us part", not
"till divorce do us apart". God takes vows very
seriously as seen in Eccl. 5:4-6. God honors the
first vows, the first union. Sinful vows should be
repented of and sinful actions put away, not
continued. The second vow was not a legitimate vow.
What is the meaning of repentance? With all other
kinds of sins, we tell a person that true repentance
means putting away sin; only then can he be sure of
God's forgiveness. The following passages
demonstrate this truth: Prov. 28:13; Mat. 3:8 and
context; Lk. 3:8-14; Acts 26:20--we prove our
repentance by our deeds, not by our words. See also
II Cor. 7:11.
I Cor. 5:1 says the man "has his father's wife", not
took his father's wife. As long as he was calling
himself a brother, they were not to associate with
him but rather to expel him from the church. This
indicates that his immoral relationship was an
ongoing state. Other gross sins are listed as reason
for the same action by the church.
Consistency calls for discontinuing the adulterous
marriage. If two people live in fornication, in
order for them to repent we tell them they must stop
living together as unmarried people. If a person
lives in incest, we tell him to discontinue that
relationship. If two persons of the same sex are
married, they must get out of that union, whether or
not the State says it is legal. With other sins it
is the same: someone who has stolen goods must
return them, not merely say he is sorry for having
taken them. A person who has kidnapped someone must
release the person before we would be sure he had
truly repented. Why, then, would this not apply also
to divorced and remarried persons living in
adultery?
The fruit of both approaches. Viewing adultery
merely as an act fills churches with adulterous
unions, undermines existing marriages, justifies
having leaders that are divorced and remarried, and
shuts the mouths of Christians and church leaders
from speaking out against adultery in a society that
is becoming more immoral and perverse. Today, many
churches are very little different from the
surrounding society in their morals.
Viewing adultery as an ongoing state, however,
promotes a life of holiness and purity in churches
which take this Scriptural position, and provides
solid foundations for marriages, a basis for facing
difficulties in marriage, and courage and authority
to confront sin both in the church and in the
society. This approach best harmonizes Scripture
passages on the topic and follows the practice of
the Early Church in the first centuries.
Responses to questions:
1. What about the "exception clause" (Mt. 5:32).
Jesus here clarifies in which situation a man is
causing his wife to become an adulteress. He does
not give permission for remarriage; in fact, he
forbids remarriage even to the adulterous woman. In
Mt. 19:9, a very good case can be made for the
position that divorce in certain limited cases is
permitted but not remarriage; ie. that the exception
clause modifies only the first part of the verse,
not the last part. This position allows for
separation in certain limited cases, such as
homosexuality and prostitution without giving
permission for remarriage. This position best
harmonizes with other Bible passages on the topic
and is the position of the Early Church for the
first five centuries (See: Jesus and Divorce, by
Heth and Wenham, p.22). This position also makes the
best sense of the disciples' expression of surprise
(Mat. 19:10) about the Jewish Rabbi Hillel for "any
and every cause" and the conservative position of
Rabbi Shammai permitting remarriage in the case of
infidelity.
2. What about I Cor. 7:15 "A believing man or woman
is not bound..." Bound to what? In observing the
context, it seems the best understanding is to say:
"He/she is not bound to fulfill his/her marital
rights if the unbelieving spouse voluntarily leaves.
He/she is not bound to force the unbeliever to
stay." To say that this "not bound" passage means
that one may divorce and remarry causes Paul to
contradict himself in what he says in vs. 10,11 (by
God's direct command) and vs.39.
3. Doesn't Paul say that "each one should retain the
place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to
which God called him" and "to remain in the
situation which he was in when God called him"? (I
Cor. 7:17,20,24) Yes, but God does not call people
into a state of adultery. They should remain only in
situations that are not sinful, as per the examples
given: circumcision, being a slave. To apply this to
a remarriage situation requires one to also say that
a person who is single or a widow(er) when he
accepts Christ must always remain that way.
4. Didn't Paul say that if you are loosed from a
wife you may marry without sinning? Actually, what
he said is "Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek
a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned;
and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned..." (I
Cor. 7:27,28 NKJV). He did not say "if you remarry,
you have not sinned." To marry if one's spouse has
died is not sin, but to use this passage to justify
remarriage while the first partner is living causes
Paul to contradict himself in this same chapter (vs.
10,11,39) and in his teachings in Romans 7:2,3, to
contradict the teachings of Jesus
(Mk.10:11,12;Lk.16:18) and also the understanding
and practice of the Early Church. One must ask the
question: how may a person properly be "loosed from
a wife" in order to marry again? The Scriptural
answer is: the death of the partner (I Cor. 7:39;
Rom. 7:2,3). Furthermore, in the context of
"loosing", Paul is not speaking about divorcees, but
about virgins and widows (7:25-40).
5. Doesn't God forgive? Doesn't his mercy cover our
sins? God's mercy becomes ours when we confess and
abandon our sins (Prov. 28:13). Otherwise we are
sinning deliberately, and as long as one remains in
that state there is no forgiveness (Heb. 10:26-31).
Note also Titus 2:11-14: The grace of God teaches us
to say "no" to ungodliness and worldy passions--not
continue on in them. See also I Jn. 3:7-10. If
adultery was sin in the beginning when first
committed, common sense indicates it continues to be
sin when it continues to be committed. That is the
way we view all other sins. Why would it be
different with adultery.
6. What if I divorced my spouse before I was a
(committed) believer in Christ? Doesn't that allow
me to remarry (or stay with my present spouse)? We
need to remember that marriage was not first of all
a Christian institution and is valid whether one
marries as a Christian or not. Adultery is not a sin
that only Christians can commit. If marriages were
valid only for Christians, then we would have to
tell all unbelievers that their marriages are
worthless and that in God's sight they are not
married. This approach would also conflict with the
passages in Genesis 20 and Matthew 14 where
Abimelech and Herod, as unbelievers, were clearly
condemned by God in what they had done.
Conclusion: We believe that the teaching that
adulter is merely an act of sin which the grace of
God covers while allowing the adulterous couple to
continue together is an example of what Jude warns:
"For certain men whose condemnation was written
about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.
They are godless men, who change the grace of God
into a license for immorality..." (v. 4, NIV;italics
added).
Therefore, in view of the Scriptures cited above, we
conclude the adultery is an ongoing state of sin
that can only be truly forgiven when divorced and
remarried persons separate. "He who covers his sin
will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes
them will have mercy" (NKJV).
For additional reading on this position:
Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage, John Colbentz,
c.1992, Christian Light Publications, 98p.
Till Death Do Us Part?, Joseph A. Webb, c.1996,
Webb Ministries
PO. Box 520729
Longwood, FL 32742-0729 274 p.
Jesus and Divorce, the Problem
with the Evangelical Consensus, William Heth and
Gordon
Wenham, c.1984, Nelson Publishers, 287 p. (No longer
in print)
--Written by: Allen Roth
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BIBLICAL
MENNONITE ALLIANCE
Assessment
of Unity
***
click
here for a printable copy of this document
***
The purpose
of this form is to measure the level of
unity and commitment to the standards of the
Biblical Mennonite Alliance, and thus
prevent drift within the organization. It is
also used to identify compatibility of
prospective members. Please indicate your
position on each of the statements using the
scale from 1 to 3. Explanations are
encouraged.
disagree =
1
mostly
agree = 2
agree = 3
1. My
belief is in harmony with the articles of
faith as described in the 1963 Mennonite
Confession of Faith as adopted by the
Biblical Mennonite Alliance. Circle
One: 1 2 3
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Through
the guidance of its leaders, the church has
authority for direction and discipline.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. God's
gift of sex is to be reserved only for
marriage. All forms of homosexuality,
lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest,
fornication, adultery, and pornography are
sinful perversions.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. The
Bible is clear on the permanence of the
marriage bond between one man and one woman.
Therefore initiating divorce or re-marrying
after divorce (while a former spouse is
still living) is considered to be outside
the will of God and thus unacceptable.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
5. Human
life is a special gift of God and is not to
be pre-meditatively extinguished under any
circumstance whether it is by abortion,
assisted suicide, murder, infanticide, or
euthanasia.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
6. The
personal appearance of the true Christian
believer must present a clear witness to
Biblical teachings of separation from the
world's influence in such matters as modest
apparel, gender distinction, and simplicity.
Shorts, tight-fitting clothing, or any
apparel that draws sensual attention to the
body has a tendency to cause impure thoughts
and therefore must be avoided.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. All
decorative jewelry, the wedding band, and
any make-up that alters the natural
appearance should not be a part of our
practice. Circle One: 1
2 3
_______________________________________________________________________________
8. The
Bible teaches man's unveiled head and short
hair and woman's veiled head and natural
length hair. The best application of the
headship ordinance is for the sisters to
wear their veiling as a part of their
regular attire. While a uniform style is not
required across the Alliance, a veiling of
substantial size is required. Both men and
women are expected to take seriously their
commitments to the application of these
Bible teachings.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
9. The
proper application of the leadership order
is for the Christian man to take seriously
the Biblical commandment to be a Christ-like
leader in the home and congregation and for
the woman to complement him as his helper.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
10.
Television and the Internet have the
potential to influence us and our children
in a negative way - emotionally and
spiritually. Each member shall exercise
Spirit-directed caution in the use of all
media. Whenever the use of any media
promotes an ungodly worldview or
desensitization to sin, such use must be
avoided.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
11. Fathers
are responsible for whatever form of media
they allow in their home along with the
influence it has on their family and family
life. Therefore congregations should hold
fathers accountable for the media used in
their homes. Circle One: 1
2 3
_______________________________________________________________________________
12. Jesus
teaches in Matthew 18 that we are
accountable to each other. He offers clear
instructions for approaching one another.
Members are expected to participate in these
steps of resolution when offenses arise.
Circle One: 1 2
3
_______________________________________________________________________________
Name (please print)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Congregation
_______________________________________________________________________________
Date
Rev 8/05
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