When should a man step down from ministry, if he just cannot overcome an old habit?
For example, if he has always put out the effort for the uphill battle of quitting porn, hates the sin, but still struggles, should he resign? Or, if there are any other examples of old habits he hates, is fighting but cannot break, should he step down from a pulpit? Where do we draw the line(s)?
James 3:1
ESV - 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
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Asked 1 day ago
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Nathan Webster
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Billy P Eldred
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My opinion for the answer is based on the following scriptures: Matthew 18:15-17 NIV [15] “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. [16] But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ [17] If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Based on the above scripture I would say they should take the following steps: 1. Pray and ask God for help and deliverence from the sin. 2. Ask for help from a trusted friend and trusted member of the church for help in fighting the battle. 3. If you still cannot defeat the sin, bring it before the church and ask the entire church to pray for your deliverance. 4. If the church allows you to stay and you still fail, then resign. But, before you go this far, let me add this piece of advice. The apostle Paul was suffering from a " thorn in the flesh" and 3 times he asked the Lord to remove it from him. The Lord's answer was "My grace is sufficient". Some would say that Jesus was telling him to live with "the thorn", but I believe that the answer was the solution to Paul's problem. JESUS' GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! We were born of the sinful nature. On our own, we cannot defeat it, but when we are saved Jesus gives us the Grace to defeat it. Accept this Grace, rebuke the temptation as many times as it takes and you will defeat it. James 4:7 NIV [7] Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
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