[SoConPubbie]

Are these questions standard questions in your church or in your committee ?

I can tell you honestly that if you asked me this question as an applicant, I will honestly answer YES to the first and third question above. Would that sin-in-my-heart then disqualify me from being pastor ? ( assuming I was educationally qualified and applied for such a position ).

Would it be better for me to lie and say NO in order to get a better chance of being ordained than be honest ?

Concerning the standard questions in our church, our doctrinal theology states that no man/woman will be in a position of authority if they are not up-to-date in their relationship with Jesus. This means, of course, that they are not in a state of sin, that they have been forgiven and their heart has been changed and they have been given power over their sin by their Redeemer. This removes the necessity and impossibility of "judging" a person's heart. Furthermore, their testimony will precede them before they ever get to the point of seeking a position of authority in the church and if the Board of the church is being responsible in their decision making process, they will be using that person's personal testimony (not a verbal testimony but the testimony of that person's past actions) in the decision-making process.

If they cannot answer that request honestly in the affirmative, they will not be given the position of authority.

IF they are lying, it will show itself soon enough and they will be removed from that position.

With regard to your question about lying, it would be better for you, if you were in that situation, to be honest with God, the committee, and yourself and withdraw yourself from that process UNTIL you repent and let God make things right in your heart.

[SeekAndFind]

With regard to your question about lying, it would be better for you, if you were in that situation, to be honest with God, the committee, and yourself and withdraw yourself from that process UNTIL you repent and let God make things right in your heart.

So, you are telling me that most pastors who are serving in church today DO NOT and HAVE NOT committed any lust in their hearts at all.

[SeekAndFind]

This means, of course, that they are not in a state of sin, that they have been forgiven and their heart has been changed and they have been given power over their sin by their Redeemer

How do you interprete that ? Does this mean they don't sin any longer ? Does this mean that their state is perfect and they do not sin in their hearts at all ?

[SeekAndFind]

IF they are lying, it will show itself soon enough and they will be removed from that position.

And THAT is my point. You cannot determine that until it happens. You can only make an educated guess.