The context of the passages in Timothy and Titus are clearly about appointing elders and deacons. You can scramble verses all you want, but it doesn't change the meaning of the passages in Timothy and Titus. They were given as clear qualifications.
The passages you chose have nothing to do with the position of being an elder (pastor). Searching for verses to neutralize other scripture is a dangerous game. By the time you are done, nothing means anything, thereby leaving you to play God.
Nice try yourself. Before you accuse me of neutralizing scripture, be sure you’re not doing it yourself.
There are at least three possible interpretations of the phrase “husband of one wife” in 1 Timothy 3:2.
1) It could simply be saying that a polygamist is not qualified to be an elder, a deacon or a pastor. This is the most literal interpretation of the phrase, but seems somewhat unlikely considering that polygamy was quite rare in the time that Paul was writing.
2) The phrase could also be translated “one-woman man.” This would indicate that a bishop must be absolutely loyal to the woman he is married to. This interpretation focuses more on MORAL PURITY than MARITAL STATUS.
3) The phrase could also be understood to declare that in order to be an elder/deacon/pastor, a man can only have been married once, other than in the case of a remarried widower.
Interpretations 2) and 3) are the most prevalent today. Your insistence that it should be understood as — an unmarried man cannot be a pastor — is in fact extra-ordinary.
Interpretation 2) seems to be the strongest, primarily because Scripture seems to allow for divorce in exceptional circumstances (Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).
It would also be important to differentiate between a man who was divorced and remarried before he became a Christian from a man who was divorced and remarried after becoming a Christian.
An otherwise qualified man should not be excluded from church leadership because of actions he took PRIOR to coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior.
Although 1 Timothy 3:2 does not necessarily exclude a divorced or remarried man from serving as an elder/deacon/pastor, there are other issues to consider.
The first qualification of an elder/deacon/pastor is to be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2).
If the divorce and/or remarriage results in a poor testimony for the man in the church or community, it may be the “above reproach” qualification that excludes him rather than the “husband of one wife” requirement. An elder/deacon/pastor is to be a man that the church and community can look up to as an example of Christ-likeness and godly leadership.
If his divorce and/or remarriage situation detracts from this purpose, perhaps he should not serve in the position of elder/deacon/pastor.
Hence, the correct interpretation in my view is this :
Paul’s point in 1 Timothy 3:2 is NOT that a man must be married, but that IF HE IS, then he must meet the requirements of this passage
* He must manage his own household well. Literally, the Greek text says, “a one woman man,” i.e., a man who has eyes only for his own wife. He must be a man who is faithful to his own wife.
* There is no indication that Timothy had a wife, yet he functioned as a pastor in many ways as he was sent to various churches to do the work of a pastor/teacher.
* Paul was not married and, for the sake of ministry, felt that this was an excellent option (cf. His comments in 1 Corinthians 7). He acted as a pastor with the church of Ephesus for several years before he left ( see Acts 20 ).
No less a scholar than A. T. Robertson (friend and co-worker with D.L. Moody) wrote a book entitled : PAUL, THE INTERPRETER OF CHRIST with a whole chapter ( Chapter 11 ) entitled : PAUL AS PASTOR IN EPHESUS.
See here :
See A.T. Robertson’s credentials here :
http://www.siteone.com/religion/baptist/baptistpage/Portraits/robertson.htm
Apostle Paul was Evangelist, PASTOR, and
Bishop to the church at Ephesus before he left.
Jesus also spoke of those who chose a celibate life for the sake of ministry (Matt. 19:12).
I am not playing God mt friend, I am looking at scripture the way it should be looked at.