We don't know who a 'pastor' is for sure - that is why it is so easy for us to vote with our feet. That is why a church is nothing but a gathering place. As that gathering starts to promulgate non-scriptural things, we dust off our feet, and go where the Gospel is being preached.
And the Bible differs from y'all in what a marriage is anyway, so what value has your authority in that? In the Bible, marriage is formally contracted (written agreement), followed by a separation while the groom goes to 'prepare a place for her', followed by the consummation, followed by public presentation. It is the agreement between the two, and the consummation that are the efficacious part - they are bound together BEFORE any vows or public act. The authority of a priest is superfluous, at best.
Likewise, a bill of divorcement is accomplished without any intercession or permission by religious authority.
So the authority you claim is not there... in either place.
>> “Using Protestant logic...” <<
.
What ever happened to using the commandments that Yehova gave us in the scriptures?
That is how we know who and what a pastor is, and what a marriage is.
The Papists fail completely on both issues by that simple test.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Sola Scriptura!
Deuteronomy 12:32
What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Sola Scriptura again!
Revelation 22:18-19
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
[19] And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Sola Scriptura again!
Is there a pattern here?
Yes, oral traditions are an abomination that violates these commandments.
Of course, using Catholic “logic” if it takes the Catholic church to perform a valid marriage, then ANYONE not married by the Catholic church does not have a valid marriage.
That means EVERYONE outside of those married by the Catholic church are according to them, living in sin.