My Belated RSVP...

In response to situation Hope BK, I've finally come around to putting down my thoughts on paper.. er.. on screen in this case...

You shall have no other gods before me (Exo 20:3-6):

So obviously, we should NOT and must NEVER hero worship ANYONE (e.g. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt or Korean hunks) or ANYTHING (e.g. Hello Kitty, Barbie dolls or Thomas trains) on earth, under the earth or even in heaven. God wants protect us from putting our hope and faith in things that don't last forever.. people who will inevitably fail and hurt us.. and objects that ultimately fade and disintegrate. Should our faith in the one true God be affected just because a Christian leader has seemingly 'gone astray'? Paul said, " Imitate me as I imitate Christ". Therefore, if leaders blatantly disobey the word of God.. then it's a given that we can no longer 'submit' to them. Although David didn't kill King Saul to usurp the throne, he had his own army that didn't answer to the King's command.

You shall not commit adultery.. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour (Exo 20:14,17):

Let's face it.. MAN.. especially MEN are extremely susceptible to what we call 'the lust of the eyes'. Otherwise, why are billions spent on advertisements that continuously feed us with illusions and warped ideas of beauty??? The Bible is full of such accounts.. King David who slept with his general's wife and Bathsheba eventually bore him a child.. Judah who frequented prostitutes and ended up impregnating his son's widow Tamar.. the woman at the well who had five husbands and was living with a man who wasn't one of them.. (I think Hollywood movies got their ideas from here?). So what happens if a pastor falls into this particular sin? Unfortunately, only God can truly know the heart of men which is deceitful above all things. And that's why God didn't remove David as king after he repented (although as a consequence, their first-born son died).. even though he tried to 'act blur' initially in front of prophet Nathan. Since we can't possibly fully understand the human heart, I guess these leaders do need to show some remorse and fruit of repentance before they can resume their position of authority in the ministry?

God raised Deborah..a woman..to lead His people (Judges 4&5) and placed Queen Esther.. for such a time as this (Esther 4:14):
Admittedly I can be quite a feminist.. although somewhat subdued one! I can't say that I have fully grasped the meaning of 'divine authority'.. but probably come to understand it a bit more with maturity over the years? I believe God designed men and women for different roles BUT with equality in rank and position (i.e. it's not angels.. male.. then the female). As many pshychologists and other researchers have shown.. when men have dfficulties fulfilling their roles adequately.. women have risen up to the occasion and in some instances taken over the helm (e.g. after World War II). So why not have a woman lead the church.. if God can use even a donkey (I mean the REAL animal.. and not the male species) to serve His cause??!! I rest my case.. ha ha ha!

Finally, to the accusers.. these are the words of Jesus.. "Let him who has no sin cast the first stone" and more importantly to the sinner.. 'Go and sin no more...' (John 8:7-11).