If a Minister of the 5 Fold Ministry Can Marry a Widow, the Widow Is Not a Virgin, So Is That Not Breaking the Rule?
1) Direct Answer
No. A minister may marry a widow, and that does not break any New Testament rule.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Bible says a widow is free to remarry: “She is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39; see also Romans 7:2–3). Death ends the first covenant; she is loosed.
- The qualifications for ministers are clear: “husband of one wife,” blameless, temperate, etc. (1 Timothy 3:1–2; Titus 1:6). It does not say, “must marry a virgin.”
- Under the Law, only the high priest was required to marry a virgin (Leviticus 21:13–14). Ordinary priests were not forbidden to marry a widow. And we are not under the Levitical requirement; Christ is our High Priest (Hebrews 7).
- Paul even instructs that younger widows should marry (1 Timothy 5:14). If widows are to marry “in the Lord,” we have no Bible right to forbid a godly minister from being that husband.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Virginity is not a New Testament qualification for a minister’s wife. Faithfulness and “only in the Lord” are the requirements.
- A widow is not an adulteress; her previous bond is ended by death. So marrying her does not make the minister a breaker of Scripture.
- Now notice: Where does the New Testament say a minister must marry a virgin? It doesn’t. But it does say a widow may remarry in the Lord.
4) Reinforcing Statement
It’s not three rules and traditions—it’s the Word. A widow who is in Christ is free to marry, and a true minister who is “the husband of one wife” may lawfully marry her without violating Scripture. The only clear prohibition is marrying a divorced woman while her first husband lives (Luke 16:18), not marrying a widow.
To get the full context and background as well as proper understanding, you MUST read the following answers also:
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/in-the-new-testament-is-there-a-requirement-that-a-minister-of-the-5-f-11636dc
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/in-the-new-testament-is-there-a-requirement-that-a-minister-of-the-5-f-a71db34
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/if-a-minister-should-marry-a-virgin-then-what-was-the-blood-of-jesus-s-1d59d71
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/if-a-minister-of-the-5-fold-ministry-can-marry-a-widow-the-widow-is-no-e5ccd10
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/is-it-true-that-the-widow-of-a-minister-can-only-remarry-a-minister-9af3c0d
https://truebibleteachingsai.org/answers/in-one-of-your-replies-you-said-a-minister-should-marry-a-virgin-in-an-bdc33ea
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 5:E-121
...which means the laity. Nicolaitane means, "to conquer the laity". Now why is this such a terrible thing? It is terrible because God has never placed His church in the hands of an elected leadership which moves with political mindedness. He has placed His church in the care of God-ordained, Spirit-filled, Word-living men who lead the people through feeding them the Word. He has not separated the people into classes so that the masses are led by a holy priesthood. It is true that the leadership must be holy, but then...