Interesting Questions-50
Contra Clerical Celibacy*
Letter to the Editor:
GOD'S MESSAGE, July 2002, p.2
I READ TIME magazine, and I came across an
article about clerical celibacy. According to Mr. Frank
McCourt (author of the acclaimed memoir Angela's Ashes)
"celibacy is a sick rule" and "in a strange paradox, it's almost
sinful." I for one am still neutral when it comes to clerical
celibacy.
I wrote because I would like you to give me a
biblical explanation about it. Is clerical celibacy
REALLY against the teachings of the Bible? What is
the proof?
Gary Macon
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Editor's reply:
The Almighty God Himself said that it was not good
for a man to be alone. For this reason, He created the woman
to be the wife of the man:
The
LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make
a helper suitable for him.” So the LORD God caused
the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he
took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made
a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her
to the man. The
man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man
leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they
become one flesh. (Gen. 2:18, 21-24, New International
Version)
Marriage, therefore, is not evil. It is a sacred
union of husband and wife which was instituted by God Himself.
Apostle Peter was married (Mt. 8:14).
Apostle Paul also taught that a bishop or a deacon should be the
husband of but one wife (I Tim. 3:2,12; Titus 1:6).
When Jesus came into
Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a
fever.(Mt:8:14, NIV)
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband
of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable,
able to teach;
Let deacons be the husbands of one wife,
ruling their
children and their own houses well. (Titus 3:2, 12, NKJV)
If a man is blameless, the husband of one
wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or
insubordination.
For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward
of God, . . . . (Titus 1:6-7, NKJV)
On the contrary, the prohibition to marry is
devilish.
Apostle Paul writes:
The
Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith
and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
They forbid
people to marry and order them to abstain from certain
foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those
who believe and who know the truth.
(I Timothy 4:1, 3, NIV)
Certainly, clerical celibacy is
unscriptural.
___________________
*Clerical
celibacy is the
discipline by which some or all members of the clergy in certain
religions are required to be unmarried.
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/clerical+celibacy
Note:
Verses in smaller font
were added for clarity. Emphasis ours.
Bible Study
Suggestion: If you have further questions, please feel free
to visit the
Iglesia ni Cristo congregation nearest you. A minister or
an evangelical worker would be happy to answer any biblical question
you have in mind.