A. Those who forbid to marry are in error:1TIM 4:1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1TIM 4:2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 1TIM 4:3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. B. Even priests bishops & church officials are advised to marry:EZE 44:21. Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. EZE 44:22. Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before. LEV 21:10. And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; LEV 21:13. And he shall take a wife in her virginity. MAT 8:14. And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. 1COR 9:5. Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 1TIM 3:2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 1TIM 3:11. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 1TIM 3:12. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. C. Celibacy & forbidding to marry can lead to problems:GEN 2:18. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 1COR 7:9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. ROM 1:27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. |
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