Christians have historically believed they were not to indulge in sexual intercourse for fear of giving in to the evils of the flesh. In the early days of the church, most leaders were married. Paul counseled that elders must be husbands to only one wife (1 Tim. 3:2), condemning polygamy but permitting marriage. Believing the body was evil, Gnostic's however influenced an increasing movement toward asceticism Throughout the second and third centuries many priests and bishops chose to be unmarried. Martyrdom Replaced with Monasticism In the fourth century, when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire, persecution stopped and martyrdom became rare. In order to continue to aspire to a higher calling, Christians replaced martyrdom with monasticism. Taking vows of celibacy and poverty was likened to the sacrifices of the martyrs. Property was being left in rising amounts to individual churches; now and then a married priest had the bequest written in his name and transmitted it to his children. To counteract such embezzlement, the church increasingly demanded that priests remain unmarried so as not to have any dependants who could benefit from the churchs riches. Meanwhile the Roman church lived luxuriously, while denying their priests both marriage and the sexual gratification found therein (Rev. 18:7,11-13). Soon the Catholic doctrine of clerical celibacy became official. At this point in church history the church had come to view celibacy as more spiritual and better than marriage. Enforced Celibacy Contrary to Apostolic Example Clerical celibacy was not without its problems. Right from the start, many who professed vows of celibacy overestimated their powers of self-control and fell into sexual sin. Nothing has changed since, as the Roman Catholic church is still as far removed from apostolic Christianity as their pope is from marriage. Thus the modern day problems we see with priests inclined toward pedafilia. Unlike Roman Catholics, Orthodox priests were allowed to marry. Catholic priests clamored for the same privilege. Just as the Greek and Russian Orthodox church, after the schism of 1054, continued to permit marriage to its priests, so the clergy of the Roman church demanded the same right; and since the canon law of their church refused this, they took concubines. Doctrines of Demons Such hypocrisy, and the doctrines that caused it, came under fire in the Reformation. Protestant Reformers sought to renew a corrupt church. As a former monk, Martin Luther was no stranger to the vows of chastity. He concluded that celibacy was an unnecessary and unbiblical standard for service to God. Luther saw enforced celibacy as the cause of sexual immorality in the church. The Cure for Sexual Immorality Luther, therefore, saw marriage as the cure for sexual immorality both inside and outside the church. He wrote, Marriage may be likened to a hospital for incurables which prevents inmates from falling into a graver sin. Luther said: God provided the body with limbs, arteries, ejaculation and everything that goes along with them. Now if someone wants to stop this and not permit what nature wants and must do, what is he doing but preventing nature from being nature, fire from burning, water from being wet, and man from either drinking, eating or sleeping. At the age of forty-two, Luther acted on his beliefs by marrying Catherine von Bora, a twenty-six-year-old runaway nun. This further symbolized his split with the Catholic church. French Reformer John Calvin married a widow in order to escape the celibacy that he criticized as a yoke imposed on priests shut up in a furnace of lust with perpetual fire. Throw off the binding shackles of denominationalism and wed the Spirit of truth (Jn. 16:13). Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would guide you into all truth. Jesus said, You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (Jn. 8:32). Know the truth of Scripture and be set free from serving the whim of another. Devilish Misconceptions Sex is not a dirty thing. On the contrary sex is wonderful and was originally the Creator's idea for maximum sexual fulfillment. For more information on this topic read two books by Paul Davis titled Stop Lusting & Start Living and Almighty Matchmaker. |
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