A question about a bible verse

[allisonP]

I found out yesturday that a sincere question from me could upset some of you on here that have already been asked that question to death so forgive me if I am asking another question that is “old”, for it is new to me.
I read in my bible that a prophecy was made that there would be so, speaking of demons, stateing that men should abstain from marriage and not eat certain foods.
Would someone please expain this to me as it sounds to my ears alot like the catholic teaching of priests not marrying and not eating(meat?) on fridays.
Thanks again.
I can find the verse again if I need to.

 

[RCCDefender]

Hi Allison!
I don’t know what verse this is, but I have heard this I think on another thread. This is being taken out of context; it’s really referring to religions that prohibit any members from ever getting married or ever eating meat. Catholics are not prohibited from getting married, and we do eat fish on Fridays. Jesus himself was unmarried and he fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert. Remember too, that Paul said that he wished everyone could remain unmarried, like he was.

I don’t know what was said to you about posting a previously asked question, but I am sorry for the reaction you received. If you want you are free to PM me anytime you have a question! I know you are sincere on your journey, and I welcome any questions you may have. Keep asking, especially if there is a teaching that you don’t understand or are bothered by!!

 

[mercygate]

allisonP:

I found out yesturday that a sincere question from me could upset some of you on here that have already been asked that question to death so forgive me if I am asking another question that is “old”, for it is new to me.
I read in my bible that a prophecy was made that there would be so, speaking of demons, stateing that men should abstain from marriage and not eat certain foods.
Would someone please expain this to me as it sounds to my ears alot like the catholic teaching of priests not marrying and not eating(meat?) on fridays.
Thanks again.
I can find the verse again if I need to.

You are referring to is I Tim 4:1-3.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

The Church has always held marriage in high esteem and has never forbidden it. The letter to Timothy addresses a gnostic strain that had entered the Church, which held the body to be evil.

The New Testament clearly shows that there were both married and unmarried presbyters in the Church. The Church values celibacy because of Our Lord himself: not only because of his example but because of his counsel, since it is he who connects celibacy with a with a witness to the Kingdom of Heaven:

Mark 12:25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given inmarriage, but are like angels in heaven.

Luke 20:34-35 And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given inmarriage; but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given inmarriage . . .

In Mt 19:12 Jesus specifically counsels celibacy:

For there areeunuchs who have been so from birth, and there areeunuchs who have been madeeunuchs by men, and there areeunuchs who have made themselveseunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.

History confirms that it was normative for presbyters to forego marital relations when they accepted the laying on of hands for ministry. As early as the Council of Nicea in 326 a canon was posted against women other than a “mother, sister or aunt” dwelling with a bishop, presbyter, or deacon.

Priestly celibacy is not a “doctrine” – of demons or anything else. It is a discipline of the Latin Church. The Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome have married clergy (a married man may be ordained, but an ordained man may not marry). The Orthodox have married clergy. There is a pastoral provision allowing for convert clergy from certain denominations, who have wives, to be ordained in the Catholic Church without having to forego their conjugal privileges.

Abstinence from meat. Catholics are not forbidden the eating of meat. We abstain from meat on certain days as a way of commemorating our Lord’s sacrifice. Steak on Sunday? No problem!

 

[Church_Militant]

Hi Alison!

Sorry ya got such heat for asking something that you meant sincerely. I note that you are from the Church of Christ, and please understand that that denomination has a long history of attacking the Catholic faith. We answer, but after answering for the last 500 years we sort of figured that someone in some of the non-Catholic churches would have listened by now.

Anyway…here is a link to discussion of this topic that may help answer your question: Xavier’s Contention That Priestly Celibacy is UnBiblical

The passage that you seem to be referring to is this one from 1st Timothy 4 isn’t it?

1 Now the Spirit manifestly saith, that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error, and doctrines of devils, 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their conscience seared, 3 Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that have known the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

I am including the note from the Douay-Rheims New Testament (the Bible that I use) because it points out exactly who that was written about.

3 “Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats”… He speaks of the Gnostics, the Marcionites, the Eneratites, the Manicheans, and other ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage, and the use of all kind of meat; because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil principle. Whereas the church of God, so far from condemning marriage, holds it a holy sacrament; and forbids it to none but such as by vow have chosen the better part: and prohibits not the use of any meats whatsoever in proper times and seasons; though she does not judge all kind of diet proper for days of fasting and penance.

What exactly is wrong with fasting and abstaining from meat from time to time out of simple devotion to Our Lord? Look here at Matthew 9:14-15 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples do not fast? 15 And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast. Has not the Bridegroom been taken away from us for a time? Should we not fast as it says here? Where is there in the New Testament a condemnation of fasting and prayer? Look at these verses…
Matthew 17:20 But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting.

Mark 9:28 And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Acts Of Apostles 13:2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.

Acts Of Apostles 27:33 And when it began to be light, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying: This day is the fourteenth day that you have waited, and continued fasting, taking nothing.

Acts Of Apostles 13:3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.

Acts Of Apostles 14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

Our abstinence is nothing more than a form of fasting out of love for Our Lord.

I want to thank you for having the courage to come to us here and ask your questions, and I apologize for any of us who have misreacted to you so far. We love our faith and we really are like a K-mart radio about it…in that we don’t play.

If you have anything else please feel free to PM me with it personally and I’ll happily get you the answers that you need, or show you where you can find them.

Our ma(name removed by moderator)age Library has some great articles that should also be of interest to you if you are having questions about why we teach what we do.
Pax tecum, (Peace be with you)

 

[allisonP]

You all are so great!
Thank you all for clearing that up.
In my heart I feel like the truth is right in front of me just waiting for me to accept it.
Yet I come across verses periodicly which cause me to stop and say ,“huh?”
It is good to come on here and get your insights.
I will keep on asking, as I have not been asking for 500 years, or even 39 years!
I have been CoC always, and I have learned from them to study Gods word and to be careful what I am told.
You all have always backed up what you are saying with scripture and or history.
That is so good.
Thanks again.
Allison