Are priests cellibate

Answer 1

Roman Catholic and certain Orthodox priests are expected to be celibate, although priests and ministers in other denominations (eg Anglican, Episcopalian, Methodist, URC etc) are allowed to marry and have families of their own. However, open sexual activity outside marriage or before marriage would be frowned upon by most denominations as not the sort of behaviour that becomes a priest, and therefore in almost all denominations apart from those where total celibacy is the rule, clergy are expected to be celibate before marriage and faithful to their spouses sexually and relationship-wise afterwards. In many Baptist and certain conservative congregations, there is the belief in the priesthood of all believers, taking the Old Testament priest as the picture of the type of qualities to expect. 1 Peter 2:5 says speaking of even new Christians: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Verse 9 says: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." In Revelation 1:6 it says that Jesus Christ who "washed us from our sins in His own blood" (v, 5), " hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father..." The Old Testament priest was to be pure and holy (separate from sin) as he seved in the Temple. The New Testament Christian is told: "know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19,20. Therefore, as the fleshly temple of God, they are to be holy. "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior); Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15,16. Yet as the Old Testament priest was expected to be married generally, so it is natural for Christians to be married, but they need to be godly and pure. Even the Pastor of a Church is to be "the husband of one wife." 1 Timothy 3:2. There is no requirement to be celibate in the Scriptures, but Paul the Apostle chose to be so to have more time to minister. But even he did not suggest that this was the norm for anyone. Yet purity and holiness was the norm. Note that scripture says: "This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication (any type of sexual immorality)." 1 Thessalonians 4:3.