NOTE: This blog is the 1st draft only. The final draft is expected to be available on Kindle and Nook in Summer 2011. Please email thebedkeeper@gmail.com with any corrections, typos, or comments you'd care to share. All emails will be considered confidential and not shared with any third party for any reason, provided they do not violate United States and/or International laws regarding stalking or threats of violence and/or death, etc.
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Sincerely,
Brian Anthony Bowen, Author
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This chapter will be basically a summary of Scriptural references pertaining to eunuchs, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people that will be explored in more depth as we progress into the study. It is my hope that it empowers people everywhere to press in to what Scripture really has to say regarding those of us who are gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender, as well as our families. It is my fervent desire that the fruit of this information is one of a greater understanding that regardless of what Christianity has traditionally taught regarding being gay and Christian, that indeed there is a place for us at the King’s Table. Let’s start with a brief summary of what I believe the eunuch Scriptures mean for not only GLBT Believers, but also Church Leadership, and the Body of Christ at large, and we’ll explore them more in later chapters. History of Eunuchs being Banned from Church: 1. Moses bans eunuchs from the congregation of the Lord as a demonstration of God's holiness, and is part of an exhaustive list of congregation-related laws in Deuteronomy 23:1 2. God prophesies that the eunuch ban will be overturned, and inclusion of eunuchs in the Congregation will become possible through Jesus Christ, and tells us that it is because "He will gather others in also, with those already gathered", as we saw in Isaiah 56:1-8 3. Jesus fulfills Isaiah's prophecy and lifts the ban of eunuchs from the Congregation, saying "some are born eunuchs", and some "choose to be eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven" in Matthew 19:11-12 4. Proof the ban was lifted is shown by the Ethiopian Eunuch who "was returning from Jerusalem to worship". He had learned of Christ lifting the ban on eunuchs in the congregation, and so went to church, and becomes the First Eunuch converted to Christianity, under direct influence of the Holy Spirit as we’ll see in Acts 8:29-40 5. Philip begins proclaiming the good news of the Gospel to the Eunuch, by reading to him from Isaiah 53:7 and continuing through till Isaiah 56:8 Advantages of Eunuch Scriptures for GLBT Believers: 1. God invites us to Him in spite of traditional Christian teachings saying that gay people cannot also be Christian. 2. Shows GLBT Believers as "natural born eunuchs" in Matthew 19:12, saying we are "born so from our mothers' womb, proving that GLBT Believers are indeed a “natural part of God’s Divine Creative Order," regardless of what the Church has traditionally taught. 3. Shows GLBT Believers are "qualified" to be included in God's Congregation, become Christian converts, become baptized, can receive the Holy Spirit, and Shows that Jesus' sacrifice includes eunuchs in Isaiah 56:7, and Acts 8:26-40 4. Shows GLBT Believers as "eunuchs made so by other men" as "GLBT people are only incapable of marriage due to laws banning same gendered marriage" and Jesus (and later, the Apostle Paul) ordains gay marriage, ordains gay clergy, and ordains gay adoption of children in Matthew 19:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 5. Shows GLBT Believers are not required to "change" their identity as homosexual, as we see the Ethiopian Eunuch is still referred to in Scripture as a eunuch after his baptism. This debunks "ex-gay" theories that GLBT people must strive to become heterosexual in Acts 8:39 6. Shows GLBT Believers a moral code for our relationship with ourselves, our God, and our fellow believers in the Isaiah 56:4 prophecies. 7. Shows that eunuchs (and GLBT Believers) can be both male and female by promising us a name for us that is better than sons and daughters in Isaiah 56:5. 8. Promises GLBT Believers a life of JOYFUL worship in the congregation, and accepts our sacrifices and offerings on His altar, as promised by God Himself in Isaiah 56:7. 9. Shows typical attitude of eunuch exclusion with disciples' actions of "rebuking children who were coming to Jesus", and Jesus says, "Do not forbid the children to come to me"...for such as these is the Kingdom of Heaven composed, comparing children and eunuchs both as "for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven." 10. Shows Jesus ordaining gay adoption of children by eunuchs in Matthew 19:13-15 and barren women in Isaiah 54:1-5, and by admonishing eunuchs against complaining that we are "dry trees" in Isaiah 56:3. Advantages of Eunuch Scriptures to the Congregation and Church Leadership: 1. God ordains gay clergy as "choosing to be eunuchs "for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven" in Matthew 19:12. 2. Shows eunuchs are involved in identifying the rise of the apostate church (Jehu/Jezebel) in 2 Kings 9:30-37. 3. Possible return of Jesus Christ is shown in comparing the "burnt offerings and sacrifices" mentioned in Isaiah 56:7 , but also in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 which reads like a description of the Return of the Lord (the fire came down from heaven and consumed the offerings and sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple).....but it *requires* our "burnt offerings and sacrifices being "on His altar", and "in His House Of Prayer" or the fire from heaven could never "come down and consume the burnt offerings and sacrifices." This most likely refers to financial and in-kind offerings. Ours MUST be there in order for the Lord to come back. This makes sense to me, too, because since Christ Himself is a eunuch (in that He did not marry), if He were to return to the earth today, many churches would think He Himself was still banned from the Congregations under the Deuteronomy congregation laws. Interestingly enough, it strikes me that when Jesus starts discussing marriage, divorce, and eunuchs, gay clergy, and gay adoption of children in Matthew 19:1-15 is that His teaching on these subjects comes right after Matthew 17:1-9, where Jesus underwent His Transfiguration, and "has a protracted conversation" with Moses and Elijah, who appeared before Him on the mount. I think I now know some of what they may have been talking about! If they were talking about eunuchs, you can bet it was going to take some time for Moses to explain everything to Jesus on the matter....and I see why Jesus told the disciples to keep quiet about it until after He had been raised from the dead. This teaching would not be afforded to eunuchs until *after* Christ's ascension to the Father. God teaches evangelism based on Isaiah's Messianic prophesies from Isaiah 53:1 through Isaiah 56:8 which we remember are the Scriptures Philip shares with the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:29-40. This seems to contradict the law that Moses gave back in Deuteronomy 23:1, and again, Jesus had this to say about the matter: For there are eunuchs who have been born incapable of marriage; and there are eunuchs who have been made so by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves incapable of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him who is able to accept this accept it. Matthew 19:12 Jesus said in Matthew 7:20 “You will fully know them by their fruits.” I believe that the similarities in occupations in the eunuchs of the Bible and those of many who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender today are hard to ignore. We’ll explore them further as we progress, but it will become very clear that Jesus recognized and addressed the fact that the eunuchs were a unique group of individuals that were not always accepted in the congregation of the Lord, because Moses had forbade it in Deuteronomy 23:1. We’ll learn as we explore Matthew 19:11-12 more, that He actually corrects Moses’ teaching on eunuchs being barred from the congregation by saying (in essence), “not only are they welcome in the congregation of the Lord, but as promised in Isaiah 56:1-8, they are not dry trees, they are going to receive a memorial and a name better and more enduring than sons and daughters in my house and within my walls, God will give us an everlasting name that will not be cut off, God will bring us to His holy mountain and make us joyful in His house of prayer, and He will accept our burnt offerings and our sacrifices, because His house will be called a house of prayer for ALL people, and all because He will gather others in also with those already gathered. I believe Jesus confirmed all these passages of scripture when He said, “and there are some that are born eunuchs, there are some that are made eunuchs by men, and there are those who make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.” And then our Lord does something interesting to me: He adds these words, recognizing that this would be a truth that would be difficult for some to receive: Let him who is able to accept this accept it. Jesus was extremely familiar with the Book of Isaiah, which contained the eunuch prophecy, and He actually preached one of His most famous messages from what we refer to today as Isaiah 61:1-2. Scripture bears this out in Luke 4:16-21: 16 So He came to Nazareth, [that Nazareth] where He had been brought up, and He entered the synagogue, as was His custom on the Sabbath day. And He stood up to read. 17 And there was handed to Him [the roll of] the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened (unrolled) the book and found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], 19 To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound. So there is little question He was indeed aware of the eunuch prophecies contained in Isaiah, and actually overturns the ban on eunuchs from the congregation as part of God’s plan of salvation for ALL His children, including those who are GLBT Believers today. Do you accept it? I certainly do! Will you make us feel welcome in your congregation? Will you reach out to those you know? Will you seek God’s wisdom from His Word? Will you abandon any exclusionary traditions and practices in God’s house of prayer so it can be a house of prayer for all people? I hope so, because I can tell you the only thing that changes people is God. I do not believe that we can be changed from homosexual to heterosexual, because I believe we are indeed born with and develop our sexual identity as the human beings God created us to be. But I do believe that GLBT people can be transformed by the renewing of our minds and be translated from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light, just like every Christian experiences when they accept salvation! But it will depend on Christians being be part of the light that shines love where there was once intolerance, and shines knowledge where there was once ignorance, and shines acceptance where there was once bigotry. Friends, I believe that even if there is some evidence that those who identify as homosexual or transgender and the eunuchs mentioned in the bible are definitely not in the same category of people who were oppressed by society simply because of their uniqueness, it is clear that Jesus knew it was going to be a difficult and confounding issue for many. It’s clear that the Body of Christ has become more inclusive of the ideas of women preaching, women wearing make-up, people of all colors, backgrounds, and economic status worshipping in the House of Prayer for All People! I believe that it may now also be time that the Body of Christ becomes more aware of the Scriptural purposes of eunuchs (GLBT Believers), and realize that continuing to exclude us from God’s House of Prayer only further delays Christ’s return to the earth, because He cannot return until all prophecies have been fulfilled. This is particularly true of the prophecy from Isaiah that requires eunuchs to be included in God’s House of Prayer for ALL people. Until we have been fully included in faith bodies all over the world, Christ will never return. After all, Jesus Himself was a eunuch for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven! We’ll explore later how God has also granted great power and strength through the same Holy Spirit of God that caught up Philip and transported him 30 miles away after baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch--and the eunuch "went on his way rejoicing!" As we’ll see from the Bible, Philip had simply followed the promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit to teach the eunuch who we find in the Book of Acts, Chapter 8 about salvation, and how to claim his inheritance with all the other born again believers...the only requirement for being saved and baptized was that he believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God! I know now why he was rejoicing! He found FREEDOM when he finally understood all that God had in store for him, and anyone like him. That same joy is what motivates me to tell others about all the wondrous plans and thoughts God holds toward those who love Him, including people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender! Whether or not you happen to believe there is a connection with the eunuchs and those who identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender today, may God bless us one and all! Do you hear His voice declaring a new thing He is doing in the Body of Christ? If not, listen closely to that small, still voice, and remember, God is always on the move and He is always doing a new thing. 2 Corinthians 3:18 reminds us that all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. And friends please once again consider this one fact: If the eunuchs of Isaiah’s prophecy are not the same people as those who identify as day, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender today, then there is a major prophecy that has not yet come to pass from Isaiah 56:3-5 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, The Lord will surely separate me from His people. And let not the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths and choose the things which please Me and hold firmly My covenant— To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial and a name better [and more enduring] than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. Fellow Believer, I pray there is room in your heart to receive this new move of God. I pray that you will seek God for opportunities to reach out to those who you know. They may not be you. Maybe they are your son or daughter or spouse. Maybe they are your next door neighbor, your hairdresser, your interior designer, your aunt, your uncle, or friend. But one thing is for sure: They are people. God loves them. God created them. God told us to love one another. God told us to preach the good news of the Gospel to every creature. God knows the thoughts and plans He has towards them, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give us a hope in their final outcome. Will you help God give us hope? Will you put out the welcome mat at your church? I know many churches around the world are! Will you be one to open your heart and mind and arms out to them and lead them into the promises that are contained in God’s Word by speaking to them about the fact that God loves them? Will you help them find their purpose in the Body of Christ and train them to minister to others in your community who struggle with identity issues? I believe you will, and I know God will bless your efforts with an abundant harvest of souls as you claim back from the devil, everything He has stolen from the Body of Christ. As Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” I pray that the message I have shared here brings you a new revelation of knowledge concerning these matters, through the power of the Holy Spirit. May the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 8:10-12 encourage you to teach that which you have learned about the promises of God being for all: 10 For suppose someone sees you, a man having knowledge [of God, with an intelligent view of this subject].....might he not be encouraged and emboldened [to violate his own conscientious scruples] if he is weak and uncertain..... 11 And so by your enlightenment (your knowledge of spiritual things), this weak man is ruined (is lost and perishes)--the brother for whom Christ (the Messiah) died! 12 And when you sin against your brethren in this way, wounding and damaging their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Of course this teaching was about eating food offered to idols, but I believe it is a strong word from God about how to treat non believers, and how He considers anything we do that wounds or damages a weak conscience of another is a sin against Christ Himself. I would also draw your attention to other people in the Bible that were considered “wicked and sinful” in the eyes of society during Jesus’ day. Regarding the adulteress woman who was sentenced to death by stoning, Jesus said, “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Time after time, Jesus associated with sinners. He did so in order to save them. In doing so, He saved them (and us) from inevitable and unavoidable death and damnation. In Matthew 9:9-13 we see: 9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's office; and He said to him, Be My disciple [side with My party and follow Me]. And he rose and followed Him. 10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [especially wicked] sinners came and sat (reclined) with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those [preeminently] sinful? 12 But when Jesus heard it, He replied, Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin). I encourage everyone to do what Jesus taught, and go and learn what this means! This passage clearly shows that not only was Matthew once considered an “especially wicked sinner”, but also became one of Jesus' disciples. Jesus is no respecter of persons, and this assures me that my salvation is secured through Christ and I too can become a disciple through His mercy. He clearly states in verse 13 that He desires mercy and readiness to help those in trouble and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. He also states again that includes “all those not free from sin.” Thank God that included you and me! In Matthew 11:19-20 we see Jesus again associating with what the Amplified Bible refers to as “especially wicked sinners,” declaring that wisdom is justified and vindicated by her children, and that those cities in which believers do not repent and change their hearts....even after they have seen for themselves what Christ can do for them....are subject to the censure and reproach of Christ: 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, Behold, a glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and [especially wicked] sinners! Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her deeds) and by her children. 20 Then He began to censure and reproach the cities in which most of His mighty works had been performed, because they did not repent [and their hearts were not changed]. Jesus poignantly teaches us that He forgives all sins....no matter what they are or how many they are....through love and faith in this tender act of atonement and forgiveness from Luke 7:36-50: 36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, and He went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the town who was an especially wicked sinner, when she learned that He was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment (perfume). 38 And standing behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with [her] tears; and she wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed His feet [affectionately] and anointed them with the ointment (perfume). 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw it, he said to himself, If this Man were a prophet, He would surely know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching Him--for she is a notorious sinner (a social outcast, devoted to sin). 40 And Jesus, replying, said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he answered, Teacher, say it. 41 A certain lender of money [at interest] had two debtors: one owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they had no means of paying, he freely forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more? 43 Simon answered, The one, I take it, for whom he forgave and cancelled more. And Jesus said to him, You have decided correctly. 44 Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but she from the moment I came in has not ceased [intermittently] to kiss My feet tenderly and caressingly. 46 You did not anoint My head with [cheap, ordinary] oil, but she has anointed My feet with [costly, rare] perfume. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, many [as they are], are forgiven her--because she has loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little. 48 And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven! 49 Then those who were at table with Him began to say among themselves, Who is this Who even forgives sins? 50 But Jesus said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go (enter) into peace [in freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin]. This account clearly demonstrates that forgiveness is based on love and faith. Jesus said in verse 47 that “her sins are forgiven because she loves much”. He further admonishes those who would deem her unworthy of forgiveness, saying: “he who is forgiven little loves little” So many times, the erroneous traditional teaching that assures us that salvation is available to murderers, prostitutes, adulterers, thieves, liars, schemers, swindlers and cheats, but not to those who identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender, has created a barrier to many people whom God clearly desires to bring into His Kingdom. But because of the absence of love in so many traditional Christian teachings regarding us, many have been alienated from the Body of Christ, completely convinced that all the Bible says about us is we will perish in hell. And our parents are convinced, and our society is convinced, and our world’s governments are convinced…but that’s not what the Bible teaches. I would encourage anyone who adheres to this traditional mindset of rejecting people from God’s House of Prayer simply because of our sexual identity to realize that it only amplifies the hopelessness that keeps so many away from God. If only we had the opportunity to accept Jesus and worship in God’s house of prayer for all people. But if it’s blind Church Shepherds themselves who cause gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people to turn away from God, then who is God going to hold accountable? The Church Shepherds! I believe this is why the Holy Spirit is showing us clear, solid, Biblical truths that promises redemption for “whosoever” believes, and how Scriptures show us that Church Shepherds bear the responsibility to reach ALL of God‘s children. Any teaching that is absent of love is not conducive to creating an opportunity for people to come to Christ. It fails to reach out to save that one lost sheep. It presents the Body of Christ as hypocritical, judgmental, and temperamental, and therefore, paints a picture of God in their minds Who is the same. Any teaching that is absent of love is also absent of power, and absent of anointing from the Holy Spirit. It goes completely against everything Christ and His forgiving nature stood for. I hope to lovingly remind everyone that the Bible says that those who teach it bring upon themselves that which Christ has already warned us against in Matthew 25:31-46: 31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; 33 And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left. 34 Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me, 36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me. 37 Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You? 39 And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You? 40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. 41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care. 44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? 45 And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me. 46 Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life. These scriptures present clear contrasts for all who would espouse teachings that would push people away from the Lord, instead of drawing them close enough to us with our kindness and love for God to call them by His Spirit into His kingdom! In Luke 15, we see three awesome declarations of Christ that teach us to bring in all the children of God...even those who don’t seem to deserve it: 1 Now the tax collectors and [notorious and especially wicked] sinners were all coming near to [Jesus] to listen to Him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering and indignantly complaining, saying, This man accepts and receives and welcomes [preeminently wicked] sinners and eats with them. 3 So He told them this parable: 4 What man of you, if he has a hundred sheep and should lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness (desert) and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his [own] shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he gets home, he summons together [his] friends and [his] neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance. 8 Or what woman, having ten [silver] drachmas [each one equal to a day's wages], if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and look carefully and diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she summons her [women] friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the silver coin which I had lost. 10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins). 11 And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons; 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them. 13 And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living. 14 And when he had spent all he had, a mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want. 15 So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs. 16 And he would gladly have fed on and filled his belly with the carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better]. 17 Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants. 20 So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently]. 21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]! 22 But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet. 23 And bring out that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us revel and feast and be happy and make merry, 24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry. 25 But his older son was in the field; and as he returned and came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And having called one of the servant [boys] to him, he began to ask what this meant. 27 And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed that [wheat-fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and well. 28 But [the elder brother] was angry [with deep-seated wrath] and resolved not to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him, 29 But he answered his father, Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never disobeyed your command. Yet you never gave me [so much as] a [little] kid, that I might revel and feast and be happy and make merry with my friends; 30 But when this son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you have killed for him that [wheat] fattened calf! 31 And the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was fitting to make merry, to revel and feast and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found! What an awesome teaching about the power of forgiveness! As the traditional teaching that says those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender are especially wicked sinners continues to keep at bay those who may otherwise enter into the kingdom of heaven, I believe the Body of Christ has shirked our responsibility to preach the Gospel to "every living creature, and fails to follow Jesus' command in verse 4 above which tells us, and “go after the one that is lost until we find them.” Jesus knew it wouldn’t be easy, but the rewards are so great and the stakes are so high as we see in verse 7 above “there will be joy in heaven over one especially wicked person who repents, changes his mind, abhors his errors and misdeeds and determines to enter upon a better course of life.” Who of us, as Believers, have not done that? Who of us have the angels NOT rejoiced over? All of heaven roars in thunderous triumph whenever even one of the King’s children returns home! Just as the Prodigal Son, at some point, we all “come to our senses, and come to Jesus.” He doesn’t question our sins. He forgives them! He did it for you! And He will do it for Church Shepherds who see the errors of traditional Christian teaching, and turn again to the Scriptures that help move the Church in a new and more productive direction, for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Won’t you be part of God doing it for someone else? Friends, the time for us to act is now! I believe the Body of Christ should continue to open its arms and hearts and minds and receive into the Kingdom of Heaven those who have been isolated by short-sighted traditional teachings. Please also understand that I do not think of those who identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgender are necessarily “especially wicked sinners.” If they are without God, they are as lost as anyone else who is without God. Many GLBT people believe in God today, but there were Pharisee attitudes then, and in some churches, there are today. But thank God that is changing! Like many heterosexual Christians, many GLBT Believers wish to have more than just a belief in God. Many of us desire to serve Him. Many of us are in need of fellowship with other believers who can help us find our divine destiny and best purpose in life. But the Body of Christ has not always been ready to help us. We have to realize that the issues that divide us are not sent from God, but from the real enemy: Satan himself, as we learn in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6: 3 For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), 6 Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete. I believe that is because the enemy doesn’t want us to reach out to the lost. He doesn’t want the Church to change and continue to learn, or to become brave enough to correct Herself. He never has, and he uses people (sometimes even preachers) to inflict the trauma, strife, anger, division, negative self-images, broken spirits, confusion, misguided teachings, the pain of abuse and any other weapon that goes into creating the fractured environment the Church finds Herself in today. I admit I don’t have all the answers. All I know is what I have light on at this time, and I share it with you believing that you will receive it in the manner in which it is given. I believe that we are born with our sexual orientation but that we have the opportunity to choose to embrace lifelong celibacy or marriage, just like heterosexual believers. I do not believe that we can change from identifying as homosexual to someone who identifies as heterosexual. However, I do believe that God can help us all identify as the righteousness of God in Christ, and as holy, consecrated, forgiven, and set apart for His use and His kingdom’s purposes for our lives and those He puts in our paths to bless. When it comes to sexual sin, it’s also important to realize that all people have some sexual sin in their lives at some point. Some have committed adultery, some fornication, some premarital sexual relations, some have engaged in and are addicted to pornography. But thank God that He forgives all who repent! There’s no getting around it: fornication is any sexual relations outside of marriage. This would include heterosexual men engaging in homosexual acts of sexual impurity. These acts, in fact, are the ones the Scriptures admonish against and are always addressed to heterosexual married men who were engaged in acts of idolatry, or trying to avoid adultery charges by committing violent sexual acts against other men as a “side step” around adultery, as if “it didn’t count if it was with another man.” Yet many Church Shepherds continue to point to these Scriptures to condemn people to hell before we even step foot inside a church door. That is not what Christ taught us to do, nor is it conducive to brining in new souls for the Kingdom. Instead, it sets up a road block to those of us who love God and are attempting to enter into His Kingdom…just as we are. But it’s nothing new, and Jesus and Paul both refer to this practice in various Scriptures that we’ll explore in depth in later chapters. As you ponder these Biblically inspired assertions, think of something else that the Body of Christ has not always unanimously agreed on: the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. There has been as great amount of misunderstanding as to the scriptural basis for receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, as there have been reasonings and theories as to the causes of homosexual and transgender identity. But thank God we have new light! Thank God the Body of Christ is beginning to see that traditional teaching on the subjects of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and of the worthiness of salvation for those who identify gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people have both proven ineffective. The Body of Christ has made great strides in faith, as the Holy Spirit has “revealed all truth to us”, so that we prepare the Body of Christ as the Glorious Church for which He is returning, but we still have a long way to go, and it’s going to require us to exemplify the inclusive nature of God in order to fulfill His plan to provide a House of Prayer for all people. For years, strife, divisiveness, disagreement, and lack of knowledge have been the devices that the forces of darkness have deployed against the Body of Christ to keep us separated as a people. But we are to be wise as serpents. We have to stay one step ahead of the enemy at all times…even when he invades our congregations and pulpits. We have to develop and share spiritual warfare strategies that bring to bear all the forces of heaven against the darkness that attempts to overtake us in every area of life…even those that exist in Church. Believers and non-believers may both be hostile to what they see in the Word of God when first approached with new information. Through traditional teachings, many people have become so comfortable in their understanding of the things and ways of God, that they have become unwilling to accept any new light from His Word, and unfortunately are not yet receiving God’s best. Proverbs 2:4-6 reminds us: 4 If you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God. For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. I hope you will allow your heart to be softened before God right now, and simply receive what God would show you as you read Ephesians 4. I believe that if you do, you will have come to realize that regardless of how we feel, what we have been taught, or what we may think in our own limited human understanding, faith in God was the key factor in sealing us to Christ, no matter what! He gave us the courage to take our first tentative steps into His glorious light of truth, love, peace, joy! He has set our feet on a path into our true destinies and purposes. He has strengthened us to share our testimonies and understandings of how He is using our past to build our future for His glory and for His Kingdom’s sake! May the words from the Apostle Paul in Ephesians, Chapter 4 encourage us all to press in to the greater things life has to offer when God’s House of Prayer is a House of Prayer for ALL people! 1 I therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service, 2 Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another. 3 Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace. 4 [There is] one body and one Spirit--just as there is also one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received-- 5 [There is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of [us] all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all], pervading all and [living] in [us] all. 7 Yet grace (God's unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ's [rich and bounteous] gift. 8 Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [He led a train of vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men. 9 [But He ascended?] Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from [the heights of] heaven into [the depths], the lower parts of the earth? 10 He Who descended is the [very] same as He Who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things (the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest). 11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. 12 His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church), 13 [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. 14 So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead. 15 Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 16 For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love. 17 So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds. 18 Their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart [to the insensitiveness of their moral nature]. 19 In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless and have abandoned themselves [a prey] to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every form of impurity [that their depraved desires may suggest and demand]. 20 But you did not so learn Christ! 21 Assuming that you have really heard Him and been taught by Him, as [all] Truth is in Jesus [embodied and personified in Him], 22 Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; 23 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], 24 And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another.) 26 When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. 27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]. 28 Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. 29 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin). 31 Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). 32 And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you! Frequently Offered Explanations: In double checking my interpretations of these Scriptures, I have participated in various focus groups, some made of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and some that were comprised entirely of heterosexual, fundamental, and Evangelical Christians who vehemently oppose the eunuch Scriptures as foundational truths from the Bible. Listed here are the most commonly offered explanations as to who the Born Eunuchs in Scriptures were, and follow up responses that I have found continue to either be ignored or otherwise go unanswered. I hope it helps to prepare those who are gay Christians to understand what they will come up against when explaining these passages to fellow (and often times hostilely opposed) fundamental and/or evangelical Christians: FOUNDATIONAL SCRIPTURE: (Isaiah 55:11-56:8) So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name of renown, for an everlasting sign [of jubilant exaltation] and memorial [to His praise], which shall not be cut off. Thus says the Lord: Keep justice, do and use righteousness (conformity to the will of God which brings salvation), for My salvation is soon to come and My righteousness My rightness and justice) to be revealed. Blessed, happy, and fortunate is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold of it and binds himself fast to it, who keeps sacred the Sabbath so as not to profane it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, The Lord will surely separate me from His people. And let not the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths and choose the things which please Me and hold firmly My covenant-- To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial and a name better [and more enduring] than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord to minister to Him and to love the name of the Lord and to be His servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath so as not to profane it and who holds fast My covenant [by conscientious obedience]— All these I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord God, Who gathers the outcasts of Israel: I will gather yet others to [Israel] besides those already gathered. “You cannot apply an Old Testament prophecy regarding eunuchs to those of the Church today.” RESPONSE: While I agree that Christians do not come under the Law of Moses as outlined in Exodus 21 through the end of Deuteronomy, we cannot claim to ignore ALL the Old Testament prophets that point to the advent of Christ, which proves to all Christians that Christ was indeed the right man on the cross. Even Christ Himself said and all things that are written about the Son of Man through and by the prophets will be fulfilled. (Luke 18:31). This is especially true of Isaiah 53-56 which not only includes Isaiah's prophecies regarding Jesus Christ but also God's prophecy that demands His House will be a house of prayer for all people in Isaiah 56. Further, this was the same passage of Scripture Philip read to the Ethiopian Eunuch when converting him to Christianity in Acts 8:29-40 in the only account of Christian evangelism that God saw fit to include in the entirety of His Word. Also, it's important to realize that Christ cannot return to the earth until all prophecies are fulfilled, including Isaiah 55:11-56:8. “Born eunuchs are "dedicated from birth for the kingdom of God" RESPONSE: If this was true, why then would God in Isaiah 56 say that only the eunuchs who keep the Sabbath sacred, choose the things that please Him, and take firm hold of His Covenant (Jesus Christ) would be acceptable in His House of Prayer for ALL People? If these born eunuchs were born "dedicated to the kingdom of God, it borders on saying that these eunuchs had no need of repentance, and that ALL eunuchs would be included in God's House of Prayer for ALL People, without the qualifications God lays out. “You cannot twist Scripture to justify the sin of homosexuality and being born eunuch is no license to sin homosexually” RESPONSE: AGREED! However, it is not a twisting of Scripture that I believe leads to confusion over this issue, but a lack of Church teaching on who Born Eunuchs are. Even a born eunuch is given no license to sin, and none are born sinless, or none would be required to "keep the Sabbath sacred, choose the things that please God and take firm hold of His Covenant" as God said would be necessary for those included in His House of Prayer for ALL People. I hope this encourages all Christians to continue to study this subject, that we can ensure that the Church Herself does not present a stumbling block to the return of Jesus Christ, and that for the sake of our traditions (the rules handed down by our forefathers), that we do not set aside the Word of God and thus depriving it of force and authority and making it of no effect. Matthew 15:6 So I reiterate here what I mentioned in Chapter 1: Born eunuchs could not have been heterosexual, or Jesus would not have exempted from the heterosexual marriage model, and in such a glaringly obvious fashion, saying, “Not all men can accept this saying," and finishing by saying, "let him who can accept this accept it." After exploring and studying the eunuch Scriptures for nearly 30 years since first hearing about them in a Sunday School class, I continue to pose these questions: If the "born eunuchs" of the Bible that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 19:11-12 are *not* the same as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people today, then who are they, and how do we get them to church in order to make God's House a House of Prayer for ALL People? (Isaiah 56:1-8) Why is the church not actively seeking out the offerings and sacrifices that God promises to accept from eunuchs on His altar? (Isaiah 56:6) Why is the church not a House of Prayer for all people already? (Isaiah 56:7) Why is the ban against eunuchs in the congregation put in place by Moses (Deut. 23:1) and then overturned by God (Isaiah 56:1-8) and Jesus (Matthew 19:11-12), with proof of the ban being overturned with the baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch? (Acts 8:29-40) Why does the Body of Christ not teach on eunuchs when they are so vitally important to fulfilling a prophecy from God Himself? (Isaiah 56:1-8) Why did Jesus even bother mentioning eunuchs in Matthew 19:11-12? Who are the people Paul laments to Timothy would be "forbid to marry" in the last days if he is not referring to gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people in 1 Timothy 4:1-5? Who are the "unmarried people and widows" Paul says should get married in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 even after he re-affirmed heterosexual marriage, if they are not the same as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people of today? When providing an answer, it must be one definition of "born eunuchs" that fits in each reference to eunuchs from these passages, because all these references come from the same two Scriptures (Matthew 19:11-12 and Isaiah 56:1-8). In order for an answer to remain Scripturally accurate, these eunuchs must have been born incapable of heterosexual marriage, and they must have been excluded from the congregation of the Lord at some point between the time Moses wrote Deuteronomy 23:1 where he bans eunuchs in the congregation, and 700-750 BC when God prophecies through Isaiah that the eunuch ban would be overturned, and eunuchs would once again be granted access to the congregation of the Lord.
