Since you wrote all of that and then blocked me, I have to respond to you right here, publicly and openly because you, sir, need to be addressed properly. Traditionally, a minister of JESUS CHRIST preaches the things that JESUS preached, which was a message of repentance.
JESUS said, John 3:17- 21 ~ 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
The Bible teaches clearly that we are all sinners, and that we have fallen short of the Glory of GOD (Romans 3:23). JESUS said that there are none good, but GOD (Mark 10:18). Paul explained the sinful condition of man clearly in Romans 3:9-20.
GOD commands us to repent of our sins and believe in JESUS CHRIST. Repent means to turn. To turn from unbelief to belief. From our own self-righteousness to the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST. From a life of sin to a life of Obedience. From sin and toward GOD. It is an essential part of biblical Faith. JESUS, HIMSELF, said, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” In Luke 13:3.
Sin, itself, is bondage. He who is slave to sin cannot change, for he has no power to do so. Jesus Christ died to make us Free from the bondage of sin. In the following text from Romans 6, I have added the words (past) and (Present) for clarity sake.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin (past), but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness (present).
Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity (past); even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness (present).
Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin (past), ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed (past)? for the end of those things is death (past).
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin (present), and become servants to God (present), ye have your fruit unto holiness (present), and the end everlasting life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So, this brings me back to the whole purpose of writing you back. If you are a servant of JESUS CHRIST, as you claim to be, you should not seek to Justify the very sin that JESUS CHRIST died to save us from. The Bible is not a tool used to push an agenda. It is GOD’S Infallible, Inerrant Word that ought to change us. In other words, we ought to change ourselves to conform to GOD’S Word, not change GOD’S Word to conform to our agenda.
The Bible is very clear that homosexuality and lust are sins for which JESUS died. GOD does not wish to condemn such people to hell or any people for that matter. HE sent HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, to die on The Cross, paying the price for our sin, and satisfying the Just wrath of GOD. My point here is not to say that there is any person who deserves the Love of GOD. We are sinners. GOD is Holy. It is only by HIS tender Mercy and HIS Saving Grace that we can be saved.
When GOD saves us, old things are passed away, and all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17). If you do not believe me about homosexuality being sin, I will be glad to continue this discussion with you in private or publicly if you desire.
In the meantime, I encourage you to search your heart and determine where your loyalty lies: with JESUS CHRIST and Righteousness -or- with the sins of pride and homosexuality. It cannot lie with both. It does not matter what type of sin or what degree of sin we have, JESUS says that we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily, and follow HIM.
I hope that you understand that progressive bible scholars are prone to manipulating the Scriptures to make it say what they want it to say. It really is no different from the tactics of false cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, or others. They will deny the plain teaching of Scripture and search out other texts that they can utilize, or twist, to teach a contrary position. In this case, I am referring to the justification of homosexuality by you and the writer of that article you shared in our message.
The Bible is and always has been very clear on the sin of homosexuality. GOD created man and woman as complementary sexes. In the Old Testament law, the Bible was very clearly against homosexuality. I have heard modern scholars try to explain it away by saying that it was only because it was part of false religion. While it is true, homosexuality, sodomy, and pedophilia were part of false religions, it is also true that the practices themselves were considered abominations because they are unfruitful acts, crimes against nature.
One thing that I learned a long time ago was to always read the Bible, itself, more than any commentary by others. Commentaries are simply opinions and interpretations given by man. The Bible speaks for itself. It does not need to be explained away by theologians.
If all I read is Jehovah’s witnesses commentaries, then I will likely believe as they do. If all I read is Catholic commentaries, then I will likely believe as they do. If all I read is progressive commentaries, then I will likely believe as they do. When we read the Word of GOD, we must read it with spiritual eyes instead of traditional or already learnt/taught eyes. The goal is to understand what GOD is saying, not what we want HIM to say.
As for the article you mentioned, the whole idea truly is nonsensical. The author claims that the word, “pais,” was often used for a young same-sex sexual partner. Yet he gives absolutely no evidence of this. Any Greek Scholar will tell you that the word means, “a child, servant, or slave.” Can a slave be a sex slave? Sure. Can a child be a sex slave? Sure. The word itself has nothing to do with sex. The only possible reason that the author could even hint at homosexuality in this text is to say that it was because the Centurion’s Servant “was dear to him.”
It is argued that this must refer to a homosexual man-boy relationship… What!? Really?!?!
This is the progressive bible scholar equivalent to McCarthyism. McCarthyists looked for the smallest possible hint that someone could be a communist and then pursued prosecution against those individuals with the weakest evidence. They surely convicted many normal people as “communists.”
Just because someone is “dear” to someone else does not mean there is a homosexual relationship. I Love plenty of men, but I Love them in a different way. Biblically speaking, we are commanded to Love our neighbors, and that doesn’t mean we need to sleep with them.
I want to explain to you the danger of loose interpretation, such as used in the article you mentioned, and have since deleted from our chat when you cussed me out (very godly I might add) and then blocked me. First, it would imply that JESUS gave his stamp of approval to men having child sex slaves. Second, the same exact word, “pais,” is used of JESUS’ relationship to GOD the Father.
Matthew 12:18 Behold my servant (Greek = pais), whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased:
I don’t think GOD, the Father, was referring to JESUS as his sex slave. Sex or homosexuality has absolutely nothing to do with the definition of “pais.” JESUS was the “beloved” of The Father. I don’t think GOD, the Father, and JESUS, the Son, had a Father-Son homosexual sex slave relationship.
And yet, if we follow the same loose interpretation and logic of this author, Kittredge Cherry, we could easily arrive at this conclusion.
This type of teaching is destructive and will surely lead many astray from what the Bible truly teaches. The author said, “It was just like Jesus to take someone disreputable and praise them as holy.” I don’t know what Bible she was reading, but that is not the JESUS of the Bible.
GOD says, in Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
JESUS HIMSELF said, Mark 10:18 ~ And Jesus said unto him, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
It is through repentance and Faith in JESUS CHRIST that we find the Grace of GOD. If we do not repent, we will not be saved, and we will not be changed. The Grace of GOD that saves us is the same Grace that changes us. Consider the following quote from 1 Corinthians 6:
1Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Corinthians 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you (PAST): but ye are washed (PRESENT), but ye are sanctified (PRESENT), but ye are justified (PRESENT) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
This, of course, is written to saved people within the Corinthian church. In the past, they had been thieves, drunkards, adulterers, and effeminates, and abusers with mankind (Greek = Aersenokoites = Homosexuals). After receiving JESUS CHRIST by Faith and through a repentant heart, GOD saved them and changed their identity.
They were Washed, Sanctified (set apart), and Justified (pronounced just before GOD). Their sin was not justified, it was condemned.
Finally, I want to explain to you why I am responding in this manner. As an ex-homosexual/ex-transgender/ex-pedophile/ex-sinner, I love you. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I cannot condone any false teaching. Even though you blocked me so that I could not respond, if I don’t say anything, how can I truly say that I loved you enough to speak the Truth?
Because there is something that tells me you will read this, and I am confident of that.
GOD warned us of a time when…
2Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Timothy 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Please consider the things that I am saying unto you.
Consider the following texts: Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 28:26, Proverbs 23:9, Proverbs 27:6. I have chosen to speak these things to you with the Hope that you are able to bear them, consider them, pray about them. I am a sinner saved by Grace, and I am not above receiving the counsel of others. I would rather hear the hard Truth in Love, than to receive the deceptive kisses from mine enemy.
We are living in a time when many will not endure sound doctrine and true teachings of Scripture. According to the lusts of this world, they will heap unto themselves teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. The people of this world will turn their ears away from the Truth. I urge you to not let this world make you the teacher that they want you to be, but to instead let GOD make us who HE wants us to be, according to the Truth of HIS Word.
I wish that we had more opportunity to get to know each other. I would love to hear your story, we all one ya know. I know that life is hard and tough, but GOD’S Grace is more than enough to help us overcome this world. We may not agree on everything, but I hope that we can both agree on the Authority of GOD’S Word.
So, to conclude, I ask you - “Please unblock me and continue this conversation in private, or public. Whatever you choose.” I encourage you to value those who Love you enough to tell you the Truth.
JESUS said, John 3:17- 21 ~ 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
The Bible teaches clearly that we are all sinners, and that we have fallen short of the Glory of GOD (Romans 3:23). JESUS said that there are none good, but GOD (Mark 10:18). Paul explained the sinful condition of man clearly in Romans 3:9-20.
GOD commands us to repent of our sins and believe in JESUS CHRIST. Repent means to turn. To turn from unbelief to belief. From our own self-righteousness to the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST. From a life of sin to a life of Obedience. From sin and toward GOD. It is an essential part of biblical Faith. JESUS, HIMSELF, said, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” In Luke 13:3.
Sin, itself, is bondage. He who is slave to sin cannot change, for he has no power to do so. Jesus Christ died to make us Free from the bondage of sin. In the following text from Romans 6, I have added the words (past) and (Present) for clarity sake.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin (past), but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness (present).
Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity (past); even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness (present).
Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin (past), ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed (past)? for the end of those things is death (past).
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin (present), and become servants to God (present), ye have your fruit unto holiness (present), and the end everlasting life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So, this brings me back to the whole purpose of writing you back. If you are a servant of JESUS CHRIST, as you claim to be, you should not seek to Justify the very sin that JESUS CHRIST died to save us from. The Bible is not a tool used to push an agenda. It is GOD’S Infallible, Inerrant Word that ought to change us. In other words, we ought to change ourselves to conform to GOD’S Word, not change GOD’S Word to conform to our agenda.
The Bible is very clear that homosexuality and lust are sins for which JESUS died. GOD does not wish to condemn such people to hell or any people for that matter. HE sent HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, to die on The Cross, paying the price for our sin, and satisfying the Just wrath of GOD. My point here is not to say that there is any person who deserves the Love of GOD. We are sinners. GOD is Holy. It is only by HIS tender Mercy and HIS Saving Grace that we can be saved.
When GOD saves us, old things are passed away, and all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17). If you do not believe me about homosexuality being sin, I will be glad to continue this discussion with you in private or publicly if you desire.
In the meantime, I encourage you to search your heart and determine where your loyalty lies: with JESUS CHRIST and Righteousness -or- with the sins of pride and homosexuality. It cannot lie with both. It does not matter what type of sin or what degree of sin we have, JESUS says that we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily, and follow HIM.
I hope that you understand that progressive bible scholars are prone to manipulating the Scriptures to make it say what they want it to say. It really is no different from the tactics of false cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, or others. They will deny the plain teaching of Scripture and search out other texts that they can utilize, or twist, to teach a contrary position. In this case, I am referring to the justification of homosexuality by you and the writer of that article you shared in our message.
The Bible is and always has been very clear on the sin of homosexuality. GOD created man and woman as complementary sexes. In the Old Testament law, the Bible was very clearly against homosexuality. I have heard modern scholars try to explain it away by saying that it was only because it was part of false religion. While it is true, homosexuality, sodomy, and pedophilia were part of false religions, it is also true that the practices themselves were considered abominations because they are unfruitful acts, crimes against nature.
One thing that I learned a long time ago was to always read the Bible, itself, more than any commentary by others. Commentaries are simply opinions and interpretations given by man. The Bible speaks for itself. It does not need to be explained away by theologians.
If all I read is Jehovah’s witnesses commentaries, then I will likely believe as they do. If all I read is Catholic commentaries, then I will likely believe as they do. If all I read is progressive commentaries, then I will likely believe as they do. When we read the Word of GOD, we must read it with spiritual eyes instead of traditional or already learnt/taught eyes. The goal is to understand what GOD is saying, not what we want HIM to say.
As for the article you mentioned, the whole idea truly is nonsensical. The author claims that the word, “pais,” was often used for a young same-sex sexual partner. Yet he gives absolutely no evidence of this. Any Greek Scholar will tell you that the word means, “a child, servant, or slave.” Can a slave be a sex slave? Sure. Can a child be a sex slave? Sure. The word itself has nothing to do with sex. The only possible reason that the author could even hint at homosexuality in this text is to say that it was because the Centurion’s Servant “was dear to him.”
It is argued that this must refer to a homosexual man-boy relationship… What!? Really?!?!
This is the progressive bible scholar equivalent to McCarthyism. McCarthyists looked for the smallest possible hint that someone could be a communist and then pursued prosecution against those individuals with the weakest evidence. They surely convicted many normal people as “communists.”
Just because someone is “dear” to someone else does not mean there is a homosexual relationship. I Love plenty of men, but I Love them in a different way. Biblically speaking, we are commanded to Love our neighbors, and that doesn’t mean we need to sleep with them.
I want to explain to you the danger of loose interpretation, such as used in the article you mentioned, and have since deleted from our chat when you cussed me out (very godly I might add) and then blocked me. First, it would imply that JESUS gave his stamp of approval to men having child sex slaves. Second, the same exact word, “pais,” is used of JESUS’ relationship to GOD the Father.
Matthew 12:18 Behold my servant (Greek = pais), whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased:
I don’t think GOD, the Father, was referring to JESUS as his sex slave. Sex or homosexuality has absolutely nothing to do with the definition of “pais.” JESUS was the “beloved” of The Father. I don’t think GOD, the Father, and JESUS, the Son, had a Father-Son homosexual sex slave relationship.
And yet, if we follow the same loose interpretation and logic of this author, Kittredge Cherry, we could easily arrive at this conclusion.
This type of teaching is destructive and will surely lead many astray from what the Bible truly teaches. The author said, “It was just like Jesus to take someone disreputable and praise them as holy.” I don’t know what Bible she was reading, but that is not the JESUS of the Bible.
GOD says, in Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
JESUS HIMSELF said, Mark 10:18 ~ And Jesus said unto him, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
It is through repentance and Faith in JESUS CHRIST that we find the Grace of GOD. If we do not repent, we will not be saved, and we will not be changed. The Grace of GOD that saves us is the same Grace that changes us. Consider the following quote from 1 Corinthians 6:
1Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Corinthians 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you (PAST): but ye are washed (PRESENT), but ye are sanctified (PRESENT), but ye are justified (PRESENT) in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
This, of course, is written to saved people within the Corinthian church. In the past, they had been thieves, drunkards, adulterers, and effeminates, and abusers with mankind (Greek = Aersenokoites = Homosexuals). After receiving JESUS CHRIST by Faith and through a repentant heart, GOD saved them and changed their identity.
They were Washed, Sanctified (set apart), and Justified (pronounced just before GOD). Their sin was not justified, it was condemned.
Finally, I want to explain to you why I am responding in this manner. As an ex-homosexual/ex-transgender/ex-pedophile/ex-sinner, I love you. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I cannot condone any false teaching. Even though you blocked me so that I could not respond, if I don’t say anything, how can I truly say that I loved you enough to speak the Truth?
Because there is something that tells me you will read this, and I am confident of that.
GOD warned us of a time when…
2Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Timothy 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Please consider the things that I am saying unto you.
Consider the following texts: Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 28:26, Proverbs 23:9, Proverbs 27:6. I have chosen to speak these things to you with the Hope that you are able to bear them, consider them, pray about them. I am a sinner saved by Grace, and I am not above receiving the counsel of others. I would rather hear the hard Truth in Love, than to receive the deceptive kisses from mine enemy.
We are living in a time when many will not endure sound doctrine and true teachings of Scripture. According to the lusts of this world, they will heap unto themselves teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. The people of this world will turn their ears away from the Truth. I urge you to not let this world make you the teacher that they want you to be, but to instead let GOD make us who HE wants us to be, according to the Truth of HIS Word.
I wish that we had more opportunity to get to know each other. I would love to hear your story, we all one ya know. I know that life is hard and tough, but GOD’S Grace is more than enough to help us overcome this world. We may not agree on everything, but I hope that we can both agree on the Authority of GOD’S Word.
So, to conclude, I ask you - “Please unblock me and continue this conversation in private, or public. Whatever you choose.” I encourage you to value those who Love you enough to tell you the Truth.