Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Conversations in "C"

Matthew 19:12
 
12For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their  mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.
 
What is a eunuch? The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary says that a eunuch is a castrated man. In ancient times, including times of our dear Queen Esther, men were castrated so they could focus on the task assigned by the king and not be distracted by their physical organs. But the focus on the last part, "eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake," is where we are. God gave this to me last week but said to wait. And then of course Pope Francis addressed the issue of celibacy.  For essentially a eunuch is celibate. Yes, the conversation the church often avoids.
 
In the Protestant church, ministers and pastors are not restricted from marriage. Actually, they are often encouraged. Some churches prefer not to employ pastors for their church if they are not married. Why? Because they are seen as power figures and the women in the church who unfortunately lack self-control and have not been delivered from the spirit of lust, go after them. The women become Satan's tool in attempting to find a weakness in the pastor or spiritual leader that can shift his focus. The enemy's objective is, " if he can get the leader then he can take the flock." This is not to obstruct a spiritual leader from responsibility, it is just to describe a most common and very real situation. There is no rule that says leaders of the church cannot marry. As a matter of fact, deacons and overseers are described as, "having one wife" in Titus. But Jesus spoke of those who are eunuchs for heaven's sake. The apostle Paul addressed this issue in 1Corinithians 7 because there were some who sought marriage as though it were the greater of situations. The NKJV Study Bible translation notes the apostle Paul was saying that celibacy or circumcision was not less spiritual than marriage. Yes, marriage was the first relationship God created between humans but it does not mean that being single is bad. The apostle Paul was saying that being single allows one to focus on the desire of God and the kingdom of heaven which is what Jesus said above. However, ANYONE who is unmarried and a follower of Christ is called to celibacy unless they are married for that is your "reasonable sacrifice" as said in Romans 12. The apostle Paul also wanted  to address those who seem to lack self-control. Those that do must be married so their passions do not overtake them. In 1Corinithians 6 the apostle Paul illustrates what happens when passions overtake a person. You end up becoming one flesh and spirit with someone like a prostitute. I saw a picture demonstrated on Facebook of a man sleeping with a woman who looked dead. Thought extremely gross, It was used as an analogy for those who have sex with someone who God did not call to them and who is by all accounts, spiritually dead. For if every person saw the spirit of the one they physically desired before lying down with them, they may have second thoughts because that's what they would become inside. Hosea 4:6 says for my people perish for a lack of knowledge. Many perish because they are caught on conversations in "C" or celibacy.
 
Be blessed!

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