I was asked to "preach/teach"

So I went to a friend's church today, and was asked to give a word or two.

Of course I said no very fast, and sat back down. My friend wasn't too happy, but he understood. I had nothing to say, and I wasn't about to go and make a fool of myself in front of all these people.

It was just a bible study and discussion, but still it felt like the whole church was there!!!! 

It wasn't until it was later on that the pastor asked me to go ahead and say something that he wanted me to just work with the youth and speak directly to them. He wanted me to just answer some questions.

Let me tell you that these young kids had me sweating something serious...as soon as I got up there I felt like I was going to shit my pants. :-)

I don't know how people do it every week...I mean it isn't hard, but it is nerve racking.

One of the things that they asked me was what did I feel about the things that were in the Old Testament vs. the New Testament.

I must admit that one was pretty easy. I said that the bible speaks about how Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Law, and we had a new law with him. That the list of things in the Old Testament especially Leviticus doesn't apply to us now.

Jesus only ask that we are baptized in his name, receive the gift of the holy ghost, and basically follow in his character. Of course I said many christians are missing this last vital key and I gave some examples.

I saw the pastor give me a look so I quickly moved on. Guess I pushed some buttons. :-)

I mean it never really did since it was mainly for the religious priest of the day, but it has nothing to do with us gentiles.

So I told them eat all the pork they wanted though it wasn't all that healthy, I told to eat all the seafood they wanted, women can wear jeans, it is OK for tattoos and piercings (the old people whispered and gave me side eyes on that one.) and more. :-)

It felt like they gave me an easy one. My friend Paul was up there with me, so he took the next question. The next one I took was what I felt about the issue on oneness and what I felt about the trinity.

That was pretty easy too...I said I was raised Catholic and raised in the doctrine of the trinity my whole life, but I never really subscribed to it. There is one God and he goes by many names. He has been said to work through what people call the Holy Spirit, and he has veiled his greatness in humanity in what we call Jesus.

That is why we seek to see Jesus face, because we cannot do that with God if he is totally unveiled...it is too great for us. So I am a oneness guy because we don't serve 3 Gods. Of course there are a lot of people who believe otherwise, and use 2 bible versus to support them, but I have more than 2 to support mine, but I don't attack people.

I don't think it is right to do so...it only breeds contempt and more fighting...not something I want.

Then I got asked a big one...one that I was not prepared to tackle at all. One of the kids said he was suspended from school for gay bashing. I told him that he shouldn't have done that, and why did he think that behavior was justified.

He said the bible says so. I had to reiterate what I said earlier something that we all believe and accept today. He eventually came out and said that in his house faggots are wrong no matter what and then he went to Romans 1:26-27 to justify himself.

I had to go back and tell them that what Paul was talking about was the fact that these were people who knew better and were giving themselves over to idolatry.

These were men and women of God that knew God yet were worshiping the sun, moons, animals, and more. Pretty much what we call a hippie or witch today. Romans is talking about men and women who are giving false witness to false idols.

Something that most of us don't worry and concern themselves about, but it still goes on today.

Thankfully my friend had an parallel bible that was both the amplified and NKJV. I really do love the NKJV...breaks things into sections like little chapters or sub-heads...nice and easy.

Anyway here is that passage in both versions...I am actually going to go back 2 versus to include in it:

Romans 1:24-27 NKJV

²⁴ Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. ²⁷ Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

Romans 1:24-27 Amplified

²⁴ Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin],

²⁵ Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it).

²⁶ For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one,

²⁷ And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another—men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own ^[d]bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.

Both of these version very clearly show that this passage is about those committing adultery and for that God basically turned them from their natural to an unnatural one. Paul does talk about it in a lustful way, not in a loving and committed relationship that we all share and want to indulge in.

When you look at the words and take them literally as so many people like to and not think about the translations, and where they are coming from you actually see that there shouldn't be a problem. 

If you are straight and never had any affiliations for men, but you sleep with them then you are giving up your natural desires to be with women for men. Same goes for women.

Normally I would go into the original text and the historical context about whatever it was I was teaching so that people can see where I am coming from and why I say what I say, but I am going to take it easy on this one.


So I told the whole church that based on what the scriptures say Paul was talking about people giving to idolatry, and because of that he led them to go out and do things against who they really are. But if you were born and at the point of sexual maturity or awakening and you are a boy that really likes boys or a girl that only likes girls then you are following your natural nature. 

When Paul wrote what he wrote in Romans for it to make sense the men and women had to start out with a heterosexual nature, for them to be turned to an unnatural one. Just as in the same way a homosexual man who marries and mates with a woman is going against his nature.

Pretty straightforward to me...


After I was done I could see that most of the young kids were following and they were beginning to ask more questions and really learn. Even some of the older saints were perking up and really enjoying the talk I was giving.


Of course, there were people that didn't like it, and they voiced their objections, but I just stated what was in the bible. They really wanted to attack me, but I also said that here are somethings in the new testament that obviously most major churches are not following, and they can tell me what they think.


Here they are:

• 1 Timothy 2:9
• Now this one is up for debate on what is acceptable for women to wear, but it does clearly talk about women in jewelry, gold, pearls, braided hair, or any costly garment. I was just hanging with my friend who is COGIC and another one who is Baptist...now I am going to leave it there because I have been to their churches and special events...hell even in my church. You'd be surprised.
• Mark 10:8
• This is talking about divorce and is pretty straightforward. How many people have been married and then remarried and are in the church...no comment. Though I do believe that some couples are toxic together and it is best that they separate...just my opinion.
• 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
• Basically it says that women should keep silence in church. They are not allowed to speak and are commanded to be obedient as it says under the law. Now I don't care for this one, and I don't agree, but it is very clear on what it says. I just say thank God I am a man, and I would love to hear someone try to put my mother under their foot...especially a man. LMAO...I feel bad for whoever they are.

There are more, but honestly they are so extreme like plucking out of eyes and stuff that I would tell Paul to his face that I cannot do that. I mean it is self mutilation. Smh. :-) 

So now that I am back home it is time to get to more work, even though I am feeling like I could use a nap. Oh well...no rest for those with big goals.

Someone asked me about premaritial sex.  I looked around and all eyes and ears were on me. I said that I don't think you should be having casual sex and just throwing it around, but if you are in a serious committed adult relationship, then you can do what adults do. 

Some had a real fit and others were shocked. I said that where it says about losing your virginity in Deuteronomy 22:20-21. It is no longer relevent to us as Christians today. 

As to be expected I was told that I am now seen as a radical which to me is crazy...it is all right there. Oh well...nothing to be done about it now. Maybe this is what Van meant about being rough around the edges. 

I told them I respect their concerns, but I am not going to lie or sugarcoat...the facts are right there, and it is even more concrete when you look at the original text and the history behind it. But that is for another day.

J-Bo

P.S. Sexual orientation as we know it now is a modern idea. Back in Jesus time and before there was not sexual orientation...there was a man doing what came natural to him, and a woman doing what comes natural to her. Either you had a natural affiliation towards the same sex and you acted accordingly, or you had an affliliation towards the opposite sex and you acted accordingly. I must admit that those days do seem to be easier...but I wouldn't give up my life for nothing. :-)

P.P.S. Why is it that when the bible talks about straight love and lust, that we do not condemn a loving mature relationship? But when we see lust in a gay relationship we want to attack and ban the loving committed relationships of gay people. When I ask people this they just can't give me anything real and substantial. Where are our leaders??