Acts 8:26 - 40

[RickyZ]

Acts 8:26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[SUP]a[/SUP] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[SUP]b[/SUP]

34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37][SUP]c[/SUP] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.


This morning Pastor covered this passage, saying the eunuch was the transgender of Phillip's time. He said this eunuch returned to Ethiopia and evangelized the country, making the point that if God can use a transgender person to spread His word then He will. I see his point but at the same time I see a huge question mark. Has anyone else ever heard of what happened the eunuch after his baptism? Or that God will use people given to sin to spread His word?

 

[Blain]

I haven't heard of what happened to him afterwards but I also never considered him to be transgender either so maybe I am missing a few pieces of the story lol.

But as to your question of God using people given into sin let's discuss the gays for a second. I know a few Christians who struggle as a gay, it is a thorn in their sides that they have asked and prayed for God to get rid of many many times and are often times getting looks from other Christians when they are told about their sexual thoughts they struggle with.

They have been told all about immorality and sexual sin it's a constant thing they are told and yet they can never get these thoughts out of their head, you wouldn't know these people were gay unless they told you and lots of people have even bragged about them being so passionate for god and they have helped save many people mainly children as they work in several day cares sometimes. They sometimes come to me asking for prayer to help get rid of these sexual feelings they have and fight against and sometimes ask me why god will not take it away and why they were given such thoughts to begin with.

My response to them was often times satan see and knows a powerful warrior of God and so will do all he can to oppress the workmanship of that warrior even before birth he can see these things about a person. You were burdened with immoral and abnormal sexual desires to make you less effective as a believer and perhaps the reason you have not had it taken away is the same reason I was given a life of pain and suffering utter rejection. Maybe you were given a thorn at your side for the sole purpose of God using this thorn to help others who have known the same.

The fact you know the pain and trials of having such thoughts and yet still live for god with a fire that i have only rarely seen in others even the most self declared dedicated of Christians means that you can help encouraged and guide others who struggle like this as well. This was six months ago that this conversation happened and since then i hear they have began their own ministry to help people who struggle with immoral sexual problems and have been very successful in helping to not only save people but have helped them to grow in love and in Christ at an abnormal rate.

Sooooo ya i would say God can use just about any kind of person

 

[88]

Acts 8:26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[SUP]a[/SUP] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[SUP]b[/SUP]

34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37][SUP]c[/SUP] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.


This morning Pastor covered this passage, saying the eunuch was the transgender of Phillip's time. He said this eunuch returned to Ethiopia and evangelized the country, making the point that if God can use a transgender person to spread His word then He will. I see his point but at the same time I see a huge question mark. Has anyone else ever heard of what happened the eunuch after his baptism? Or that God will use people given to sin to spread His word?

*** he was not a transgender*** they castrated the man so he wouldn't mess with the queen...

 

[MattforJesus]

Isa 56:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
Isa 56:5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Mat 19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

I do not believe that the Ethiopian man being a eunuch has anything to do with being transgender,for the description Jesus gave concerning eunuchs does not describe an eunuch as transgender,but some were born that way,some were made like that of men,possibly so they could not procreate,and others were eunuchs for the kingdom of God's sake,which could mean for the purpose of abstaining from fornication,or not castrated,but staying unmarried.

eunouchos
yoo-noo'-khos
From εὐνή eunē (a bed) and G2192; a castrated person (such being employed in Oriental bed chambers); by extension an impotent or unmarried man; by implication a chamberlain (state officer): - eunuch.

It can also mean an impotent person,or unmarried man.

It appears as if it is only a story of a person being saved,or else telling us that even an eunuch can be saved,which God mentions in the Old Testament that even if a eunuch takes hold of his covenant they will benefit as much as any other person,which at that time God is talking when the New Covenant goes in to effect.

But I do not believe it has anything to do with the person being transgender,and spreading that to the transgenderites giving them the good news.

 

[RickyZ]

That's what I was thinking, eunuchs are castrated or born that way. I thought it was odd that the Pastor would associate him with being transgender and wondered if anyone else had heard that interpretation and story. I'll have to ask him where he got his information.