The Prime Minister and Christianity
A recent gathering of church leaders in Downing Street heard David Cameron speak about his faith and the importance of Britain’s status as “a Christian country” – unlike his predecessor, Tony Blair, who shunned commenting on Christianity. Mr Cameron stated, “Some people feel that, in this ever-more-
secular age, we shouldn’t talk about these things. I completely disagree.” Many who read reports of the speech, and a subsequent article in the Church Times, were rather surprised by his remarks, considering his record on a variety of moral issues in Parliament. And a group of prominent humanists were stirred up to write a letter to The Daily Telegraph complaining bitterly that his words “fostered alienation and division in our society”.
So should Christians be encouraged by the Prime Minister’s pronouncements? Does this indicate a sea change in his attitude towards the moral decline in our nation? Sadly the opposite seems to be the case, and “if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for the battle” (1 Cor 14:8). Indeed for Cameron there is no battle, at least not a true spiritual one.
Mr Cameron does challenge the current secular philosophy by saying, “People who advocate some sort of secular neutrality fail to grasp the consequences of that neutrality, or the role that faith can play in helping people to have a moral code”. But he then somewhat negates this by adding, “Of course, faith is neither necessary nor sufficient for morality”. He highlights the historical charitable tradition promoted by Christianity in the UK, stating, “I welcome the efforts of all those who help to feed, clothe and house the poorest in our society. For generations, much of this work has been done by Christians.” He states too that he personally has felt the healing power of the Church’s pastoral care, possibly alluding to the death of his son. Also his children attend a Church of England school.
He urges us, as a people, to be “more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people’s lives”, but adds, “Being more confident . . . as a Christian country does not somehow involve doing down other faiths or passing judgement on those with no faith at all”. His view of Christianity would tolerate all faiths. God’s Word certainly teaches us to love our fellow sinners of all faiths and none, but tells us clearly that Christianity is unique; Jesus is the only Saviour. He said, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (Jn 14:6).
“I am a member of the Church of England, and, I suspect, a rather classic one.” he adds lamely, “not that regular in attendance and a bit vague on some of the more difficult parts of the faith.” And his confusion increases: “Some fault the Church of England for perceived woolliness when it comes to belief. I am not one for doctrinal purity and I don’t believe it is essential for evangelism.” However, he does not appear to understand that the absence of doctrinal purity leaves no basis for evangelism. The very word then becomes meaningless, as are many others, including marriage, in David Cameron’s hands. The word Christian itself has been devalued in a world of
increasing relativism, where it is considered unimportant what one believes as long as one is sincere.
It would appear from his comments that Mr Cameron’s Christianity has much to do with “good works” and includes a great deal of sentimentality towards the Church of England. “I deeply respect its national role, and I appreciate its liturgy and the architecture and cultural heritage of its churches,” he explains, adding, “My parents spent countless hours helping to support and maintain the village church that I grew up next to.” He has a great veneration for the “medieval masterpieces that take your breath away with their beauty, simplicity, and serenity”, but there seems to be no mention of the fundamentals of the Christian faith – sin, and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Some organisations, such as Christian Concern, suggest that his speech was motivated by a desire to regain support lost through controversial issues such as same-sex “marriage”. Whether that is so or not, it is clear that we desperately need God to raise up those in high places who would rule in the fear of the Lord and be a means of blessing, under Him, in making the United Kingdom a truly Christian nation once more. KHM
The Commonwealth Games and the Sabbath
We are seriously concerned about the ungodly decision of the Commonwealth Games Federation (as supported by the Scottish and Westminster Governments) to profane the Christian Sabbath during the Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow this summer. This is a direct breach of the Fourth Commandment, “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day, and hallowed it.” (Ex 20:8-11).
This major sporting event is due to involve 6500 competitors and numerous officials from 70 countries; more than a billion people are expected to watch. These Games provided an opportunity for the organisers, before the gaze of the world, to designate the Sabbath as a distinct day of rest from ordinary competition and to promote Sabbath-keeping according to the biblical command. Instead they are determined to desecrate the holy Sabbath and risk God’s wrath against the host nation.
In appointing the second Sabbath of the Games as the day of the closing ceremony, the organisers intend to celebrate the achievements of human beings rather than the redemptive sacrifice of Christ for His people and His
resurrection from the dead. Previous generations of Christians who endeavoured to keep the Sabbath believed that “the whole day is to be celebrated as holy to the Lord, both in public and private,” and that there is to “be an holy . . . resting all that day from unnecessary labours; and an abstaining, not only from all sports and pastimes, but also from all worldly words and thoughts” (The Directory for the Public Worship of God).
In His Word, the Lord clearly directs everyone to remember the Sabbath, and to keep it holy unto Himself. It is an evidence of the gross declension and the spiritual evil of the present day that the organisers are, in effect, advocating that the holy Sabbath be disregarded and polluted. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov 14:12). With this in view, we would warn against any involvement whatever with the Sabbath-breaking activities of these Games.
“If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it” (Is 58:13-14). Sabbath Observance Committee
The Free Church and the “Stations of the Cross”
A few months ago we commented on the introduction of baptism by immersion into the Free Church of Scotland. The novelties continue; in April the Free Church website announced that the minister of the Lochgilphead congregation would be taking part in a “Good Friday outreach service” to be held at the local Episcopal church.
The service consisted in meditations on what is known in High Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism as the “Stations of Cross”. About half of these “Stations”, or events which supposedly happened to Christ at the time of His crucifixion, are unbiblical; and the Free Church minister had, by a significant providence, been allotted one of the imaginary and fabulous events. “My own slot”, he said, “is a reading, prayer and short talk based on the words, ‘Jesus stumbles and falls along the way’.” Sadly, he had not remembered that the canon of Scripture closes with a curse on those who add to the Word of God: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book” (Rev 22:18).
As the Free Church proceeds on her reckless course, those who hesitate to follow are shrugged off with a superior smile. “Free Church of Scotland and changing profile? Understandably scary for many, but for the future: –
surely exciting!” tweeted the same minister after the event. Elsewhere, the Free Church website announces the appointment of “the first female chaplain” at the school in Peru supported by the Free Church. The woman is not a minister, but her title of “chaplain” is hardly a wise one in the present climate, and her appointment may prove a step towards the ordination of women.
We are reminded of the well-known words of Jonathan Edwards, that in his day “the cry was, ‘O, there is no danger, if we are but lively in religion and full of God’s Spirit and live by faith, of being misled! If we do but follow God there is no danger of being led wrong! . . . Let us press forward and not stay and hinder the good work by standing and spending time in these criticisms and carnal reasonings.’ This was the language of many, till they ran on deep into the wilderness, and were taught by the briars and thorns of the wilderness.”
DWBS
Deputy Prime Minister Endorses Call to Legalise Cannabis
A group of young people who smoked cannabis at least once a week had profound changes in the parts of the brain involved in emotion and motivation. This is one finding of a medical study published in April in the USA. In the UK also there is strong evidence that the use of cannabis by young people leads to a lower IQ and is “linked to mental illness”.
How perverse therefore is the action of the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, in endorsing a report calling for governments around the world to consider legalising cannabis. This report was produced by the London School of Economics, with support from the pro-legalisation Open Society Foundation of financier George Soros, the “well-known supporter of progressive-liberal political causes”.
It was good then that the Prime Minister, in February, rejected Mr Clegg’s call for a new approach to the drug problem and we hope that this will continue to be his response, especially as decriminalising the use of cannabis would lead to a significant worsening of the problem.
NMR
Fixed-Odds Betting Machines
A note in the March issue highlighted the proliferation of fixed-odds betting machines in betting shops and the large amounts that “customers” can very quickly gamble away. In this year’s Budget, the Government made a welcome announcement: it is raising the duty on these machines from 20% to 25%. It appears that the increase in duty is expected to have a significant effect on the use of these machines. The bookmaking chain William Hill is to close 109 shops this year as a result of the Government’s decision. William Hill said the decision to shut stores was “disappointing”. Others may be very
relieved that their husband or wife or son or daughter may now find it a little more difficult to part with their money so irresponsibly.