A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Over recent months the tragedy and wickedness of paedophile priests within the Roman Catholic Church have caused great concern and distress to many people. It has also allowed some to attack Christianity in general, and many who once adhered to a Christian Church have become disillusioned. Now this week the matter has begun to cast an accusing finger at the Pope himself. What the true facts are I do not know and it would be improper to make any accusations.
What I do know is that the practice of celibacy has always meant that sexual sins and improprieties have surrounded the Church of Rome. It was so at the time of the Reformation and because it was well-known it enabled the Reformers by their highly disciplined and moral living to show the difference between two radically distinct systems of belief. The same issues have recurred down the centuries since, especially when Roman priests have been converted and have left Rome. On the radio John Humphrys raised this very issue with a Vatican spokesman who tactfully avoided the question. Celibacy is not taught in Scripture and constitutes one of those areas where the Church of Rome deviates from God’s Word.
Some will consider it out of order to be raising such an issue. But it is a matter of great significance to be stressing continually the difference between the Gospel as taught in Scripture and the serious misrepresentations that take place in some nominally Christian groupings. I am not setting ourselves and Evangelicals up as some sort of paragons of virtue: Sadly we also fall very short of the standards we ought to attain, and incidences of sexual failure are too frequent within Evangelical churches. As far as I can determine, however, the statistical reality is that the Church of Rome does have a higher incidence.
What this shows is that departure from the clear teachings of the Bible bring with them serious dangers and threats. I grieve over what I see and hear happening among Catholic priests. The lives of many young boys have been seriously damaged, the lives of the priests involved have been ruined, and, worst of all, the name and honour of Jesus Christ has been besmirched. These are awesome things.
This week we also saw the US Episcopal Church continue its headlong march away from Biblical standards. This Church has controversially approved the consecration of its first openly lesbian bishop. The Revd. Mary Glasspool, who is in a same-sex relationship, will be consecrated as the Assistant Bishop of Los Angeles on 15th May. This will have further dramatic impact on the world-wide Anglican communion. But even more serious it will lead to further accusations against Christianity about its supposed intolerance and hypocrisy. So the name of Christ will be dishonoured further. The fact is that the US Episcopal Church has seriously departed from the plain teaching of the Bible. The outcome will be division and hurt, with many faithful believers feeling utterly let down by this conduct.
The issue of homosexuality and civil partnerships is undoubtedly a difficult one for Christians. This week also saw a controversial new ‘homophobic hatred’ law come into effect. Religious liberty will be protected by a free speech shield included in the law. Critics of the original proposal feared that disagreeing with same-sex conduct may have been caught by the new offence, but Conservative peer Lord Waddington tabled an amendment to protect free speech. We should thank God for that preservation of some right to free speech.
Nonetheless, the Government was opposed to Lord Waddington’s amendment, and no doubt if re-elected they will pursue this once again. The bleak reality is that we are living in a society where to hold to Biblical truth will get us into trouble. We have seen over the last few days this happening. A Christian couple, Mike and Susanne Wilkinson, who own a bed and breakfast refused to allow a homosexual couple to share a room in their home. The homosexual pair are now considering taking legal action claiming unlawful discrimination.
Here then is the dilemma for Christians who wish to be faithful to Christ and His Word of truth. On the one hand we see the terrible effects of ‘Christian’ churches departing from the plain teaching of the Bible, and on the other we see our society adopting laws and attitudes which make faithfulness to what God has said increasingly costly. And Christ is being marginalised in our land because of these things.
Should we be surprised? I hope not! It is exactly what the Bible said would happen – look at John 15:18-27 and Acts 20:29-32. What is the answer? Well, we have it in those passages. Paul talks about the word of God’s grace which “can build you up”. That is what we need – to be strengthened by this word from which others are departing. It is by the public preaching and teaching of the Bible that believers will become strong and will learn of the glories of their salvation. Then they will be eager to stand for the Truth because it will be so precious to them. Jesus points to another great asset that Christians have – the Spirit of Truth. He speaks of Christ and enables believers to do the same. There can be no doubt, although I wonder if anyone actually believes me when I say it, that the greatest need of our hour is the outpouring of the Spirit. But even now we have that same Spirit within us and, as we are obedient to Him and the word of Truth, He will enable us to testify to the Lord as mankind’s only hope.