The days in which we live
By Jack Baker
If we give serious thought to the matter, surely we will agree that this century is witnessing an onslaught against the Christian gospel in the westernised world such as has never been seen before. I do not mean to suggest that there have been no previous attacks on the gospel – and with equal ferocity. What I mean is that the present attack is different.
Satan hates the Gospel. He is its implacable foe. Throughout the ages he has vented his spite against the Church. He was the instigator of the fires in the days of the Reformation; he fanned the flames of the Romish Inquisition, and USSR, Chinese and other communist persecutions. Satan is the author of evolutionary theory (presented by such “nice” men) and Higher Criticism. His venom was then directed at the bodies of the Lord’s people. But evolution and Higher Criticism marked a change in his approach and we are seeing the beginning of an evil harvest.
We live in a day when men are calling evil good, and good evil. The atheist or agnostic of an earlier generation seemed quite content to proceed on his path of unbelief and accord us the freedom to do as we wished, but not now. Now the atheist/agnostic/humanist is aggressive in his unbelief and he has an agenda. His aim is the destruction of all that we hold dear, that for which our forebears died.
The first stage was to persuade men to doubt the veracity of Scripture, and evolution and Higher Criticism are well suited to his purpose. Some surprising men conceded to evolutionary theory. I am aware of three: Dr G. Campbell Morgan in his Categorical Imperatives of the Christian Faith: chapter 2, “The Full and Final Authority of the Bible,” he wrote,
In the first sentence of Genesis we have the record how God of the universe restored the earth after catastrophe had overwhelmed it, the details of which are not given. Having completed the restoration, He said “Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.” Now I want to see this being in the universe. That the God of the universe says He will create, and I see him appear. There he stands, primitive man, an original creation, garden-conditioned. I am now keen to watch that being, and know where he proceeds. But before I am through with the story, I find that the first personality is not man. That is only the male, and man is not completed until woman is by his side.
Arthur Pink: Exposition of the Gospel of John published by Zondervan 1975, page 19, This earth of ours is old, how old we do not know, possibly millions of years.
A.A. Hodge: Evangelical Theology (paperback) published by The Banner of Truth 1976, page 141,
“In the beginning” — in the absolute beginning, which marks the emergence of time out of eternity, which marks the first step in the order of creation under
the conditions of time and space — “In the beginning God created,” gave origin, being, to all the elements out of which the stellar universe is formed. First it is the great Eternal; afterward you have “chaos”.
Hodge, subsequently it seems to me, favours a gradual creation, rather than in “six days, and all very good.”
These men were sound evangelical exegetes and their writings grace our book shelves, but they, for whatever reason, gave ground. The one who stood firm was C.H. Spurgeon, he stood almost alone, and it brought about his premature death.
So we live at a time when evolution and Higher Criticism hold sway. The reasons are not hard to discover. The evolutionist, atheist, leftist apologist has targeted our schools, our universities, libraries, the media – especially the broadcast media and films, the law, the social services, the established church, and the Civil Service and with good success. I am not suggesting that all staff in these bodies are left wing atheists – but many are and they “punch above their weight.” And they make their presence felt.
Their agenda is well-targeted. They know that Christians have moral values – absolutes. We believe in the family unit, obedient children, sexual morality, marriage between one man and one woman for life, creation, purity, modest clothing, and patriotism. None of these were attacked first, it was much more subtle. Consider the homosexual issue – the first step was to argue that what people did in private was for them alone, so the law was changed to allow consenting adults follow their inclinations. We are not there now, things have moved on. If Mr. Cameron has his way marriage between man and man (or woman and woman) will be on the statute book, and woe betide any Church refusing to provide a ceremony.
Who would have thought that in 2012 owners of a private Bed and Breakfast establishment would be fined large sums of money for refusing to allow homosexual activity in what is their home? One must ask, what about the human rights of the B&B owners? We used to give a wry smile over “political correctness” (PC), not now. We have “house husbands,” fire-fighters, women priests (priestesses?) [at least when we get a woman bishop we will see a lady with her head covered!] no policemen, no headmasters, no postmen, the WAAF, the WRNS and the ATS are gone; though we do have manholes! – all are soldiers, sailors or air persons – I suppose. Similarly clothing and hair are “unisex.” All this has blurred the God-given distinction between a man and a woman. And set the scene for worse to follow.
In our schools the attack on Christian values has started. Sex “education” is mandatory, and for little children, these little ones must be taught about homosexuality. Do not think that independent Christian schools will evade this net – they will be made to teach the DoE syllabus. The support literature for this, paid out of taxpayer’s money, is fearsome. A report in The Daily Telegraph of 19 November 2012 says it all, it is headed “Teachers risk sack over gay marriage” and continues,
Primary school teachers could face the sack for refusing to promote same-sex marriage if it becomes law, a minister [Liz Truss] has signalled … Parents who object to it being taught would also have no right to withdraw children from lessons, he [barrister Aidan O’Neill] argued … One scenario he looked at was if a primary school asked a teacher to use a book called King & King, a story of a prince who marries a man … Mr O’Neill concluded “If the teacher refused to obey the otherwise lawful instructions of her employers then this would constitute grounds for her dismissal from employment.”
Remember, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). The Jesuits are aware that if one can indoctrinate a child in his early years then this will affect his entire life. So too do our present educationalists.
Do not think, as a Christian, you will be able to teach in school – any school – and avoid these issues. You will not, you will toe the line – or else. The agenda is the destruction of all things Christian, and the weapons are, even as you read this, being forged. We have an implacable enemy who hates the Gospel and everything associated with it.
What can we do? The first thing is to be aware. This piece has but nibbled at the edge of things. But we must maintain Christian distinctives. Christian ladies, please dress as such, and you men, quit you like men. Do as the Christian Institute says: write to your MP. He wants your vote; tell him he may lose it.
Then, recall godly King Hezekiah. He seemed about to lose all to Sennacherib, so he prays,
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only. Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.’ (2 Kings 19:15–20).
Hezekiah’s God is our God. He does not change, He will hear our prayer. Let us be aware of the danger, and spread the matter before Jehovah as Hezekiah did.