CHAPLAIN’S PAGE – THE OFFENCE OF CHRIST
YOU may remember reading, last December, about the case concerning All Saints, High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire. The Church was refused permission to place a poster, advertising their Carol Service, in the town’s public library. The Council’s Community Development Librarian said that his member of staff was right not to display the poster. He (or she) said, “We have a multi-faith community and passions can be inflamed by religious issues. We don’t want to cause offence to anyone”. (What about the offence to Christians?)
This is yet another example of Political Correctness taken to extremes, and raises serious questions concerning the Protestant faith in these islands.
Shortly after the Crucifixion, dedicated men and women, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit, brought the Gospel to these shores. In 597 AD Satan entered, using Augustine to undermine “the faith once delivered to the Saints”. In a short time, the pure light of Christ was obscured and replaced with superstition and fear.
Generation after generation endured the false teaching of Rome, which deprived the nation of its spiritual freedom and also its material assets. Not until the time of the Reformation was there to be seen light at the end of the tunnel. At long last, the faithful were able to read the Word of God for themselves, in their own tongue. Satan never gives up, however, and so the Counter-Reformation began, and has been gaining ground ever since.
Today, the Protestant faith is under constant attack from many quarters. Sadly, the main threat is from within the Church itself. The Scriptures are derided by the majority of Bishops, who inform us that “God is speaking to us in this 21st century in a new way. This is the Age of Enlightenment, and we can no longer interpret the Scriptures as in previous times.”
Not only do they question the Scriptures, but have embraced Political Correctness. In this way, the power of the Gospel has lost its essential quality, which is the uniqueness of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church is happy to look upon itself as just another world religion, and to share “useful dialogue” with other faiths. “We can all learn from each other” is the reason given.
Unfortunately, it is true to say that in these “enlightened days” in this “multi-faith society” (which thinly masks the fact that this is a Godless age), people are offended by the name of Christ. Those who bravely preach the Gospel in the open air are, in some cases, arrested and unceremoniously bundled into police vans. Their crime? Preaching Christ, which “may cause offence to passers-by”!
In fact, the “offence” of Christ is nothing new. Although it has come to the fore since the advent of Political Correctness, the Lord Himself recognised that He caused offence. In Matthew 11 we read that John, whilst imprisoned, sent two of his disciples to make enquiries about Christ. When they came to Him, the asked whether He was indeed the Messiah. Jesus reminded them of some of the miracles that He had done, and concluded by saying,
“And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” – (Matthew 11:6)
The Ferrar Fenton translation renders it
“happy is he who will not be ashamed of Me”.
On another occasion, after He had taught the people in the synagogue, they were astonished and questioned His authority. Then we are told,
“…And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.” – (Matthew 13:57)
Ferrar Fenton says,
“They were embarrassed concerning Him”.
In that great end-of the-age discourse recorded in Matthew 24:10, the Lord said,
“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”
It is interesting to note that “offence” and “offend” are from the Greek “skandalizo”, meaning “stumbling block”. In these last days, those who speak His name run the risk of feeling ashamed or embarrassed. We think of Peter, who abandoned or denied his Lord three times.
Think of many today who call themselves Christians, but who never speak His name in the workplace or amongst friends, because they are embarrassed or ashamed to mention it for fear of what people might think. To them, He is a stumbling block.
Sadly, in the past few years, many schools have had to abandon nativity plays at Christmas time, because Jesus might offend those of other faiths. Some schools no longer use BC and AD dates! It is said that Parliament has abandoned Christian prayers and sometimes Islamic prayers are used to open the sessions. Think of the many bishops and clergy who deny the virgin birth and the Resurrection. They have abandoned the Christ that they undertook to preach at their ordinations.
In these final days before our Lord’s return it is so easy to be one of the crowd. This crowd has abandoned Christ and hedged itself with sentimentality. Think of the way in which the nation responded to the death of Princess Diana. Flowers and candles have replaced faith in Jesus Christ.
When conducting funeral services, I am frequently asked to read out poems, many written by the grieving family. The theme is of a nebulous existence amongst the heavens, where the loved one will be enjoying all the pleasures which made him or her happy in life, and that he or she will never be gone, but live on in the memories of those who remain.
Whilst it is true that we hold the memories of those we love in our hearts, it is not true to say that a death is not “goodbye”.
We have now reached a critical stage in our history. This is the time of sharp, distinct division between those who are not ashamed of Christ, and those who are. The days of compromise have gone forever. Being a “nominal” Christian is, to say the least, a complete waste of time. In Revelation 3:16 we read,
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
Those who say that they are Christian, but are ashamed or offended by His name, come under His condemnation, so clearly stated in Matthew 10:33,
“But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
On the other hand, may we be found among those referred to in the previous verse,
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”
