CHAPLAIN’S PAGE: BLIND LEADERS OF THE BLIND
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man.; but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch (Matthew 15:8-14)
Jesus is mostly remembered these days for His soft words. The above text is only one of many statements which clearly show that He didn’t mince His words! He was having one of His many verbal battles with the  Scribes  and  Pharisees.  They  were always following Him and His disciples, picking holes in all they did and said. They were legalists and hypocrites and kept the letter of the law and ignored the spirit of the law. A prime example was when Jesus and the disciples were walking through a cornfield on the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-5.) They plucked the ears of corn in their hands as they walked. The Pharisees accused them of breaking the Law as they considered their action as work!
Sadly, some Christians take their belief to excess with long faces, and even for bidding their children to play with their toys on the Sabbath. No wonder many grow up nursing hatred for all things religious! Jesus made a clear statement, I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10.) Again He said, These things have I spoken unto you, that your joy might be full (John 15:11.) What our Lord requires from us is a pure heart and a readiness to serve Him without thought for our own comfort. However, there is a trap that some Christians fall into, they witness to unbelievers without Biblical knowledge. Just saying ‘You must believe on Jesus to be saved’ is not sufficient. That statement must be backed up with many sound reasons as to why they must believe! That takes years of study to achieve.
On the other side of the coin there are senior clerics of the church that one would suppose would be thoroughly acquainted with the Scriptures. The second week of January 2017 was a week of prayer for Christian Unity. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York issued a joint Reformation Anniversary Statement, a part of which reads, ‘Many will also remember the lasting damage done five centuries ago to the unity of the Church, in defiance of the clear command of Jesus Christ to unity and love. Those turbulent years saw Christian people pitted against each other, such that many suffered persecution and even death at the hands of others claiming to know the same Lord. A legacy of mistrust and competition would then accompany the astonishing global speed of Christianity in the centuries that followed. All this leaves us much to ponder. The Statement contains the following amazing accusation against loyal Protestants ‘Remembering the Reformation should also lead us to repent of our part in perpetuating divisions.’
The two archbishops are clearly saying that the Reformation was a terrible mistake . Let us forget those men, women and children who willingly and knowingly gave up their lives for the truth of God’s precious word! They obviously suffered for a lost cause! What they should have done was to have listened to the priests of the Roman Church who were dispensing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. After all, the whole world knows that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth, that he has the keys of the Kingdom and reigns supreme over worldwide Christianity, or so he would like us to believe. Sadly there are many who have fallen under his spell. The fact that Welby and Sentamu have done so is proof that their knowledge of the Scriptures is sadly lacking. No doubt the majority of the other bishops will tow the party line for the sake of their job”s! These traitors of God’s truth are presently having it all their own way, but the rope is tightening and Peter’s prophecy draws ever closer, For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God ((I Peter 4:17.) The Old Testament also has much to say concerning the shepherds of Israel who led the sheep astray. (See Isaiah 56:10-12, Jeremiah 6:13, Ezekiel 34 and others..)
The sole reason for this article is to sound the alarm to those who continue to soak up the dry rot emanating from the pulpits. Thank God there are still some faithful pastors who labour valiantly for the truth. May the Lord mightily bless them and their congregations. The blasphemies of Rome’s claims are legion. The whole line of Popes have entered the arena with all guns blazing. The sleeping laity has taken all their lies at face vale without using the check list of Scriptures. Now they are joined by our own senior clergy who come under Paul’s condemnation of them found in the fifth chapter of Hebrew. ‘For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God: and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (verses 12-14.)
The situation concerning the sleeping churches grows darker every day. The blind leaders have no concept of the harm they are causing. The faithful are assured that they will be raptured out of this wicked world before Christ returns. Surely, our Lord’s Prayer is plain enough. ‘Thy Kingdom come, if they are in heaven, they will miss out on Christ’s thousand year reign on the earth! The greatest need of the church today is to remember the words of the Holy Spirit given to John, And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17)
