Letter
Jealously Angry & Indignant
Dear Sir,
As one reads through the EC, and from other sources the various articles, reports and reactions to the Synod’s acceptance of prayers for blessing same sex unions and the whole matter of LLF, we find some words are frequently used by those who disagree with the direction being taken regarding matters of sexuality and gender. Such words are, e.g. sadness, hurt, heartbroken, upset, and various synonyms.
Frankly, I’m jealously angry and indignant.
I’m jealously angry for the Lord because the Holy Name of our great and glorious God and Saviour is being held up to open contempt, the blood of Christ is being trampled underfoot and the Son of God who died for our sins is being crucified afresh. The Gospel is being increasingly surrendered to Satan and his host and the Saviour presented in this uniquely revealed Gospel as the only way to salvation, is openly derided and ridiculed. The notion of a final judgement is rejected by a form of universalism with a studied ignoring of the reality of our God who hates sin.
I’m indignant, as is my wife, for we both came to Christ under godly Anglican ministers and have grown up with the glory of the BCP and Biblical preaching. Later, as an ordained minister I had the freehold of the parish. This meant it was possible to bypass the huggermugger of diocesan appraisals and mission statements and preach the Gospel and the holiness of a Saving God who calls His people to live reflecting that same holiness of His character – we could preach the revealed Gospel without diocesan hindrance.
We are personally indignant and angry for the reality is we’ve been betrayed. We are being asked to accept a Gospel that is thoroughly perverted and destroys our salvation: and the peerless name of Him who is above all is lucky to receive a passing nod when discussing issues of eternal moment to a dying world. As much as one applauds the stance taken by GAFCON and the Global South Evangelicals need to take a firm stance and proclaim the honour of Almighty God revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Am I upset, heartbroken, etc? All this pales into insignificance when we see what a blasphemous outrage is being done to the Honour of Him who died to save us from our sins and the judgment to come. Instead of blubbing in a corner wringing our hands with self-pity, as some are doing, we should be up and proclaiming against what is happening to Christ and His Gospel. It is not our job to save a church but be faithful to Christ and His crown. If Evangelicals had been doing this all along in Synod and Lambeth – who knows? But the rules permit only a gentleman’s discussion club. Evangelicals have played their game and we have all lost.
John Dunn
IoW
