The Bad Guys are those who follow the Lord Jesus

Joshua Bovis at St John’s Tamworth shares this article written for his parish newsletter –

The Bad Guys are those who follow the Lord Jesus

Growing up as a child of the 70s and 80s, it was acceptable for us kids to play ‘armies’ and have toy guns and pretend to shoot each other. Before we began we would get together and decide who we were going to be…the good guys or the bad guys and we, when it came to being one of the good guys or one of the bad guys, we all knew the difference. 

The movies we watched, the tv shows we watched…there were the good guys and the bad guys. We all knew who was who. I grew up on a diet of Star Wars.

In the first Star Wars movie, (which I sadly never saw at the cinema as I was only three when it was released in 1977), the opening crawl makes it clear who the bad guys are –

And one does not have to be a Star Wars fan to know who the main bad guy is.

What made Darth Vader the bad guy? If you haven’t seen the movies, Darth Vader was once a Jedi Knight (who were guardians of peace and justice) named Anakin Skywalker, whose lust for power, fear, and jealousy turned to evil and his actions directly and indirectly contributed to the death of billions (including his fellow Jedi and his wife). He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader.

Now of course Darth Vader is not the only infamous bad guy. There have been bad girls (Joan Crawford, Mummy Dearest, Nurse Ratched – One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest), bad animals (the Shark, nicknamed ‘Bruce’ – Jaws). Viewers knew they were bad and how they were bad.

Growing up, Christians were never seen as the bad guys. God’s guys were the good guys. This was reflected on the big screen too.. Judah Ben Hur, Ben Hur, was a good guy, Moses, The Ten Commandments. The Christians in Quo Vadis, and The Robe were the good guys.

For much of the 20th century Christians were, generally speaking, seen to be the good guys in our society. A wee bit antiquated, dorky, out of touch maybe, more conservative than most, but essentially the good guys.

There are commentators and other Christian writers who have expressed their reasons for why Christians enjoyed this period of acceptance in our culture better than I can, but from my humble position, allow me to offer my reason for why this was the case in the past, and why it not the case now, and why it will not be the case in the future.

Western Culture, and of course this includes our great nation of Australia, has enjoyed the fruits of the Christian gospel centuries and up until the 60s, our Western culture ran on a parallel trajectory with the Christian faith. This period was also marked by a high level of church attendance. Not there were necessarily more Christians during this period, but because of this parallel trajectory, it was culturally advantageous to not only be a Christian but to appear to be a Christian. Thus going to church was advantageous.

The culture norms and morés of our culture were: divorce is sin, so was drunkenness, sex outside of marriage, the nature of marriage and homosexual activity. This does not mean that these things never happened, but generally speaking secular culture shared the Christian views on such matters.

However over the past twenty years (though I think the change has occurred gradually over a longer period of time), our culture now runs of a trajectory that is counter to the Christian faith. The upside of this us that nominal church attendance has almost died. Since there is no cultural advantage to be a church goer, what is the point of attending? In fact why attend when culturally is now disadvantageous?

While the orthodox Christian position has not changed on matters of human sexuality (sex outside of marriage, the nature of marriage and homosexual activity) our culture has done a 180 degree shift in regards to these issues. So if you are Christian and hold to the orthodox Christian ethic in regards to human sexuality, you are now one of the bad guys and furthermore if you disagree with secular, ‘sexular’ culture, you are intolerant, a bigot and a hater. Therefore you are bad guy, so

keep your mouth shut!

However in the recent case of a Christian man named Andrew Thorburn, this was no protection. He kept his mouth shut and this was no protection.

David Robertson (Scottish Presbyterian Minister now in Sydney) writes from the wee flea:

Essendon AFL is an Australian rules football team. Based in Melbourne it has a membership of over 80,000 and although having fallen on hard times recently, it is still considered to be one of the big four in Victoria. This week it appointed a local businessman, Andrew Thorburn as its chief executive. He lasted one day. The story is best summed up by the Herald Sun headline.

“Essendon’s chief executive Andrew Thorburn has stepped down after shock link to church was revealed”.

After 30 hours in the job, Thorburn had to resign, not because of anything he said or anything he did, but simply because he was linked to a mainstream orthodox Christian Church which teaches the Bible. The media labelled this church controversial, yet in reality they are no more controversial than the Lord Jesus and the Apostles and every faithful Christian Church since.  [Mr Thorburn’s church – City on a Hill – takes on the subjects of abortion and sexuality, are the same as that of the mainline Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths.]

Not that long ago, Christians in the public sphere were told it was a case of “keep your personal religious beliefs private and it will be alright”. Andrew Thorburn kept his religious beliefs private and was not alright. He is a bad guy. You are the bad guy, I am the bad guy. Christians are the bad guys.

So how are Christians, those who hold to orthodox Christian beliefs to respond to this?

Again, there are many Christian commentators who have written some very good pieces on this issue:

David Robertson – Hypocrisy and Hate in Christian Victoria link

Steve McAlpine – Eight Short Lessons from the Essendon CEA Saga – link

Baptist Minister from Melbourne, Murray Campbell (with whom I was a student minister almost twenty years ago) writes:

(See article here)

I agree entirely, and I would only add one more point:

Christian, remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. (John 15:18-20)

The time in our culture where God’s people were seen as the good guys is an historical anomaly, as far as our unbelieving world is concerned, we have always been the bad guys. Our Lord Jesus was deemed the bad guy. So keep praying, keep encouraging each other to be faithful to Christ, pray for opportunities to tell others about Jesus, encourage church ministers to keep on proclaiming the gospel , whether it be in an old movie theatre, pub or house to house, whether it be to 50 people or 500 people or 5 people, because that is what Jesus’ people do. This is what the Lord Jesus’ bad guys do.

May Christ’s glory always be our supreme concern – Joshua.

P.S. – Many hat tips to Murray Campbell, Steve McAlpine, David Robertson and Peter Barnes for their various pieces.

When society and faith collide

Rick Lewers encourages Christians to be faithful:

“Standing firm might cost you your job but you will keep your eternal life. Standing firm took Jesus to the cross but it ended in resurrection.”

“Who could have imagined that football would clarify where Christianity sits in this country.

One day Andrew Thorburn, one time CEO of the NAB, was appointed the CEO of the Essendon AFL Club. The next day he was forced to resign because he attends and is on the board of a church that believes abortion and any sex outside marriage is sin.

Just normal orthodox thinking in any of the Abrahamic religions, ie, Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Clearly religious discrimination is not irrelevant and these events only heighten the importance of a return to ‘Freedom of Religion’ legislation.

What a clarifier for all Christians. …”

– Rick Lewers, former Bishop of Armidale, and now ministering in the Shoalhaven, has written this helpful piece at SydneyAnglicans.net.

What will it profit a man to retain his job but forfeit his soul?

“How long will it be before they come for your job?

How long will it be before they come for your your church?

These questions have come very much to the fore with headline news coming to us from the nation of Australia.”

– Albert Mohler in the US weighs in on Essendon – in his The Briefing for 05 October 2022.

See also:

Your soul or your job? You choose – Albert Mohler writing in World Opinions.

Football CEO dismissed for religious beliefs

“The recently appointed new CEO of the Essendon Football Club in Victoria, Andrew Thorburn, has been pushed out of his job on account of views expressed by the church he belongs to and on whose board of management he sits.

Those views, which even the club itself accepts were not stated personally by Mr Thorburn and which had to be found by scouring a database of sermons back to 2013, represent views on moral issues that have been shared by Christians, Muslims, Jews and many other religious believers for a long time. They are not “radical” or “hateful” or “bigoted”.

It is arguable that the Club has breached Victorian anti-discrimination law. …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster writes about the latest controversy – at Law and Religion Australia.

See also:

Well They Got Their Man: And It Only Took One Day – Stephen McAlpine.

“There is no amount of winsomeness that you can exhibit. You will be labelled the equivalent of a smiling racist if you even hint that you attend a church that holds to an orthodox position on sexuality.”

Christian Football CEO Forced to Resign from Essendon – Murray Campbell.

“It doesn’t require any imagination to realise more pressure will be heaped on Christians, bullying us into silence or into giving up precious God given truths for the sake of keeping our jobs. Are we ready to make that choice between God and employment?

That’s why we need to settle in our hearts and be convinced with our minds, the question of whom we will worship. Will we choose God and worship him or will we choose Baal?”

Special Edition of The Briefing in Honor of Queen Elizabeth II

Dr Albert Mohler has produced a special edition of his The Briefing broadcast to honour Queen Elizabeth II.

Traditional Anglicans are Going by The Book

“A group of clergymen has broken away from the established Anglican church in Australia to form the ‘Diocese of the Southern Cross.’ Former Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies is its first Bishop. The announcement was made at the recent Gafcon Australasia Conference held in Canberra.

What’s it all about? Well, to be clear, I’m not an authority on doings within the Anglican church. I’m just a parishioner. But I have enough understanding to have a view on the issue at stake. …”

– Writing in Quadrant, Peter Smith looks at the reasons for the formation of the Diocese of the Southern Cross.

Assisted suicide is spiralling out of control in Canada

“Canada is widely seen as one of the world’s most progressive nations in the world, ‘leading the way’ (depending on where you stand) on a variety of social issues. But in recent months, Canada has been garnering some less than savoury international attention because of the dark side of one of its recent progressive accomplishments …

3.3 per cent of all deaths in Canada in 2021 were assisted deaths. This has matched and surpassed the rates in places like Belgium and the Netherlands, despite it being available in Canada for less than a decade.”

– The National Post (Canada).

Link via Challies.com. Image via St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.

Peter FitzSimons doesn’t understand the Manly 7

“The rainbow message doesn’t represent inclusion, it’s about capitulation. It represents doing away with traditional sexual ethics and embracing a new and unforgiving ‘truth’. …”

– Murray Campbell writes an incisive article on the latest push in this culture war.

Biblical view of sex and gender “worthy of respect” after all

“In a good development for religious freedom, the UK Employment Appeal Tribunal (‘EAT’) in its decision in Mackereth v Department for Work and Pensions & Anor [2022] EAT 99 (29 June 2022) has ruled that a Biblical view of human sex and gender is ‘worthy of respect’ and may be protected as a religious belief in an appropriate case.

Unfortunately for Dr Mackereth, the outcome of the appeal was that the way he had been treated by the relevant Department in response to his protected belief was a ‘proportionate’ and hence lawful action.

As I will explain below, I think this part of the ruling may be challenged. But it is good to see common sense on the issue of the status of his belief, which is one that would be shared by many people in the community. …”

– Associate Professor Neil Foster takes a look at a recent ruling in the United Kingdom – at Law and Religion Australia.

The Supreme Court Decision

“No matter on which side of the abortion debate you stand, this week’s US Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization is rightly viewed as monumental. For almost 50 years the precedent established by the Court’s Roe v Wade decision (1973) has stood, declaring a constitutional right to abortion in the United States. …

It is important to recognise precisely what was done by the US Supreme Court, and in particular the legal principle which lies at the heart of the dispute. …

Christians in many places will be rejoicing in this decision by the US Supreme Court. Some Christians will not, and there will be outrage from some quarters. There does however, need to be a measure of restraint on all sides. I dare say a measure of humility would not go astray either.”

– Principal of Moore College, Dr. Mark Thompson, has written on last night’s Supreme Court decision in the US.

‘This Is The Day The Lord Has Made’: A Monumental Victory for Life at The Supreme Court

Albert Mohler has released a special edition of The Briefing in response to the ruling by the US Supreme Court.

He beings with ‘a word from the heart’ before taking a closer look at the decision. He describes the decision as earthshaking’ and ‘an answer to prayer’. The first six or so minutes gives the summary.

Related:

The FAQs: Supreme Court Overturns Roe, Sends Abortion Back to States. – Joe Carter writes at The Gospel Coalition.

Carter concludes:

“This is one of the most significant acts of justice in modern history. While ruling brings only a change of direction, not an end, to the fight over abortion, it is an essential victory for the pro-life cause that should be celebrated by all Christians.

Roe was one of the most evil and repugnant decisions of jurisprudence in our nation’s history, on par with Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) and Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). Because of the Court’s complicity with injustice, millions of children were legally allowed to be killed in the womb with the consent of the federal government. Even if, in the short-term, the number of abortions does not significantly change, this ruling will likely save many lives in the future. For that reason, we can thank God for this decision, which restores the balance of justice and gives us greater opportunities to fight for our most vulnerable children.”

What will happen at Lambeth 2022?

“The Lambeth Conference which is set to take place from 26 July to 6 August, last met with all Anglican bishops in attendance in 1998 – 24 years ago. …”

– At Anglican Mainstream Canon Chris Sugden in the UK gives some background to the coming Lambeth Conference.

He points out the reason some provinces will not be attending: “The Africans’ boycott is the consequence not the cause of disunity.”

Related:

Lambeth speaks plainly (that was then) – Dr Stephen Noll.

Unborn babies have taken another battering in Victoria today

Here’s a media release from The Australian Christian Lobby, 24 May 2022 –

“Commenting on Bernie Finn’s expulsion from the Victorian Liberal Party today, the Australian Christian Lobby’s (ACL) National Director, Wendy Francis, said,

“Abortions are only going to increase whilst pro-life speech is regarded as disrespectful, particularly when it applies to politicians who have the capacity to vote and change laws on life issues. Media reports indicate that Bernie Finn’s commitment to ‘pray for an end to abortion’ was the final straw for the Party who voted to expel him from their ranks today.”

Whilst, sadly, pro-life speech such as this will always sound disrespectful to those that don’t want to hear it, advocating for the child in the womb is perfectly respectful. It’s encouraging to witness  a new, young, pro-life generation rising up around the globe.

“The Liberal Party of Victoria has seriously underestimated the impact this move has had on their pro-life conservative base,” Ms Francis continued. “It will be a tough journey for them to regain their confidence in the leadup to the State election in November.

“Freedom of thought, worship, speech and association are basic tenets of the Liberal Party of Australia. And yet, today, a democratically elected member has been expelled from the Liberal Party of Victoria for exercising these very rights.”

Why is Canada euthanising the poor?

“Since last year, Canadian law, in all its majesty, has allowed both the rich as well as the poor to kill themselves if they are too poor to continue living with dignity. In fact, the ever-generous Canadian state will even pay for their deaths. What it will not do is spend money to allow them to live instead of killing themselves.

As with most slippery slopes, it all began with a strongly worded denial that it exists. …

Even before Bill C-7 was enacted, reports of abuse were rife. A man with a neurodegenerative disease testified to Parliament that nurses and a medical ethicist at a hospital tried to coerce him into killing himself by threatening to bankrupt him with extra costs or by kicking him out of the hospital, and by withholding water from him for 20 days.”

– Yuan Yi Zhu in Oxford writes in The Spectator (UK online edition) about the situation in Canada – which will get worse when changes come in 2023..

General Synod and comprehensive Anglicanism

“Some believe that the scriptures are quite clear in their condemnation of same-sex sexual activity and that the Church has no authority to act contrary to the clear teaching of the scriptures. Therefore marriage, in their understanding, must continue to be exclusively between one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others, for life.

Others believe that what’s at stake here is an important matter of justice and that LGBTI people should be fully included in the life of the Church and allowed to express their sexuality through life-long, faithful, monogamous relationships just as heterosexual people do. Other parts of the scriptures are cited in support of this view.

…

In Southern Queensland we have set as a key focus area promoting ‘comprehensive Anglican identity and purpose.’

This approach recognises that there will be different convictions, understandings and priorities among Anglicans. And it is likely that each of these perspectives includes insights into the truth.

This means that in order to comprehend the whole truth we need these various insights and perspectives to be present and engaged. …”

– Archbishop of Brisbane Dr Phillip Aspinall writes about the upcoming General Synod to be held next month on the Gold Coast – and the range of theological convictions on the question of the blessing of same-sex marriages.

How ‘comprehensive’ can Anglicans be? Worth considering:

From Article 20 of The Thirty Nine Articles:

“… it is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything contrary to God’s Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same…”

Photo: Anglican Focus.

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