O Thou who changest not, abide with me

This week the pastor at our church addressed the New Year appropriately from Proverbs 3:5-6:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

He exhorted us to trust God with all our heart “because we know who God is, and because He does not change.”
This has been a growing a comfort to me the older I become: that God does not change. “I am the Lord, I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6)
Especially in a rapidly changing world, with rapidly changing values, I find my stability in the foundation of God’s Word that does not change.

Change and decay in all around I see

Growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s saw very little change. Australian society, though far from genuinely Christian, yet still (outwardly, at least) professed Christian values. My generation grew up going to Sunday School and attending RI in schools.
It wasn’t hard to maintain a public Christian profession.

How the landscape has changed in recent years!
In many cases the “Christian” profession of the parents of many of my young peers was hollow, “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5).
Not surprisingly, many turned their backs on their parents’ empty profession. Rising up “against the Lord and against His Christ, they cried, ‘Let us tear off their chains and free ourselves from their restraints’” (Psalm 2:2-3 HCSB), and readily embraced the ‘70s religion of free ‘love’.
It was all downhill from there.

But I think none could have anticipated the rapid deterioration that has come in more recent years.
It is hard to believe that before this present millennium not one country in the world approved same-sex ‘marriage’. Even in this country, barely ten years ago, both major political parties stated publicly they would not support it.
But now, less than a quarter of a century since the first country succumbed, this country and at least 34 others have jumped on the populist bandwagon.

Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…
Therefore God also gave them up to dishonour their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. (Romans 1:21-27)

But this is a fallen world; it should not surprise us that such a world has gone down this path. Nor are we called on to act in judgment on “those who are outside”. Those who are outside“God judges.” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13)
But what is really sad is that some ‘churches’ have also “exchanged the truth of God for the lie” and followed suit – though neither should this surprise us, for:

The Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will apostatise from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

In this regard 2023 was a watershed year.
In the UK, in February, the House of Bishops of the Church of England proposed that clergy be allowed to bless same-sex ‘marriage’, a proposal that was then endorsed in November by the General Synod by 227 votes to 203.
Other denominations in the U.K. have already decided to perform or bless same-sex ‘marriages’, including the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church, and the United Reformed Church; while the Baptist Union allows individual churches to perform same-sex ‘marriages’ if they wish.

Perhaps even more incredible was the statement by Pope Francis who, just last month, ruled to allow priests to bless same-sex couples. I say “incredible”, not because I believe the Roman Catholic Church is a faithful church, but because her catchcry has always been Semper Eadem: “Always The Same” – they claim they do not change.

Here in Australia the performance of same-sex ‘marriage’ has been approved by the Uniting Church, driving out most evangelicals; while the Anglican Church has stated that individual dioceses are free to bless same-sex unions in Anglican churches.

While most other churches here have not yet succumbed, it is a concern that some ‘evangelicals’ refuse to recognise that this is a major issue confronting the Church today, and “expose” it as such – as we are told to do in Ephesians 5:11.
The frog is in the kettle, but they don’t want to know. Instead the emphasis is on appeasing the increasingly anti-God culture that surrounds us.

Just this past week I received a notice from Koorong Books promoting their latest offering: “Two Views on Homosexuality, the Bible, and the Church” – in which four authors present three views [emphasis mine].

Most concerning is the publisher’s blurb that states:

“Until recently most books fit neatly into two camps: non-affirming books were written by evangelicals and affirming books by non-evangelicals. Today, this divide no longer exists. Recent books written by evangelicals appeal to the authority and inspiration of Scripture as they argue for an affirming view. The question of what the Bible says about homosexuality is now an intra-evangelical discussion.”

Really? As one reviewer put it: When “one author argues that Scripture is quite clear and unified on the point that same-sex acts are sinful, but then he argues that we should not follow Scripture on this point, one will be hard-pressed to defend this as either orthodox or evangelical.”

Satan is subtle. From the beginning he has schemed to win over wavering believers by sowing a seed questioning the Bible’s clear teaching: “Did God really say…?” (Gen 3:1)

The same reviewer rightly states:

“Agreeing to disagree in a “respectful and humanizing” tone sounds pious, but it is misguided and unloving. It is never loving to confirm people in their sin – this is pastoral malpractice. It’s time for the Church to rebuke professing Christians who have embraced this false teaching about homosexuality. We should pray for them to repent and return to the catholic, orthodox faith. This is not a matter over which Christ’s followers may differ – it will incur the wrath of God.”

The underlying assumption is that “unity is better than orthodoxy.” But in the end, the “unity” being promoted is not unity among faithful Christians, but unity with a fallen world.
The Bible warns: “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exod 23:2); this is the Great Temptation that confronts the Church in every generation that wants to appeal to the world by becoming like the world.
It was this that induced the “German Christians” to follow Hitler and embrace his anti-semitic values in order to maintain their influence in society. Only the few in the “Confessing Church” (Bonhoeffer etc) could see what was happening.

O Thou who changest not

Some ‘evangelicals’ avoid openly confronting the problem by pretending it is not one of the major issues facing churches today.
But John Stevens, the National Director of the FIEC (Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches) in the U.K. is more discerning when he states:

“There is no greater internal challenge facing the church in the UK than the pressure to revise the orthodox historic teaching on human sexuality and accept and affirm same-sex relationships.”

John Stevens makes the following points:

“1. The New Testament states that it is a primary salvation issue. Those who commit sexual sin without repentance, believing it to be morally good and acceptable to God, are either unbelievers or apostates who have fallen from their profession of faith.

“2. Those who continue in homosexual sin should be excommunicated from the church. They cannot be accepted or treated as a brother or sister in Christ anymore. They are outside of the scope of salvation in Christ. They need to be converted and saved. If they repent, then they can be restored to fellowship because their repentance restores the credibility of their profession of faith.”

[Note: that 1 Corinthians ch 5 is applicable to all situations where, after all effort has been made to “restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1), the professing ‘Christian’ persists unrepentant, living in serious sexual sin – whether same-sex or opposite-sex. But there is always hope if he repents, 2 Corinthians ch 2]

“3. False teachers who argue for the acceptance of homosexual relationships should also be subject to church discipline. The New Testament makes clear that it is not just those who are engaging in homosexual sex who should be subject to church discipline, but also those who are teaching others that they can engage in homosexual sex, even if they themselves are not committing this sin.

“4. All those who encourage others to persist in homosexual relationships are in extreme spiritual danger. The clear teaching of the New Testament epistles that a disciple who commits sexual immorality without repentance has apostatised is a stark warning to all those who would encourage, affirm and accept professing believers engaging in homosexual relationships as if this were good and pleasing to God.

“If we are to stand firm for the truth of the gospel in our generation, we need to first recognise the nature of the issue at stake. We need to undertake theological triage and treat the issue of human sexuality with the seriousness that it deserves. We need to categorise the issue the way the Bible does.”

Thankfully there are yet “seven thousand the Lord has reserved who have not bowed the knee to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18). Many faithful churches around the world have not got caught up in the degradation of the surrounding culture.

All 638 independent evangelical churches in the FIEC in the UK, publicly hold that “none of our churches or accredited pastors would in good conscience be able to perform, bless or host same-sex marriage or wedding ceremonies”.

Even among Anglicans, the majority world-wide are associated with GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference) and/or GSFA (Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches) who have gone on record rejecting the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury and calling on him to repent.

In the UK we ourselves were encouraged to worship at St Helen’s, Bishopsgate (our son’s church in London) earlier this year and hear of their clear-cut position on these matters; along with many other Anglican churches in the U.K. Another who has spoken out is Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s in Oxford; in his paper “Together in Love & Faith?” he openly opposes his own Bishop of Oxford, a principal advocate for same-sex ‘marriage’.

Though he himself is same-sex attracted Vaughan upholds the Biblical teaching on sexuality and marriage. As does a good friend (and former pastor of our daughter’s church in Oxford), Andy Robinson. In the end, do we not all face the same challenge as we struggle to respond Biblically to temptation to sexual sin, whether same-sex for some, or opposite-sex for others?

Here in Australia a number of churches continue to stand firm including the Presbyterian Church. Also, many in the Sydney Diocese: there are some excellent interviews on “The Pastor’s Heart”, including two with Vaughan Roberts, one when he was in Australia a year ago:

“No more long grass for the Church of England. Repent or Differentiate”

“No crumb of comfort in a tragic and disastrous Church of England decision”

Do not be conformed to this world

In his sermon on “Pastors and Teachers” (Ephesians 4:12-13) Alistair Begg makes the following pertinent comments:

“The uniqueness of the church is fundamental to the impact of the church.
If you read church history, you will know that the church is always at its most effective when it is most countercultural. Every time the church is absorbed by the culture or identified politically or socially with a certain framework, it is diminished in its usefulness. So, for example, for the first 250, 300 years of the church, the developing church is persecuted. They’re chased from pillar to post.

“And then Constantine becomes a Christian. And suddenly, the church has gone establishment. Now the Roman emperor is part of the game. And one of the great questions that has confronted church historians in that context and then beyond is, Did that make the church more effective or less effective? And history would argue that it made it less effective. Because there was confusion as to whether this was a political issue or whether this was a spiritual reality.

“Loved ones, you got the exact same confusion today. The church is at its best when people are going, “This isn’t what I expected.” The progressive movement within evangelicalism in the last twenty-five, forty years has been to try and make everybody know that we’re not weird. “We’re just like you! We dress like you, we walk like you, we talk… whatever it is, you know, we’re the same as you.”
And people are going, “Well, if you’re the same as us, what do we want you for?”
“Yeah, no, we have the same music. Yeah, we have the same lifestyle. Yeah, we have everything the same. That’s why we did it this way: so you would like us.”

“Forty years on, what has happened? The millennial generation says, “We don’t like you. We don’t even want to have anything to do with you. Do you really think that we think that because you think you’re cool, that that’s going to make us want to come and listen? That the fact that you in your sixties can wear jeans? That we’ll be going, ‘Oh, he wears jeans, we gotta get there!’”
No, they’re too smart for that. Let me tell you what they’re looking for: they’re looking for something that is radically different.”

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

Abide with me

For I am the Lord, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6)

Yes, we can trust God with all our heart “because we know who God is, and because He does not change.”
Trust an unchanging God; trust His unchanging Word – and He will keep you from being consumed by the world around you.

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.