Friday 25 October 2019

Day of Defiance


Monday the 21st October is a notable date in the calendar of Northern Ireland for all the wrong reasons. It has been termed by many the “darkest day”. A day when the abortion law that has saved the lives of over 100,000 babies was liberalised, a day when marriage is to be redefined to include that which is contrary to God’s law.

These changes are not being implemented as a result of a decision by the citizens of Northern Ireland nor by the majority of their elected representatives but have been forced on the people following decisions at Westminster and the fact that the Northern Ireland assembly is not functioning.

We commend those MLA’s who signed a petition to trigger a recall of the Assembly on Monday and who sought to introduce the “Defence of the Unborn Child Bill 2019”. Sadly, other parties did not have the same interest or desire to preserve the life of the unborn child despite all their talk of equality and tolerance.

The moral landscape of Northern Ireland has changed overnight and not for the better.
We now have a society where there is the potential to have the most liberal abortion laws in Europe.
Instead of the mother’s womb being a place of safety it could now be the place of death. There is now the very real possibility that a child conceived through an act of sexual crime will be put to death for the crimes of the father. Likewise, a child thought to have abnormalities instead of receiving dedicated care and affection, may be unwanted and discarded by abortion. The little one who has offended no one could be aborted and put to death if viewed as an inconvenience.

God’s institution of marriage, an illustration of Christ’s relationship with His Church (Eph 5:25) is to be changed to include that which is corrupt and sinful, that which is condemned in the Word of God.

In both of these cases, no consideration has been given to those who may object or have a differing point of view. 
We hear much about Human Rights, tolerance, equality but does it exist for the medical professionals who have devoted their lives to the preservation of human life and oppose abortion?
Does it exist for those who hold to the Biblical definition of marriage?

What has happened is the mark of a secular, sinful, selfish world. 
Paul writes in-
2 Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The well-known verse in John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world that he gave”. This is the essence of the Gospel. A God that loves and One that gave, what a contrast with the world we live in. The Lord Jesus Christ in giving His life for fallen man was selfless but what we have seen taken place in Northern Ireland reveals the sinful selfish heart of mankind.

Despite the darkness, there is hope for fallen man. In love and grace, God has provided salvation for the repentant sinner and that applies to those involved in abortion and homosexuality.

In such a time we are reminded that God is sovereign, that Christians have a duty to pray and to witness. Regardless of what society is doing, we are still to “preach Christ crucified”!