Much like the proverbial Clapham omnibus, you wait for ages for a post to appear and then three arrive together! As I said in my earlier post there have been a few things that I have been musing on recently but this has been my first opportunity to write about them.
I’ve been reading in both the Christian media and indeed on the BBC about the rise in British Christian Nationalism. Some say that it is a further import from the US where Charlie Kirk was a great exponent of Christian Nationalism and some would argue, White Supremacism, though others would deny this.
Some credit this rise to Stephen Yaxley Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) who it would appear, came to faith in Jesus whilst in prison. This is not uncommon in prison and the Spirit of God is certainly at work in our prisons according to reports which I have read. I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of his conversion. But again, I have to assert that our job as Christians is not to point out the deficiencies of Islam, but the all-surpassing greatness of Christ and his most wonderful salvation.
There is much criticism in these so-called right wing organisations of Islam. Siddiq Khan is a particular target, because of both his left-wing politics and his Muslim faith. Lies and distortions fill social media claiming that Muslims can exempt themselves from council tax by claiming their homes to be a place of worship, or claiming that Sharia Law Courts are taking over from our Magistrates Courts on matters of civil law. Neither of these assertions are true. And so many “white British” adherents to this anti-Muslim tribe, have reached the conclusion that the only way to combat this growth in Islam in the UK due to illegal immigration as they see it, is for “proper British” people to return to the historic faith of the country – namely Christianity. And so people are returning to Church, not because they believe the gospel, but because they want to strengthen the British institution of the church, in opposition to the mosque. They want to be combative Soldiers of Christ.
Some Christian church leaders have expressed mixed opinions on this – whilst glad that church attendance might increase, they’re concerned that the church might be associated with anti Islam sentiment rather that associated with Christ. They wonder what the church should do.
My own view is that we preach the gospel. We preach the gospel that affirms that we are all made in the image of God. We preach the gospel that affirms that we are all sinners in need of salvation. We preach the gospel of repentance from sin and faith towards Christ. We preach the gospel that says salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Don’t seek to denigrate other religions, just say how great Christ is. God will do the rest. And if people are holding ungracious views towards others for whom Christ died, that too will be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit as they come under the power of the gospel unto salvation. Or else, they may find the conviction of the gospel too great and leave.