A good New Year to my readers.

We sometime hear people saying that we live in a post-Christian era.

There is no such thing – Jesus Christ continues to reign over the Earth from His throne in heaven Ps 110:1. He continues to advance His kingdom and He taught His Church to pray: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in heaven” Mat 6:10 and Lk 11:2.

Before He left His church in Earth, He said:

“Take note, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.”

Jesus Christ: Matthew 28:20

“To the end of the world”! Christ is still with His Church, and His Church is still here.

Wishful thinking

Those who confidently and repeatedly say that we are living in a post-christian era possibly do so in the hope that it will inhibit Christian conversation.  Will you let them get their way, or will you learn to apply Christian thought in your conversations?

What these nay-sayers mean is that Christian culture is being lost and that there are no significant Christian Voices in public life.  I drew attention to this in a recent blogpost about God’s restraining grace being taken away from Britain. Opposition to God and His Messiah has a long history Ps 2:2-3.

Cultural Christianity

Even the secular world is noticing the deleterious effects of losing Christian culture.

Richard Dawkins now describes himself as a cultural Christian because he is afraid of islam taking over Britain. What he means is that he prefers anaemic Christian culture to the islamic beliefs and culture developing in Britain.

It is a bit rich, after decades of denigrating belief in God and promoting agnosticism and atheism in British society, advocating the benefits of secularism over religion, describing as “child abuse” the teaching of Christian beliefs to children, that Dawkins now realises too late that secularism is no bulwark against militant islam. Like atheist Matthew Parris he is discovering at least the utility of Christianity, if not its spirit.

Matthew Parris noticed the utility of Christianity decades ago when he wrote a notable article in The Times defending the positive role of Christianity in delivering Africa from heathen animism.  He appreciated Christianity’s delivering Africa from its ancient superstitious religions and he saw it as a stepping stone on the way to Parris’ preferred secular atheism.

However, it is becoming apparent that secularism is not up to the task of dealing with man’s religious nature. It appears that Dawkins has adopted the view that Britain needs to step back from this secular ideal, at least temporarily until the islamic pressure is over, but how and when will this happen?

He is joined by other competent commentators such as Mayhar Tousi who admits that the West needs “some level of cultural Christianity”. Nigel Farage the leader of the Reform UK Party has much the same attitude. GB News is trying to promote cultural Christianity in Britain and Jacob Rees-Mogg uses his programme on GB News to introduce Roman Catholic beliefs and practices into the growing gap in public debate.

Cultural Christianity is not enough

Cultural Christianity is no solution.  Its promotion is an admission that secularism has failed, but cultural Christianity needs living Christianity to sustain it, not false Christianity.  God is not mocked and the loss of His restraining grace will not be remedied by a cultural face lift.

False religion will not help

The nations are being left to their own resources, only to discover that they cannot change the heart of man.  Man’s religious nature is being manipulated by whatever false religion will appeal to it. 

Jesus Christ is Lord

It is time to listen to the Prince of Peace Whose teaching and agenda has been ignored by national leaders for so long. Nevertheless, Jesus continues to advance His kingdom at grass-roots level around the world.

He has only to say the Word and things will change, but meanwhile the impotence of secularism is being revealed and He is calling upon the nations to return in humility and repentance to Him, acknowledging their folly in trying to go-it-alone.

The future is bright for the Christian Church and for the world in general.  It is time to look on the bright side and Christ will give you light Eph 5:14.

A Happy New Year to one and all.

Links:

18 Dec 2024: Liam Tuffs: “as an atheist, bring back Christian values; restore them in the UK.”