Sword & Trowel 2019: Issue 1 Times of exceptional rebellion
against God only serve to vindicate his truth and justice, as the apostle declares in Romans 3.5: ‘But if our unrighteousness commend the right- eousness of God, what shall we say?’ The Word of God is also proved
to be sound and inspired in another way in times of heightened apostasy. When my wife and I fi rst came to the Metropolitan Tabernacle nearly fi fty years ago, we had dear elderly souls here born in the reign of Queen Victoria. They had seen enormous changes in society, and great de- cline. (Since 1970 we have had nine prime ministers.) Over these years both the main political parties have almost totally about-turned on many fundamental matters, and especially on moral issues, now vigorously distancing themselves from old val- ues, adopting positions once thought unspeakably wrong. The word ‘fi ckle’ is too weak a descrip- tion of them in moral matters. Their views have become wholly contrary to God’s Word. In moral and spiritual matters they have become un- stable, inconsistent, unprincipled, unscien- tifi c and foolish. But as Christians we have the same unchang- ing Word of God, as immutable as God himself. That which is perfect cannot be changed, and as soci- ety moves further and
further from its standards, reaping the inevitable whirlwind, the Word of God is seen to be unshakeably, un- changeably true.
In an age such as this, the more man vaunts himself and proclaims himself to be virtually God, and so marvellous, the longer the litany of human failure grows. Still the world is straddled with wars and rumours of wars, with vast areas of poverty through embezzlement and crooked- ness, and so much worse is surely to come with the increasing collapse of moral values. In all this, not only is the truthfulness of God vindicated, but also his perfect justice. Here is the ultimate triumph of the
Church Membership by Dr Masters has been translated into Telugu.
church – when the saved are safely gathered in, and the last day dawns. Please bear with a closing illustration. The rebellion and pride of man, the rampant atheism, the sneers and in- sults made nowadays by major atheists against God, all oc- cur under the unseen scrutiny of Almighty God. I think of an arch-criminal, long victorious over the forces of law and or- der. He is notorious. He has organised massive heists and all have succeeded. He has never been caught. In the crimi- nal underworld, he is a hero, and wrongdo- ers are immensely jealous of his success. Many would love to be on his team in any
page 30 Triumphs of the Church in an Atheistic Age
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