I was astonished last week to see that Premier Christianity published what to be frank was just a heretical article from Jayne Ozanne…even more so after my own experience of being cancelled by them lest I upset some people (Why was I Cancelled and Repented for by Premier Christianity?
They seem to have little difficulty in upsetting biblical Christians! I was not going to respond and then I came across a couple of other Christians who were influenced by Ozanne and did not see a major problem with what she said – so I wrote this piece – which Christian Today have thankfully published.
What is the Good News? A response to Jayne Ozanne’s reinterpretation
It’s Christmas time and all over the country people will read and hear, many for the umpteenth time, Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-20). I have been meditating and reflecting each day for the past six weeks on the lead up to this and the words themselves.
The advantage of meditating and chewing on something slowly is that you get to digest it and appreciate it more. I have found this especially true with the words of the angel announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds – “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). The words are so familiar that we often do end up treating them with contempt. Nonetheless they are stunning.
But what is this Good News? The Church of England, as the Church of Scotland and much of the rapidly declining mainstream denominations in the West, seem greatly confused. I recall a group of Scottish politicians who had asked a group of ‘representative’ clergy to give advice and how confused they were. “You seem to believe in two different religions” was their accurate observation. Indeed the trumpet has been giving an uncertain sound for many years.
Jayne Ozanne, the former evangelical, who once believed the Good News, has now come to agree with this view that there are two different versions of Christianity which are incompatible with one another. She wrote of this in a revealing article earlier this month.
I want to reflect on this – not from a personal basis – but simply because Ozanne’s teaching is a perfect example of the kind of anti-Christian teaching which is destroying the Church of England. She is right, but not for the reasons she expounds. As I wrote about an earlier debate she had with Peter Lynas on the question of conversion therapy, this is not just about two different versions of Christianity, but rather about two different Christianities.
Jayne’s version of the Good News is that God loves us whatever we do, and there is no need for us to repent to enjoy that love. For her, God’s love is unconditional, while the opposing view is bound in by various actions. As a soundbite it sounds neat and even good – but it completely disintegrates on closer examination into a vacuous empty mist.
She justifies her claim by somewhat bizarrely, declaring that the thief on the Cross did not repent of his sin, something she does not know and which goes against the clear implication of the text that he did, unlike his colleague. If Jayne were right, then it would mean that not only the thief who recognised Christ was saved, but also the one who cursed him.
Jayne, as a religious leader, says that Jesus condemned religious leaders. Indeed, he did. But what for? For going away from the Scriptures – the very thing she herself is urging us to do. God tells us that we must repent. Jesus tells us that those who do not repent will perish (Luke 13:3-5). Was Jesus wrong? Did he not understand what he was saying?! He goes even further when he tells the church in Thyatira that in his mercy he has granted them time to repent of the teaching of Jezebel who misleads his people into sexual immorality and idolatry – but if they don’t, they will ‘suffer intensely’ (Revelation 2:18-25). This is hardly the “unconditional love which doesn’t require repentance” that Jayne argues for.
But it gets worse. We are told that Jesus in John 3:15 says that whoever believes in him may have eternal life – “No caveats”. The trouble is that belief in him (which includes repentance) is the caveat. Says who? Well, Jesus actually! He goes on to say, “whoever does not believe stands condemned already” (John 3:18).
Jayne says repentance is “not a salvation matter”. The writer to the Hebrews says it is foundational (Hebrews 6:1). The Jesus Jayne has invented has nothing to do with the Jesus of the Bible who preached that repentance was of the essence of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:17), who stated that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins” was the gospel (Luke 24:47), and who said that he had come to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32).
Ozanne, and those who share her theology, state that the world needs abundant grace now more than ever. Indeed, it does. But it needs that grace – and love – to have some meaning and content. A world in which God just forgives everyone because ‘that’s his job’, a world which does not require a new birth, the cross, the resurrection, repentance, baptism etc is not the real world.
Jayne’s new church is not about Christ. It is about protecting sexual identities. It is a graceless world – one where those who disagree with Jayne’s theology will find themselves faced with the threat of the law (see the earlier exchange with Peter Lynas). It is a hopeless world, one where there is no crucified Christ to hope in. And it is a fantasy tinsel world, where the Christmas tree replaces the tree on which Christ died. It is a world with fake fairies and fake ‘good news’. Not the glorious news that the angels brought of a Saviour who had come into the world to save his people. It was to those who received him that he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12). Those who do not receive are excluded. They refuse to come into the light and so they get what they want – the darkness.
Jayne may not like that teaching of Christ but it is his teaching, and those who profess to follow him must accept his teaching. It is also the teaching of the Church of England in its 39 Articles. In permitting the blessing of gay couples in church, the Church of England has gone against its own doctrine – and more importantly, gone against the doctrines of Jesus Christ. It’s not that this is the key issue but it is the presenting issue. When the Church is asked whether it will go with the societal elites or follow the Word of Christ, it has deliberately and consciously chosen the way of Baal.
Jesus warns the Ephesian church that if they do not repent, he will remove their lampstand (Revelation 2:5) – in other words, destroy their church.
The Church of England is faced with the same choice. It can choose the way of Jezebel, or it can choose the way of Christ. It cannot do both.
But I do not want to leave it there. At Christmas we feast. And Christ invites us to feast with him. He doesn’t force himself upon us. He knocks. He rebukes. He disciplines.He loves. He speaks. He calls for repentance. He asks to come in. He promises to come in.
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20).
Merry Christmas – or Happy Christ’s Time!
Jayne Ozanne – Just Love – A Journey of Self-Acceptance (and ITV on Conversion Therapy)
Brings to mind the C of S. Since it has turned woke, Churches are closing like snow melting off a dyke.
God’s love is unconditional. His blessings and the way into restored relationship with Him are not.
‘Unconditional’ is not the best word to describe God’s love. It allows the Jayne Ozannes of the world to believe that God will continue to love all those who refuse to follow Him. The better way to describe this truth is ‘common grace’; it is limited to the the span of time, and reflects God’s desire for ‘all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth’ (1 Timothy 2:40. But God’s love is better described as unconquerable, constant, ever-flowing, but not irresistible. It relates to His character & nature, not the results of human response.
Have you checked that Scripture actually uses that word? Check with your concordance, Ps Get hold of a small booklet entitled ” Better than Unconditional”. It will clarify the misconception. If you want a better word , then ” “contraconditional” is the correct description for God’s amazing love.
Good post and The Gospel truths summed up well. There remains many who will not bow to Baal or any other false teachings by carnal Christians. Two churches are now emerging. One preaches The full Gospel of salvation through The cross of Christ and repentance. It teaches The Bible and makes disciples. It becomes the marginalised Church. The other makes a huge noise, seems attractive to the masses and will love the people all the way to the gates of hell. It becomes the popular church. If you love your sin I know which one you’ll choose but eternity is a long time to ponder a wrong choice.
You’re wasting your time on critiquing the CofE, David. They are on the path to destruction and their membership numbers show it. Ichabod !
Your big question should be to those Bible- believing Christians who remain in the CofE, why have they not left?
The CofE is merely the State religion, just like in countries like China. Christians are commanded to be separate from those who flagrantly disobey the Lord. People think the CofE represents the Lord Jesus and so have a completely mistaken view of the Lord. By remaining in the CofE, Christians are implicitly supporting this misrepresentation.
There needs to be a clear statement to the country about the Lord and only message that will count is a mass exodus from the CofE to new and existing independent churches. Then let the CofE collapse.
Excellent article , these are sad and dangerous times when this nonsense is being peddled , keep standing up for the truth of scripture .
God bless you David .
The simple fact is she has no doctrine of the authority of scripture nor any intention of being ‘hemmed in’ by what scripture actually says – as your article demonstrates. It is, however, the Archbishops and Bishops who provide her with the opportunity by their departure from the CoE’s expressed doctrine of marriage, never mind scripture. If they stood firmly on scripture she would have no wriggle room whatsoever.
The Anglican South will sever its links with the ‘Mother Communion’ soon enough.
Good response David, I confess I get weary of listening to nauseating heresy proclaimed by people somehow keeping a straight face while claiming to be Christians, they do a great disservice to His church. I’d take a conversation with an atheist or Muslim any day in comparison, so thank you for stepping up to make their error clear.
Same thing is happening in USA. Many once conservative evangelical Bible teaching churches are swaying to the left, i guess to try and fit the cultural times. The Word of God has not changed. It is all we need. Yesterday, today and tomorrow. Thank you David for teaching it!
Laura McLaughlin
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Our Lord taking human flesh really does matter. The God, whose metaphorical fingers or hands placed the stars and planets where they are, for a brief time took a human fingerprint. The message above is taken from AANI site and appears to celebrate second term abortion. With universal salvation (as Jayne Ozanne appears to move towards) everything looks meaningless to me. An aborted child gets to heaven without having to suffer we might assume. A pro-life protester’s witness appears almost irrelevant. The abortionist, acting with very good or highly questionable motivation, preforms what might appear to essentially be a procedure with a neutral ethical status. Should Church nativity scenes (or cribs) maybe sometimes feature an ultrasound scan from between the first and second third of pregnancy?
My local parish has gone ‘ inclusive’ under its new gay priest. I told the orthodox believers to I find a new parish, apparently some did. It didn’t go down well.
Time for all believers in the Lord and the authority of the Bible to leave the CofE. By staying in, you are supporting the credibility of its leaders as Christians in front of unbelievers.
Leave, and the CofE will collapse. And the continuing pretence that the UK is a Christian country will be over. Then the body of believers can truly reflect the Gospel to an unbelieving country.
Her definition of “unconditional love” is seriously flawed. Where does she identify God as Father? Because that’s how He identifies Himself. So the analogy of responsible parenting is appropriate.
A good and loving parent offers unconditional love to their children. But by it being unconditional, the parent loves the child too much for the child to be permitted to behave however they please, to indulge in practices which are harmful or contrary to their own wellbeing and the good order within the family. Unconditional love is love which instils order and discipline. Parents who allow their children to behave as they see fit are not loving parents at all. They are parents who are indifferent to the consequences of their children’s lifestyle. It might as well be hatred.
True.
Whilst God’s love for humanity is indeed unconditional, the worst thing to happen isn’t God’s disciplining, which like all disciplining is painful but God’s is always good and produces a harvest of righteousness for those who endure and are trained by it and if he were not to discipline he would not be treating people as his children. But rather with unrepentance, God removing his presence and in effect saying “OK have it your way”.
And for sure there are consequences for a Jezebel, or Cain spirit and/or failing to resist giving way to evil and rather adhering to pagan worship with the religion of diversity, inclusion and equality.
When the righteous give way to evil it is as the muddying of water or the poisoning of a well!