Letter from Australia 128 – The Christian ‘Middle Road’ that leads to Disaster
Brothers and Sisters,
It’s hard to describe how difficult it is to write some of the things I write. There is a price to be paid. In fact, for a while I had toned down and even stopped. But in recent weeks I have started writing again on a more regular basis. In particular two articles I wrote for Christian Today have gone viral.
The UK Parliament’s vote for abortion up to birth is absolute evil – CT
The Quiet Judgement on the UK – CT
But then I was reminded of why I had backed off from writing these kinds of articles. And here is the interesting thing – it’s rarely the outright opposition that gets to you. It’s the friendly fire. That’s what really hurts. And it usually comes from the middle of the road people – the ones who in theory agree with what you say – but they just don’t like the way you say it. They want to have their cake and eat it. They like to win the battle without bloodshed. So many times, I have been warned by well-meaning friends that what I said was true, but the way I said it, wasn’t helpful. I have always thought they had a point. But I have also noticed that they stayed out of the battle – except to snipe from the sidelines.
A good example of this was an article published by Dave Williams – https://faithroot.com/2025/06/18/pure-evil-dangers-in-christian-responses-to-the-decriminalisation-of-abortion-for-mothers/
At first sight it seems harmless, reasonable – just a request to speak more compassionately. But I found it deeply hurtful and discouraging. Why? Maybe my pride was just hurt? Maybe I deserved it? But as I reflected on it, I realised that it was precisely this kind of response which does so much harm, and for me it is way more than personal. The author whilst expressing agreement with the view that abortion is wrong and even evil, then accuses me of being inaccurate and unhelpful, lacking compassion. Little wonder that so few Christians want to make public comments when this is the kind of reaction they get from their own side.
Let’s just reflect on what Dave says.
1) Using evil is hyperbolic. Although abortion is evil – we shouldn’t say that. Somehow this is considered to be more compassionate. This is the argument that I hear so often used – but the trouble is it ends up accusing Christ of being unChristlike. Jesus had no problem in calling people evil… (Matthew 7:11). When Dave agrees that abortion is evil but then argues that we shouldn’t say that, he is not only being contradictory and lacking courage, but he is also being unChristlike.
2) It is not changing the status of abortion as a criminal act – But it is. That’s what decriminalisation means. When the State says we will not treat burglary as a crime, they are de facto decriminalising. When they say we will not treat abortion as a crime, they are de facto decriminalising. When someone writes an article complaining of ‘inaccuracy’ they should at the very least get their facts right!
3) Abortion is already legal so why would decriminalising it be evil? That’s like arguing that killing Jews was already legal in Nazi Germany – so what difference did it make if they use gas chambers instead of machine guns?! Most people recognise that this week a Rubicon was crossed in the UK – at both ends of life. And yes, decriminalising abortion and permitting the killing of the sick and dying – is evil.
4) Concern about how this will be heard…
Concern for who? Those who have abortions? The politicians? The media? The nice people at the dinner parties we are trying to impress? And why should we be concerned about whether others think what we say isn’t nice? Were the prophets concerned about how the kings of Isreal heard them? Was Jesus concerned when he said – ‘”Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”(Matthew 23:27) Didn’t he know that was hardly the way to win friends and influence people?!
5) We want to insist that abortion is not evil because of increased viability
Why? To use Dave’s own criteria – how does that sound? It seems as though he is saying that losing a one-day old embryo is the same as losing a child one day from birth. Whilst I argue that both are wrong – there is also a difference…and viability is a key argument in the case against abortion. One that Dave seems prepared to overthrow.
And why the snarky language about cuteness – has anyone made that argument?
6) I should not speak about pure evil because there is a danger it could be applied to the mums or the MPs. Again, that is not how Christ spoke. It is pure evil to kill a baby. Those who commit that act are doing an evil act – they are not ‘pure evil’. They are not irredeemably evil…. or worse than everyone else. But they are evil….as the Bible says. In fact, the bible says that all of us are evil. (Romans 2:9-18)
7) We can’t say they are evil because MPs have received violent threats. Dave makes the direct and illogical equation between saying someone is evil, and encouraging people to kill them. That is a false equation and hyperbolic nonsense. It is a form of emotive bullying seeking to silence those who dare to speak out. It means that no one could say anything any politician did was evil. Our politicians are facilitating and enabling evil – they are the powers of this world. But no Christian should ever endorse, hint at, or advocate violence against politicians – because our battle is not against flesh and blood and we do not fight with the weapons of this world.
8) Calling people evil turns some people into monsters and separates their sin out from others. No, it doesn’t. This is again applying somewhat limited sociological theory rather than the teaching of Christ. When I have sat and held the hand of a young girl, weeping because of the guilt she felt over killing her own baby, I did not in any sense think she was worse than me – or should be marked out for being particularly evil. All of our hearts are evil and can find ways to justify our evil acts. “”The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
9) We must acknowledge a genuine desire to be compassionate in the motivation of those who are seeking this change. Why? Do we know their heart and their motivation? We know what they say – but we also know that the devil comes as an angel of light. Whilst some might be motivated by compassion, I also know that others use compassion as a weapon (just as they do with euthanasia) – as a means to emotionally bully us into accepting what they do. They take extreme cases and then say if you do not agree with our solution, you are unloving. It’s the same when people tell us that unless we accept transgender ideology we don’t care about a transgender teenager who commits suicide.
The reality is that abortion is the secular sacrament of our society. It is considered as a right. To speak against it is to commit blasphemy. Many of those who were advocating for the bill that passed (at least 116 of the MPs) were also supporting a motion which would have made abortion up to birth, on demand, for any reason, a right in UK law – to be provided on the NHS. This was just the first step. Where is the compassion there?
10) “There is a danger that we might resort to shouting our anger and disgust and so fail to seek to make the compassionate argument for a different way.”
But who was shouting? I do tend to get angry and feel disgust at racism, domestic violence, rape, child abuse, exploitation of the poor. Don’t you? I also feel sick that we now live in a society where mothers (and fathers) are permitted to kill their babies.
What Dave does here is again a form of manipulation. Saying something is evil (in public) is to be angry and not to show compassion.
The irony is that Dave meanwhile argues that we must acknowledge that those who argued for the decriminalisation of abortion were being compassionate – whereas those of us who argued that such an act was evil, were uncompassionate, angry and unhelpful.
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)
The trouble with these kinds of articles is that they both feed off and create a narrative. I have lost count of the times that people have come up to me and said that I was not as bad/nasty/evil as they had been told – usually by other Christians. If you actually read the article, I would challenge you to find what Dave found there.
But is has been ever thus. In the name of compassion, niceness and getting a seat at the table – some Christians feel comfortable in criticising and condemning a more robust approach. Of course they are not entirely wrong. There is a judgemental, condemnatory, self-righteous and harsh approach that does more harm than good. But the Christian response should never be to respond to one extreme by going to the opposite one. There is a tightrope to walk….and sometimes we fall off it.
My concern is that, as I have found, it is so easy to get tired and to give up. The only way for anyone to get on in the evangelical subculture is stand in the middle of the road – whilst declaring the way to go. But as the saying goes – ‘man who stands in middle of road gets run over’. This week we got steamrollered – we were hit with the full force of the anti-Christian ideologies. Britain took another step away from our Christian foundations, and back to progressive paganism. Some of us have to call that evil. And if others say that’s not nice – I just simply ask where the command to be nice is found in the Bible!
There are dangers in Christian responses to the evil of abortion. Judgementalism, harshness and unrighteous anger are certainly some. But so are blandness, compromise, cowardness and lack of clarity. It is the latter, rather than the former, which has more facilitated the change in our culture.
I hope to return to this subject again next week. But until then may you know the peace of Christ, live for God’s glory, be empowered by the Spirit – “so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:15)
Yours in Christ,
David.
PS. Despite what I have said I do appreciate correction and advice from friends – because the wounds of a friend are faithful. It’s just that over the years I have learned that there are some faithless wounds as well!
PPS – The reason I have written this publicly is that the article attacking me was published publicly….and public error has to be answered publicly – especially when it does damage…
MATTHEW 23:24?
We see pro-gay marriage and anti-gay marriage voices raised very loudly within UK Anglicanism.
But rarely is there a cheep on abortion-over 10,000,000 UK deaths-and over one human life per second lost globally according to some reports.
When discussing my evangelical belief with gay people it’s my opening shot, if they suggest celibacy-marriage is a restrictive lifestyle choice, to refer to the heterosexual sin resulting in an abortion genocide!!!!!
Well said David. I like strong leaders, especially one’s that stand up for Jesus!
Dear David
I rarely comment on your letters and articles but I always read them with great interest as I think you have a prophetic voice for our times.
I support you entirely in what you are saying in this letter. Our land (I live in England) is drifting (or rapidly swimming) further and further from God. Of course we want to be compassionate in what we share – but we have to call evil evil and you are boldly doing that. Don’t give up. We need you.
David, don’t be discouraged. What you said your article was appropriately direct.
I’ve just read an UnHerd article on the vacuity of ‘kindness’. It’s not addressed to the issue of abortion but it’s worth looking at if you’re able.
David, I must admit that your fire feels anything but friendly! I note that you are the one who has chosen to launch a highly personalised attack on me! d As for your article here, well I’ll leave your readers to check what I say for themselves! But it is worth saying quickly here 1. I have no problem with stating that abortion is evil and have done so my self in the very article. 2. I explain why an article focused on particular mothers and using tabloid language of pure evil is different to that and why I think it is unhelpful. I’m happy to talk more about why others may think it is helpful. 3. I have written about why I think the law change itself is wrong too and in my article linked to the CMF who also do,. 4. I was writing about the coming dangers of assisted dying well before a lot of people had caught onto it. 5. You might not be aware but MPs have been killed in the UK and subject to death threats. The demonisation of politicians online is a significant issue. and it is not illogical to express concern. 6. I’m confused by your point about one day old embryos v one day from birth. I thought there was agreement that abortion is wrong because it is wrong to take a life, therefore for us as Christians viability is not the question. Or have I misunderstood you. But to be clear, my understanding from God’s word is that murder is evil whether it is committed to a day old embryo or a 99 year old adult. 7. I’m not sure what this table is that I’m trying to get a seat at but I think you must be one of the first people to accuse me of being middle of the road. But I’m just the author of a very very tiny blog and a pretty insignificant local church leader in the UK just trying to get on with telling people the good news about Jesus, teaching and discipling and encouraging people to consider urban church planting. Yours in Christ, Dave
Dave,
My fire is not friendly….it was designed to show how your piece was harmful and wrong.
However I do not regard you as an enemy – I was responding to what you wrote. I don’t know you and have nothing against you. I have no intention of continuing an unedifying discussion on here (or on my FB page) – they do tend to get personal.
I don’t doubt your motives nor indeed your abilities – I think you have potential as a writer. So it is in that regard that I will offer you the following friendly advice….its up to you whether you choose to take it or not.
1) If you are going to write an article attacking someone’s writing as inaccurate (Christian code for false), unhelpful and uncompassionate, don’t get shocked when they respond and don’t start crying out ‘personal attack’. You will note that nothing in my response was personal. I dealt with what you said in your article. If you are going to write these kind of columns then you need the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job to develop both a thick skin and a sensitivity to what is being said.
2) Be consistent. On the one hand you say that you have no problem with saying that abortion is evil and yet you call our saying that abortion is evil as being hyperbolic. You say that talking of pure evil is ‘tabloid language’ – yet it is the language that Jesus uses!
3) Never misrepresent what the article you are writing against says. My article is not one that is focused on ‘particular mothers’. I’m assuming that you are not deliberately misrepresenting, but simply did not understand. The article is about the vote of the British parliament in decriminalising abortion.
4) Listen. And think about what your perceived oppenent is saying. And don’t ever assume ignorance. Yes I know about Jo Cox (killed by awhite supremacist)and David Amess (killed by an Islamist) and Airey Neave, Ian Gow, Robert Bradford and Anthony Berry – (killed by the IRA). They were not killed because someone pointed out that politicians did an evil act. Your clumsy attempt to link my article with the kind of extremism that urges people to kill politicians was at best a cheap rhetorical shot. Don’t play those kind of games.
5) Learn to apologise. You stated that my article was inaccurate and cited as the inaccuracy that the amendment was not changing the status of abortion as a criminal act – when that was precisely the purpose of the amendment. The status was changed so that no one could be charged with a crime for killing a baby in the womb! You have been informed of this and yet made no response. It is important when we write things that are critical that if we get them wrong we repent and apologise. Believe me when I say it is a bitter lesson I have learned!
6) Try to be logical. Of course all sin is sin – but some sins are more heinous than others. There are degrees. I find it difficult to believe that you really think there is no difference between a baby being killed one day after their conception, and one day before their birth.
7) I did not say that you were trying to get a seat at the table. That was not a personal comment about your motivation which I do not know. I was pointing out that the sentiments in your post are the sentiments generally expressed by those who are. Generalised comments should not always be taken personally – although in this case I can see how you would do so – so am glad to clear that up.
7) It’s great that you are trying to get on with telling people the good news about Jesus, teaching and discipling – keep going. But you do have to stop and reflect as to how, in the week that the UK parliament passed laws permitting abortion up to birth, and euthanasia, your article warning about the dangers of saying what we said in condemning that was fulfilling your mission. You are entitled to say what you want. Just don’t expect to say it with immunity. And next time consider carefully before you publish such a piece. Why are you doing it? How does it fulfill your mission? How does it bring glory to God?
Needless to say I need to take my own advice.
I wish you well and pray that the Lord would bless you and enable you to serve him with the gifts he has given you. Both you and I are busy people and I don’t think it is edifying to continue this conversation in public so no replies will be published. You made your statement, I answered it, I gave you the right of reply. Now we are done…..now go, get on with your life, and enjoy serving Christ! May the Lord bless you in all your church planting endeavours and writing….
One issue I found to have gone unnoticed is this in Mr Williams’ article:
“It is surely possible to consider abortion a moral evil whilst not believing that the mother herself should necessarily face criminal prosecution.”
And in his article linked in his other comment below he qualifies what he sees as the consequence of prosecution as:
“…to send mothers to prison”.
Why does prosecution require a prison sentence? in fact, why is prosecution even regarded in a negative light to begin with? And especially as Christians who understand the divine reality, and the means by which “mercy triumphs over judgement”. We should instead be recommending means by which grace and forgiveness can be offered, while also offering a better understanding of why a baby is both sacred, and a unique human being, from the moment of conception.
And all of this while we still condemn abortion as “absolute evil”.
Amen.
Be encouraged David. The church in the UK (or Great Britain) needs to hear your voice. See article by David Frost in Telegraph – 19 June – David Frost
“The Great Britain I love is dying. We have one last chance to save it
Our country is not the same as the one I grew up in. But all hope is not yet extinguished if we act now”.
We miss you in Scotland. And yes, we miss your prophetic courage and ability to articulate what so many evangelicals believe but hesitate to proclaim. God in His wisdom has given you a platform and reach which, although potentially costly for you, is a gift for the church and the nation. “Going Viral”! Amen!
As Latimer said to Ridley as the flames of martyrdom licked their feet, Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.
I wonder what today’s “Middle Road” Christians would make of the 16th century Oxford Martyrs?
I’d also encourage your readers to read this as well https://faithroot.com/2025/06/19/the-one-that-got-through-implications-of-the-decriminalisation-of-abortion-in-the-uk/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLF_lRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETBYTzFrak1MZkFkV3VXb1lEAR4kVzec37x2SyVcmIkSZ81aEQ0aEdYL5uUa1ZQJkIH94fYpA8gyiRcJZFSrdg_aem_dlq56acA4JdaR5MyQQPg3A and this
David, I agree absolutely with your letter. David. The fear of being indifferent to suffering, lacking “compassion” or causing offence will cripple the message and I suspect that most people out there are actually desperate to hear it straight. If we are not willing to say what we believe to be true we are at best irrelevant.
Well said Crawford. Most evangelical Christians are totally fed up with the ‘scripture twisting’ of the cowardly woke whose aim in life seems to revolve around seeking ‘likes’ on social media! Whether it is issues such as gender ideology, abortion or the demonisation Israel, most genuine true believers can see through through the fakery! At the end of the day, evil is evil, and calling out those who ‘muddy the waters’ with their so called ‘clever’ or even ‘prophetic’ rhetoric is exactly what those like David Robertson, who are called by the living God must continue to do. I pray that others will have the courage to speak out without compromise!
One strives for perspicuity when writing.. or at least that should be the focus.
Given scientists cannot explain the origin of life, and certainly deny it’s astounding complexity by clinging to the concept of macroevolution, we cannot expect the average politician to comprehend the nuances of embryology, the psychology of a pregnant woman, or the importance of the female reproductive system in our survival.
Ideologues are running rampant.. your steady reference to scripture casting objective truth into the debate.
Well done.
There are plenty of us who feel the same. The carnal Christians who want to do Christianity lite are everywhere and years of weak and incompetent teachings have simply meant (for many) a house built on sand. I call them the disciple snatchers. The fear of God has never been anywhere near them. We now live in a pagan society where anything anti Christian is celebrated and promoted and sadly, weak Christianity has allowed this to happen. Please keep writing when you can. ✝️🩸🙏
Keep going David, we need that prophetic voice. Jeremiah tried to stop then it was like fire in his bones. If you have that fire in your bones, it’s from Him and He expects you to let it out. And Paul said “woe is me if I don’t preach the gospel” better a woe from the world and apostate church than receiving the woe of the Lord. The Lord hates evil and loves righteousness. It’s pretty plain and simple, those who can’t see that and fail to speak out will have to face the compassion seat of Christ, am sure you get the analogy?
You’re right David.
“When the emphasis shifts from costly discipleship to a therapeutic individualism, 11 the difficult issues (such as pornography addiction, domestic abuse, greed, materialism, serving the poor, and so forth) are rarely preached upon. Gone are the hard-hitting sermons about our sin and encouragements to spend our time, talents, and money in the service of others, even (and especially) when it is frustrating and costly.
Individualism replaces hospitality, welcoming the stranger, making disciples, and serving the poor. My former pastor used a brilliant metaphor to encapsulate this issue: “Church is not a cruise ship. We are a lifeboat. We have a job to do.”
Be encouraged David. I’ve been following you for years without comment and admire your courage and conviction to speak the truth in love. You are saying what many of us are thinking but don’t have a voice. Keep telling it as it is and thank you for all your hard work.
Yes, please keep going David. We appreciate your clear (and compassionate) commitment to biblical truth. It is a necessary and refreshing corrective to the weakness and dilution of Christian ethics which currently prevails.
Hi David, I’m saddened by this debate because I follow the other blog too, but I totally get your point on this.
To quibble about our evildoing seems petty at best, especially as Jesus referred to his own followers as evil!
This dialogue is discouraging, but be encouraged to continue calling out evil and proclaiming what is good.
Be emboldened and revitalised David.
I’m sick of lukewarm Christians.
Thanks David, for clearing that up. I agree with you. So called politeness gets in the way of truth and people end up being unable to see the wood for the trees. We struggle in our church. Build people up but don’t remind them they are sinners.
Please keep writing. I really appreciate it
I have followed your jottings from a time when the Free Church Message Board regularly featured the denial ” the views expressed on this forum are not necessarily those expressed by the Free Church.” At that time I did not attend the Free Church ( I do now) but I found in your writings a freedom” to think outside of the box” That is why I read the “Wee Flea.” Outside of the box a war rages that only few experience, between Heaven and Hell .
Christians believe that the bible is the word of God , just, because it is , but there is a continuous war in this world where the word of God must continually be applied , whether it is to attack , or to strengthen or to apply a healing balm. It would be lovely if we were always sympathetic and understanding . If we were builders and beautifiers , if we were more accepting and loving , but in war those are luxuries that the Evangelist or the Preacher of God’s Word can little afford. The enemy ( Satan and the ways of men ) must be pierced to allow the truth to be known , and that will come with a price.
I confess also David , to living off your hurts and discomforts , but the minute you drop the sword or pen of conviction , then I will flee from the Flea even though I shall be poorer for it ! But , I suspect that is not going to happen !
May the Lord bless you and yours in Australia , and especially in Newcastle ,Scots Kirk
It is so essential for the health and mission of the Body of Christ to speak up clearly on these issues. The church is to be the pillar and bulwark of the truth.
Thank and keep speaking and writing on the side of truth David.
Thank you David for ‘telling it as it is’ – I see very little comments on abortion and the end of life Bills anywhere else. You are the voice in the wilderness, and as the old adage says “For evil to prosper – it takes a good man to do nothing”. There are ‘more for you, than agsinst you”.
You seem to have been accused of over-reacting by using strong, hurty words to describe recent events in the UK parliament. So, in the first place, what’s the problem with abortion? They are only babies. They can’t vote, can’t complain, don’t pay taxes, and their wee bodies are easy to dispose of. The one tricky problem is when a 34-week plus aborted baby is delivered breathing and alive, because then a form of “assisted dying” has to be applied. Fortunately, the UK MPs are getting good at facilitating this.
Secondly, I wonder whether Mr Williams would agree that Phinehas over-reacted; or Moses when he came down from the mountain; or Elija on Mt Carmel, and so on. Perhaps the Lord Himself over-reacted to David’s adultery. Perhaps Jesus over-reacted to the money changers in the Temple. So perhaps we need to re-think the actions of godly biblical men in the light of our new-found compassion and enlightenment.
(Or maybe, just maybe, there is a place for righteous anger.)
Hi Phil, I’d encourage you to read my article on its own terms. It’s not saying the things you seem to think it is. I’ve left open the comments there so that you can ask your questions directly.
Well David Just keep writing the truth and exposing the reality of the evil that is being perpetrated and voted for and accepted
It was indeed a very bad week for the UK and we need to pray for the mercy of God upon our land as it is totally undeserved .
We will reap what we sow concerning the Sanctity of Life
Grace and peace to you
You speak for many of us who are less intelligent and articulate than yourself. I am filled with a mixture of disgust, anger and mourning about the trajectory of the political establishment and the pathetic response of some evangelicals who disguise their cowardice as ‘winsomeness’. Prophets are rejected as was the Son. Keep speaking for the Lord.
Many thanks for your Biblically based clarity David. Mr Williams article reminds me of a poorly written essay from an earnest woke sixth year student keen to impress his tutor and his peers. Plenty of references to ‘compassion’ and a few mentions of ‘the Gospel’, but little or no references to the scriptures. As I read his piece, I kept thinking of how Jesus was a straight talker who never minced his words. For me, a sign that a person is a genuine true believer, is Christ like speech which is courageous and without compromise.
Thank you, David! Please keep writing with clarity and true compassion.
Thank you David for being willing to speak truth and put into words what so many of us find difficult. I am very grateful for your voice!
I attempted to put the following comment on Dave Williams blog, but because it wouldn’t accept me and because Dave Williams is reading the comments here, I’ll add my message to him here.
Dave,
I’ve read your commentary above and I’ve read David Robertson’s response, ditto yours to him on his blog.
You lost me when you accused him of “a highly personalised attack on me”, when he was in fact responding to your attack on him.
I would have thought David Robertson was a highly thought of commentator amongst the more conservative, confessional kind of Christian and therefore you should have exercised more care in criticising. Why not engage in personal conversation with him first?
I’m in Australia and not across details of the new law on abortion in the UK. Whilst all abortions (ca 28% or thereabouts of all pregnancies in Australia end up in an abortion) are at the very least deeply regrettable and distressing, late term abortions, when the child after 22, 23 can usually be saved, is absolutely disgusting (I wish I had a stronger word), against both natural law and definitely against the sixth commandment.
If Jesus could use extremely strong language as a particular situation demanded, why not David Robertson?
Hi David,
I hope DR will allow this comment through. I only open comments occasionally and they are still open on my original post to allow questions and clarification. Noone should be blocked from commenting. I briefly had comments open on a subsequent post but the only comment not from you was a personalized comment about DR so I did not publish it. I don’t permit people to engage on personal attacks on my website. Re your comments 1. David’s, article was in response to an article by me which made reference to a headline he and another writer has used. I simply explained why I believed the language was unhelpful in the context we were in and my primary audience was friends in England engaging on the issue directly affecting us. I didn’t attack him, it was not an article about his motives or about anything else he says or does online or offline. You can read David for himself on that. David is a brother in Christ, we have occasionally disagreed strongly and I have also agreed strongly with him and defended him on other issues though we do not know each other personally. I have expressed my concern at how David responded to me. Some of his comments did convey a personal attack and whilst that’s water off a duck’s back to those of us who speak publicly I don’t think it is helpful. David has clarified above that he didn’t intend to personally attack me. I will make sure that this clarification is noted on my blog too so it is visible to my readers. I think that in the light of that some of his language choices were unhelpful and z sure he will have reflected on that. As for dealing one to one, you will note that David didn’t come to me privately first when he felt that my article was friendly fire. Here is the thing, he is not under an obligation to do that and nor I think is anyone when engaging with things that happen in public. However, any courtesy we do extend to others (and it is my normal practice to try and have some private contact with brothers if there is robust public debate between us) should be extended freely to all. It shouldn’t depend on the perceived status of another person. As for your comments about the substance of the debate, the background to the legislative change is available on my blog as is my reasoning for conclusions I’ve drawn. Yours in Christ Dave
I’m pleased that this dispute has been made public. It is a good while since I made a comment here.
It is worth mentioning that a crime is an act against the state. And the state has decided to declare its Godless morality and ethics. It also represents God’s present day judgment.
John Owen puts it so clearly:
“In Christ, the patience, forbearance and longsuffering of God leaves unrepentant and unbelieving sinners without excuse, so that his power and wrath against sin might be shown in their just and righteous destruction (Romans 9:22).
Therefore, God allowed ‘them to walk in their own ways,’ which is shown to be a most dreadful judgment (Acts 14:16; Psalm 81:12).
To be given up to our own hearts lusts and walk according to our own ideas is as dreadful a condition as a creature is capable of falling into in this world.”
John Owen, Communion with God: Banner of Truth.
The word evil, has generally been removed from dictionaries and discourses, as being something that can be secularly justified and reasoned, balanced out subjectively and relatively.
However, God determines what is evil.
Why is it evil? The contrast is with the Good News of Jesus, and a new humanity, life in him; with being created in the image of God and his plan and purposes.
There is a need not just to denounce, though it is necessary, (thanks David) but to proclaim the offence of the Good News of Jesus.
Hi David,
I am reminded of my discovery of the writings of Francis A Schaeffer many years ago. He seemed to be one of the few Evangelicals who made the issue of abortion stand out as more than just a Catholic concern.
Today it seems that many Evangelicals are slipping back into that silence, and some for fear that speaking into in this area will be bad for their church branding.
I witnessed the baptism of Adam Smith-Connor a few years ago when he became a member of the church we attend. He has now left Evangelicalism and embraced Roman Catholicism I believe. He was asked by our church not to mention his involvement with Forty Days For Life when speaking from the front.
Its depressing.
But I will never forget these words from late-term abortion survivor Giana Jessen. “If abortion is about ‘womens rights, what were mine?”
You are one of the people I appreciate. As you are no longer in Britain you can give the truth. Never change
I was quite happy to give the truth in Britain as well!