THEOLOGICAL COMMENTARY – by Rev. Nicholas Sykes

 Published in Cayman Net News on the 29th November 2009

THE KINGDOM OF TRUTH

 

When several years ago the Prep School put on the musical Oliver, it was clear that the producer had an ironic turn of mind, in that forming part of the backdrop to the initial orphanage scene was a large banner with the words “God is Love”. In the Christian ethic, all will agree on the importance of love: indeed it is something that even modernist and traditional Christians can agree about. However, part of that agreement may be because the idea of love can mean different things to different people. Now, the St. John who in his first epistle used the expression “God is Love” also gives us in John chapter 18 the remarkable conversation between Jesus and Pilate on the truth-nature of the kingdom claimed for Jesus Christ. The voice of the “King of love”, Jesus says, is heard by every one who is of the truth.

 

One of the principles that is minuted as agreed to by  the ministers of the Cayman Ministers’ Association is that the truth is absolute and non-negotiable. In other words we agree to grow in the truth, but we reject the idea that there can be a fundamental conflict between what is true for you, and what is true for me. Just as we are called to grow in the new nature of Christ and put off the old Adam, so we are called to grow in the truth and in His rule, which is one of truth, while at the same time not losing sight of the fact that it is also one of love.

 

Challenging truths may seem to be unloving ever to express. The physician, I am sure, has this dilemma at times. So the doctor has to develop the proverbial bedside manner, and the Christian has to develop pastoral style, so that people will accept better any unwelcome truth they are called to speak. In the sphere of Christian ethics there are many unwelcome truths that need to be spoken to those who are attracted to or engaged in a variety of lifestyles that are widely hailed, and not out of any lack of love but from the reverse, out of concern for a true healing.

 

For instance if  I give marriage counselling to a couple that is contemplating living together before marriage, I should talk with them amongst other things about what fairly recent statistics have said: that 70% of couples who have lived together for five years or more  and then marry, break up after 10 years, compared with 31% for others. Or similarly perhaps this research finding: "Cohabiting couples are less satisfied than married spouses with their partnerships, are not as close to their parents, are less committed to each other, and, if they eventually marry, have higher chances of divorce".

 

Being aware of such results of research, is it really “loving” to duck these issues, for the sake of being kind and untroublesome?

 

Or, to take what must in our day be construed as a more controversial issue still, I will conflate  two quotations from homosexual rights strategisers, made I think some 20 years ago or more: “In any campaign to win over the public, gays must be cast as victims in need of protection so that straights will be inclined by reflex to assume the role of protector... Our campaign should not demand direct support for homosexual practices, but should instead take anti-discrimination as its theme. … The public should not be shocked and repelled by premature exposure to homosexual behaviour itself.” This strategy of taking anti-discrimination as the main theme was followed and has been hugely effective, even now to the extent of suppressing in law, as is being attempted in the U.K and the U.S., free speech in arenas of moral discourse – because the idea has been indoctrinated that it is “wrong” or “morally offensive to a minority” to discriminate between one “lifestyle” and another. But it is the truth about the actual behaviour that shows clearly the nature of what is being advocated, especially for vulnerable youngsters, behaviour that the very strategisers themselves all along admitted to be shocking and repelling.

 

John chap 18 vs 33-37 shows Jesus, already betrayed and ill-treated by His own, explaining before Pontius Pilate His Kingship as a Kingdom of truth. That is still the nature of the Kingdom of Christ, and in today's world of meaning-construction, we must on no account slip away from that. We are to be the truth-tellers. If we are not of the truth, we have deserted Christ's Kingdom, which is the Kingdom of God who truly is love. In Revelation chap1vs 5-6 He is shown, having loved us and loosed us from our sins by His own Blood, as making us a kingdom, thus giving us the calling to be no less than priests to His God and Father. The research I have outlined show effects of living out or not living out that kingship and that priesthood. May we always hold on to His kingship and live out the truth, in heart, soul, mind and strength.

 

For commentary, information and devotional material see www.churchofenglandcayman.com and www.anglicansatprayer.org