Christian preachers persecuted in England? I think not!

Another preacher has been arrested for "preaching the gospel". Pastor John Sherwood was arrested in West London for "preaching the gospel". But was he? Was he preaching the gospel, or was he trying to get arrested? In early church days martyrdom became a big thing. As genuine experiences of a relationship with Jesus were no longer as real as they had been in apostolic times and as salvation was rephrased to mean "going to heaven when you die" martyrdom was seen as a guaranteed way to be accepted into heaven, so more and more "Christians" opened themselves up to martyrdom. Is that not what we are seeing here?

This preaching against same-sex marriage is not only not preaching the gospel, it is also unbiblical. Paul, writing to the Corinthians says, (1 Cor.5: 9-13) "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons - not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? God will judge those outside. ‘Drive out the wicked person from among you.’"

Paul quite plainly says we are not to stand up in public places judging those outside the church for living as though they are outside the church. God will judge them, not us.

Our role is to judge those inside the church. Pastor John Sherwood, if he feels called to judge same-sex marriage, should go into the churches where these practices are encouraged and preach to them. Or if he feels called to preach the gospel, then he should preach the gospel.

But maybe he wouldn't get arrested for that!