The article, the link to which is here posted, was sent to me by a friend.
Christendom by Peter Heather: the bloody history of its success
October 02 2022, 12.01am
I want to briefly deal with the central premise of the writer’s diatribe for once it is demolished then the vile assertions he levels against ‘Christianity’, by confusing it with ‘Christendom, fall apart.
I will entitle my response:
ANSWERING THE BALDERDASH OF AN ‘EDUCATED EJIT’
Peter Heather, is one of those labelled by W P Nicholson a century ago as ‘an educated ejit’!
Peter Heather is, as Wikipedia states: “Professor of Medieval History at King’s College London.”
It is little wonder the land is in the confused, lawless state that it manifests every day for all to see, with cretins like him filling the heads of the youth with unmitigated guff that he passes off as truth. Educated in the ‘knowledge of men’ he may be but he emanates every evidence of being one of “the enemies of the cross of Christ”, referred to by Paul in Philippians 3:18.
What this ‘Professor’ narrates of ‘Christendom’s’ history, whether or not accurately is for others to judge, is the history of the workings of that which Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, as “the mystery of iniquity.” This has manifested itself chiefly within ‘Papal Antichristianity’ and in more modern times as the theologically ‘modernistic, liberal and ecumenical’ movement within the camp of ‘Protestantism’.
This was the spirit of error sent forth by the one the Lord Jesus said is “a liar, and the father of it,” John 8:44. The early church leaders were in constant war against this ‘lie’ for the devil was ever seeking to plant it amongst the true believers in Christ. Jude tells us what the early guardians of God’s truth were up against. “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,” Jude 1:3-4.
Of course, he was not the only one combatting this ‘evil invasion’! The Lord Jesus had warned of this threat to the truth of the gospel. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this,” Matthew 13:24-28.
The apostles continued the Saviour’s battle to preserve the truth of God against the devil’s lie.
Here are some of the many examples of this from the New Testament.
“And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment,” Acts 15:23-24.
“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you,” Galatians 2:4-5.
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,” Ephesians 4:14.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,” 2 Timothy 3:1-6.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not,” 2 Peter 2:1-3.
Peter’s words tell us that the battle for truth was not just the activity of the apostles. Rather, they were following in the footsteps of the prophets of old. Note these words of Isaiah the prophet. “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,” Isaiah 8:19-20.
Here is the yardstick by which true doctrine is to be measured — ‘The testimony’ of the Law of God. It is from this ‘bedrock’ of truth that the devil and his agents have ever sought to turn men.
Today’s United Kingdom is an example of the consequences and cost of such a turning!
What Peter Heather sets forth as a history of the Church of Christ is in fact the spread of that of which Jude had written in the 1st century to the believers in Christ in his day. “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,” Jude 1:4.
Havoc has been wrought amongst the nations by the progeny of these ‘creepers’ and fools have seen such as the result of the spread of the gospel!
How often it has been claimed by the blind and ignorant that ‘religion is the cause of this world’s troubles!’
Yes, the ‘religion of the ‘creepers’ has indeed contributed to much of this world’s woes, but it is entirely wrong to confuse this ‘religion’ with true Christianity.
The religion of Christ has only worked good amongst men. As Peter said in Acts 10:37-38; “That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
This same truth Peter had proclaimed in the presence of those guilty of the crucifixion of Christ, (Acts 2:22-47) men who were in a position to challenge his claim had they the mind to do so. They did not challenge his assertions regarding Christ and the impact of His witness but surrendered to the Saviour and became the first converts of this New Testament age.
A wonderful example of the blessed benefits of Christ’s message is seen in Luke 8:35: “Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.”
What that man had experienced was the wonderful transforming grace of the Lord Jesus. Paul explains to the Ephesians the dimensions of the working of grace in the repentant sinner’s heart.
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you,” Ephesians 4:17-32.
This is what the gospel has wrought amongst men throughout the ages. This has been very evident in times of revival. In such times communities, cities, nations were transformed and turned from sin to righteousness.
Dr Ian Paisley, in his book, “The ’59 Revival”, quotes from the journal of the Belfast Quarter Sessions of April 1860, in which the assistant barrister wrote:
“Gentlemen of the grand jury of the division of County Antrim, I have been enabled, in the first two towns of the county in which I held the Sessions, to congratulate the grand jury upon having nothing at all to do. Gentlemen, I cannot exactly offer to you the same amount of congratulations, because you have three cases to try; but I think we congratulate ourselves on having such a small calendar, all of a trifling character.”
Other court records in Ulster reported a similar decline in crime as a result of the glorious revival back then.
Daily we read of the rising levels of crime and the vain efforts of Governments to curtail such. What men cannot do, God through the gospel of His Son, that agency so despised by the likes of Peter Heather, can and has, on innumerable occasions, wrought amongst the nations.
Sincerely in Christ’s name,
Ivan Foster
24th October 2022