This week I came across a letter from an MP, Mark Francois (Rayleigh and Wickford), to a constituent, about the Government’s commitment to defend Christianity in Britain. Mr Francois began by listing Christian values which, in his opinion, are “responsibility, hard work, charity, compassion, humility, tolerance and love”. He then re-stated the Government’s commitment to “support our Christian churches and faith groups, promote British values and defend freedom of religion.”

Blink and you miss it. See how easily ‘British values’ are inserted as part of a defence of Christianity? Mr Francois went on to list British values as including “tolerance, respect, democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law”. See how cleverly these are overlapped and dove-tailed with the ‘Christian’ values previously listed?

Sleight of Hand

The problem is, of course, that ‘British values’ (as per the Government’s current definition) do not line up so neatly with Christian values – or at least not with true Christian, biblical values. The Government would love it if we thought they did – but they don’t. Note for example that the above list of British values is fundamentally secular and humanistic – in that it removes God and elevates human individuals and systems of government to unimpeachable status.

Note also the use of words like ‘tolerance’ and ‘respect’, which sound good in theory but in practice function as Trojan horses for the promotion of anti-biblical ethics. For example, ‘tolerance’ becomes about the enforced acceptance and even endorsement of unbiblical behaviour – with punitive measures increasingly levelled at those who do not comply. ‘Respect’ becomes no longer being allowed to say that Jesus is the only way to God or that Christianity has a monopoly on truth.

If churches challenge this verbal sleight of hand, they risk being labelled ‘extremist’. At the same time, truly biblical givens such as love of God, faith in His Son, obedience to His ways and true love of others (from whence the values like hard work, compassion and charity listed by Mr Francois all issue) are becoming anathemas, re-defined as bigoted and hateful. To quote journalist Melanie Phillips (who in many ways is being the prophetic voice to society that the Church should be), the world is being “turned upside-down”.

Defending True Christian Values

The Government’s ‘British values’ drive will not unite our country, nor will it restore any good and true sense of national identity. Only Jesus Christ can do these things. In the meantime, Christians need to be clear about what His values are, and resolve to stick to them, whatever the cost.

All Bible-believing Christians should be able to define biblical values – not just drawn from the New Testament, but from the whole word of God. These values reflect God’s nature and character, as revealed in Scripture. It would be a great contribution to the national debate on values if we could agree on a list of biblical values. Are you able to give such a list?

Author: Frances Rabbitts