Unchanged in Canterbury

St Peter’s Church in Canterbury has a large banner fastened to its railings: ‘Come as you are: You’re more than welcome here’, it declares. Great. In one respect, we can hardly come any other way. Once, a sign like this meant that God was prepared to meet us in our place of weakness, sin and shame, and then transform us into the likeness of His Son through the forgiveness of sin and the Spirit’s indwelling. Yet St Peter’s banner has some additional comment, accompanied by the Pride rainbow colours: ‘LGBTQIA’ (how very up to date) folk will find it to be an ‘accepting and loving community’. The bits about change, transformation and repentance have all been neatly dropped. This is a church, like many others, which wishes to accept and endorse, approve and affirm. Yet the gospel does none of this. The real gospel, I mean, not the limp knicker-elastic peddled by trendy churches. The real gospel says that God does not accept you for who you are, but will accept you for who Christ is. He will not keep you as you are, but will change you into someone pure, holy and righteous. If you wish to be accepted for what you are, who you are and how you are, do not believe the gospel, because it has a wonderful capacity to change us. 

What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought
Since Jesus came into my heart!
I have light in my soul for which long I have sought,
Since Jesus came into my heart!

I have ceased from my wand'ring and going astray,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And my sins which were many are all washed away,
Since Jesus came into my heart! 

I’m possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And no dark clouds of doubt now my pathway obscure,
Since Jesus came into my heart!

There's a light in the valley of death now for me,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And the gates of the City beyond I can see,
Since Jesus came into my heart! 

I shall go there to dwell in that city, I know,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And I'm happy, so happy, as onward I go,
Since Jesus came into my heart!

-Rufus McDaniel, 1914