The Church of England continues apace on its journey away from the Bible and its teachings. It has now declared that while sex is best kept for marriage, couples who live together and have children without marrying will no longer be regarded as living in sin. Instead, they will be encouraged to adopt traditional values at special new services in which they will be able to get married and baptise their children. They will exchange vows and then present their babies for christening. As one newspaper reported, "The new services - dubbed "hatch 'n' match" by church insiders - mean the church is openly accepting sex before marriage among worshippers". This is yet another pathetic effort by the Church of England to be seen to be in tune with the times, but as it tries its hardest to be popular with the world - something the true church will never be nor should ever attempt to be - it is in danger of losing all respect. Indeed, it is fast becoming a laughing stock. We fully accept that increasing numbers of couples are living together and having children outside of marriage, and that these arrangements no longer carry the same social opprobrium they once did. However, just because something is acceptable doesn't necessarily make it right, and it is the duty of the church to declare without equivocation that the current trend away from marriage is contrary to God's law and therefore sinful and wrong. The fundamental problem is that the church is presenting a distorted view of God and sin. It portrays God as an elderly and paternal grandfather figure in the sky who will never punish us because He loves us. This caricature of God encourages people to live as they wish. They are understandably comfortable with a situation in which the emphasis is on God's love and where there is rarely any mention of His wrath and anger against sin. We rejoice that God is love. However, the apostle Paul in his great chapter on love says that true love "Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth" (1 Corinthians 6:13). In Romans 1:18 we read, "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men". These are solemn words, but they need to be proclaimed today. God "now commandeth all men every where to repent" (Acts 17:30). God's love is based on His righteousness, and He will not tolerate sin. Jesus Himself often warned of judgement and hell. Indeed, he spoke of hell more than he spoke of heaven. The true church will warn of judgement and of wrath. It will not condone, justify or legitimise life-styles that are clearly sinful and wrong. On the contrary, it will call on people to repent. But it will reach out to all in love, and declare the good news that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". (John 3:16). We rejoice that, although we are sinners, Christ died for us. He has paid the price for our sins, but in order for us to make peace with God, we must repent of our sin and put our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Instead of condoning sin as the Church of England is doing, it is the duty and privilege of the church to preach Christ crucified to a society gripped by spiritual darkness and confusion. May we not be found wanting.