"Take Heed" Ministries

Cecil Andrews, PO BOX 13, Ballynahinch, BT24 8AL, Northern Ireland.

Telephone/Fax 028 9756 5511. E-MAIL - takeheed@aol.com

WEB-SITE - http://www.takeheed.net

A Response to The Queen's Message

Queen Elizabeth II

Buckingham Palace

27 December 2004

Your Majesty,

I do hope you’ll forgive me taking issue with you in respect of your understanding of ‘The Parable of The Good Samaritan’ [Luke 10:29-37]. In your message broadcast on 25 December you referred to the incident when ‘Jesus answers the question (of verse 29) - Who is my neighbour?’ The Lord then relates the story of the man who “fell among thieves” [verse 30]. In your message you then said ‘The implication drawn by Jesus is clear. Everyone is our neighbour no matter what race, creed or colour’. I think at this point I should quote exactly what God’s inspired Word records in verses 36-37 – The Lord said to his questioner – “Which now of these three [the Priest, the Levite, the Samaritan] was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that sheweth mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him. Go and do thou likewise”.

This parable is in God’s Word, not to teach as you stated that ‘Everyone is our neighbour no matter what race, creed or colour’ but to teach God’s people [Christians] how to be good neighbours. A parable is an ‘earthly’ story with a ‘heavenly’ meaning. So this story is designed to convey a spiritual truth. Who are the people who have “fallen among thieves”? In John 10:1 the Lord said “He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber”. In verses 7 and 9 He declares “I am the door of the sheep…I am the door: by me if any man enter in he shall be saved”. Four chapters later the Lord stated categorically “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me”[John 14:6].

If anyone is trying to work their way into the presence of God the Father, by a way other than through faith alone in “Jesus Christ and him crucified” [1 Corinthians 2:2], and that is what the adherents of non-Christian faiths or perverse versions of Christianity are trying to do, then the reality is that they have “fallen among thieves” [Gurus, Imams, Brahmans, Priests etc] and the lesson of this parable is that God’s people [Christians] must “go…into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature [non Christians]” [Mark 16:15]. The “gospel of Christ” [Romans 1:16] tolerates no rivals or equals – Peter made that clear in Acts 4:12 - referring to the Lord Jesus he said “Neither is there salvation in any other”. Your message on 25 December of ‘toleration’ would be viewed as very ‘politically correct’ for this day and age, but the truth is that the “gospel of Christ” will NEVER be ‘politically correct’.

I pray that you and your family will come to a true understanding of and saving reliance upon my Saviour, “Jesus Christ and him crucified” for we read in John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son [“No man cometh unto the Father but by me”] shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him”.

Yours most respectfully

Cecil Andrews

“Take Heed” Ministries

PO Box 13, Ballynahinch, BT24 8AL

Tel./Fax 028 9756 5511

E- Mail takeheed@aol.com Web site www.takeheed.net