“Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” Song of Solomon 8:5
I understand that at the Presbytery meeting of Friday 1st May, I, along with Rev David Linden was charged with wrong-doing by Rev Ron Johnstone and Rev Marcus Lecky.
I was not informed that this would be taking place nor have I been officially notified yet of the charge laid against me.
The Free Presbyterian Church Book of Church Order, Chapter 10.5, states:—
‘Any business relating to any member of Presbytery shall be brought to the member’s attention as soon as possible.’
Since both Rev Linden and myself are on the phone it would have been an easy matter to have informed us before the meeting of Presbytery that this was going to happen. The Presbytery officers would have been informed of the matter otherwise it could not have been raised without notice.
Furthermore, I was phoned by Rev Marcus Lecky just after 5.00 pm on the Friday evening, but he did not tell me that he was about to charge me with wrong-doing, which in the circumstances seems rather remiss of him!
I understand that the attention of the Moderator was drawn to this obvious violation of the above rule that was taking place, but that was dismissed as not applying in this instance!
I await with confidence in the Lord that the matter will be resolved and sin exposed and, under the grace of God, it will prove a means of the Free Presbyterian Church returning to its first love and works.
This morning I read The Song of Solomon, chapter 8 and the verse 5, as part of my daily reading.
I had planned to send out in a day or so a message I preached on this verse twenty years ago. However, in the light of recent events, I thought I would send it out this morning.
The text poses a question that is very worthy of consideration in a day when Christians are bombarded with men’s thoughts and reasonings, without reference to the Word of God, and are being urged to lean on such unscriptural notions.
Such reasoning will draw us away from Christ and encourage us to cease to lean on His immoveable, all powerful shoulder and instead trust in the proud thoughts of men.
It will result in the same outcome as endured by disobedient Israel long ago. “And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand,” Ezekiel 29:6-7.
Man’s reasoning is but a ‘broken reed’ from which no help or support will come, only disappointment and disaster!
To heed and respond to such unscriptural reasonings has ever been the first step out of God’s will and on to the path of backsliding for an individual or a church, and then eventual apostasy.
It happened 100 years ago in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and it will happen to us in the Free Presbyterian Church if we likewise cease to lean ONLY on the Lord and His Word for guidance and instruction in righteousness.
The Song of Solomon is a love song which celebrates the affectionate relationship between Christ and His spouse, the Church, under the terms expressive of the loving relationship between a husband and wife.
In these days of unbridled impropriety and licence, the terminology of this song is very much open to misunderstanding and abuse. However, the sanctified heart and mind will see only the purity and delights of the unbounded love of Christ for His people and the response to that love that grace engenders within the regenerated soul.
“We love him, because he first loved us,” 1 John 4:19.
From our text please observe the pilgrimage of the child of God from the wilderness to the wonders of heaven and the only enduring source of support and comfort — our Beloved Saviour!
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
3rd May 2026