“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:2-5’
One aspect of Christianity that the world particularly hates, indeed, there are all too many Christians who are not very happy regarding it also, and that is, publicly rebuking sin!
Nevertheless, raising our voices against that which is a breach of God’s Law is an essential part of being a Christian!
The Enniskillen protest was led by Free Presbyterian ministers, Rev James Porter (Bethel), Rev Raymond Robinson (Kesh) and Rev Samuel Fitton (Kilskeery).
First Murder
The first murder in this world was the result of Abel witnessing to his brother Cain with regards his sin in rejecting God’s appointed means of worship and substituting his own!
“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him,” Genesis 4:8.
The first murder we read of in this New Testament era, was that of Stephen. Again, it arose out to the world’s anger at the rebuking of sin.
“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. . . . Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul,” Acts 7:51-54, 57-58.
Adult members of the local Free Presbyterian churches near to Enniskillen gathered to protest against a most wicked event staged in a public house called ‘Pat’s Bar’.
Sadly today’s society believes that such events as that staged in the bar are acceptable.
It would not have been but a few years ago.
Guilty
The proprietors of Pat’s Bar, who are responsible for the indecent event, are very wrong. Those who paid to be thus entertained in the bar, are wrong. Those who say of such indecency, ‘Oh, live and let live’ are wrong. The local ecumenical churches which remained silent in the face if this violation of God’s Law, are wrong.
There is a God in Heaven, and whether it is recognised or not, we are required by Him to be subject to His Holy Law, set forth in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).
Those who openly, repeatedly and in defiance of Him, break His Law, in their heart of hearts know that there is a day, soon to dawn, when such wickedness will be examined.
“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God,” Romans 14:12.
Price
There is a price for such wicked folly, though men do not wish to be reminded of that.
“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death,” James 1:14-15.
“For the wages of sin is death,” Romans 6:23.
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” Ezekiel 18:20.
“Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him,” Isaiah 3:11.
Death
The death spoken of in these verses is not ‘physical’ death but ‘eternal death’.
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire,” Revelation 20:12-15.
The entertained provided in ‘Pat’s Bar’ will not then be considered so entertaining and innocent!
It must be acknowledged that those Christians who protested are sinners. That they would freely acknowledge BUT they have been delivered from living in sin and rebellion and have been redeemed from eternal damnation by their obedience of the Gospel of Christ and their relying upon His blood-shedding at Calvary for their pardon and deliverance!
Their faith in Christ springs from the fact that they have been “born again” (John 3:3). That has resulted in a most marvellous change!
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Christ’s purpose
This is the reason why Christ came to this world some 2000 years ago!
“And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” Luke 5:31-32.
That change has placed them in God’s camp and they must declare themselves against the particular defiance of God’s Law that took place in Pat’s Bar on Friday evening, though being a place where alcohol is sold and consumed, it has long been a place of sin!
Yes, a protest was very necessary but the Word of Life was preached and sinners told of how they could be saved and delivered from sin.
That has ever been the Christian’s primary duty.
The jailer’s question and the answer he was given is ever our witness.
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house,” Acts 16:30-31.
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
Saturday 29th August 2026