“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people,” Proverbs 14:34.
I read this verse in my daily reading on Thursday of last week and I greeted it as an old and well-loved friend. I learned it from hearing it repeated in prayer meetings some sixty one years ago, when I was just converted to Christ.
Would I be right in thinking that if I were starting out on the pilgrimage of life today, this verse would not be as familiar to me because of not hearing it quoted in today’s prayer meetings, in the manner in which it was quoted back then?
I think that, sadly, it would be as I fear!
I. IT SEEMS THAT BACK THEN, THIS VERSE WAS ON THE LIPS OF VERY MANY IN THE PRAYER MEETINGS.
It was quoted as a means of comfort, as there was an earnest seeking to see our province turn back to the Lord.
It was quoted in defiance of the ‘pundits’ who advocated the adoption of liberal and modernistic theological notions of what it was would benefit society. In general, such ‘moral think tank theorists’ favoured the abandoning of “the old paths, where is the good way,” (Jeremiah 6:16) in order that a ‘Bibleless” society be formed!
1. Those who joyfully pleaded this verse in prayer were those who had experienced its truth in their own lives and that of their families. They had learned that the essence of true righteousness was obedience to God.
They had discovered that the words of Samuel were wonderfully true! “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams,” 1 Samuel 15:22.
2. Furthermore, they took heed of the lessons of history, particularly that of divinely inspired biblical history.
“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed,” Judges 2:11-15.
God has not changed since then. He hates sin as passionately as ever!
“Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked,” Psalm 97:10.
“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” Proverbs 8:13.
It is the same today – righteousness alone will exalt a people. “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph” Amos 5:15.
Secular History
3. They saw within secular history evidence of the truth of this text. The preaching of George Whitefield and the Wesley brothers saw a wonderful change for the good in the British Isles. Likewise, in Ulster, the 1859 revival wrought much good and the land was morally elevated by the many conversions to Christ that took place.
Much nearer our own time, the blessing of God that Ulster experienced under the preaching of W P Nicholson, confirmed the truth of the text.
These considerations prompted Christians back in the days I am thinking of — 1960s and 1970s — to long to see ‘righteousness’ embraced by our land.
II. SADLY, I BELIEVE THAT I AM CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THIS VERSE IS QUOTED LESS FREQUENTLY TODAY!
It cannot be otherwise. Many professing Christians have allowed themselves to drift into associations and organisations which endorse the very opposite to what God would have us engage in.
1. Many parents today have persuaded themselves that when they place their children under tuition that is comprised of anti-Bible theory and practice, they will come to no harm. The Department for Education in England, is the government’s department responsible for children’s services and education in England, including early years, schools, higher and further education, apprenticeships, and wider skills. In 2020, ‘Relationships and Sex Education’ was made compulsory in England.
Northern Ireland has not escaped this plague. This appears on the NI Department of Education’s website.
‘The teaching of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. All grant-aided schools are required to have an RSE policy that is based on consultation with parents and pupils. It is the responsibility of the Board of Governors of each school to ensure that a comprehensive programme is delivered which meets the needs of its pupils and aligns with its RSE policy.’
What is ‘RSE’?
Let me quote from an article which was posted on ‘The Burning Bush’ website on 11th October 2024:
‘The churches’ “hypocrisy and half-heartedness” exposed!’.
‘The teaching of ‘RSE’ is anything but vital. It is an evil imposition by those who are the “enemies of the cross of Christ”.
It is an attempt to infuse into the minds of children notions and views to which they ought not to be introduced in a school. The Law of God is the only guide children need. The lesson is simple in the face of today’s profligate promiscuity! “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” Exodus 20:14. The Shorter Catechism says of this, the seventh commandment: “The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbour’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behaviour. Furthermore it states: “The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.”
Such exhortations are supported by verses from God’s Word.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret,” Ephesians 5:11-12.
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace,” 2 Timothy 2:22.
“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient,” Ephesians 5:4.
“Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you,” Ephesians 5:3.
RSE flies directly in the face of these truths and seeks to justify immorality, unnatural relationships, the murder of the unborn and unchaste behaviour and to make such a part of the common discussions of the classroom!
RSE is the devil’s attempt to take over the classroom to a greater degree than he has already accomplished through impure books in literature classes and the teaching of evolution in virtually every curricular subject!’
Warning repeated
Parents within the Free Presbyterian Church have been warned of this frequently by the Presbytery Education Board. I believe it to be true that the warnings have been virtually ignored completely.
One of the reasons why this is so is the assurances that concerned parents have been prepared to accept from state school teachers, who may be Christians who are opposed to RSE, that the glaring immorality that exemplifies RSE will not be taught by them!
Evolution
Sadly, many parents are only too glad to ‘grasp at such a straw’ so that they are excused from acting to safeguard their children as they should
Advice and assurances of this kind were given years ago when Christian parents voiced concerns about ‘Evolution’ being taught in schools. ‘Oh no, we will not teach your child evolution.’ Likewise, grossly vulgar texts were employed in the teaching of English Literature but again concerns about foul language in such books was ‘pooh-poohed’ and made light of.
In the past such assurances were deceitful and the same may be said of the assurances given to many Christians parents regarding the wickedness of RSE being taught BY LAW, in the State School system here in Northern Ireland.
All too many Christian parents seem only too ready to accept such assurances!
Presbytery Motion
Back in September, 2024, I understand that our Presbytery passed the following motion, proposed by Rev Ian Brown. I only come across it after I had finished this article but I added it in, along with some further comments.
- “That the imposition of the new RSE directives for schools has launched sustained assaults on so many points of God’s moral law for mankind is a painfully obvious fact.
- To present abortion as a viable alternative to the birth of a child and, in order to deflect from the savagery of the act of slaughtering that unborn child in it’s mother’s womb, to employ such deceptive euphemisms as ‘healthcare’ – is to violate – and that viciously – God’s plain command, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17).
- To promote LGBT lifestyles as moral and beneficial equivalents to the biblical order – a person from each of the two created genders, one man with one woman in a lasting marital union – is a demonstrable breaking of God’s commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16; Romans 1:18-32).
- To interfere with a parent and child relationship and, in the case of a 15-year-old pupil, to make the parents’ right to withdraw his child from what he understands to be deviant teaching dependant on the consent of his child is to directly challenge God’s command to, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee … Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1).
Out of respect for God’s laws and for the benefit of all His creatures we in the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster call on all parents to inquire as to what elements of RSE are being taught in the school their child attends, to withdraw their child from this aberrant instruction, and to resist every effort to relegate the right of the parent by putting it on a par with that of their child.
It is only when we reject the wicked indoctrination of all bodies that have long since lost their moral compass and return to God’s prescriptions for healthy and holy living that our nation will have any hope of the spiritual and ethical renewal it so evidently needs (2 Chronicles 7:14; Proverbs 14:34).
Therefore this Presbytery:
– encourages parents to exercise their rights and withdraw their children from these objectionable elements of RSE (there is a requirement on the Department of Education to make regulations providing for the circumstances in which, at the request of a parent, a pupil may be excused from receiving instruction on these elements we find objectionable);
– asks parents to familiarise themselves with the specific elements that must be mentioned in any letter of withdrawal if they choose not to use the template provided (the official template is provided below);
– strongly objects to the evident restriction of parental rights in the case of 15-year-olds (pupils in year 12).
It is sad to note that few Free Presbyterian parents took any heed of this warning and exhortation, though that is hardly surprising when it is noted that the motion does not urge Free Presbyterian parents to send their children to a Free Presbyterian Christian school! The motion was to be read in all of our churches but I am given to understand that this did not happen in many congregations!
Presbytery Education Board
The Education Board of the Presbytery specifically requested that a statement be issued urging parents to support Free Presbyterian Christian schools but no such exhortation was made.
Instead parents are urged to ‘withdraw their children from these objectionable elements of RSE’! That is nothing other than an endorsement of the other anti-Bible elements of the State schools – its teaching of evolution and the foul terminology found in the English Literature books studied. RSE has been in the State schools for years and it is only the latest additions to this subject that has aroused concern.
Bible’s call
The Bible would urge parents to withdraw their children from the State system completely and place them in a school where God and His Word are honoured and obeyed!
Our Presbytery, to its shame, failed to give the proper guidance to Free Presbyterian parents in this matter!
When our Presbytery shows such indifference to its own Christian schools, it is hardly surprising that many parents follow suit!!
Three reasons why I enjoy speaking in the Tuesday assembly of Kilskeery Independent Christian School!
2. Again, praying over such a verse has fallen out of favour because there are Christians, who by their position in political office, assist in the establishing of a society which embraces that which the Lord ‘abominates’!
The Bible says that: “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them,” Leviticus 20:13. Under the Law in the days of Israel’s theocracy, such wickedness was deemed a capital crime!
Today, such wickedness is endorsed by all major political parties, including the Democratic Unionist Party. That party was formed to promote the very opposite to what it now promotes! It now has within its membership and holders of office, those who openly flaunt their perversion and defiance of God.
In turn, there are Christians who support the DUP and who are in membership of the Free Presbyterian Church. Indeed, some hold office as committee men, elders and even ministers.
Solemn Oath
Such support is contrary to the oath of an elder and a minister but, more importantly, it is in direct defiance of God’s Word!
“Abstain from all appearance of evil,” 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Supporting a party which endorses sodomy and lesbianism involves more than the ‘appearance’ of evil – it is downright and undisguised wickedness!
There may be those who ask, ‘Why don’t you issue charges against those who violate their ordination oaths by acting so?’
My reply to this is – ‘Why do not those who cannot deny that what I say is true, act in obedience to God’s Word and extradite themselves from such disobedience?’
That would be the proper, humble and God-fearing thing to do, rather than stubbornly press on in disobedience.
The onus is on those to refute what I, and what many others, have said regarding the support given to the DUP by Christians, but they cannot.
Silence
Such entanglement has silenced many from taking the words of our text on their lips in prayer. They are in support of that which our text would indicate is a ‘reproach’ or shame, to any people.
The evidence of the shame that has been brought upon Ulster by the compromising actions of some Christians is all too plain to be seen!
III. AS LONG AS THIS VERSE IS ABSENT FROM OUR PRAYER MEETINGS, SO MUCH THE WORSE WILL GROW THE SHAME WE SEE ALL AROUND!
‘Burying the head into the sand’, is the proverbial action taken by the ostrich as it seeks to escape danger. But the ostrich is misrepresented by such a proverb. It does not do such a foolish thing.
However, many Christians do. They decide for themselves that the increasing troubles caused by sin will pass if it is just ignored.
David
Doubtless, David was deceived into thinking that. But in God’s time, after David was graciously and mercifully given time to repent of his many sins, the challenge came: “Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun,” 2 Samuel 12:7-12.
David repented upon hearing these words BUT he still suffered a dreadful repercussion for his sin.
“And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. . . And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died,” 2 Samuel 12:13-15, 18.
Self-inflicted
What pain and suffering we bring upon ourselves and our families, by defying and disobeying the Lord!
I am “no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son,” (Amos 7:14) but I have no doubt that Ulster’s troubles will continue and grow worse as long as sin is ignored and defiance of God continues.
Wickedness will not ‘self-right’. It can only get worse.
“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived,” 2 Timothy 3:13.
Let us learn from the folly of the priests of Egypt.
“Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was,” 2 Timothy 3:8-9.
Dear Christian, God offers us a much more glorious future, if we but heed Him.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land,” 2 Chronicles 7:14.
(A verse, along with our text, I see that Rev Brown referred to in his motion to Presbytery in September past, though its directions were hardly followed to the full in his motion!)
That too was a verse often brought in prayer before God but which is now rarely heard!
“Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved,” Psalm 80:19.
May that petition reverberate loudly around our prayer meetings and echo in God’s courts in heaven.
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
1st April 2025