What a shameful state of affairs has overtaken our church!
Folly rules, it seems, amongst our Presbytery office-bearers. Imprudence follows indiscretion and an arrogant ignoring of sin amongst our ranks is evident.
This attitude is largely born of ‘pride’, an unwillingness to acknowledge that the exposing of the blatant wrong-doing in recent times is correct and that they have been slack to dutifully act against that exposed!
Ezekiel
I am reading my way through the book of Ezekiel in my daily readings for I follow Robert Murray M‘Cheyne’s Bible Reading Calendar.
Today I read chapter 34. It is addressed to “the shepherds of Israel”. The Lord exposes and censures their failings to rightly look after His flock. Instead, the shepherds were moved by a self-seeking spirit and a looking after themselves!
Comfort and Condemnation
What comfort is offered to the neglected sheep — verses 11-16. The Lord will see that they are properly treated and cared for.
On the other hand, what condemnation is heaped upon the failing shepherds!
“As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them,” verses 8-10.
That which begins with foolish and selfish carelessness ends with the severest judgment of God following upon those who acted contrary to the welfare of God’s flock.
That is something the pulpits of the Free Presbyterian Church should carefully note and take heed of! (more…)
