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“But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away,” 1 Corinthians 7:29-31.

On a number of occasions, I have referred to certain events currently being referred to and reported upon in the news with increasing frequency, as indicating that the close of this age is coming very near.

The Christian has been given various matters to watch out for as signs of the approach of the end of this age!

Remember the Words of the Saviour.

“And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation (the Jewish ‘nation’ – Editor) shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” Luke 21:29-33.

The two subjects I have referred to as indicating that ‘the time of the end’ has come upon us, are the increasing rise in antisemitism and the other is the spread of the availability and increasing use of drugs.

Here are recent headlines from news websites.

The first states:

Beaten for being a Jew on the streets of Britain: Outrage at ‘utterly abhorrent’ antisemitic attack on orthodox Jewish building inspector in Slough

The report begins: ‘A sickening video showing a Jewish man fearing for his life after a stranger shouted ‘dirty mother ****** Jew’ at him during an unprovoked assault has been condemned as ‘utterly abhorrent’ antisemitism.

Footage capturing the horrifying ordeal shows the victim, who was standing outside a property while carrying out work as a building inspector, being subjected to a torrent of racial slurs, including that he was a ‘baby killer.’

(more…)

A response to Rev. Marcus Lecky’s article on hymns and music

It is bewildering and deeply alarming to think that a Free Presbyterian minister should teach on the nature of the worship of God without making a single reference to the only standard of true worship, the Bible. A preacher without a Bible is a strange paradox indeed.

There are several issues I wish to raise in response to Rev. Lecky’s article. I am glad that he has voiced his views publicly and online as it gives opportunity to respond to them in the same manner. It has been startling to see the positive comments and support, even from other Free Presbyterian ministers, to such an obviously non-scriptural discussion of the worship of God.

1. Primary focus. Rev. Lecky is obvious setting out to refute the charge that Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) has infiltrated the Free Presbyterian Church. He does so by emphasizing repeatedly that the FPCoU has throughout its history used, what he terms, “current music”. In making this point he avoids the real issue entirely and raises a red herring. This wordplay either is based on ignorance of the real issue, or is an attempt cause confusion. The question of CCM in the church has NEVER been about the time when hymns or music was created. There is no intrinsic merit in the age of hymn. It is not better – or worse – simply because it is old or because it is new in a chronological sense. The date of writing is irrelevant.

CCM is a distinct genre of music first identified by the term “contemporary” in the 1970s in the context of the Jesus movement, a supposedly ‘christian’ hippie movement. It is a genre of music that blends Christian praise with the music of the ungodly world, initially from the hippie culture. It is contemporary, not in the sense that it is new, but in the sense that it copies the style of prevailing popular music trends. Simply put, CCM is contemporary because it is the music of this present evil age incorporated into the praise of worship. God-honouring praise is timeless and it is never determined to be God-honouring on the basis of the date of its production. The Bible speaks of the new song planted by grace in the heart of the redeemed (Ps 40:3). It is not new because it is recent, but new in contrast with the old songs of the pit which the old man previous enjoyed in an unregenerate state, and from which grace had redeemed him. It is still the new song of the new man, when a Christian has been singing the praise of God for a lifetime. Biblical praise is timeless.

Recognizing the irrelevance of Rev. Lecky’s misleading use of the term “current music”, the charge that contemporary worldly music has infiltrated the Free Presbyterian Church still stands. There is undoubtedly praise employed in the FPC today that is of a very different spirit than was used in the past. There has been an increasing adopting of the contemporary music of the world. (more…)

Here is an email I received on Wednesday morning, 20th April. I have not altered it but publish it as I received it, including misspellings!

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Good Morning Ivan,

I am emailing you having watched your sermon which you preached for the 75th anniversary service at Kilskeery.

Where I must say the message of the gospel was totally overshadowed by your personal views which for the most part are not grounded in scripture.

To me, the subject matter steemed from a place of personal resentment rather than any desire to promote the gospel. The FP church has seen a solid uptick in young folk which is crucial to the survival of the demonination and should be lauded. The atittude that ‘coffee mornings’ are a signpost on the way to damnation is not only sad but at the roof of it an inditement of where you feel the problems lie within the Church.

I think that if your ministry was more rooted in preaching of the true gospel and caring for your congregation rather than these personal rants you would have had more success in seeing members of your flock (and indeed family) comming to faith instead of falling by the wayside.

I prayfully hope that you take time to reconsider this attitude which most certainly drives true believers from Faith.

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(The sermon under criticism may be seen or heard here: “Going Forward by Turning Back”)

Well Mr D,

It has obviously escaped your notice that there are times when a ‘defending’ the Gospel must take precedence over the proclaiming of it!

Paul said: “I am set‭‭ for‭ the defence‭ of the gospel‭,” Philippians 1:17. Those words have been my motto text since I started preaching in 1964.‬‬‬‬‬

It only takes a cursory reading of Holy Scripture to see that God’s servants often gave priority to the rebuking of error and defending the truth! (more…)