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I have been greatly encouraged by the emails sent to me in support of my stand on the issue of ‘dancing’.

I could have mounted many more than I have, all of whom were happy to identify themselves, in contrast to the anonymous abuse others sent.

I am mounting this because it is from a younger person and that in itself is an encouraging thing. I have removed some details which may have identified the writer before posting the email, though I am sure that would not have been required. I do so for I do not want the writer to be targeted by those cowardly ‘trolls’ who seem to delight in hurting and vexing others.

I am sure other Free Presbyterians of the ‘old school’ will likewise find encouragement in the words of this email.

Sincerely in Christ’s name,

Ivan Foster

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Dear Mr Foster

I’m disappointed to see you have received emails criticising your stand, especially when at least one of those emails came from inside Presbytery. It unfortunately is a sign of the times we are living in and shows the “falling away” spoken of in Scriptures is happening all around us.

I’m not a Free Presbyterian by birth or upbringing, I was a member of  . . . . . . . . church, who  . . . . .  married a FP and have attended a FP church since. Contrary to what some of the emails you have shown online seem to suggest, we did not need dancing to have a good wedding day. Our reception finished with a hymn and prayer and guests were on their way home by 8pm. (more…)

On 20th November I received the following via email.

“Dear Rev. Foster,

I’ve read with great interest your recent emails and commend you for your stance. The reason for my correspondence is not to add anything to the current conversation as I am in agreement with you but to ask if you would consider outlining in a series of email teachings, what it means to live a separated and holy life and what that looks like for the Christian in this day and age?

One thing that jumps out from the responses you have received, and indeed from your own email about dancing is that most Christians, and I include myself in this, are quite ignorant of what the Bible teaches. We are not being taught these things from the pulpits. So if you have the time Sir and are led of the Lord to do so, I believe I would not be alone in appreciating good teaching on such matters.

May God bless you Rev. Foster as you continue to stand for His truth.

I look forward to your teachings and thank you again that you are there standing in the gap.”

I am more than happy to try and answer this request as the Lord helps me.

Today, I read 1st Peter chapter 1, as part of my Bible reading devotions. I have often stated that I use Robert Murray M‘Cheyne’s Bible Reading Calendar, and I commend it to all once more. It can be freely downloaded from the internet.

Well today, I sat as it were, at the feet of Peter.

In this first chapter he deals with the subject of ‘SANCTIFICATION’ at some length. Sanctification is a term used of holy living. The Shorter Catechism teaches us what sanctification is.

Answer to question 35. “Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.”

I recall Dr Paisley stating of the Shorter Catechism, soon after I was saved, that it was a ‘wonderful compendium of Christian doctrine’! I must confess that I did not understand at the first that delightful description of this wonderful catechism, written for children I must add, but which has been the ‘educator’ of many, many adults in the sacred knowledge of Bible doctrine.

That answer 35, with wonderful simplicity and clarity tells us, in a nutshell, just what holy living is and how it is to be accomplished.

Let me start with that simple truth: (more…)

By Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)

I believe that there is an evil undercurrent flowing and growing within the Free Presbyterian Church.

It remains to be seen if it will be rebuked and repudiated or if it will be ignored or, worse still, endorsed by the members, ministers and elders, especially those who make up the membership of our General Presbytery.

I am referring to the case of Rev David Wilson dancing publicly but a few weeks after he took an oath before the Lord and those gathered at his ordination back in mid-September, to “expose and oppose the IMMORALITY AND SOCIAL VICES of this present evil world such as DRINKING, DANCING and GAMBLING”, and the support given him in abusive emails by those who claim to be Free Presbyterians!

There can be NO EXCUSE offered for such a display. The ordination oath clearly states DANCING, that is every form of dancing. As there can be no exceptions to prohibition of Drinking and Gambling, under any circumstances, the same goes for dancing.

We are under a divine injunction to, “Abstain from all appearance of evil,” 1 Thessalonians 5:22. No matter how innocent an act of dancing may be claimed to be, it has the ‘appearance’, the form and fashion of that which is the world’s activity and we must therefore ‘hold one’s self off from’, as the original Greek may be explained!

If David Wilson ‘dancing’ is excused, then Free Presbyterian properties will soon be dance halls!

Those who have sought to defend this ‘wedding dance’ have done so by saying that it was an expression of ‘holy joy before the Lord’. If that is so, why, as I am led to believe, did no one else join in this dance? Did the new groom not feel such joy? Did the bride’s mother not feel happy before the Lord? It would appear that no one else felt that dancing in this fashion was a proper manner of expressing a rejoicing in the Lord that day!

Whatever decision the Presbytery will make will undoubtedly decide the future direction and destination of a church which was called into existence by the Lord, as was described in the 1988 Covenant, signed throughout the congregations, wherein each signatory before God solemnly covenanted, “by His Grace, to stand with Christ in this evil day, for all that He is for, and against all that He is against.” That covenant was solemnly undertaken on February 28th, just 25 years ago! (more…)