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“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come,” Isaiah 57:1.

Reading this verse today, it occurred to me that little real thought has been given to the meaning of this verse and its clear implications.

Every true believer is concerned with the very obvious decline in the number of those who adhere faithfully to the Word of God and openly stand for righteousness. The word ‘perisheth’ in our text carries the figurative meaning of ‘vanishing away’. Christians are ‘vanishing’ from society. The believer can plainly see this taking place. They are not deceived by the swelling ranks of those who ‘profess’ godliness but recognise it as a religion that can easily set aside any portion of God’s Word which they consider inappropriate and unsuited to them.

That is not the religion of Jesus Christ! “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,” Isaiah 8:20.

Now while there undoubtedly is an increase in the ranks of such false and empty ‘Christianity’, I believe we must acknowledge that there is a very obvious decline in the numbers of those who seek to believe the whole Bible and witness to others of its message.

The above verse deals with that which we see before us today, Christian.

Please note:

I. THE IGNORANCE OF MAN AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND HIM

Isaiah says: “The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.” Note the words “no man layeth it to heart” and “none considering”. What is happening is not noticed by mankind generally. (more…)

Below is an article from the ‘Belfast Newsletter’ of Thursday June 23rd.

I might also give the link to another article in that newspaper which is headlined:

Anti-gay preaching row: Solicitor accuses Garda of ‘bogus prosecution’ after judge dismisses all charges against Northern Ireland trio

It is worth a read.

But to return to the article upon which I wish to make a few comments.

The article in question  highlights the very evident presence of ‘jackasses’ in the pulpits of churches that profess to be Protestant.

There is no greater evidence of the utter folly, upon which the Protestant people attending such churches as those of the ilk of Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, are being fed!

The minister of that church advertises his cretinous character in the picture published in the article! He looks like a refugee from some pagan festival, in complete contrast to the exhortation of Holy Scripture. “Let us watch and be sober (circumspect),” 1 Thessalonians 5:6.

He further demonstrates his blindness and empty-headedness with what he has to say on the subject of the Bible’s teaching on Mary, the Saviour’s mother. (more…)

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine,” 2 Timothy 4:1-2.

It was once said to me that ‘you cannot scold people into revival!’ That remark was prompted by my seeking to obey the sentiments of the text above!

‘Rebuking sin’ and those who engage in it, both privately and sometimes publicly if necessary, is an essential and integral part of preaching God’s Word.

Again I refer to the text above.

Many ministers in modern evangelicalism, seeks to provide a ‘feel good factor’ for those attending their services. Without doubt, where such a course and objective is sought, numbers will increase. I believe in these, the last days, consisting of ‘perilous times’, ( 2 Timothy 3:1) faithful preaching may well fail to fill pews where the ‘gospel of feeling good’ may succeed!

Such ‘comfort zones’ are but the product of those evangelical preachers who see their mission as that of filling the church and being popular. I believe a survey of churches where it is seen that numbers are increasing, will invariably show that such an approach has been adopted by the minister.

I am not referring to places of worship where there is outright Bible-denying sermons. No, I am referring to places which fit well within the evangelical and orthodox camp!

Such places avoid controversy like the plague! There is, to a very large degree, an avoidance of any outright, downright and unmistakable denouncing of the evils and failures of today’s professing evangelical Christians. (more…)