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Pre-millennialism and The Early New Testament Church

The most striking point in the eschatology of the ante-Nicene age is the prominent chiliasm, or millenarianism, that is the belief of a visible reign of Christ in glory on earth with the risen saints for a thousand years, before the general resurrection and judgement. It was indeed not the doctrine of the church embodied in any creed or form of devotion, but a widely current opinion of distinguished teachers, such as Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Methodius, and Lactantius, while Caius, Origen, Dionysius the Great, Eusebius (as afterwards Jerome and Augustine) opposed it.
Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church

Pre-millennialism & The Westminster Divines

This article has been updated slightly [Saturday 5th January 2013].
Mention has already been made on this Blog about Dr William Cunningham's* impression of the Pre-millennialist views of a number of the Westminster Divines.

Further evidence of the prevalence of Pre-millennialism among the Westminster Divines is to be found in the writings of Robert Baillie, one of the Scottish Commissioners to the Assembly. Robert Baillie was the Principal of Glasgow University in his day.

In his writings, entitled 'The Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie' he writes on his observations of the Assembly's proceedings.

Spiritualising Scripture

This article was published in the October - December, 1983 edition of Watching and Waiting, the magazine of the Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony. 

The Rise and Fall of A-Millennialism

by James Payne 

Gibbon, the Roman historian tells us that for the first three centuries of the Christian era, the assurance of the Millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ was the general belief of orthodox Christians. Justyn Martyr, early in the 2nd century says, “I and as many as are orthodox Christians in all respects do acknowledge that there shall be a resurrection of the body and 1000 years reign in Jerusalem”.

For the first two and a half centuries Pre-Millennialism was the universal doctrine of the Church as it had been of the Apostles. No other doctrine was so much as known, far less received. A-Millennialism was not heard of in the Church during this period.

Quotable Quote - The Greatness of God

The entire indivisible essence of God is at every moment of time contemporaneously present to every point of infinite space.

Archibald Alexander Hodge, 1823 – 1886. He was the Principal of Princeton Seminary between 1878 and 1886, the son of Charles Hodge. He was named after the first Principal of Princeton Seminary, Archibald Alexander.

C H Spurgeon on The Millennium

In his Morning & Evening devotions today C H Spurgeon has the following to say upon the text in Isaiah 40:5: The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

We anticipate the happy day when the whole world shall be converted to Christ; when the gods of the heathen shall be cast to the moles and the bats; when Romanism shall be exploded, and the crescent of Mohammed shall wane, never again to cast its baleful rays upon the nations; when kings shall bow down before the Prince of Peace, and all nations shall call their Redeemer blessed. 

Rank Hypocrisy on Abortion

A real media frenzy has been stirred up as the result of a local election candidate, belonging to the United Kingdom Independence Party [UKIP], calling for an National Health Service review to look at compulsory abortion of unborn children with Down's Syndrome or Spina Bifida.

Mencap, the learning disability charity, said that it was disgusted and horrified at Geoffrey Clark's comments. Mark Goldring, chief executive of Mencap, said:

Much has been written about the Paralympics this summer changing attitudes towards disabled people for the better. Yet in the very same year, a council candidate has proposed forced eugenics against disabled people. It is abhorrent that Geoffrey Clark sees disabled people solely as a burden when people with a learning disability lead full lives and make valuable contributions to their communities and families. We question if he is fit for public office.

Why no outrage at those in society who every week, willingly and freely, abort the unborn child in the womb for no other reason than it has one of these same disabilities? It is rank hypocrisy to criticise one and not the other! Is it only the 'eugenics' that are 'disgusting and horrifying'? What about the basis principle of life and the killing of a child for no other reason that it will be born with a disability? All the pretended outrage at this case and the pretended interest in disability issues and disabled people by those who in other circumstances see absolutely nothing wrong with killing a disabled unborn child is pure humbug. 

The Literal Interpretation of Scripture

Rev William de Burgh records the following conversation between a Christian minister and a Jew in a sermon of his on the second advent of Jesus Christ:

Quotable Quote - Beware whom you listen to!

Take heed whom you listen to! It is our dear Saviour’s counsel, ‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves’ (Matthew 7:15). Let me tell you, the Devil has his ministers - as well as Christ. There are some, who by the subtlety of their wit have learned the art of mixing error with truth, and to give poison in a golden cup.

Attributed to the Puritan Thomas Watson

The Sodomite Bible!!

It would seem that those who have done so, have either ignored some very important verses or more likely are ignorant of them:
Revelation 22:18,19: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Augustus Toplady on the 'Millennium'

I am one of those old-fashioned people, Mr President, who believe the doctrine of the Millennium: and that there will be two distinct resurrections of the dead, first, of the just, secondly, of the unjust; which last resurrection, of the reprobate, will not commence till a thousand years after the resurrection of the elect. In this glorious interval of one thousand years, Christ, I apprehend, will reign, in person, over the kingdom of the just…
Augustus Toplady, Volume 3 of his Works, page 470.

Horatius Bonar on 'Israel' in prophecy

The prophecies concerning Israel are the key to all the rest. True principles of interpretation in regard to them will aid us in disentangling and illustrating all prophecy. False principles as to them…that is Israel…will most thoroughly perplex and overcloud the whole Word of God

I am one of those who believe in Israel’s restoration and conversion, who receive it as a future certainty, that all Israel shall be gathered and that all Israel shall be saved. As I believe in Israel’s present degradation, so do I believe in Israel’s coming glory and preeminence. I believe that God’s purpose regarding our world can only be understood by understanding God’s purpose as to Israel.

I believe that all human calculations as to the earth’s future, whether political or scientific, or philosophical, or religious, must be failures if not taking for their data or basis God’s great purpose regarding the latter day standing of Israel. 

J C Ryle's comments on the "Throne of his father David"

In J C Ryle's commentary on Luke's Gospel chapter 1 verses 32 and 33, which reads: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end; he makes the following comments:

Matthew Henry on the creation of Eve, the first woman

Further to the posts relating to Women Bishops and The position and role of women in the Church I was reminded this morning of what Matthew Henry had to say in his excellent commentary about the creation of Eve as recorded in Genesis 2:18-25: 

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 12

12. The Westminster Divines did not believe in Exclusive Psalmody. 

From around the time of the compiling of the Westminster Confession of Faith [1643-46] there is abundant evidence to be gleaned that the term 'psalm' in the chapter 21 section 5 is not referring exclusively to the Psalter. This section of the Confession reads:
The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear; the sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence; singing of psalms with grace in the heart; as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: beside religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings, upon special occasions, which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in a holy and religious manner.

The men who compiled these worthy documents of the Westminster Standards could not be shoehorned into the exclusive psalmist camp.

A poignant reminder of the past!

Border Trail of IRA Slaughter

During the Troubles in South East Fermanagh 42 Protestants were cruelly murdered by IRA/Sinn Fein. A tour has now been organised, by the relatives, in memory of these 42 individuals who were brutally murdered. The South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) Border Trail allows people to pay tribute to the memory and walk respectfully in the footsteps of some of those individuals who were murdered.

A fuller report can be read in The Belfast Newsletter

The position and role of women in the Church

A great furore has arisen in recent weeks over the Church of England's decision not to permit women bishops. Much fury and annoyance has been directed towards those who have resisted this further departure from the truth. Calls have come from various quarters for pressure to be brought to bear upon the Church of England to change the decision. Democracy is a great thing until it brings about the wrong decision! Then the outcome must be changed to one more palatable to those who are in positions of influence or power.

In the light of this decision and subsequent comment it is worthwhile taking a look at what the Scriptures have to say about the position and role of women in the Church. 

Stats for November

Recommended Sermons

Sermons from week of meetings held in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church

Themes from the Book of the Revelation

Sermon One - Why study prophecy?

Degrees of reward in Heaven

The American Puritan Jonathan Edwards in a sermon on the reward of the righteous based upon Romans 2:10: But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile, discourses upon the degrees of reward in heaven. This is what he had to say:

There are different degrees of happiness and glory in heaven. As there are degrees among the angels, viz. thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers; so there are degrees among the saints. In heaven are many mansions, and of different degrees of dignity. The glory of the saints above will be in some proportion to their eminency in holiness and good works here. Christ will reward all according to their works. He that gained ten pounds was made ruler over ten cities, and he that gained five pounds over five cities. Luke 19:17. 2 Corinthians 9:6. “He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” And the apostle Paul tells us that, as one star differs from another star in glory, so also it shall be in the resurrection of the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:41. 

Women Bishops??

You would wonder where he got this impression from!

In case he doesn't know this is what God has to say on the matter:

Imagine the outcry if this had been Israelis on the moterbikes!

Can you imagine the frenzied outcry of the appeasers of Arab terrorism if this had been the other way around and Israel had dealt with calibrators in this fashion. 

Is an Abortion ever right?

Much comment has been expended on the issue of whether the life of a pregnant woman living in the Republic of Ireland might have been saved if she had been given an abortion. The 31-year-old died after a miscarriage at Galway University Hospital on 28th October. Her family claimed she was repeatedly refused a termination during the miscarriage.

This begs the question is it ever right to grant an abortion to someone in these circumstances? The answer is yes! There are certain circumstances where it is wholly justified. This is justified on the grounds that an unborn child does not have the right to kill its mother. The unborn child must abide by the moral law of God like everyone else, which says that: Thou shalt  not kill. The unborn child like anyone else does not have an absolute right to live, even to the point where its mother loses her life as a result. An unborn child does not have an innate right to kill its parent.

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 11

11. The Puritans did not all believe in Exclusive Psalmody

The impression is often given by those who promote exclusive psalmody that every Reformed stalwart of the past was an exclusive psalmist. This could not be further from the truth. Many of the great and good men of the past who were reformed in doctrine did not hold to the exclusive singing of the Psalter. 

Some prominent examples:

1. Matthew Henry. In his commentary on Ephesians 5:19 the renowned and much loved expositor had this to:
By psalms may be meant David's psalms, or such composures as were fitly sung with musical instruments. By hymns may be meant such others as were confined to matter of praise, as those of Zacharias, Simeon, &c.

On Colossians 3:16 his commentary reads: 

Singing of psalms is a gospel ordinance - the Psalms of David, and spiritual hymns and odes, collected out of the scripture, and suited to special occasions, instead of their lewd and profane songs in their idolatrous worship.

Quotable Quote!

Seek not to grow in knowledge chiefly for the sake of applause, and to enable you to dispute with others; but seek it for the benefit of your souls, Jonathan Edwards [Puritan].

Pillars of the Reformation - 5. Sola Deo Gloria.

The fifth pillar of the Protestant Reformation was Sola Deo Gloria - to the glory of God alone. 

All of these pillars were defined and articulated by the Reformers in opposition to the errors of Romanism. This fifth pillar likewise stands in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.

Rome looks upon the Church as the mystical body of Christ. 

The term ‘Corpus Christi’ is Latin for the 'body of Christ'. In viewing the church as the body of Christ Rome goes on to argue that to honour the Church is to honour Jesus Christ Himself.

A sign of things to come

Plymouth Brethren lose charity status because
'they're doing no public good'

In a sign of things to come the Charity Commission in England and Wales has refused to register the Preston Down Trust of the Plymouth Brethren as a charity because of their restrictions upon who can take Communion at their services. The Plymouth Brethren operate a 'closed communion' practice where only members can sit at the Lord's Table. It also said that the Trust does not do enough good works in the community.

The right of churches to decide for themselves who may partake of Communion is now being challenged by the Charity Commission in England and Wales. This will have a huge impact on the Brethren's ability to claim back Gift Aid on donations.

Special Week of Meetings on topics from the Book of the Revelation

Victory for Housing Trust manager over Gay Marriage comments

Mr Adrain Smith made the comments on his personal Facebook page, outside of work hours, and which were not visible to the general public. He said that sodomite weddings in churches were "an equality too far".

Mr Smith's employer, Trafford Housing Trust, near Manchester, took disciplnary action against him for bringing the Trust into disrepute, alleging that his comments amounted to "gross misconduct".

However, today, Mr Justice Briggs, said that Trafford Housing Trust had no right to demote Mr Smith over his Facebook comments, and ruled that the Trust had breached the terms of his contract. It emerged in court  that Trafford Housing Trust was worried it could lose a gay rights charter award unless it took action against Mr Smith.

No lie is of the truth! [Sodomite marriage]

The Apostle John wrote by inspiration in 1 John 2:21: I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

It transpires that David Cameron, British Prime Minister, has been seeking to bolster his party's support for Sodomite marriage by arguing that it a vote winner. The only problem is that he has been found out to be lying. To support his argument David Cameron was using polling data from a ComRes poll carried out on the subject.

However instead of bolstering support for the Conservative party, the promotion of Sodomite marriage will in fact lose votes. Mr Andrew Hawkins from ComRes has written to the Prime Minister pointing out the repeated inaccuracies within his argument.

New Broadcaster on Sermonaudio

The Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony

Click on the above icon to link to the webpage

Quotable Quote

Those who are ashamed, or afraid, to acknowledge Christ before men, cannot expect to be saved. The want of courage to confess, is decisive evidence of the want of heart to believe. 

Charles Hodge in his commentary on Romans. 

Pillars of the Reformation - 4. Sola Fide

 The fourth pillar of the Protestant Reformation was 'Sola Fide' - by faith alone.

According to Martin Luther, justification by faith alone is the article on which any church stands or falls. In order for a sinner to be declared to be righteous before God the sinner needs the merit of Christ reckoned to their account. This fourth pillar deals with how this is done. How does the righteousness of Christ be reckoned to a sinner’s account, thus removing their guilt and condemnation and declaring them to be righteous before a holy God?

The Reformers at the time of the Reformation went back to primitive New Testament Christianity and said that this is done solely by faith alone, without any works on the part of the sinner who is being declared righteous.

Pillars of the Reformation - 3. Sola Christo

This third pillar of the Protestant Reformation emphasies the meritorious basis upon which God’s grace flows toward an undeserving sinner. The favour of God has to be purchased. The Reformers in holding this position sought to remove the claim of anything and anyone other than Christ as being the meritorious cause of salvation.

I. It is through Christ alone that salvation is purchased for the sinner. 

There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5. As John Calvin said in the Institutes of the Christian Religion said: Christ stepped in, took the punishment upon himself and bore the judgment due to sinners. With his own blood he expiated the sins which made them enemies of God and thereby satisfied him...we look to Christ alone for divine favour and fatherly love!

Pillars of the Reformation - 2. Sola Gratia

The second pillar of the Protestant Reformation was 'Sola Gratia' - By Grace Alone. This pillar emphasies the origin of God’s redemptive plan and purpose. On what basis did God purpose to redeem sinners and save them from eternal wrath?  He did so freely by His sovereign grace. Nothing else and no one else moved God to redeem guilty, undeserving sinners. Grace has often been described as God's unmerited favour or taking the five letters of the word 'grace' - Great Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 10

10. The Reformers at Geneva did not believe or practice Exclusive Psalmody

No one can deny that John Calvin was an ardent lover of the Psalms and believed that they should have the prominent place in the worship and praise of God. However, it is something entirely different to say that John Calvin was an exclusive Psalmist. This fact that he wasn't is proved in a number of ways:

1. John Calvin in his commentaries did not believe that the term 'Psalms, Hymns and spiritual songs' referred to the Psalter and gave support to exclusive Psalmody. In his commentary on Ephesians 5:19 he says:
What may be the exact difference between psalms and hymns, or between hymns and songs, it is not easy to determine, though a few remarks on this subject shall be offered on a future occasion.

Recommended Sermons on Headcovering

Sermon One


Sermon Two

Stats for October

Pageviews for October

Pillars of the Reformation - 1. Sola Scriptura

The last Lord's day of October is usually commemorated as Reformation Sunday. It was on 31st October 1517, the evening prior to the feast of All Saints, that Martin Luther nailed up his 95 Theses against the sale of indulgences on the door of his Church in Wittenburg. To mark Luther's act it is important to refresh our memories on the five great pillars of the Reformation.

For what saith the scripture? Romans 4:3 

The Protestant Reformation was simply a going back to New Testament Christianity. It was not a new thing in that regard. The Reformers desired to purify the church from the trappings of false religion that had crept in over the centuries. They opposed the false doctrines and ecclesiastical malpractice which was so prevalent in Romanism, especially the false teaching on and the sale of indulgences, and the selling and buying of clerical offices or Simony, as it as called after Simon Magus in Acts 8 who sought to buy the gift of dispensing the Holy Ghost.

While the beginning of the Reformation is usually marked by the action of Martin Luther in nailing up his 95 Theses against the selling of indulgences on the door of the Wittenburg Church, the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation stretch back much further than that.

Halloween - its origin and connection with Ireland

This is the outline of a sermon preached on Halloween on 30th October 2005 in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church. 

When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations, Deuteronomy 18:9. 

We are all aware of the type of celebration that goes on at this time of the year. People dress up in the most hideous clothes and masks, they have their lanterns, they go tricking and treating, they talk of ghosts, haunted houses and supernatural happenings and all things spooky.

Have we ever asked ourselves the question: where did this all come from?

An insight in the origin of halloween can easily be discovered when we remember that this festival is one of foremost important to the old pagan religion that sadly is still practised in society today. The Druids and those involved in witchcraft look upon the festival of Halloween as being of great importance.

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 9

9. The early New Testament Church did not believe in Exclusive Psalmody 

Exclusive psalmody cannot claim that this was the view of the early New Testament church. A number of different sources can be quoted:

1. There are some interesting comments made by Tertullian in chapter 39 of his Apology [Apology = a defence of Christianity]. Tertullian lived ca. 160-220 AD. He was born in Carthage, North Africa and is believed to have been converted in middle age. He was also believed to have been the son of a Roman army officer, who was stationed in North Africa. He did good work in formulating the doctrine of the Trinity. He also wrote a long defence of Christianity. 

Tertullian makes reference to the fact that the early New Testament Church did not sing Psalms exclusively. In the section where he writes about the observance of the Love Feasts in his day his apology reads:

Free Presbyterian protest outside Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast

A Free Presbyterian protest was held today against the opening of the Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast. It was led by Rev Robert Omerod, Convenor of the Government & Morals Committee of Presbytery

Abortion is equivalent to a 'bullet in the back of the head'!

So says the Attorney General for Northern Ireland, John Larkin. His comments likening abortion before birth to putting a bullet in the back of the head of a newborn child after birth were made in May 2008.

To read more click here - Fury at Larkin: Anger over abortion like 'bullet in head' comments

As can be well imagined a comment like this, which brings home to the stark reality of abortion in many cases, is causing a huge furore. The 'pro-choice' brigade are up in arms at such a comparison. Some are wanting the Attorney General to step back from any involvement in scrutinising the legality of the Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast.

If there ever was a misnomer then surely calling the supporters of abortion 'pro-choice' must rank among the foremost. The irony is that the unborn child doesn't have any choice. Its right to life is taken away. Whether the unborn child lives or dies is governed by the opinion of someone else, who may decide, on the most tenuous of grounds, to abort a healthy child.

Remember that it was recently revealed that out of the 6.4 million unborn children have been aborted in England and Wales between 1968 and 2011 just 0.376% of these abortions were carried out to save the life of the mother.

The most dangerous place for a child to be today in our society is in its mother's womb!

There is a Free Presbyterian protest outside the Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast on Thursday 25th October at 1 pm.

Billy Graham & Mormonism - more compromise!

I was informed of this by a reader in the United States - Thanks Tim

Billy Graham and his son Franklin had a meeting in North Carolina with Mitt Romney, the Republican party nomination for President. Read more here.

A short time after this meeting the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association [BGEA] chose to remove a reference to Mormonism from its website. Mitt Romney is a Mormon bishop. 

Mormonism had been listed on Billy Graham's website as a cult, alongside Jehovah's Witnesses, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Spiritists & Scientologists. A cache version of the webpage which has since be removed can still be viewed.

Belfast Telegraph supports Abortion and Sodomy

A Belfast Telegraph editorial, dated Friday 19th October 2012, makes it abundantly clear where the newspaper stands on these two important moral issues:

Editor's Viewpoint: Lack of tolerance puts us in bad light

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 8

8. If 'inspired praise' is required then an equally valid argument could be made for 'inspired praying' and 'inspired preaching' in public worship.

Exclusive psalmists tell us that inspired praise is absolutely necessary because of the importance of praise in the worship of the Lord. But surely this begs a series of questions: why only limit this argument to praise? Why should this same argument not apply to praying and preaching as well? Why should you have a lower, lesser standard for these two elements of Biblical worship? Why is there such a narrow interpretation of the commands of texts such as Ephesians 5:19 & Colossians 3:16 but a much broader interpretation of commands respecting prayer and preaching?  

Praying and preaching are just as important as praise. In fact, it is the Reformed position that preaching is the primary act of worship. The exclusive psalmist argument requires 'inspired' praise for some elements but not for other elements and certainly not for what is deemed the primary element of worship. You would be forgiven for missing the logic of this line of argument!

Does praying and preaching not require the same accuracy as is argued for by exclusive psalmists with regard to our praise? There is no logic in only restricting our singing to what has been given in the Scriptures. If a preacher is permitted to employ his own words and even quote a hymn in prayer or in preaching how is this different to the employment of hymns in singing?

Furthermore, many of the 150 Psalms are actually prayers and may never have been sung in praise in the Temple at all. This is the opinion of that eminent Old Testament scholar Edward J. Young: 

We are mistaken when we regard the entire Psalter as designed for the usage of the Temple. That some Psalms were so used cannot be denied, but it is interesting to note that liturgical directions are lacking for many of the Psalms, An Introduction to the Old Testament.

Creationism and the Giant's Causeway

The controversy regarding the creationist explanation at the Giant's Causeway rumbles on.

The latest development involving the £18.5 million National Trust visitor centre, which opened in July, concerns documents released under a Freedom of Information request that suggest that the Stormont Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) considered making the inclusion of a Creationist viewpoint at the new Giant’s Causeway visitor centre a condition of it receiving millions of pounds in public money.

Belfast Newsletter - Documents cast light on Causeway creationist wrangle

Belfast Telegraph - National Trust denies pressure to include creationism at Giant’s Causeway

This new controversy comes after an extensive campaign by the intolerant, anti-creationists to have the creationist explanation removed entirely from the exhibition at the Causeway's visitor centre. Thankfully they have failed! While the National Trust did give some ground in response to the pressure they came under and reduced the prominence of the creationist explanation, they did not remove it entirely. It is still present and still informing people that there is an alternative explanation for the origin of the Causeway other than the evolutionist version. 

Marie Stopes Abortion Clinic in Belfast - Trading in the murder of the Unborn!

It is a very sad day in Northern Ireland when an abortion clinic opens. Today a Marie Stopes Clinic opens on Great Victoria Street in Belfast. The centre is to be managed by Dawn Purvis, a former MLA, who lost her seat at the last Assembly Election.


This clinic claims that it will act within the law regarding abortion in Northern Ireland, which is much stricter than in the rest of the United Kingdom. The 1967 Abortion Act has never been extended to Northern Ireland.

The opening of this clinic surely raises the question: why would someone go along to this establishment and pay £450 for a legal abortion when they can have the same legal abortion on the National Health Service at no financial cost to themselves?

Statistics for the Health Service indicate that there are, on average, only 43 lawful terminations in Northern Ireland per year. Why would a clinic like this come into operation for 43 cases? One obvious conclusion is that this abortion clinic will push the boundaries of what is legal. Their trade is the murder of the unborn!

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 7

7. The Exclusive Psalmist's position requires them to reject ever singing the 'very best song' in public worship. 

The 'song of songs' is the wonderful title given to the book of Song of Solomon, ch 1:1. There are a number of ways of expressing the superlative in Hebrew. One of those ways is to speak of the: song of songs or King of kings or Lord of lords or holy of holies. When this type of expression is employed in the Scriptures then it is indicating the highest quality or degree of something, that is, the superlative. 

However, an exclusive Psalmist, in public worship at least, can never use this very best of songs to praise the Lord and extol Jesus Christ. By limiting their public praise to the Psalter they can never sing a paraphrase or a hymn based upon this superlative song of songs. 

Ralph Erskine penned a delightful paraphrase of this song. The first five stanzas read:

1. This Song of Solomon the wise

As penman fam'd belongs; 

And justly for its sacred rise,

Is nam'd the Song of Songs. 

2. With kisses of thy mouth divine,

O let me favour'd be;

For better than the richest wine

Thy love appears to me. 

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 6

6. Exclusive Psalmody leads to different levels of worship

According to exclusive psalmists Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 restricts what praise is to be sung in corporate worship to that contained in the Psalter, but many of them do not apply these same restrictions to the area of family or personal worship.

This inconsistency, in this matter of acceptable praise, arises with many exclusive Psalmists having no problem singing uninspired hymns or songs outside of public corporate worship when at home or in other circumstances. This inconsistency is compounded by the fact that these items of uninspired praise are often accompanied with music. No musical accompaniment is permitted in public corporate worship but seemingly allowable in family worship or personal devotions.

Dr. John Kennedy of Dingwall, a fervent believer in exclusive psalmody in his day, acknowledged, maybe unwittingly, that this inconsistent distinction does indeed exist in the practice of exclusive psalmists. When speaking in a debate on this very issue in the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland in 1872, he said:
Some desire them [hymns] because of an experience of enjoyment in using them, in private or in social Christian conference, to express their feeling of sorrow, hope, or gladness. Let these continue so to use them; I will yield to none in my desire to have them as a vehicle of any strong spiritual feeling that stirs my heart; but to use them in the worship of God in the sanctuary is quite another thing.

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 5

Here is a fifth reason why the arguments for exclusive psalmody do not stand up:

5. Progressive Revelation argues against Exclusive Psalmody. 

Here is what the renowned A. A. Hodge had to say about Progressive Revelation in his Outlines of Theology: 

The progressive character of divine revelation is recognised in relation to all the great doctrines of the Bible. One of the strongest arguments for the divine origin of the Scriptures is the organic relation of its several parts. They comprise more than sixty books written by different men in different ages, and yet they form one whole; not by mere external historical relations, nor in virtue of the general identity of the subjects of which they treat. but by their internal organic development. 

All that is in a full-grown tree was potentially in the seed. All that we find unfolded in the fulness of the gospel lies in a rudimental form in the earliest books of the Bible. What at first is only obscurely intimated is gradually unfolded in subsequent parts of the sacred volume, until the truth is revealed in its fulness. This is true of the doctrines of redemption; of the person and work of the Messiah, the promised seed of the woman; of the nature and office of the Holy Spirit; and of a future state beyond the grave. And this is specially true of the doctrine of the Trinity…

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 4

Here is a fourth reason why the arguments for exclusive psalmody do not stand up:

4. There are possible remnants of hymns/canticles/doxologies quoted in the New Testament. 

Some writers/commentators have raised this possibility over the years.

There are most certainly examples of quotations in the New Testament which are taken from outside the Old Testament Scriptures. For example on three occasions Paul quotes heathen poets. Two are very obviously quotations from heathen poets as Paul clearly states this to be the case. The third is maybe not so obvious:
1.  Acts 17:28: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
2. 1 Corinthians 15:33: Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. The respected John Gill said of this text: This is a sentence [speaking about the words that are underlined] taken out of Menander, an Heathen poet, showing how dangerous is the conversation of evil men, and what an influence bad principles communicated and imbibed, have on the lives and practices of men.
3.  Titus 1:12: One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 3

Here is a third reason why the arguments for exclusive psalmody do not stand up:

3. The angels and glorified saints did not sing the psalms. 

It is surely to be expected that these angelic and glorified creatures will sing perfect praise in their worship of God. Yet when we read of their praise of God in the Scriptures we do not find them singing from the book of Psalms. 

The angels did not sing from the Psalter when they came to the shepherds on the hills of Judæa to announce the incarnation of the Son of God, Luke 2:13,14: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

These words are nowhere to be found in the Psalter. If the Psalter is the compendium of perfect praise you would surely expect the holy angels, on such a heavenly mission as this, to sing from the Psalter. Did the holy angels set a bad example to the Shepherds? Is it just permissible for the angels to sing words not found in the Psalter but redeemed souls on earth are not?

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Home Rule, Rome Rule!

Why did our Protestant forefathers resist Home Rule 100 years ago? 



This sermon was preached in Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church on Lord's day evening 30th September 2012

Extract from sermon preached on Ulster Day 1912

A number of special religious services were held on the morning of Ulster Day, 28th September 1912, to mark the signing of the Ulster Covenant.

One service, attended by Lord Carson, was held in the Ulster Hall. Lord Carson appealed that there would be no applause but that the occasion would be treated as if it were a sabbath day service.

Dr M'Kean, a past moderator of the Presbyterian Church and fervent opponent of Home Rule, preached at this service. In the course of his sermon he said:

We are not seeking any changes – we are not attempting any revolution. We are plain, blunt men who love peace and industry, and pursue them. But we are also earnest, determined men, who wish to secure for ourselves and our children the priceless patrimony of freedom and the glorious heritage of civil and religious liberty under the flag of the Empire we have in some measure helped to build up. If we are refused these privileges it will be the basest betrayal of which any nation was ever guilty. 

FPC Ploughing Match Outreach

Please pray for the Free Presbyterian Outreach team as they engage in evangelism at the National Ploughing Championships this incoming week at Heath Park, New Ross, County Wexford. 

Click here - Free Presbyterian Church in Ireland

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 2

Here is a second reason why the arguments for exclusive psalmody do not stand up:

2. Old Testament and New Testament saints 

did not live by this exclusive psalmist rule. 

If there is a Scriptural requirement to sing inspired praise you would expect to find examples of this among the saints of God in the Scriptures and none to the contrary. However, the opposite is the case. Instead of the saints of God singing inspired praise from the Psalter we find them composing their own items of praise, using different portions of the Old Testament, and following no set form from the Psalter. Saints from both Old and New Testament dispensations are found to have composed their own items of praise. 

As is very obvious to observe the 150 Psalms of the Psalter existed long before the canon of Scripture was closed. If the 150 Psalms of the Psalter are to be the hymnbook of the Church then why does Habakkuk, Elisabeth, Mary, Zacharias & Simeon, to name some Scriptural examples, all compose their own items of praise, and in a number of cases long after the completion of the book of Psalms? 

Over a dozen reasons why the argument for Exclusive Psalmody doesn't stand up, Part 1

The point of dispute is not the singing of Psalms. It is the singing of Psalms exclusively. To say that the book of Psalms gives us many wonderful examples of how God is to be praised is one thing but to say that only the Psalter is to be used and nothing else in worship is something else entirely. 

Does the Bible teach that we have only one book of inspired praise and that is the book of Psalms and therefore nothing of mere human composition is ever to be sung? I do not believe that it does. I don't believe that the Scriptures nor Church History agrees with the exclusive Psalmist position.

Here are a over a dozen reasons for believing so.

1. The terms 'Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs' in Ephesians 5:19 & Colossians 3:16 do not refer to the 150 Psalms of the Book of Psalms. 

It is the premise of exclusive psalmists that these terms refer to the divisions of the Psalter in the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament.

Deputy Prime Minister calls 70% of the population 'bigots'

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister in the Westminster government, has had to withdraw the text of a speech he was going to make because it referred to those who opposed 'Gay Marriage' as 'bigots'.

This is despite a recent ComRes opinion poll conducted in the United Kingdom showing by a majority of 70% to 22%, the remainder undecided, there was agreement that "Marriage should continue to be defined as a life-long exclusive commitment between a man and a woman."

Those who object to the redefining of marriage are always lectured about showing tolerance. It is a strange sort of tolerance shown by the supporters of 'Gay Marriage' when they call others 'bigots'. The Green Party in mainland United Kingdom and in Northern Ireland are intending to expel anyone who disagrees with their support of 'Gay Marriage'. One councillor in Brighton, England has already been expelled and Steven Agnew, leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland has indicated that the same will happen in Northern Ireland to any who oppose 'Gay Marriage'. 

The funding of Sodomy in Northern Ireland Part 1

Details have come to light through a Freedom of Information request about the extent of the funding of Sodomy in Northern Ireland.

The first installment covers funding which comes from the Department for Social Development in Stormont. These are the Department for Social Development's own figures.

The details released only cover the last three years: 2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12. Over £120,000.00 has been given during this short space of time to various sodomite groups across Northern Ireland. I wonder what the total would be if figures for years further back were released!

Click on graphic to enlarge for better view

This is shameful in the extreme. The morality of funding sinful lifestyles is highly questionable in any climate but even more so in a day of cut backs and the lack of funding for many worthy causes.

No society can afford to fund sin in any form. The cost is too high. God brings nations down when they elect and then tolerate politicians who act with such flagrant disregard for God's moral law.

The benefits of marriage

A study conducted in the United States has revealed that growing up with married parents vastly increases a child’s prospects of escaping poverty.

A stable home was found to raise a child’s chances of escaping the poverty trap by 82 per cent.

When equally well-educated families were compared, marriage increased a child’s chance of living above the poverty line by 75 per cent.

The research also found that just 7 per cent of children in families below the poverty line had parents who were married to each other.

However 37 per cent of children in families below the poverty level were in households where their parents were not married.

Read the full report here from The Heritage Foundation - Marriage: America’s Greatest Weapon Against Child Poverty

Daily Mail report here - Growing up with married parents is as important as a good education to escaping poverty

Proof again that: righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people, Proverbs 14:34. 

The Faith of Lord Carson

This article first appeared in the Ulster Bulwark, the magazine of the Evangelical Protestant Society and kind permission has been granted to re-publish it here.

Edward Carson was born in Dublin on 9 Feb 1854. His father was a Presbyterian of Scots descent and his mother was Church of Ireland and a descendent of the Cromwellian General John Lambert. Carson was brought up in the Church of Ireland. He was taught the truth of the Bible by his mother. In his last major speech in Parliament, in the House of Lords in 1927, he said: ‘religion is a thing that you learn at your Mother’s knee ... Any religion I ever learned was from my Mother, and it is to me one of the most precious possessions’. 

Carson studied law at Trinity College, Dublin, and joined the Orange Order as a student in 1872. A clergyman who was present at his initiation wrote ‘that he can bear witness that he was a decided Christian, and worked as an evangelist amongst students during his stay there’. This was confirmed by his biographer, Ian Colvin, who wrote that ‘as a law student at Trinity College he used to preach at street corners of a Sunday night; his religion was something very deep and very dearly cherished’. His legal career began in 1878 and on 19 December 1879, he married Annette Kirwan at Monkstown Parish Church, Dublin. Ten years later he became a QC. Aged 35. he was the youngest QC in Ireland. On 1 July 1892 he was appointed the Irish Solicitor General, and eight days later he became the Liberal Unionist MP for Trinity College, making his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 2 February 1893. After 1893 he built up a legal practice in England, and in May 1900 he was appointed Solicitor General for England.

Greenisland Gospel Mission 2012

Newtownabbey & Carrickfergus Free Presbyterian Churches are presently holding a joint Gospel Mission in Greenisland.

Please pray that souls will be converted

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Christian Olympics according to the Apostle Paul

Paul the apostle makes many references to the Ancient Olympic Games in his New Testament epistles. To mark the Olympics taking place in London this year three messages were preached in Newtownabbey FPC on these references:

Sermon One - Participation in the Christian Race


Sermon Two - Perseverance in the Christian Race


Sermon Three - Prize Winning Running in the Christian Race

Newtownabbey Free Presbyterian Church

Lord's day 19th August @ 11.30 am

Special guest preacher: 

Dr Larry Saunders, Toronto FPC

Free Presbyterian Outreach at the Olympics

The Irish Times has a report on the Free Presbyterian outreach at the Olympics.

Inside the stadium, athletes competed for gold. Outside, others competed for souls, writes MARK HENNESSY

FREE PRESBYTERIAN Church minister Stephen Pollock led his group in song on Saturday afternoon near the steps leading into the Westfield Centre and the Olympic Park beyond, but it was a struggle to be heard.

The Free Presbyterians was one of a multitude of religious groups competing for attention as Olympic spectators came and went on an afternoon: “But we’re lucky, we have a group that can sing, really sing,” said Rev Pollock.

“We’ve had absolutely no hostility at all,” he said, when asked how they had got on. “People have taken our literature. We brought about 5,000 pieces that speak about the Lord saving souls and they’ve all gone,” said the Omagh-based minister.

To read the full report click - Carrying the torch for burning spiritual beliefs

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Higgs Boson - 'God Particle'

Here is a link about the "Higgs bason", so called 'God particle', which scientists claim to have discovered.

Creation Ministries International - Has the ‘God particle’ been found? - Scientists claim to have confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson—but fail to credit God who created it

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Memorial service for bus crash victims involves rank ecumenist

A memorial service was held on 4th June in Carrickfergus Town Hall for those involved the Bryantang bus crash 20 years ago. Not everyone involved in that tragedy was invited along to attend as a memorial plague was unveiled! A number who were involved those 20 years ago and who were also injured were never informed about it taking place.

Would it have anything to do with the fact that among those taking part in this 'memorial service' was Rev David Armstrong?

David Armstrong, who spoke and led in prayer, is well known as the Presbyterian minister whose pursuit of ecumenism in Limavady in the mid-1980s caused him to leave the town. The Free Presbyterian Church were among those who protested against his ecumenical actions back then.

He was present and took part in this memorial service as he now resides in the town and was deputising for the Mayor's chaplain. 

Quotable Quote

The story is told of a minister who sought to engage his esteemed colleague Dr William Cunningham [1805-1861] in conversation about the Premillennial return of Christ to this earth.

Seeking to obtain from Dr Cunningham a verdict on what he thought of these end time views he received an interesting reply. Dr Cunningham said that:
He saw nothing to alarm or repel in views which were entertained by some of the soundest among the Westminster divines, but that, for himself, he had not as yet had leisure to look into the matter.

Some of Dr William Cunningham's writings can be found on this website
A short biographical sketch of him and some others writings can be read here

Truth Stranger Than Fiction

A photographer has imagined what the city of Dubai would look like following a financial meltdown. With the streets and resorts devoid of human life and all building work halted, all that remain are the animals who are left to roam the crumbling remains of the former urban paradise and pearl of the United Arab Emirates, a gulf state that was until 30 years ago dominated by nomads.

 

To read the full story and see the rest of the photos click here

Promiscuity, divorce and separation are at epidemic proportions!!!

If these two representatives of apostate Christendom are concerned about the moral decline in our nation then things are very bad indeed!

Yet they contradict themselves in what they say. Richard Chartres, Anglican Bishop of London, has said Britain was now: an enormously different society compared to 1952 - the year of the Queen’s accession to the throne - and in 'so many ways' a better place to live.

On the other hand he goes on to say that: inequality had grown and material progress had been at the expense of communal life with relationships within families, communities and society 'more strained, more fragile' and more broken than people cared to recognise. 

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Quotable Quote

Rev Richard Monteith [FPC Rhiwderin, Wales] drew my attention to these comments by J C Ryle:

Let us learn what miserable creatures great men are, when they have no high principles within them, and no faith in the reality of a God above them. The lowest labourer who has grace and fears God, is a nobler being in the eyes of his Creator than the King, ruler, or statesman, whose first aim it is to please the people. 

To have one conscience in private and another in public - one rule of duty for our own souls, and another for our public actions - to see clearly what is right before God, and yet for the sake of popularity to do wrong - this may seem to some both right, and politic, and statesmanlike, and wise. But it is a character which no Christian man can ever regard with respect.

Let us pray that our own country may never be without men in high places who have grace to think right, and courage to act up to their knowledge, without truckling to the opinion of men. Those who fear God more than man, and care for pleasing God more than man, are the best rulers of a nation, and in the long run of years are always most respected. 

Men like Pontius Pilate, who are always trimming and compromising, led by popular opinion instead of leading popular opinion, afraid of doing right if it gives offence, ready to do wrong if it makes them personally popular, such men are the worst governors that a country can have. 

They are often God's heavy judgment on a nation because of a nation's sins.

J C Ryle's comments on John 19:1-16.

How very appropriate for the times in which we live!

Quotable quote

Of this I am satisfied, that the next coming of Christ will be a coming, not final judgment, but a coming to usher in the Millennium. I utterly despair of the universal prevalence of Christianity as the result of a missionary process. 

I look for its conclusive establishment through a widening passage of desolations and judgments, with the demolition of our civil and ecclesiastical structures. ‘Overturn, Overturn, Overturn’, is the watchword of our coming Lord.

Thomas Chalmers

Who's losing their moral compass????

It is more than the SDLP who have lost their 'moral compass'!!

It is just as morally wrong to prop up unrepentant terrorists in government as it is to criticise the imprisonment of a convicted bomber and an IRA gunman.

Dodds says SDLP ‘pitching for dissident support’

Studies in the Westminster Confession of Faith - Chapter One - Part 5

Once a month since September 2010 at our midweek prayer meeting & Bible study we have been studying the Westminster Confession of Faith.

This and subsequent posts DV overtime on the blog will contain the notes which were handed out on each occasion.

An audio recording of this study can be listened to on the Church's SermonAudio page - click here

Part four - Chapter One continued

We come this evening to sections 5 & 6. Chapter One, Section 5 reads:
We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.
Proofs: 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 John 2:20,27; John 16:13,14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; Isaiah 59:21.

This fifth section, like section 4, of this chapter of the WCF continues to deal with the basis upon which we should accept and believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God. The previous section ruled out the authority of man or the church and pointed us to the authority of God for accepting the Scriptures.

Threefold Cord - the Importance of Christian Education

This sermon was preached by invitation in Ballymoney FPC on Lord's day morning 15th April

The Threefold Cord - the Importance of Christian Education

Germany leaving the Euro???

There is a great deal of speculation about the future of the Euro. Will the eurozone break up? Will Greece default and leave the Euro? Will she remain and struggle and thereby ferment nationalist tendencies among the Greeks?

One commentator, Philippa Malmgren, has taken a very different line than others do on the issue. She is a former economic advisor to George W. Bush during his presidential campaign. She believes that it is more likely that Germany will leave the Euro. This belief comes from a study of other nations that have left other common currency arrangements.


In a report entitled 'Checking out: Exits from Currency Unions' which analysed close to 70 different countries that have left a common currency arrangement, it was found that those nations who leave tend to be the larger, richer and more democratic ones and also tend to be those which have higher inflation.

This scenario would be very troubling financially and politically for Europe if the powerhouse of the European monetary system was to dramatically pull out.

Germany is growing ever more reluctant to bail our profligate nations such as Greece.

This would also be a very interesting development if the kingdom of Antichrist is to be based upon the outline of the old Roman Empire. Parts of Germany east of the Rhine and north of the Danube were never part of that ancient empire.

Benjamin Wills Newton adroitly explains these changes in chapter 3 of his book Prospects of the Ten Kingdoms of the Roman Empire. He specifically mentions the changes that must come within Germany.

It will be interesting to wait and see what developments will materialise. One thing is sure God's Holy Word will be fulfilled to the letter!