The Fall of the House of Saul

I have read an article recently in the Belfast Telegraph regarding ‘The fall of the House of Paisley’ which I found interesting in a strange sort of way. What I mean is that, the title certainly caught my attention. Presently I feel duty bound to furnish some background detail which will add some focus to, ‘The fall of the House of Paisley’.



In 1993, as a licensed minister in the Free Presbyterian church, I resigned from the Presbytery and from the local congregation, the reason being, that I felt the church had fallen away from the scriptural standards it once had aspired to, and had compromised God’s Word; in a word my resignation was because of apostasy in the camp. I have not given detail or background to my resignation at this point in time because space would not permit.



You may well ask, what has this to do with the ‘fall of the House of Paisley’? When the Reformed Free Presbyterian church was founded in 1993, it was the object of critism, abuse and vilification from some prominent Free Presbyterians. However, there was a series of messages preached, at that time, in the Reformed Free Presbyterian church, on ‘The fall of the House of Saul’, which depicted the ‘big man’, Saul, falling away from the commandment of Almighty God and loosing political high office, along with a prominent position in the church. So, therefore, long before the outward cracks appeared, the inward corruption and rebellion were already at work in the Free Presbyterian church, or as the messages put it, ‘the House of Saul’. The ‘House of Paisley’, just like the ‘House of Saul’ started well, and for a time stood strong, yet in the end, sadly both of these fell and great has been their fall. Personally I am saddened by what has happened, because so many people have been let down, spiritually and politically.



The Belefast Telegraph's article refered to what has happened after the Free Presbyterian church compromised its position, relative to the doctrine of separation. Years before ‘the House of Paisley’ began to tremble; the warning had already been sounded by the Reformed Free Presbyterian church, concerning the fall of ‘the House of Saul’. As Mr Paisley’s party and church were inextricably linked, that which shook one was felt in the other. To suggest that, the ‘fall of the House of Paisley’ was the result of political intrigue or subterfuge alone, would only reveal half of the picture. The foundations of ‘the House of Saul’ had been destroyed, and the collapse was inevitable; so too ‘the House of Paisley’. The Word of God states, ‘If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ (Psalm11:3)




What is the conclusion to all of this? Well, in my opinion, the DUP have lost the support and guidance of the Free Presbyterian church. No more calls for days of prayer and fasting to seek divine help in times of political crises. They are left now without a spiritual leader, as was once said, ‘a mighty man of God, brought to the kingdom for such a time as this’. The party is left to stand or fall, as the electorate begin to regain consciousness.





Regarding the Free Presbyterian church, things are very different now that Mr Paisley has stood down as moderator. The church now is facing a great dilemma, the founding father and political leader has stood down, political sermons such as ‘the south wind blew softly’ are hardly relevant now; the doctrine of separation has been shredded by the former moderator. The scriptural statement, ‘Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;’ (2Cor6:17), will be very difficult to proclaim without causing great offence. No longer can it shout ‘pope head’ or ‘apostate’ at its antagonists without shaming its former moderator; the stand it once made against, secularism, humanism, liberalism, Roman Catholicism and apostasy, has been seriously compromised. Perhaps you disagree with me here, but let me put it like this; when a church or denomination would call for days of prayer and fasting to seek divine intervention on any matter, and then to do the very opposite themselves, this type of action ought to be repented of. Furthermore, when a church or denomination would vehemently condemn others for walking disorderly, as professing Christians, and then to be found totally out of step themselves, then this needs to be put right.



‘The fall of the House of Saul’ is chronicled in the Word of God, and is there as a warning to all who are ‘saved by grace’, that they might not be persuaded by the people to compromise their position before Almighty God.



I wonder what lessons will be gleaned from ‘the fall of the House of Paisley’, as perhaps one day it will be chronicled in the pages of secular history?