Paisleyism -- 'Art thou the man of God' [5]

Paisleyism

‘Art thou the man of God’? [The Payment]

The man of God, not withstanding the rebuke from his own party colleague, left Bethel riding high; he may have arrived at Bethel on foot, but now after having been elevated, he was going forward in style, astride an ass. So Paisleyism left St Andrews riding high; they arrived into government with their fellow secular members; not withstanding the leadership knew perfectly well that God must have been greatly offended at their actions.

With his back upon Bethel, his fellowship with his former party colleague broken, with his fellowship and service to God greatly compromised, the man of God rode out into uncharted waters and a very uncertain future. Not far down the path of compromise and duplicity a lion met him; he was removed swiftly from his high position by a greater power; he was toppled from his lofty position and was suddenly in the grip of the enemy. No sooner had Paisleyism entered into power sharing government with criminals, than their esteemed leader was stood down from his position of moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church; afterward, in a relatively short term as first minister of the power sharing executive, he resigned his position; the lion had met with Paisleyism. The price of embracing secularism was high indeed; the payment of such a debt was swiftly exacted. It is of course interesting, that the insignia of the secular wing of Paisleyism is that of a lion; it was that very wing that has dealt the death blow to Paisleyism.

The deadly attack against the man of God from Judah received complete press coverage in Bethel; the political and religious fallout would have been carefully analysed and examined; but when the old prophet received the news, he worked quickly to have a damage limitation exercise put in place. He knew full well that the stroke of God had fallen on the man of God for his disobedience and rebellion; and he made haste to tidy up the loose ends; he wanted at all costs to conceal the real truth of the matter, that he was in fact the reason for the downfall of the man of God. He found the man of God’s remains, carried them back to Bethel, and arranged the burial in his own grave; the whole community mourned over the loss of their former colleague.

As the secular wing of Paisleyism pursued the damage limitation exercise at Hillsborough, by opening the way for devolution of policing and justice, one cannot help but conclude that the price for sacrificing evangelical Protestantism on the altar of secularism was high indeed. Paisleyism, ‘Art thou the man of God’?

Rev Mervyn Cotton (Heb13:6)