Open-Bible Ministries Online Resource Centre

In this topical message Pastor Alan takes a look at the "real" Saint Patrick - the Apostle to Ireland - as opposed to the "semi-mythological" personage created by the Roman Catholic Church as its Patron Saint. Who was this man? What were his origins? How did he come to Ireland and what was the message that he preached?

The answer to this is partly found in the closing statement of the Lord Jesus' Commission to His Apostles in Acts 1:6-8, just prior to His Ascension. Jesus says: "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Pastor Alan explains that the expression "the uttermost part of the (Roman) earth" referred to an actual geographical location - the British Isles or "Ultima Thule" as they were known - which lay at the very western extremity of the Roman Empire, before the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

Patrick himself, son of a church deacon, came from a reasonably well-off family living in the area around the north of England and the south of Scotland. As a young man he was kidnapped by Irish sea raiders and taken to Ulster as a slave. After a number of years he escaped from this servitude and made his way back to mainland Britain. Ultimately, however, the Lord sent him back to Ireland, the place of his captivity, to preach the Christian Gospel to the inhabitants, the bulk of whom were of Israelitish descent.

Pastor Alan shows from Patrick's own writings in his "Confession" that he had had a genuine salvation experience and was totally Christ-centred in his outlook - as is also evidenced by his hymn, known as "Patrick's Breastplate". The Papacy has tried to claim that it sent Patrick on his mission to Ireland but there is no mention of this by Patrick - not surprisingly! - nor, indeed, by the reigning Pope of the time. Patrick, as the Apostle of the primitive Celtic, Culdee Church knew nothing of Popes, Cardinals, Masses, Purgatory the Immaculate Conception or Bodily Assumption of the Virgin Mary - he was a true Bible Christian! In fact, this Apostle so inspired missionary zeal that from Ireland, "land of saints and scholars", teams of missionaries set out for the British mainland and even travelled as far as Switzerland.

Pastor Alan shows that despite the attempts by the opponents of our Faith to "hi-jack" this Apostle of the primitive Celtic, Culdee Christian Church, Patrick was clearly not sent on his mission by Rome and this Apostle of Ireland still remains an example of zeal, vision and devotion to Christ and His Gospel to this day.