THE SOCIAL GOSPEL

     A very pleasant good morning to each one who has honored us with
your time this morning. I trust that you have had a good week  and
that you are looking forward to seeking to do God's will today.  It
is my intention to seek to draw each listener closer to God by a
study of the book we call the Bible, God's revealed message to all
mankind. This is the nature of our broadcast from week to week. I am
not here to scratch itching ears; nor am I on this station simply to
be doing something. Our design is to bring men and women closer to
Jehovah, our God, and to that end we strive from Sunday to Sunday.
     The White Park church of Christ has just concluded a very
successful gospel meeting this past week. We had five able men to
speak to those assembled throughout the week, to discuss the
unsearchable riches of God's Book. For the many visitors which we had
I express the appreciation of the congregation. May each one have
been assisted in knowing more about God and His marvelous truths.
     Turning now to our lesson for the morning. If you look up the
definition of the term "The Social Gospel," in Webster's Third New
International Dictionary, you will find this: "A movement in American
Protestant Christianity initiated at the end of the nineteenth
century and reaching its zenith in the first part of the 20th
century, and dedicated to the purpose of bringing the social order
into conformity with the teachings of Jesus Christ."
     When you first read this definition of the social gospel you may
wonder, What is wrong with that? Isn't that a noble ambition, to
bring the social order into conformity with the teachings of Jesus
Christ?  Let me hasten to point out a couple of things in this
definition:
     First, nothing is said about sin. In the New Testament, the
gospel of Christ addresses the problem of sin. The fact that sin is
committed by individuals. In Romans 3:23, we read, "for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Yet, this definition of
the social gospel says nothing about sin.
     Second, this definition tells us that the social gospel is
"dedicated to the purpose of bring the social order into conformity
with the teachings of Jesus Christ." In God's Word we read about
bringing individuals  into conformity with the teachings of Jesus
Christ.  But before one can adequately bring himself or herself into
conformity with the teachings of Christ, he or she must come to the
cross of Jesus with complete obedience to His every command. It is
only through the blood of Jesus that mankind can be forgiven of past
sins.  Peter said, "repent ye and be baptized every one of you for
the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38).
     When we speak of the "social gospel" what are we truly speaking
about. Very briefly, the social gospel is an effort on the part of
man to make this world a better place in which to live. But, you say,
isn't that a noble desire, to make our world a better place.  And of
course, the answer is YES. It indeed is a noble desire to make this
place a better place in which to live. And I have no desire to not do
the best I can do to make it that way. But, what we need to see is
that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross in order to make this
world a better place in which to live. Jesus died on the cross in
order to make men better prepared to meet Jehovah God in the
judgment. Jesus died on the cross that you and I might be forgiven of
our sins and stand cleansed before our Father. You see, this world
can be made better even by those who do not have faith in Jesus
Christ.
     I hasten to point out, if everyone were a Christian, of a truth
this world would be a better place in which to live. But, Jesus did
not die on the cross simply to accomplish this. He died on the cross
for your sins and for mine.
     Let us look a little closer into this matter of the social
gospel.  The social gospel is more interested in the here and now
than in eternity. Its goal is education, not salvation; recreation,
not sanctification. It is concerned with the "new morality" rather
that with immortality; with birth control rather than self-control;
with ministering to the inner city than with seeking the heavenly
city.
     The social gospel is more interested in helping men make a
living than in helping them make a life.  It is more concerned with
civil rights than with spiritual rights; with civil laws rather than
spiritual laws. The social gospel proclaims Christ as a great social
reformer, rather than the savior.
     The social gospel is a social movement with a message that does
not focus in on sin and its consequences. It seeks to solve the
social problems in our society. But, it does not prepare people to
die; it does not prepare them for the judgment and eternity.
     It is my desire in these few short minutes to attempt to show
you the difference between the social gospel and the powerful gospel
of the New Testament.  In the social gospel concept, the work of the
church is not directed toward the individual to convict and convince
the sinner of personal guilt, to make the sinner a new person in
Christ Jesus. Oh, no, the desired end of the social gospel is to
prepare man to live better in this flesh. Thus, it becomes the work
of those who espouse the social gospel to build gymnasiums, to erect
their fellowship halls; family centers; to build kitchens and dining
halls that they might attract those who are secular minded, those who
satisfy their fleshly desires.  The social gospel will build other
organizations that substitute for individual responsibility; it
leaves the spiritual efforts and strives toward temporal and physical
goals.
     My listening audience, I know that what I am saying will not
meet with much approval from the vast majority of religious people.
Most have become customized with the fleshly appeals. Most have been
lulled into a sense of complacency by the appeals of "eat, drink, and
be merry."  Religion has become matter of entertainments; the appeal
of a grand old opery style performance.  It has become a matter of
pleasing the multitudes rather than searching out what is pleasing
unto our God. The majority seem to no longer ask for Bible authority
in the things that they engage in, just so long as they feel good and
have some kind of an emotional frenzy.
     Is this to say that religion should have no emotional impact
upon our lives. Certainly not. The Ethiopian eunuch went on his
rejoicing, Acts 8:39. Why was he rejoicing? Because he had just heard
some outstanding singer put on a stiring performance? Because he had
just heard some orchestra play some spirit stiring song? Oh, No, he
was rejoicing because he has just been forgiven of his sins and he
stood cleansed before the very presence of Jehovah, our God. He was
not rejoicing because they had just concluded some lavish supper or
meal, or had just triumphed in a basketball game, or any of the other
thousand of things which have been brought into the work of some of
the churches of our day. He rejoiced because he was right in the
sight of God. And what made him right?  He had just obeyed the
commands of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He had just heard a
gospel preacher tell him about the sacrifice of the lamb of God. He
had just heard the command that he must be baptized to stand cleansed
before His God. He then asked the question, "Behold, here is water;
what doth hinder me to be baptized" (Acts 8:36). Philip, the preacher
then told him, "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of
God" (Acts 8:37). Philip commanded the chariot to stop and they both
went down into the water and Philip baptized him" (Acts 8:38). This
man arose from the watery grave of baptism, cleansed from sin, made
right in the sight of God. This is exactly what the Lord commanded
His apostles to preach, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved" (Mark 16:16). The eunuch did this and was saved. That produced
his rejoicing. And, that, my friends, is the only thing that will
produce the kind of rejoicing which the Lord wishes of mankind.
     There are many things which produce rejoicing in our lives. A
family rejoices over the birth of their new child. A father rejoices
over the home run which his son has just hit that won the ballgame. A
mother rejoices with her daughter in the vows of her wedding. A
family rejoices as it gathers to enjoy a fine meal at some family
gathering. A man rejoices when he receives a substantial raise at his
place of work for a job well done. A community rejoices when some
lost child is found and brought to safety. A nation rejoices when a
great tornado destroys a town, but no one is injured. There are many
ways in which we rejoice. And these are all well and good.
     But all of these pale in importance when compared to the
rejoicing that accompanies the birth of a new child into the Kingdom
of God.  The rejoicing of a soul that is cleansed, saved, made right
in the sight of Jehovah. To this end did Jesus die upon the cross. He
was not suspended between time and eternity that we might frolic and
have fun in the recreation room. He did not shed His blood that we
might have a good time.
     Now, do not misunderstand me. I enjoy having a good meal
together. I enjoy a good ball game, a good round of golf. I believe
that those who are hungry need to be fed, that we should become
involved in the social problems of our day. But, what I am saying,
these things are not the work of the church for which Jesus died. Let
the church be the church and work in the areas which are authorized
by our King. Let the church do the work which God demands that it do.
God did not establish the church to compete with the YMCA, or with
our social welfare systems. God gave the church the responsibility of
preaching the gospel of Christ Jesus, to tell a lost and dying world
of the grace of a Heavenly Father, of His love for mankind and His
utter abhorrence of sin.
     You in this listening audience, know, if you are honest with
yourself, that many have prostituted the work of the church. You, if
you are honest, know that much of what churches today are doing are
primarily concerned with the flesh. You know, if you are honest, that
very few are truly concerned with the horrors of sin and the
consequence of living in sin. Just look around you and judge what you
see. Please, do not stick your head in the sand and ignore the path
which many churches are following. It is time that people wake up and
demand of their religious leaders that they get back to the Bible for
our authority in all things which we do.
     Jesus said, "Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my
Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Are you doing the will of
the Father? How can you determine if you are? Only by asking for
book, chapter, and verse for ALL things you do. Ask your preachers
where they get the authority for the things being done. You should
demand that of each one. Our eternal destiny depends upon our being
right with God. It isn't enough to do something, my friends, we must
do it in the way and manner approved by our eternal Father.
     May we have the courage to put the material things where God put
them and let the church deal with the problem of sin. Paul said, "I
am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to
salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). At another place
he said, "but even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel to you than that we have preached to you, let him be accursed"
(Galatians 1:8).

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