O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL IS “ANOTHER GOSPEL”

Galatians 1:6 & 7 – “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

Introduction

The emergence of the social gospel is not something new. Its root is often traced to the origin of late 19th-century urban industrialisation, shortly following the American Civil War. The promulgation of the social gospel is mainly by the liberal Protestant Churches and came to prominence in the early 20th century. 

The social gospel differentiated itself from earlier Christian reform movements by prioritising social salvation over individual salvation. Its driving forces were the Progressive movement and Christian postmillennialism. They believed that affirmative social programs could match the positive effects of industrialisation to change society into a new and just society.

The Social Gospel Defined

It is a movement that promotes the gospel by the application of Christians ethics to social justice issues, principally related to economic policy. This movement attracted many followers because of its persuasive appeals to their felt needs rather the real needs of their souls. 

The central doctrine of the social gospel is to alleviate human sufferings caused by economic inequality, poverty, racial and religious tensions, diseases, war, civil rights abuses, with man playing the central role of the deliverer. The promoters of the social gospel believed that relief from their conditions of misery would improve the moral nature of those so deprived.

The True Gospel of Jesus Christ

The New Testament defines the gospel of Jesus Christ as this: 

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1 - 4). 

The true gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, for our sins. The resurrection of Jesus is the central truth of the gospel (2 Timothy 2:8). Its central message is that we can be saved from our sins and have the guilt of our sins removed by the grace of God through faith in Christ. This gospel is a matter strictly between each individual and God (Ephesians 1:13). The primary time in which we receive the benefits of this gospel is the age to come, the promised resurrection and eternal life. 

The gospel Jesus preached does not concern social reform or social justice or political change. God’s Word gives no mandate to the church to fix the problems of the world nor to change political parties or institutions, even by peaceful means. Jesus came to change people’s hearts and point them to God’s kingdom. He preached the saving power of the gospel and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

The benefits derived from the gospel are considerable for the one who is saved. It not only effects a changed life, but the Christian continues to grow in grace, and by the enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit strives to obey the commandments of God out of gratitude and love. These commandments have personal and social applications that will bring benefits and changes to society. 

These social benefits result from the preaching and living out of gospel truth, but they are not the gospel itself. Efforts to improve society apart from the gospel of Christ often fall apart or are led astray by a false view of humanity or of what is right and wrong in social relations. Communism and Nazism are examples of the terrible consequences that such attempts may cause.

Conclusion

The history of the social gospel is no doubt in most cases, a sincere attempt by Christians to show charity that they believe will honour God and benefit humanity. However, in every case, the practical working out of “benefiting humanity” has compromised biblical faith and introduced a watered-down gospel. 

God’s Word makes it very clear that all other “gospels”, such as the social gospel, other than the one given by Christ and His apostles, are false. Only belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ saves humanity, For the Bible says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved;...He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (Acts 4:12; John 3:36).

Those who believe a false gospel will not share in the salvation promised in the gospel of Christ. And the end of those who teach and promote such a false gospel “are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Furthermore, the problems of the world are all symptoms. The root cause is sin.

Jesus declared Himself to be condemned humanity’s only hope for reconciliation with God: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John:14:6). There is no other way because God’s perfect justice demanded that the penalty for sin for every human be paid (Romans 3:23). Only the perfect, sinless God-Man, Jesus Christ, could and did pay that infinite penalty in full by His death upon the Cross. Only faith in Him alone reconciles a sinner with God. 

We must not only be aware of false gospels such as the social gospel, but we must also stand for the true gospel. Paul’s instruction to the Thessalonian believers is: 

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by Word, or our epistle” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-15).

May the Lord grant us grace to “stand fast and hold” the gospel which was once delivered unto the saints! 

– Mok Chee Cheong

Adapted and edited from WRS Journal 6/1 (February 1999) 5-11 by Dr. John A. Battle

Shorter Catechism Question 20

Q. 20 Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
A. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a redeemer.

Appointments for the Week

Monday, Nov 4

        7.30 pm     ERBL Exam

Tuesday, Nov 5

        8.00 pm     Prayer Meeting (Eld Chia Ah Lak)

Thursday, Nov 7

      10.00 am     Ladies’ Prayer Group

        7.30 pm     ERBL Exam

Friday, Nov 8

        7.30 pm     MM Meeting

Saturday, Nov 9

      11.00 am     Faith NBC

        3.00 pm     LTF / YLM / MM

Sunday, Nov 10

  8.00 am You Matter to God Nehemiah 7:1-73 (Eld Clement Tan)

  8.00 am Choir Practice

  9.15 am Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  9.40 am Sunday School

10.15 am Coffee Corner

11.00 am You Matter to God Nehemiah 7:1-73 (Eld Clement Tan)

11.00 am Children’s Ministry

11.00 am Chinese Service (MPH)

11.00 am Filipina Service (Rm 1-6)

12.15 pm Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  2.30 pm Thai Service (LMH)

  4.00 pm Indonesian Service (Rm 1-6)

Announcements

In-Person Church Prayer Meeting

Date: 3 November 2024 (Today)

Time: 5.00pm

Venue: Beulah Room 2-1

Staff Movement

With immediate effect, Brother Bernard R  B has been redesignated as our Church Facility Manager (CFM). He will oversee the maintenance and management of our church facilities, and will be supported by the Estate Management Committee. 

Additionally, Elder Heng SS has been appointed as Honorary Church Operations Manager (COM). He will be assisted by Sister Cecilia who will serve as Honorary Assistant Church Operations Manager (ACOM) on a part-time basis. 

The Session would like to express its gratitude to Elder Lim CW for serving as the Honorary Church Operations Manager from June to October 2024.

We also would like to announce the retirement of Brother Lim BY, who has faithfully served as our Church Finance Officer for the past 14 years. We are deeply grateful for his dedication and contributions to our church. Moving forward, all finance-related matters will be handled by Sister Marianne P, our Church Finance Manager. Please direct any finance inquiries to her.

Traffic Warden Service

We welcome all church members to join in this work. Our TW’s role is to provide godly service to facilitate worship. We need help in following time slots for Sunday: 7.30-8am or 10.30-11am with a frequency of once or twice a month. Please contact Dn Chan Yong or Bro Kelvin .

Infant Baptism on Christmas Sunday, 22 December 2024, 9.00am

Parents, please email the church office, with your full names, contact numbers, and your child's name and date of birth by 1 December 2024.

Catechism Class for Easter Baptism on 20 April 2025

will commence on 12 January 2025 at 9.30am. Please pre-register by emailing to Church Office . Those seeking baptism, reaffirmation of faith and transfer of membership must attend the catechism class. Closing date: 5 January 2025.

Door to Door Evangelism

3 November 2024 (Today)

Meet in Beulah Room 2-11, 12.30pm

Contact: Desmond or Amos 

Mailbox Club Bible Correspondence Course (MBCC)

Another Church Outreach Ministry invites Lifers to register their young children, teens, or grandchildren with our MBCC. Those whose loved ones, friends or colleagues who are either young in their faith or being non-believers, are interested to know and explore more of Christianity, are also invited to register with us by filling in the registration forms which are now available at the Church front counter and post them to:

Life B-P Church

No.10, Gilstead Road

Singapore 309064

Attention: Mrs Ong Chuay Ying

Condolence

Our condolences to the family of sister Christine Low SN on her homegoing on 27 Oct 2024.

MM Thanksgiving Meeting

23 Nov 2024 @ Beulah MPH, 4pm. “Were there not ten?” by Bro Joel Seah

YLM: Word made Flesh, Food made Fresh

21 Dec 2024 @ Life B-P Church Beulah MPH. 6.30pm. An evening of feasting, fellowship, and the Good News of Jesus Christ. All are welcome! 

YF Camp: To live is Christ, to die is gain

16-20 Dec 2024 @ Life B-P Church. Age Grp: 16-25. Speaker: Eld Chin Hoong Chor. 

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