What The Bible Says
“What The Bible Says - Vol. 3/ No. 13”
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What The Bible Says
Vol. III - No. 13 / November 22, 2020
CAN A CHRISTIAN HELP SUPPORT THE SALVATION ARMY?
Every year there are many who help support the Salvation Army, not knowing it is a religious denomination. Every Christian I know, who has given to this denomination in the past, has stopped helping as soon as they learned what they were supporting.
Why did they stop? Because John said, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John 10-11).
The Salvation Army is a denomination which split off from the Methodist Church in 1861. They preach their doctrines in 89 countries, and have one and one-half million members. Their denominational headquarters in the United States is in Verona, New Jersey.
Notice carefully some of the many doctrines this denomination teaches. In doing so, you will be able to easily see why members of the Lord's body cannot support this cause. Yes, they do a lot of good, but yes, they also teach a lot of error to those they help.
This denomination teaches that men are born sinners. Article 5 of their creed book (Handbook of Doctrine) says all men are totally depraved, and have become sinners as a consequence of Adam and Eve's fall. Page 83 states man is a sinner by inheritance. Page 85 teaches man is born a sinner. The Bible teaches, "They are all gone out of the way" (Romans 3:12). God does not say, "They are born out of the way." Jesus said. "Except ye be converted, arid become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
The Salvation Army teaches no one can understand the Bible without the direct help of the Holy Spirit (Handbook of Doctrine, pp. 2, 133-134). However, in no place does the Bible teach men must receive the direct help of the Holy Spirit in order to understand and know the truth.
The Salvation Army teaches those they help that salvation is at the point of faith. Their creed book devotes nine whole pages, trying to prove baptism is not essential to salvation (pp. 180-188). Page 188 of their creed book teaches baptism and the Lord's Supper should not be practiced at all today. Their members are not to speak against those religions which practice baptism and the Lord's Supper, unless those religions teach these are essential. But, of course, the Lord's church does teach baptism is essential. Why? Because the Bible says: "Repent, and be baptized ... for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). We also teach the Lord's Supper is essential in the life of a Christian. Why? Because Jesus said do it “in remembrance of me” (I Corinthians 11:24-25). We are told to show the Lord's death till He comes (I Corinthians 11:26).
The Salvation Army also teaches that a Christian can be sanctified, so as to never sin. Their creed says a sanctified Christian will be tempted, but as Jesus never sinned, so we will never sin. It says the sanctified Christian can be mistaken in judgment, but even that is less likely to happen (pp. 145-165). In contrast, sanctification in the Bible means a Christian is set apart as holy to God. Never does it mean a Christian has reached the point of never sinning (I John 1:8-10), The church at Corinth was sanctified (I Corinthians 1:2). But as one reads 1 Corinthians, he will read of several sins committed by these sanctified Christians.
These are just a few of the many reasons why Christians should not support The Salvation Army.
—Danny Pettus
REACTIONS TO THE TRUTH
In the Bible we see different reactions to the truth. We would like to think that all people's reactions would be to ACCEPT truth and, indeed, we read of those who did. Those three thousand Jews on the day of Pentecost did. "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:41). Yet, this is not the reaction found throughout the Scriptures.
When some heard the truth, they DELAYED. Such was the case when Paul preached the truth to Felix. "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." (Acts 24:25).
Yet, there were those who outright DECLINED and IGNORED the truth. After Jesus told the rich young ruler what to do to have eternal life, the Scriptures reveal: "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." (Matthew 19:22). When Agrippa heard the truth preached to him, he said to Paul, "...Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." (Acts 26:28).
As if it is not bad enough to delay, decline, and ignore the truth, we find where some were ANGERED and HATED the truth. Paul asked the Christians in Colossi "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16).
Some even set themselves up to OPPOSE the truth. "And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith." (Acts 13:6-8)
WHAT ABOUT YOU? What is your reaction to the truth revealed in these verses? "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21). "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16). "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25).
—E.R. Hall, Jr.
***SENTENCE SERMONS***
I asked, “Why doesn't somebody do something?” Then I realized that I was somebody!
***
A man is known by the company he keeps – and also by the company that he avoids.
***
Be content with what you have, but never with what you are.
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--- E.R. Hall, Jr.
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