the social gospel it’s claim: the church was established to solve the social problems of this...

The Social Gospel

The Social Gospel

It’s Claim:The church was established to solve the social problems of this world, to ensure social equality and justice, and to create a perfect earthly society.

The Social Gospel

It’s Origin:“The rise of the social gospel in this country was simultaneous with the rise of Biblical liberalism and modernistic religion… Some were strongly influenced to join the movement by Darwinian philosophy” (Ed Harrell)

The Social Gospel

It’s Origin:“The social gospel thus grew up in an atmosphere where men no longer thought of Jesus as God’s Son, but as an ideal person who by personal experience and observation learned and then dedicated himself to the principles that would usher in the perfect society” (L. A. Stauffer)

The Social Gospel

It’s Origin:“When a person rejects Christ as God’s Son, the Bible as God’s Word and Man as having an eternal soul, they’re left only with the hope of improving present conditions” (L. A. Stauffer)

The Social Gospel

It’s Influence:“By the 1880’s social gospelism had invaded the restoration movement. Leaders of the Disciples of Christ, still Biblically conservative at this junction… participated in the earliest organized efforts of the social gospel leaders in the U. S.” (The Disciples of Christ, A History)

The Social Gospel

It’s Influence:“Theological conservatives are involved in this work because they apply the social implications in the gospel for the individual Christian to the church or because they feel social work is an avenue to spiritual work” (L. A. Stauffer)

Is it the Work of the Church?

• Christ came to save man from his sins, not from social ills (Matt. 1:21; 1 Tim. 1:15)

• Christ said His kingdom was spiritual, not social (John 18:36)

• Redemption from social turmoil didn’t demand the death of Christ (Matt. 26:28)

• The gospel by its very nature is not social, but spiritual (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3)


• Example of the local church participating in evangelism (Phil. 1:3-5; 4:15-16)

• Example of the local church providing for needy saints (1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 8:1-4)

• The Bible does not establish any authority for the local church to participate in social events and provide for the needs of unbelievers.


• Many try to find authority for the social activity of the Church by going to passages about generosity (James 1:27; Gal. 6:10; Matt. 25:34-40)– This position fails to recognize the

difference between the action of an individual Christian and the collective action of the Church (1 Tim. 5:16)

Is it an Aid to Evangelism?

• Some try to find general authority for social activity under the command for the local church to evangelize.

• There are many different arguments that could be made against this, but I would like to focus on the fact that social activity is not helpful or expedient in the spreading of the gospel.


• The Way Jesus Evangelized–Matt. 13:10-15—He spoke in parables to

attract those with open and honest hearts and to repel those with hard hearts.

– John 6:26-27, 53, 60, 66—Jesus drove away those who were just seeking food from Him.


• The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16)– Trying to attract people to Christ by any

other means is denying the power of God’s word

– If anyone is converted to Christ by the social benefits of the church, they are not truly converted (Matt. 16:24-25)

–We cannot mix our pearls in with hog slop to attract the swine (Matt. 7:6)

The Social Gospel

• Social activity is not a work of the Church, only a work of the individual Christian

• Social activity in the church is not an aid, but rather a hindrance to the spread of the gospel and the saving of lost souls

the social gospel it’s claim: the church was established to solve the social problems of this...

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