Know Your Bible
VOL. 13 January 4, 2015 NO. 43
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CAN CHRISTIANS 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 head-quarters 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 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, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 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, “this do 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
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FIRST THINGS FIRST
In Matthew 6:33 Jesus said, "...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;...." In Acts 10:34,35 Peter told Cornelius and those assembled with him, "...God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." In Col. 3:1,2 Paul wrote, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
A dear sister, whom I have know all my life, while in her early twenties moved from the farm, on which she had lived all her life, to a town some miles away. A year or two later she moved to a city on the banks of the Mississippi River. She was a member of the church and regular in her attendance. However, one Sunday morning she had an opportunity to go on an excursion. She reasoned that she could miss the morning services and take the Lord's supper in the evening. That evening before the supper, the man serving at the Lord's table made a few remarks. Among his remarks was a statement to the effect that the evening communion service is for those who could not be present in the morning service. Not for those who chose to do something else for their own pleasure.
How would you have reacted? Would you have said, "That's just his opinion?” Would you have become angry? My beloved sister in Christ took his statement to heart. When the elements of the communion were passed to her, she did not partake. In the more than 60 years which have passed since, she has not forgotten what she learned that evening. During those years there have been a few Sundays when she has been unable to attend the morning services, but to my knowledge, never again was it to do something else for her own pleasure. Because a brother was bold enough to state his conviction, our dear sister learned to put the kingdom of God before her own pleasure.
It is not my intent to list the reasons one should not miss the assembling of the people of God, nor to list the things which justify missing the Lord's supper on Sunday morning. It is my purpose to point out that those who “seek ... first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness", "fear him, and work righteousness", "seek those things which are above" and "set" their "affections on things above, not on things on the earth" will not want to miss any assembling of God's people.
In 2 Corinthinas 8:1 - 5 Paul writes: "MOREOVER, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 4 Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God." The churches of Macedonia had put first things first. They knew how to give in order to put the kingdom of God first. They "first gave their own selves to the lord." A person who has given his own self to the Lord will not ask, "How much must I give?"
Every one has financial obligations. "...If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel" (1 Tim. 5:8). This obligation requires keeping a portion of that which God has prospered us. The question we should ask is: "How much may I give and how much must I keep?" Some have answered this question by determining to give a set percentage of their total income. They set aside the amount they will give before they pay any other obligation. Their giving is always proportional to their income and the amount they give increase every time their income increases. We also need to put the Lord’s work before our pleasure.
—Unknown
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Know Your Bible" is e-mailed weekly by the church of Christ which meets at 112 Roberts Avenue in Wise, Virginia. If you know of others who might benefit from the articles contained in this bulletin, we would be glad to have you submit their e-mail addresses and we will include them in next week's mailing. If you are receiving this bulletin and do not wish to continue to do so, please e-mail us with your desire to be removed from the mailing list and we will remove your address promptly. Continue to the bottom of this page and further instructions will be given as to how you may contact us.
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