Heresy of the “Social” Gospel
In our day, the Church is again facing an old heresy. That is, the preaching of “another Gospel”, sometimes referred to as the “Social Gospel.”
This “Gospel” upholds modernism, liberalism, humanism and the false ideas of Darwinism, which still linger in the minds of some. These mistaken ideas are taking this generation away from the foundational facts of scripture.
“Another Gospel” is any message, written, preached or taught which detracts from or adds to the complete and perfect atoning work of the Lord and the Gospel of Christ, which outlines his sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of mankind, his deity, his Resurrection on the third day, and his return to earth in power, in clouds of glory.
These truths are clearly laid out in Holy Scripture. See Isaiah 9:6; 1 Timothy 3: 16; Luke 1:47; John 20:28. There is an urgent need for more competent RE teachers.
We are all subject to the secular forces that pervade the world; the apostle Paul also has a remedy for that possible invasion of our thoughts. He teaches: “renew the mind.” When we accept that God’s Kingdom is God’s revelation, divine power will then flow through us like “rivers of living water.”
Rev William Doyle, Brighton
If any RE teachers have time to look up from their endless marking and preparation and wish to respond to Rev Doyle’s comment about their competence and explain the limitations of the modern RE curriculum, please email letters@heartof.org.uk! – Editor
Consternation over Pawson’s view of rapture
THE REPORT ON DAVID PAWSON speaking at an Emmaus conference published in the last issue of HEART, caused me some consternation – and I was largely responsible for writing it! (“David Pawson: You’re in training for tribulation”, HEART OF SUSSEX December 2013/January 2014)
The position taken on the rapture and the remarks made about it were bound to cause some distress, coming as they did from such a well-respected Bible expositor.
The next day I heard a very good sermon on the unity of believers, as spoken of by Jesus in John chapter 17. The point was that our unity is organic not organisational; we are to unite, not on views of non-foundational aspects of scripture, but unite in Jesus. This was illustrated by two ministers, A W Pink and Kenneth McRae, who lived on the island of Lewis. Because of differences of opinion these two men did not associate or pray together, a loss both to them and the church and neither, it seems, took part in the Hebridean Revival which they lived through.
The danger is that we become like those who say “I am of Paul, or “I am of Apollos” and Paul says that is being mere men (1 Corinthians 3:4).
These points should have been included as comments on my report of the day and I would be grateful if you would let me correct this by publishing this letter.
Carole Woodiwis, Westergate