Am reading about Martin Luther king Jr and how the civil rights movement only came to fruition through christians and what was called the social gospel because it applied not only to heaven but to how conduct our lives on earth. And Jesus does tell us his will be done in heaven as it is on earth...cos hes bringing heaven to earth!
So I dont necessarily agree with some that say the gospel is spiritual only and can never make a difference to life here and now, to govts, to legislation, in politics, and to society as a whole. I also dont agree that nature or creation is separate from the spiritual as well because we have a mandate to steward and look after Gods creation, so there is actually no justification for the toxic defilement and pollution of Gods green earth.
And because if we want to work together and be bound ie. married, that yoke must be EQUAL not unequal so am all for equality amongst men and women esp those who are married so that the husband doesnt treat his wife like a slave and rule her with an iron rod.
If thats progressive Christianity then yep..I'm progressive. One can be progressive if one truly reads the Bible and puts away the old wineskin and pours oneself into a new one.
Social Gospel
In the Bible, there is no such thing as a "social gospel", there is only "the gospel."
And "the gospel" is a spiritual message, a message that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins... that's it.
That is the gospel.
There is no social adjective, prefix, or component.
The gospel is a PERSONAL, SPIRITUAL message, regarding ATONEMENT for SIN.
That is what the Bible CLEARLY says.
There is only ONE gospel, and it is a PERSONAL and SPIRITUAL message, dealing with a SAVIOR, and his ATONEMENT for our SIN.
The "social gospel" is NOT in the Bible.
It is a human construct, usually to AVOID the message of the REAL GOSPEL.
It is much easier to go around promoting some good earthly cause, some kind of "social gospel", than to accept the real gospel.
It is much easier to do some "good works", something which everyone can see, and something you can brag about... than to actually accept the genuine gospel and submit yourself to the will of God.
The "social gospel" is generally just a philosophy of good works, something which we can brag about, which feeds our pride and self righteousness.
For many people, this "social gospel", this philosophy of good works, has replaced the genuine gospel... God's genuine message that we are NOT good, but are sinful, and fallen, and require a savior.
However, when a person DOES accept the gospel, HE WILL CHANGE...
and this WILL EFFECT HIS SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.
That is how the real gospel works.
The gospel is a personal spiritual message, that there is a personal savior for your sin, a savior you desperately need.
The gospel, according to the bible, is this message only, and nothing else.
But, if you ACCEPT the genuine gospel, God WILL CHANGE YOU, and these changes will affect everything in your life, including social relationships.
Conclusion:
Biblically, good works do not REPLACE the actual gospel, and good works do not SUPERSEDE the actual gospel, and good works are not CO-EQUAL to the actual gospel, and good works are not some COMPONENT of the actual gospel... but good works are a natural byproduct of receiving the actual gospel.
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