Peter Jones begins:
...[S]ome today are adopting “orthopraxy” (right action) as their main emphasis, downplaying or even abandoning “orthodoxy” (right belief). But good works and sound belief cannot be separated. Alas, instead of a biblical balance, we face the serious danger of a new form of the old “social gospel,” which turns the Christian faith into a system of salvation by works, Jesus into a mere example, like the Buddha, Socrates or Lao Tzu, and Christianity into one variant of interfaith good will. But orthopraxy alone cannot preach the gospel. We as redeemed sinners must “confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord.”
A further danger lurks—that Christian good works can be recuperated by movements of pagan utopianism. A case in point.... (Read further here.)
I believe the social gospel is alive and well today. It's the heart of social justice. It's nothing more than the Roman Catholic Liberation theology. It's a form of phariseeism.
How?
It's doing works in front of others in order to show off how compassionate and how spiritual one is. Some "Evangelical" authors guilt people into such works.
You won't find this anywhere in Acts. You won't find a call for Christians to go build houses and communities. You won't find the call by God to try to eradicate poverty, hunger, or lack of education.
But what you will find is local churches taking up offerings for other churches which are in true, dire need (biblically defined--that's another problem; too many have redefined a "want" into a "need" which is nothing short of coveteousness and idolatry). You will find that when God gives the direction, that helping true widows ("indeed"---there are limitations which define who qualifies for help) and true orphans is the right thing to do.
But the primary function of the local church is not to try to right the social ills. That's never descriptive nor prescriptive in Scripture. Rather, the local church is HIS body, designed to assemble together for corporate worship (reading of the Scriptures, singing, giving offering, baptisms of new believers, use of spiritual gifts, and church discipline). We are in other words, build UP to go OUT. We are fortified in our haven of rest with like-minded believers to be refreshed in the Lord and serve Him, so we can be stronger to then to out and proclaim the Gospel. That's how it works. Acts is clear as are the epistles.
Also, we are to be cautious in giving indiscriminate compassion to all people (and "compassion" is the issue here---how people today define it versus how God defines it and instructs us about it). God doesn't give a blanket sweep of compassion on all of them all the time. Does that shock you?
Isa 9:14 So the LORD cuts off head and tail from Israel, Both palm branch and bulrush in a single day.
Isa 9:15 The head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.
Isa 9:16 For those who guide this people are leading them astray; And those who are guided by them are brought to confusion.
Isa 9:17 Therefore the Lord does not take pleasure in their young men, Nor does He have pity on their orphans or their widows; For every one of them is godless and an evildoer, And every mouth is speaking foolishness. In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away And His hand is still stretched out.
Isa 9:18 For wickedness burns like a fire; It consumes briars and thorns; It even sets the thickets of the forest aflame And they roll upward in a column of smoke.
Isa 27:11 When its limbs are dry, they are broken off; Women come and make a fire with them, For they are not a people of discernment, Therefore their Maker will not have compassion on them. And their Creator will not be gracious to them.
Jer 16:3 For thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them, and their fathers who beget them in this land:
Jer 16:4 "They will die of deadly diseases, they will not be lamented or buried; they will be as dung on the surface of the ground and come to an end by sword and famine, and their carcasses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth."
Jer 16:5 For thus says the LORD, "Do not enter a house of mourning, or go to lament or to console them; for I have withdrawn My peace from this people," declares the LORD, "My lovingkindness and compassion.
Jer 16:6 "Both great men and small will die in this land; they will not be buried, they will not be lamented, nor will anyone gash himself or shave his head for them.
Jer 16:7 "Men will not break bread in mourning for them, to comfort anyone for the dead, nor give them a cup of consolation to drink for anyone's father or mother.
Jer 16:8 "Moreover you shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink."
Sometimes God judges a people, a nation by way of disasters. Who are we to try and soften the blow of HIS swift sword? To do so would be to pretend to have more compassion than the thrice holy God of Scripture, would it not? To do so would also, since taking the bite out of the punishment, leave people without the harsh truth of how bad their sin is against the Living God, and thus seeing their utter guilt before Him and need of the only Savior and Lord.
Remember, all people are by nature sinners and enemies of God. So such destruction is just. The fact that God doesn't do this to all of us shows His mercy and grace.
I would also like to address the socialism aspect that comes wrapped up in Christianese: the Bible is against socialism and social welfare entitlement mentality and behavior we have here in American and in other Western countries, particularly in "Christian" circles like the churches and missions.
1Th 4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.
Eph 4:28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
Rom 13:7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
Rom 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Mar 14:4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted?
Mar 14:5 "For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they were scolding her.
Mar 14:6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me.
Mar 14:7 "For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.
Mar 14:8 "She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.
Mar 14:9 "Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."
2Th 3:7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you,
2Th 3:8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you;
2Th 3:9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.
2Th 3:11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.
Something to consider.
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