The momentum of non-biblical Protestant
Christianity picked up more than 100 years ago with the publication in
1907 of Walter Rauschenbusch's bookChristianity and the Social
Crisis. In this work, Rauschenbusch, shortly after his return
from studies in Germany, introduced what came to be known as the Social
Gospel. This Social Gospel became the basis for the
Federal Council of Churches, which, in 1950, became the National Council of
Churches (NCC). The dogma of the National Council of Churches has
been regularly updated and is now available online here.
The NCC has 38 church bodies as members. Among the 38,
there is a wide variety of beliefs about social, political, and theological
issues. The Episcopalian Church allows for ordination of openly
homosexual individuals. Another member-"church" is the
Swedenborgian Church. Their doctrine of salvation is not by Christ
alone. They state
three beliefs that should shock and offend every Christian believer:
"(1) God gives everyone the freedom to choose their beliefs and live their
lives accordingly[.] ... Salvation is available for people of all religions [my
italics]; (2) The Second Coming has taken place – and in fact still is taking
place. It is not an actual physical appearance of the Lord, but
rather his return in spirit and truth that is being effected as a present
reality; and (3) Heaven and hell are not rewards or punishments distributed on
judgment day but the present inner experience we freely choose. We
may choose to enjoy peace and openness, or to close ourselves in
fear. Life is an opportunity for learning and spiritual
growth."
The NCC briefly and vaguely asserts a belief in Jesus Christ and
in the Holy Spirit and then goes on to discuss its true purpose, which is
salvation by works not by grace. Their "creed" is
right out of the playbook of the progressive left, where righteous living is
based on commitment to the entire "social justice"
program. In so proclaiming, they distort the gospel
message. Eternal realities are pushed aside and have credibility
only insofar as they manifest in the NCC social justice program. The
idea of a living relationship with the living God through worship; prayer; the
holy and eternal Word of God; amazing grace through faith; miraculous hope; and
second chances for all of God's people, even if they happen to be white, male,
straight, middle-class, and righteous patriots of these United States, seems to
be marginalized, if not ignored, by the NCC.
The NCC states that it "stands in solidarity with Christians
and with all who strive for justice around the globe." This is
how the devil deceives. They do not say they stand with all who are
born again (John 3:7). Presumably, that would be too
limiting. Instead, they add the weasel words "with all" to
put "social justice" first in their list of commitments.
Let's look at some of the items on their list of "just"
demands:
1. "The rights of workers to organize, and to share in
workplace decisions." Don't they know that in the Clayton Act
(1916), it was affirmed that labor unions could not be challenged as monopolies
and that in 1935, the Wagner Act affirmed the right of labor unions to
organize? Are they really talking about the right to organize or the
right to take control of the means of production, as Karl Marx advocated? Sure
sounds like the latter. We know that some corporations have teams of
assembly line workers meeting in brainstorming sessions, or systems of rewards
for production and profit-increasing suggestions. But the presence
of this item on their list implies to this writer that they have in mind
workers' councils ("soviets") in the Leninist mode.
2. "A system of criminal rehabilitation, based on restorative
justice and an end to the death penalty." We see nothing on
their list about ending the death penalty for the unborn. If every
single human being is precious in the sight of God, as they claim, why would
this disaster of inhumanity not be condemned? A system of
"restorative justice." What is it? Don't they
realize that our prisons are filled with counseling and educational
programs? Don't they realize that punishment must remain in any
system of criminal justice? This writer at one point taught in the
New York City public high schools. Each year, we were told to
distribute the city's "Code of Discipline" to the
students. This code covers a range of infractions from being
disrespectful to one's teachers to bringing weapons to school. The
different degrees of severity were listed along with the various possible
"consequences" for the wrong actions. I would jokingly
call the students' attention to the fact that "the P-word" never
appeared in this comprehensive booklet – that is, the word
"punishment." The same mindset that rules the NCC
obviously rules the NYC Department of Education.
3. "Tax and budget policies that reduce disparities between
rich and poor, strengthen democracy, and provide greater opportunity for
everyone within the common good." Is this what Jesus
taught? Did He complain that the people under Roman rule needed a fairer
tax code? Do the authors of this item realize that 48% of the adult
population of the USA pays zero income tax? Have they studied even
basic economics to know based on the Laffer Curve that if the richest persons
were charged 100% income tax, there would be no income to tax? Do
they know that even when the rich were paying 77% income tax, in terms of
percentage, there were even more "poor people" than there are
today? Statements like this one by the NCC are among those reflexive
slogans that are so popular with the left. It makes them feel they
are standing against all the selfish rich ones while they remain without Christ
and feathering their own nests. As little gods, by using a few well
chosen words about the economy, they become puffed up by their self-righteousness,
which they mistakenly think is the same as God's righteousness.
Let us continue to turn away from the godless and self-serving
National Council of Churches and put our faith exclusively in the God of all
creation, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Let us strive in Christ to
live as born-again Christians, unworthy of His love, yet lifted by it, and
joyful in acknowledgment of His holy splendor.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/04/the_false_teachings_of_the_national_council_of_churches.html