Several weeks ago, I mentioned a video series that I watched entitled, Isms Coming Into Churches. And this is another follow-up on that series as I continue to dig into some of the things that were raised and mentioned in that series. And as we think about the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15, verses one through four, I want for us to consider the question, what all is included in the gospel? 1 Corinthians 15 verses one through four. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. And of course, then Paul lists all the verifications of the resurrection, the confirmations that Jesus Christ had indeed risen from the dead. Now, when we think about this presentation of the gospel, there are some who will say, even in so-called Christianity today, that that is not the whole gospel. That is not the entirety of the gospel. Today's modern whole gospel is concerned with the whole man. not just the saving of the soul, but the whole man. And this statement was made, Christ's atoning work offered liberation for people in their cultural endeavors, including political institutions. I wanna emphasize that again, because there's a blurring of the lines as far as what scripture actually teaches as far as the gospel, when we consider this modern whole gospel movement. and heresy. Christ's atoning work offered liberation for people in their cultural endeavors. Another statement, coming to Jesus necessarily involved repentance of and conversion from the sin of involvement in structural evils such as economic injustice and institutional racism. So when we're talking about the whole gospel, as far as our culture is concerned, that's creeping into churches, we're talking about repentance of sin, so-called, of involvement in structural evils, economic injustice, and institutional racism. Galatians chapter one also gives us a statement about the gospel. Galatians 1 verses 6 through 9, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. "'But though we or an angel from heaven "'preach any other gospel unto you "'than that which we have preached unto you, "'let him be accursed. "'As we said before, so say I now again, "'if any man preach any other gospel unto you "'than that you have received, let him be accursed.'" So when we talk about the gospel, supposedly including economic injustice and institutional racism, because of the racial group that we are born into, we see that there's another gospel. I wanna emphasize as far as the gospel is concerned, the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are made one in Christ, we are all one in Christ Jesus, according to the gospel. Galatians 3.28 says, there is neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither bond nor free, there's neither male nor female, for you're all one in Christ. And if he be Christ, verse 29, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. But I also want for us to consider Ephesians chapter two, as we think about this teaching that we are all made one in Christ. Now, of course, in the first century, there was division between the Jews and the Gentiles. Believing Jews, believing Gentiles, there was often conflict within the church that they brought in from the culture. Some of the same things we're seeing in our modern day, only the different types of groups of people It says Ephesians 2 verse 11, wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision Again, this is Gentiles, Jews, in the flesh made by hands. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace. who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of twain of two, one new man, so making peace, and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you, which were afar off, and to them that were nigh, for through him we both have access." Notice, both Jews and Gentiles. And then by application, you can say people of color, white people, whatever. For through him, we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. And of course, then he goes right into teaching about the church. Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit." So again, we see here that in Christ, we are made one. So here's the principles of the whole gospel, integration, removing all forms of discrimination, improving educational facilities, fighting poverty, searching for freedom, justice, and fulfillment. Jesus said in John 18, 36, as he's speaking to Pilate, he said, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence. I want you to consider as far as what Jesus said, politics is not the primary concern of the church. Politics has nothing to do with the gospel. First Corinthians chapter 10. First Corinthians chapter 10 verses 32 and 33, Paul says, give not offense neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the church of God. So we see here three groups of people. the Jews, which of course is national Israel, the Jews, unbelieving Jews, nor to the Gentiles, unbelieving Gentiles, nor to the church of God. The church of God would emphasize both Jews and Gentiles together in one assembly. Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own prophet, but the prophet of many, that they may be saved. So when Paul emphasizes that he's pleasing all men and all things, he's not talking about this being a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's not a part of salvation. Here's an example of liberation theology. Liberation theology of the 1960s was a Catholic movement primarily of Latin America. It emphasized liberation of those who were oppressed. And the key foundation of liberation theology is Marxist theory and practice. That's the central part of liberation theology. In other words, communism. So liberation theology was supposedly hope for the poor of the world. Let me ask you, has communism helped the poor of the world? So when we think about biblical justice, what do we mean by biblical justice? Exodus 23 gives us an example as far as the Old Testament law given to Israel. There's some principles there that I wanna highlight. Exodus 23 verses one through seven. Thou shalt not raise a false report. Notice, true justice, you're not raising a false report. Put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment, a twisting of judgment or justice. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. Verse 6 then says, Thou shalt not rest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. So verse 3 says to not countenance a poor man in his cause. But verse 6 says, Thou shalt not rest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. So both, as far as justice, you take each person individually in their cause. Verse seven, keep thee far from a false matter, and the innocent and the righteous slay thou not. Notice the innocent and righteous person is to not be slain, is not to be punished by law, for I will not justify the wicked. That's what biblical justice is all about. Exodus chapter 12, verse 49 also has another principle as far as biblical justice. Exodus 12, 49, one law shall be to him that is homeborn and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. Notice one law. So then we think about cultures, nations, trying to have constitutional law alongside Sharia law. That kind of thing is always going to result in injustice. That's why God told Israel, before they ever went into the promised land, one law should be to him that is home-born and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. One law, one common law. As far as social justice, they say that social justice is measured in these ways. First of all, the distribution of wealth. Distribution of wealth to the point of equality. Everyone should have equality as far as the distribution of wealth. regardless of how hard somebody works, also opportunities, social privileges, fair, quote unquote, treatment in society, respect for the rights of minorities, and equitable distribution of resources. I want you to pay attention to what they say in this, the social gospel, equitable distribution of resources. In other words, socialism and communism. I want you to understand that private property is scriptural. Now, Peter said something to Ananias in Acts 5 and verse 4 that I think is very significant in relation to this idea of private property. Whilst it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Peter recognized private property ownership. It's scriptural. I also think of Matthew 20, as Jesus told a parable, I believe there's a principle of this in relation to this parable of the Lord Jesus. Matthew 20, verse one, for the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. Notice the laborers agreed for the common wage, the common daily wage for a laborer. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace and said unto them, go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way." Notice there's no specific pay that is mentioned as far as the second group that goes out into the vineyard. Again, he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, 11 to 12 o'clock, and between 2 and 3 o'clock, the ninth hour, and did likewise. and about the 11th hour. So for the last hour of labor for the day, 12 hour, based on a 12 hour work day, about the 11th hour, he went out and found others standing idle and saith unto them, why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shall you receive. Notice there's nothing, nothing here that says the householder is going to do them wrong. The householder said whatsoever is right, that shall you receive. So when even was come, at the end of the day, the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, call the laborers and give them their hire, beginning from the last, even unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the 11th hour, they received every man a penny. Again, the wage, the common wage for a laborer for a day's pay. But when the first came, they supposed, notice, they supposed that they should have received more. And they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house." Notice, the good man of the house. He's described here as the good man of the house, saying, "'These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them and said, friend, I do thee no wrong. Didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is." Notice singular there. Verse 11 has the plurality they, plural pronouns. But notice, take that thine is. So apparently there was one in particular, according to his story, there's one in particular that is speaking out. But I remind you in verse 13, he says, friend, I do thee no wrong. Didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way. I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last. For many be called, but few chosen. When you think about the spiritual application of this, we who are saved at the very end will receive just as much as Abraham, the 12 disciples, and all of those who have been serving the Lord for thousands of years. But again, I emphasize verse 15 as far as the practical application of this study. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? You see, part of the problem with this so-called social gospel, this Marxist gospel that we are seeing in our world today, and it's creeping into churches, the problem is they do not recognize individual private ownership of possession. Psalm 75, Psalm 75 emphasizes private ownership. God is a righteous judge. Psalm 75, verse five through seven. Lift not up your horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck, for promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge. He putteth down one and setteth up another. Notice God is the one who exalts one and puts another down. When we understand in scripture, God is not partial, God is not unjust, He is not inequitable. God is, here's the word, God is equal. I want for us to see the example of this in Ezekiel chapter 18. This is in the context of the Lord dealing with individual accountability. Ezekiel 18, notice verses 25 through 32. Yet ye say, the way of the Lord is not equal. So in other words, they're accusing the Lord of being unjust. They are accusing the Lord of injustice. Hear now, O house of Israel, is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them for his iniquity that he hath done, shall he die? Again, the Lord is emphasizing individual accountability. In the context of this, there's a proverb that was was popular in Judah. Verse two even talks about this. The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge. In other words, the younger generations were saying, we are being judged because of our forefathers. No, the Lord says the one who's wicked, that individual will be judged. Verse 27, again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions. Notice the repentance here, they're not saying, they're not confessing and going and repeating this sin over again. He's considering and turning away from all his transgressions that he have committed. He shall surely live. He shall not die. Yes, at the house of Israel, the way of the Lord is not equal. There's no equality here, Lord. Oh, house of Israel are not my ways equal are not your ways unequal. Therefore, I will judge you. Oh, house of Israel, everyone, according to his ways, if the Lord God repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions So iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit. For why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God. Wherefore, turn yourselves, and live ye." Chapter 33 also deals with this. Ezekiel 33, verse 17 through 20. Yet the children of thy people say, the way of the Lord is not equal. But as for them, their way is not equal. When the righteous turneth from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you, every one, after his ways. The Lord says, I am just, my ways are equal, man's ways are not equal. Leviticus 19.15 He shall do no unrighteousness in judgment. Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor. Notice that, thou shalt not respect the person of the poor. In other words, giving preferential treatment to the poor leads to injustice toward the wealthy, toward those whom God has blessed with financial means. Nor honor the person of the mighty. In other words, give preferential treatment in court toward the rich politicians and rulers, wealthy businessmen, as we see is happening in our world today. but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. So we are to see impartial judgment in the administration of justice in our world. Now, as far as this social justice, what I wanna emphasize is this so-called justice today that they are calling for actually leads to injustice. Here's why I say this. First of all, based on favoring or punishing groups of the population, So in other words, there's no consideration of individual choices or actions. I want you to think about Ezekiel 18. There's no consideration of individual choices or actions. It's all based on group politics. In other words, all white men are assumed guilty because of wrongs of some in the past. White privilege. So it's all based on favoring or punishing groups of the population. has no consideration whatsoever of individual choices or actions. Second of all, the social justice of our day is based on value judgments of historical events. I wanna emphasize that again. It's based on value judgments of historical events. In other words, slavery of blacks. When you look at a real history, and in fact, I'm planning a study on slavery in the United States, slavery in America. There's been division in our culture because of a rewriting of history. Slavery of whites is ignored. In fact, white slavery, as I've studied out the history of this, white slavery was in place before black slavery here in the United States of America. Number three, social justice, this so-called social justice and the so-called gospel, whole gospel, includes value judgments based on current events and conditions. So not only are these value judgments based on historical events, but also it's based on current events and conditions. In other words, as an example, riots being organized to feed those value judgments. And what is interesting is I came across a group, it's called Crowds on Demand. As I went to their website, This is a summary statement, a mission statement that they have on their homepage. Crowds on Demand is your home for impactful advocacy campaigns, demonstrations, PR stunts, crowds for hire and corporate events, services available nationwide. An article dated July 16th this year, Need to Know News, Crowds on Demand CEO rejected $20 million offer to recruit anti-Trump protesters for July 11th protests. The CEO of Crowds on Demand is Adam Swart, and he describes his company as the largest protest company in the country. So earlier in July, leftist groups had planned 400 protests across the country. Following is a little bit more information on this from News Nation Now. Welcome back. Thursday is the fifth anniversary of the death of civil rights leader and former Congressman John Lewis. And across the nation, so-called good trouble lives on. Protests are slated to take place. Tens of thousands of people are expected to participate in the anti-Trump demonstrations. But are they there because they want to be or because they're being paid to be? Our senior national correspondent, Brian Enten, has a look inside a secret deal to allegedly pay some protesters to participate in this week's demonstrations. Brian, good afternoon. This organization actually turned out millions of dollars. Is that the idea? Yeah, that's what I'm told, Nick. You know, I've always heard that protest organizers sometimes use paid protesters, but it was really eye-opening to get this look behind the curtain. I spoke with the CEO of Crowds on Demand, who says he has been hired over the years by organizations on both the right and left to provide demonstrators, paid protesters, He stands by his work, saying that they pay these people hundreds of dollars a day, but that they do support the causes where they are protesting. But he says—and this is where it gets interesting, Nick. He says he turned down a massive contract to organize the anti-Trump protests planned for this Thursday. And when I say massive contract, he says he was offered millions and millions of dollars to provide protesters nationwide. Listen to this. Have the organizers of the July 17th demonstrations approached you? Interests aligned with the organizers of the July 17th movement have approached us and in fact we rejected an offer that probably is worth around 20 million dollars. 20 million dollars? Correct. I mean this is a nationwide thing. It's not to say I would have made $20 million personally, but the value of the contract would have been worth around that amount nationwide to organize huge demonstrations around the country. But personally, I just don't think it's effective. So I'm not trying to call myself virtuous for rejecting it. What I'm saying is, I'm saying I'm rejecting it, not because I don't want to take the business, but because frankly, this is going to be ineffective. It's going to make us all look bad. So I asked Swart who exactly offered him the $20 million. That, of course, was the natural question. But he says he would not say, says he does not talk about who exactly his clients are, that it would be bad for business, and he's been in business for 15 years, and he has to turn down a lot of contracts. But, you know, interesting. $20 million is a lot of money. Brian, quickly, before I let you go, did he explain about why he doesn't want to be involved with Thursday's protests? Well, he said he had some concern about violence based on what he's seen in the past. But mostly, he just doesn't think that it's productive or really making a difference, big picture, about how the country feels about President Trump. And he says he just didn't want to get involved. And with the very latest, Brian, thank you so much. So the social injustice is based on favoring or punishing groups of people, not individuals. It's based on value judgments of historical events. It's based on value judgments of current events and conditions that can even be stirred up with crowds on demand and so on. Also value judgments based on group relations. And number five, redistribution of wealth, income, and economic opportunities from oppressive groups. Again, this is all this social justice. They claim that there's social injustice. This is what they're demanding as a part of the gospel. In other words, white privilege to those who are considered oppressed. And this is based on assumptions. Listen carefully to this. It's based on assumptions that the rich gained riches through oppression. 1 Timothy chapter six has a message to the rich. 1 Timothy chapter six. verses 17 through 19, charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, to share with those in need, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life. Now, I do wanna mention James chapter five. The Bible does speak to those who are rich and they oppress the poor. James chapter five verse one says, go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered, and the rest of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth. And the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton. Ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you. I do not believe the Bible indicates that everyone, just because they are wealthy, are wicked like this. But there's absolutely nothing in these passages. This is what I wanna emphasize. There's absolutely nothing in these passages about the government taking wealth to distribute to the poor. I think of Acts chapter four in the context of Ananias and Sapphira in chapter five. Barnabas sold a field and he gave of that money to help those in need. They voluntarily gave that. Nothing was ever taken from them by the government. You see, social justice as they call it, social justice, is another name for socialism. It's also known as communism. And what they're emphasizing for justice based on this equity is they're talking about resources, in other words, wealth, being transferred from those having abundance to those having little. There's many applications of this. First of all, we think of climate tax on wealthy nations, supposedly given to poor nations. Also, I believe we see coming a universal basic income. What do they mean by a universal basic income? I personally believe that the stimulus payments that were sent out during COVID lockdowns was a trial run of this universal basic income goal and plan that the elites have. Everyone received the same amounts, unless you made more over a certain level. The whole theory of Marxism is based on this agenda, from each according to his ability to each according to his needs. In Christ, Colossians 3.11 says, there's neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision, the Jew, nor uncircumcision, the Gentile, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free. But Christ is all and in all. So we see equality comes through a relationship, through salvation, being a part of the body of Christ. There's no cultural, educational, or financial distinction to determine importance in Christ. So only in Christ do we see that there's true equality. So how do they determine this ranking of social injustice? It's based on race. It's based on gender. It's based on financial status. It's based on political identity and so on. Those are the core determining factors. But here's how this works. A black female who's also a lesbian is more oppressed than a black male non-homosexual person. A black female who's also a lesbian is more oppressed. She has more points in her favor. is more oppressed than a black man who's not a homosexual. Another example, a white male Christian versus a white male Jew. A white male Christian is less oppressed than a white male Jew. That's why we see so many Jews today, Jews in power, talking about white supremacy. What is the purpose of all of this? To divide the population into contending groups. Because if they do not divide our nation, if they do not divide churches, they will not have as much power and authority to take control of our lives. So if you make the statement, all lives matter, You are oppressive. That is an attack on people of color because only black lives matter. We've already seen that in recent years. So what about race, so-called race relationships? Acts 17.26 says, God hath made of one blood, one blood. So European and Native Americans are of one blood. Jews and Goyim are of one blood. Whites, blacks, Asians, whatever, are of one blood. God hath made of one blood all nations. There's only one human race, individual people groups. There's only one human race. In fact, racism actually comes from the modern Bibles, not the King James Bible. God is made of one blood, all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and that determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation. I wanna introduce this as we close this study, the critical race theory. I'll consider this Lord willing in my next study, but critical race theory is rooted in racism in total violation of what scripture says in Acts 17, 26 and other places. Racism is deeply ingrained in American culture by design. I believe very strongly it's by design. White privilege, white supremacy, institutional racism. That's the cry of our day. And again, it's creeping into churches today. I am personally not racist. I'm not racist toward Jews, though I speak against their errors. I'm not racist against a Muslim, though I speak against their errors. Birth determines if you're an oppressor or the oppressed, not individual choices. So when we think about the church, the church in Scripture is presented as a body, a body of local believers. 1 Corinthians 12, Verses 12 and 13, for as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, one single body, whether it be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. And then he uses some examples based on our physical body. You see, our culture is creeping into churches. That's why we need to be aware of these things, these false doctrines, these diverse and strange doctrines. We must be aware of them so we can stand guard against them. May we have discernment to understand the difference between equality that we find in Christ and social equity that they're calling for in this Marxist socialistic gospel that's creeping into churches today. May we be found faithful to what the Bible says in relation to the gospel and reject all of these false gospels, this social gospel, as something to be accursed.