Just what is the social gospel and what should its role be in Christianity today? One definition is that it is a call for Christians to not just evangelism but social reform. According to the website GotQuestions.org: “The term social gospel is usually used to refer to a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that came to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Promoters of the social gospel sought to apply Christian principles to social problems, with a focus on labor reform. Other issues, such as poverty, nutrition and health, education, alcoholism, crime, and warfare, were also addressed as part of the social gospel.”1
On the surface meeting the social needs of people are important but sadly many advocates of the social gospel are so caught up at trying to improve society that the more important spiritual needs of people are downplayed. According to Jack Wellman, when referring to evangelist Vance Havner: “He detested the social gospel because he saw it as a band aid solution which didn’t address the heart issue of the necessity of repentance and faith. He felt if we give people soup and soap, they’ll only be fuller and cleaner on their way to hell. He felt the social gospel never did enough and once said ‘If they had a social gospel in the days of the prodigal son, somebody would have given him a bed and a sandwich and he never would have gone home.’”2
The real danger in the social gospel is that it shows a misunderstanding of why Jesus came to earth. Again, according to the website GotQuestions.org: “Jesus did not come to earth to be a political or social reformer. He preached the necessity of faith, the need to be born again, and total reliance on God. His gospel changes people’s hearts through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, and, as hearts change, society will change.”3
Social gospel proponents by and large spend too much time and effort in the social change arena and often fail to link their efforts to the need to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. To many in this movement people are basically seen as good and they make the fatal mistake of thinking that if they can only improve society by doing their “good works” then a more moral society will ensue. This belief is totally opposite of what the Bible preaches. According to Scripture people are sinners and are in desperate need of a total transformation of their entire being through Jesus. Society will never truly change by just feeding the poor but through addressing the deeper issues of the need to repent from sin. Transformed individuals, through the true gospel, will change society. It is so important to remember that Jesus did not come to wipe out poverty but to wipe out sin.
Yes, as Christians we need to feed the poor, but we must then proceed to offer them Christ as the food they really need – the true Bread of Life. In the final analysis if we don’t link our good works on behalf of the less fortunate with the true gospel of Christ, then we may improve their physical lot here on earth but their eternal destination may not be heaven.
My friends the social gospel is more concerned with changing society while the true gospel is more concerned with saving souls for eternity. In closing when we share the full gospel message, I believe by definition, it will be linked to helping meet the physical needs of those we are sharing with, if it is in our power to do so. Sadly, the social gospel, too often, is strong on meeting physical needs, but weak on addressing the more important spiritual needs of an individual. Never forget that Jesus, while often meeting a person’s physical needs, always considered this subordinate to helping people see their spiritual need to repent and put their trust and faith in Him. While we will never be able to totally eliminate poverty, our role as Christians is to feed the soul with the good news of Jesus!
1 What is the social gospel? | GotQuestions.org