The term social gospel comes from a movement that gained prominence in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Christian intellectuals aimed to use Christian ethics to solve problems such as war, poverty, social injustice, crime, and addiction. 

We live in a culture that is so self-absorbed and self-centered that it is hard for us to see far beyond ourselves. It’s hard to not get caught up in the spirit of this age. If you want to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God you have to really work at keeping yourself separated from a culture that is constantly trying to lacerate your conscience, while telling us not worry and everything is all right, even though deep down we know this is not true. 

Compared to the conditions in which most people of the world live, being born in the United States is like winning the lottery. Even the poorest among us are more blessed than most people in places like India and much of Africa. 

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV) 

Coming into contact with God’s infinite holiness and moral perfection will always produce fear and reverence because we are sinful beings. The immediate response humanity has when exposed to God’s perfection is awareness of our sin and fear because we also become aware that his perfect justice demands our destruction. 

The apostle Paul makes a grand declaration in the beginning of the fifth chapter of Galatians. He exclaims that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. But free from what? T

There is nothing more beautiful and powerful in this life than the love of God displayed to us in the gospel of truth by which we are saved. But let us remember that without the truth there is no love. Love and truth are irrevocably tied to one another. They are different sides to the same coin. You can’t divorce the truth and love from each other, any more than you can divorce the truth and love from God. 

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV) 

An ancient maxim states, “About matters of taste, there is no disputing,” while another advises, “About matters of truth, we should engage in dispute.” These two sayings capture the essence of the solution to the contemporary problem of tolerance and truth.

We must be very clear about sin, not because we are judgmental or mean, but to communicate the love of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”