The Salvation Army’s Position Statements. Do you know them and the Bible’s statues?
by Kelly Durant
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2. How many of you get asked questions about your faith? Usually people ask questions like this, How do you feel about abortion? To start with, the question of how I feel about something puts the answer within a relative box, in other words how I feel and how you feel may both be valid or invalid, so how you or I feel is not the correct answer. There is a standard from God.
The real answer, not one based on opinions, emotions, or peer pressured replies is, what is the truth concerning this matter, or any other matter for that matter? What is truth? Truth, according to the world’s definition is something universally consistently true and modern teachers would have you believe it is relative as well, that your truth may be as valid as my truth but that is not how it works. Most of the time things are black and white but people want to see gray so they can justify their own way instead of God’s way. Only Jesus is the truth!
For example, does the sun shine in the mornings? It does, no matter where you wake up on the earth. So you can see there is only one standard for physical events, and conclusively there is only one truth concerning moral, or often denoted religious rules as well, so why do people want to put truth into a feeling, or a relative perspective? It is for the purpose of the manipulation of feelings with scenarios that never or rarely exist so this conflictive person wanting black to be white and white black may contradict the Word of God in the Bible.
3. To be a Christian you must adhere to the Bible as absolute truth, if you do not, if you have a pick and choose faith, then you must evaluate that you are spiritually bankrupt and not a real Christian! You may be lacking in being connected to the Holy Spirit which brings you into all truth. John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. Have you ever prayed and asked for the Holy Spirit in your life?
In general most people agree with the 10 commandments. For example, “Thou shall not kill” is a good example of how most everyone will agree that you do not want a person to kill you, or your mother, father, son, or daughter and just get away with it! Laws exist so that the punishment for breaking them will bring consequences so peace and order are maintained.
In the Old Testament it was an eye for and eye, so if you kill a life, your punishment would be to be put to death as well. And since a baby has a heartbeat after 2 weeks of inception, technically all abortionists, and abortion participants are murderers. 1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. A murderer does not have eternal life, that is the law of God, but if a person had murdered and repented and totally changed, as in the case of Saul to Paul, then Jesus grace and forgiveness will apply. The huge factor is, ‘Is an act being done in ignorance?’ Or is it being done knowing by the law, the consciousness, and the mind that it is wrong? Willful unrepented rebellion against God’s law, Jesus grace, and a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will take a person to hell! Their spirit will be tormented and troubled now and then they die remaining in the torment. How sad not everyone does a U-turn to get back to God and live in holiness and love for forgiveness and eternal life! Only people who have done this have clear judgment, wisdom, and understanding.
4. So the principles and positions Christians adhere to are all covered in the Bible. In ages past people would sacrifice their babies to Satanic pagan idols (Moloch, Baal, etc.) to be burned in the fire. That was human sacrifice, a rite condemned by Judeo Christian influenced societies but Satanist today still do human sacrifice! Also, today, aborted baby parts are sold for huge profits to bio labs. It is obvious we must remain firm against abortionbecause it is murder.
We are against alcoholand drugsbecause it causes people to destroy their bodies and it breaks up families as the addicted person may become demon possessed to feed their appetite for more. Many will sell their home, car, and their own bodies to get another buzz or high.
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. The Salvation Army rehab centers in all the major cities are full of people who have lost everything due to their uncontrollable desire to get high. What a torturous slavery!
And speaking of addictions, we are also against gambling. It is amazing that people will gamble away their 2 week salaries in a few hours and even turn over their homes, cars, and anything with the expectancy to win something by chance. Never start, you may have a weakness for gambling and not know it! The Salvation Army’s largest homeless shelter is in Las Vegas where hundreds show up daily after having lost everything in that cruel gambling sin city!
5. Another horrible addiction is pornography. It also has provoked divorces, caused salaries to be wasted on images of people breaking the law and opened the door for extreme abuse and human trafficking. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” or “Thou shalt not covet your neighbor’s wife” makes it clear that God is not pleased when people lust for “strange flesh” because it breaks down the union a married couple should maintain. Single people also often destroy their ability to relate to others in a civil undebauched way. It degenerates the mind into a desire for more and more perversion leading up to ritual Satanic child abuse. Jesus breaks chains though!
Another is human trafficking: it is modern day slavery! We also denounce this evil as no person should ever be the owner of another person! Those that control others in order to exploit their bodies for money usually do so by intimidation and blackmail, getting them addicted to drugs, inflicting pain, or/and by fear which threatens violence will be done to them or their families if their greedy expectations are not met. Avoid abusers, pimps, drug dealers and those bound for hell at all costs! Never tattoo yourself with a their icons and nets as they are cruel overlords!
People who live abused, exploited, or addicted are often suicidal and we are against suicideas well! It is not a solution but only brings on more pain to those around them, being family or friends. I have brought up suicide as a topic before and people become very emotionally affected. But remember there is always hope in God and there are testimonies of millions finding Jesus and gaining a new opportunity to live blessed and free from destructive the voices of oppression. Physical, mental, or spiritual abuse can be overcome with Jesus power. Assisted suicide, or euthanasia, is also deemed by us to be wrong as it is God who numbers a person’s days of their life and it should never be our decision usurping God’s authority.
6. And The Salvation Army we decries injustices carried out by abusive authoritative powers. This makes us unpopular in certain dark places, but so be it. Have you ever seen the movie ‘Papillion’? It was of the escape of a prisoner from the a penal colony Devil’s Island in French Guiana. That island in the Caribbean off the coast of the north of South America was a horrific place of abuse and the Salvation Army denounced its atrocities and got ‘Devil’s Island shut down in 1960. http://sahpa.blogspot.com/2011/07/devils-island-by-harry-hayes-salvation.html
We declare we are nonpartisanand this means we do not endorse any particular party or power in any country. Why? Because Psalm 14: 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Dictators, presidents, and powers change hands often and to be associated with the deeds of one of these powers is counter-productive to spreading the good news of the kingdom of God. Our kingdom is not of this world, so what benefit would there be for us invest in this world’s unthankful, backstabbing political game of thrones?
We are against corruptionof any kind as it creates great disparities between the rich and the poor. We are for peacemakingwhere division of ideals and political views exist. Getting people to make peace will invoke great forgiveness on the part of some but God wants for all love, stability, and blessings. Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
7. Considering the Salvation Army serves in 130 countries, we have had to take positions against certain cultural practices which involve ignorance, a waste of resources, or outright demonic rendering. Ancestral worshipis to be condemned. Spellcasting, witchcraft, white or black magic, Santeria, or any ritual practice is to be rebuked in the name of Jesus Christ and overcome by fasting and prayer. Days of the dead and all evil celebrations are unwelcome.
We honor our day to worship God, which is the Sabbath. The Sabbath was ordained by God at creation and set aside as a holy day for Him.(Genesis 2:2-3) Christians worship on Sundays (our Son Day), and a day of rest prevents abuse from abusive employers. All Christians should always insist on having rest, worship, and fellowship on a reserved day.
As Christians we also support protecting the environment. God created the earth for us to take care of and now that the food supply, water streams, and air are so contaminated, we must conclude that money minded humans, no matter the race or country, are guilty and are not very worthy stewards of God’s earth! We believe in helping to recycle and clean up where we can and not be wasteful, at home or in our community. Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
8. We must always care for the homeless and desperate so we care for refugeesand displaced people. In the U.S. and abroad we attend to almost every major natural disaster. In certain countries a lot of our social services work is with refugees, so those who had to move away deserve attention and basic needs. It is not their fault they were displaced from their homeland because they wanted it. It is often due to a murderous military coop or a change of political or religious leaders, or an environmental/economic disaster. To survive, all must move at times.
Attending to refugees from another race, creed, or country may often provoke conditions for discrimination and racism. We condemn these and even in our Salvation Army mission statement we affirm that we attend to all, “without discrimination”. This implies not to be rude or inattentive to a person due to their gender, age, race, religion, personal sexuality, or for any reason. We are commanded to be ‘good Samaritans’ and racism is not tolerated. I saw a long time employee in Miami get fired because he spoke to several others about how evil the Jews were. There is evil no matter the race but to single one out is against the law in this country. Currently many Christians are being murdered and displaced in Africa and Asian countries. These refugees being from Iran, Sudan, and a dozen countries need your prayers!
Historically, and presently certain races, religions, and different people groups pose acceptance challenges but those familiar with their Bibles know how Paul addressed the strengths and weaknesses of the Romans, Greeks, Jews, and pagans. We must apply wisdom in dealing with others different from us remembering always we are to “love our neighbor as our self”.
9. Finally, for the record we do not accept or endorse sin,but we must attend to those in the world with multiple sins with the hope we will (and we do) win some to the Lord. But those that say they are brothers or sisters and practice sin are fooling their selves. Today, in our end-time apostacy, in too many churches, sins such as fornication, idolatry of praise worshippers and preachers, and the extortion of church givers for the leaders lavish lifestyles, is accepted. Woe is to them as today many churches resemble the 7 churches in Revelation!
1 Corinthians 6: 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Let’s look at these condemned practices again but finish it with how we are to be.
Galatians 5: 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Our goal is to study the Word of God, to be led by the Spirit of our loving God and to never be guilty of failing to honor Him in all we do, say, think, believe, and live out from day to day! Amen.
