Introduction

From Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve, it seems as if the group known as the Salvation Army materializes out of thin air; ringing their bells for monetary donations, only to vanish again before the New Year.

Who are they really? Can Christians support this group? What does the bible say about this organization? The following will answer these questions.

A Brief History Lesson

William and Catherine Booth left the church of England in 1852 to form their own church; catering to the physical needs of man and by 1878 the Salvation Army was established. William is a self-appointed “General” while his wife, Catherine; became the co-founder, an evangelist, and known as “The Army Mother”.

In the decades to follow, the Salvation Army has established: social service centers, Senior Citizen housing, domestic violence and children’s shelters, camps and rehabilitation centers. Although these outlets on their own are fine, the fact that they are connected to a church makes them unscriptural.

Notice here how Mr. Booth appointed himself as general. He didn’t earn the rank; just gave it to himself. Jesus didn’t give himself the title of Christ; it was bestowed upon him by the Father. And his disciples called him Christ as he proved to be as such. Look at this passage…

Matthew 16:13-16, When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The “Army” Doctrine
Given that the Salvation Army is indeed a denominational church, they must have a doctrine with which to teach their members. Here are two examples of what they believe.

In regards to salvation…

“Our first parents were crated in a state of innocency (sic), but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God”

Does this sound familiar? It should; it is the Calvinist Doctrine. They believe that all children are born in sin thanks to the sin of Adam of Eve.

However, scripture contradicts this in Ezekiel 18:20, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” The Jews in Ezekiel’s time were using the excuse of obtaining their sins from their fathers; stating that they had no choice but to sin. There is no truth to it because God created us all freewill agents to make decisions on our own.

Look at 1 John 3:4, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” This means if you commit the sin, you are guilty. It’s not your father, grandfather, or even Adam.

In regards to the Lord’s Supper…

They do not observe the Lord’s Supper as they don’t see any teaching of it in scripture.

Really? No teaching? Then why do three of the gospels describe it? (Mt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-24, Lk. 22:17-20) Why does Luke write about it again in Acts 2:42 and 20:7? And why does Paul discuss it at length in 1 Cor. 11:23-29. If the Lord’s Supper isn’t to be observed, then why did God make such a serious effort to give us all these examples?

The Spirit of Giving

There is nothing wrong with being charitable at this time of year (or the rest of the year for that matter); to come to the aid of your fellow man. It is not, however, the work of the church but the individual (1 Tim. 5:3-5, 16). It is the responsibility of each Christian to give of their means to help out; primarily to give of themselves (2 Cor. 8:5) first to The Lord. A simple question to ask yourself is, if you won’t give money to any other denominational church, why give it to the Salvation Army?

Conclusion

The Salvation Army is a denomination and promotes false doctrine (Eph. 5:11). They tug at the heartstrings of man by hiding their spiritual ways behind tending to man’s physical needs. We can all care for one another both physically and spiritually without the aid of an organization to funnel the money through. Goodwill and The Red Cross are non-religious group who offer aid. Contact them if you want or need help during this holiday season.