December 1998

DON'T GIVE to the Salvation Army

By Mark J. Ward

Please investigate the church called The Salvation Army for yourself. One reference is their web site at - http://www.salvationarmy.org. We speak out against this false church at this time out of love for God and all people. There are many people who give money to this organization at this time of year. Be not deceived! A warning is needed because there are many people giving money to this religious organization who do not even realize what they are contributing to! I do not hate the people associated with the Salvation Army. I do hate sin, tho'. I am to hate every false religion! Please take the following article, written in love, properly in the interest of truth and righteousness. God requires that we speak out against ALL error, whether it is "popular" in the minds of men and women or not! Please read Acts 20:26,27.

The Salvation Army is a "church". You cannot read of this religious organization in the entire Bible! Read the information in a good encyclopedia or go the web site mentioned above for confirmation. William Booth who lived around 1865 is given credit with founding this religious group. Compare this with Jesus founding His church in Matthew 16:18 and Acts 2:47! There are "Articles of War" which the Salvation Army subscribes to. There is the office of "General" in the Salvation Army. We do not read of any of these in the Bible! They are not of the wisdom of God; they are the inventions of men.

Since there is no Bible authority for the existence of the Salvation Army, there certainly is no Bible authority to give money to this unscriptural religious organization! "But they help the needy!" someone might argue. Well, our emotions tend to tug strongly at our heartstrings when needy folks are concerned. There is a definite requirement from God that we engage in scriptural acts of benevolence. Galatians 6:10 demands that Christians do good unto all men, especially to those that are saints. But, there are MANY OTHER ways that we can engage in helping needy folks without sinning by contributing to the Salvation Army! Please re-examine your beliefs along this line if you have been guilty in the past of contributing to this false religious organization. Thanks for reading. --mjw

Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com