And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. – Mark 14:6-7 KJV

One of the biggest trends happening in the church is that of social justice.  Social justice comes in many different forms.  Why? Because social justice caters to the many needs, and problems, of humanity.

I often think of Jesus’ words, in the Olivet Discourse:

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. – Matthew 24:6 KJV

Of course these words of Christ do not take place  in our current dispensation (as much as people like to think they do), yet I, in my sanctified imagination, often think, “Could Jesus have been speaking of the wars on drugs, poverty, terror, and all of the other so-called governmental wars that are supposed to make the world a better place?” 

I think that makes as much sense as each and every skirmish between nations being used as a sign of the end!  Well, let me get off of that particular soap box now.

The “church” has partnered with the world, and the governments thereof,  to bring these problems to an end.  These wars have been an abject failure.  …For ye have the poor with you always… How could anyone actually think that this is the grand purpose of the church today?

Someone, pretty much unheard of today, who holds great influence over society (and the church), though dead since 1937, is Antonio Gramsci, the founder of the Italian Communist Party. Gramsci was a staunch critic of Benito Mussolini, spent from 1926 until his death in 1937 in prison.  In the eyes of Mussolini he was a radical.

Gramsci is often referred to as the “Father of Cultural Marxism.”

Basically, his philosophy was brought into mainstream Christianity, and culture in general, by Rick Warren, and his books, “The Purpose Driven Life,” and “Purpose Driven Church.”

Warren’s writings (in the opinion of this author) are some of the most dangerous writings that there have ever been, especially due to the incredible influence, and popularity of them.

If you cant beat ‘em, join ‘em!  

His philosophy, in a nutshell, was to not fight the cultural war head on, but to join it.  He found that by joining religion, rather than outwardly opposing it, he could cause the institution to crumble from the inside.  Can you see the connection with the times we are living in now?

The Church, supposed to be the “pillar and ground of the truth,” has become the “pillow and sand of purpose!”

Bob Picard

His purpose for the church was to get rid of the Cross, and doctrine, and begin turning the focus on what we today call social justice.  …For ye have the poor with you always… Get the church focused on social issues, rather than the true spiritual NEED of every individual – Justification with God, by God Himself!

This is exactly what is taking  place in the “church” today! The Church, supposed to be the “pillar and ground of the truth,” has become the “pillow and sand of purpose!”

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. – 1 Timothy 3:15 KJV

One does not need to have any special gifts or talents to see that the church has turned its back on the Truth. This Truth, found in the Bible, has been given, and preserved by God to share to the broken world around us.  But, then again, because the church has turned from doctrine so much that it is influenced no longer by the Scriptures, but “the god of this world,” who has taken eyes from the Gospel, and put it on other things (social justice).

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 KJV

Food, shelter, water, etc. are all temporary in nature.  We are dealing with eternity (just for the sake of clarity – eternity means “forever” no matter what anyone would say).  The Good News of the Gospel is indeed Good News because one is rescued forever from sin and death!

Am I saying that good works are a bad thing?  Not at all.  The Believer is created “unto” good works (Ephesians 2:10).  …For ye have the poor with you always… These works are outcomes, or fruit, of the true purpose of the Church – the edification of the saints:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: [14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; [15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: [16] From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. – Ephesians 4:11-16 KJV

Helping those in need is to be an expression of the love of Christ that is in us, not as a way of earning the love of God.  We are to help those less fortunate than we are, by using the opportunities given to us through the grace that is given to us freely! …For ye have the poor with you always…

Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. [12] And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: [13] To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. – 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 KJV

Bob Picard, Pastor, God’s Grace Bible Church, Millbury, Massachusetts