A question about Salvation Army

Dear all brothers and sisters in Christ.

I began a couple of months ago in the S.A. They have meetings on Saturdays. There was a few Saturdays I didn't have time to come, but on Saturday last week, the wife of the leader, turned her back on me and completely, as I wasn't there.
I couldn't understand why, I had never done anything wrong, not that I know of...
I have been questioning by my own, and also felt that something didn't ad up, but still I joined it.

I just want to ask others if it is only me, or am I right...

YSIC, Eva
 

Galoutofdixie

Looking up
I don't know a lot about of the Salvation Army. I believe that they are fairly spiritually sound. Not a cult. One of the thing that I differ with them is that they seem to believe that person can loose their salvation. #10 on their doctrinal beliefs. Which is quite common among some protestant denominations. I agree with the previous poster. It sounds like it's the leader's wife personal problem. The very nature of their ministry is based on serving, so for some of them, it may become that "works', become very important to them. Overall, I think they are a good ministry, but I've heard from others that the fellowship among members is sometimes lacking. I think that may be due to their Military heirarchy? Not as conducive to personal fellowship among the flock. I have no idea what their end times views are.



https://www.salvationarmy.org/doctrine/doctrines

THE DOCTRINES OF THE SALVATION ARMY​


As set out in Schedule 1 of The Salvation Army Act 1980
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead – the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency, 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.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by His suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation.
We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
 

Tall Timbers

Imperfect but forgiven
I began a couple of months ago in the S.A. They have meetings on Saturdays. There was a few Saturdays I didn't have time to come, but on Saturday last week, the wife of the leader, turned her back on me and completely, as I wasn't there.

I'm sorry that lady was so petty towards you. It's all on her. It's wonderful to know that Jesus will never turn his back on us.
 

JamesSuth

Well-Known Member
I've known two people who were in the Salvation Army (in the UK). From what they said their own congregations sounded like they were good churches, and one of them found salvation through their work. That said, it was quite a long time ago now, so I don't know what it is like now, and different congregations may not be as good.

Sounds like it was the other person at fault here. A lot of churches in the north of Britain judge the quality of our relationship with Christ on how often people attend church :(.
 

Andiamo

"Let's go!"
My husband and I visited a SA church a few times. I loved how reverent the worship was there. Sadly, we never returned after a sermon was preached about global warming and how God wants us to do our part in saving the earth. It seems their messages are affected by the government funding they receive here in the US.
 

PhilR

Active Member
My understanding is the Salvation Army broke off from the Methodist church in the early 20th Century. One reason is that they felt the Methodist church had become too liberal. The Salvation Army, although they do good for the poor, are Arminian concerning salvation. Arminianism, from what I understand, holds that it is possible for a saved person to loose their salvation.
The Church of the Nazarene also split with the Methodist Church and formed their own sect.
 

seated with Christ

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
They used to have tent revivals in towns, the baseball player in the height of his career was saved in one of those tent revivals, his name was Billy Sunday, he quit his career and became a preacher. Savation Army had Street ministries too, but the United States shut it all down, both the tent revivals and street ministries.
 

Wings Like Eagles

Well-Known Member
Dear all brothers and sisters in Christ.

I began a couple of months ago in the S.A. They have meetings on Saturdays. There was a few Saturdays I didn't have time to come, but on Saturday last week, the wife of the leader, turned her back on me and completely, as I wasn't there.
I couldn't understand why, I had never done anything wrong, not that I know of...
I have been questioning by my own, and also felt that something didn't ad up, but still I joined it.

I just want to ask others if it is only me, or am I right...

YSIC, Eva
From what I have read and heard, the SA seems more-or-less solid in their theology and doctrine. I would disagree with them that one can lose one's salvation but the SA would definitely NOT be alone in thinking that. I have heard of a few local groups being controlled by strong leaders who make their local expressions into something cult-like, but, overall, they seem to be what they say they are.
 

mattfivefour

Well-Known Member
The Sally Ann has wandered far from William Booth's conception. They still proclaim the gospel of salvation by faith alone in Christ's name alone, but then they impose laws on their members in order to keep that salvation. One example of how legalistic they are was the news story a number of years ago of an SA officer being given a lottery ticket as a gift and winning a small fortune. He was kicked out of the SA because lotteries are gambling ... even though he had not actually gambled; the ticket was a gift from a family member.

I agree with the SA organization's desire that Christians should live holy. We should. Absolutely. But --if we are indeed saved-- the perfection or lack of perfection of our lifestyle does not affect our salvation

The SA today is filled with the very type of people Paul took issue with in Galatians. As he asked those "foolish" Galatians: "Having begun by the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh?" By their legalism, the SA is actually denying the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross.
 

jayhawkbasketball

Well-Known Member
I work for a marketing firm in Kansas City who’s biggest clients are divisions of The Salvation Army from all over the U.S. If you receive mail from them, there’s a good chance that my employer, and myself specifically, probably created the piece and got it mailed to you. (Sorry?!?!)

I’m just beginning to learn more about TSA, but I can tell you there’s a lot of good people in and around the organization. I’m not saying they don’t have flaws, I’m just saying…

TSA was also the ONLY organization to help our family business during a horrible flood in the mid 90s. That’s why I still donate to them. When you’re hot, sweaty, hungry, tired, crying and watching your family business literally float down the Missouri River, you tend to remember who was there with a bottle of water and a meal.
 
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