Has the Gospel Changed, or Have We?

 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him." (Genesis 1:27 KJV)

I was raised in a conservative holiness home. I sat on wooden pews and listened to old-time preachers who believed the Bible from cover to cover. They taught me that every human life was sacred because every man, woman, and child was created in the image of God.

I was taught that murder was a sin.

I was taught that innocent blood cried out unto God from the ground.

I was taught that nations that shed innocent blood would one day answer before Almighty God.

I was taught that Jesus died for the souls of men, not just for one nation, one race, or one people, but for the whole world.

Yet today I find myself asking a question that troubles my heart:

What happened to the message of the Gospel?

When did we reach the place where many who once preached the sanctity of life now seem silent when innocent people die in war?

When did bombs falling on schools, hospitals, homes, water systems, and electrical facilities become acceptable because the victims happened to live on the wrong side of a political conflict?

When did the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13), become something we apply only to certain people?

The Image of God Does Not Stop at a Border

The Bible does not say God made only Americans in His image.

The Bible does not say God made only Israelis in His image.

The Bible does not say God made only Christians in His image.

The Bible says God made man in His image.

That includes the Jew.

That includes the Arab.

That includes the Muslim.

That includes the Christian.

That includes the child living in Gaza.

That includes the family living in Lebanon.

That includes the mother living in Syria.

That includes the father living in Iran.

Their politics may be wrong.

Their religion may be wrong.

Their government may be wrong.

But they still bear the image of God.

And that image ought to matter to every believer who claims the name of Christ.

Christ Died for All

The Gospel message I learned as a young man was simple:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son..." (John 3:16 KJV)

Not part of the world.

Not one nation of the world.

The world.

Paul wrote:

"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4 KJV)

Peter wrote:

"The Lord is... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

If God desires all men to be saved, how can the church lose concern for entire populations of people?

How can we rejoice when people die who have never heard the Gospel?

How can we cheer destruction when souls are being ushered into eternity?

The mission of the church has never been to celebrate death.

The mission of the church has always been to preach life.

The Danger of Political Religion

One of my greatest fears is not what happens in foreign lands.

My greatest fear is what happens when Christians become more devoted to political causes than to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

History teaches us that whenever political power and religious zeal mix, innocent people suffer.

When any movement reaches the point where it believes it alone speaks for God, criticism becomes rebellion, questions become heresy, and opponents become enemies.

That should concern every Bible-believing Christian.

Because our loyalty is supposed to be to Christ, not to governments.

To the Kingdom of God, not the kingdoms of men.

To the Gospel, not political ideologies.

Jesus never commanded His followers to conquer nations.

He commanded them to make disciples.

What About Christians Living There?

Something else troubles my spirit.

Believers are living in Iran.

Believers are living in Syria.

Believers are living in Lebanon.

Believers are living in Gaza.

Many suffer persecution from both governments and extremists.

Yet they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

When bombs fall upon their cities, they suffer too.

When infrastructure is destroyed, they suffer too.

When war comes, they bury their dead too.

What message are we sending to them if we appear unconcerned about their lives simply because they live in a nation our government opposes?

The Apostle Paul taught:

"Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it." (1 Corinthians 12:26 KJV)

If one member suffers, the whole body ought to feel the pain.

A Consistent Gospel

I do not support terrorists.

I do not support religious persecution.

I do not support the killing of Christians, Jews, or Muslims.

I do not support governments that oppress their people.

But neither can I ignore the suffering of innocent people because they belong to another nation.

If the life of an Israeli child is sacred, then so is the life of an Iranian child.

If the life of a Jewish mother is sacred, then so is the life of a Muslim mother.

If the life of a Christian believer is sacred, then so is the life of every person for whom Christ shed His blood.

The Gospel cannot have one standard for one people and another standard for everyone else.

The Cross stands as a witness that every soul matters.

Have We Forgotten Calvary?

When I look at Calvary, I do not see a Savior dying for one nation.

I see a Savior dying for sinners.

I see nails driven into His hands for people who hated Him.

I hear Him pray:

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34 KJV)

That is the heart of the Gospel.

Not vengeance.

Not hatred.

Not ethnic superiority.

Not political domination.

But redemption.

Mercy.

Grace.

And truth.

Final Thoughts

Perhaps the greatest question is not whether the world has changed.

The greatest question is whether the church has changed.

Have we become so attached to earthly kingdoms that we have forgotten the Kingdom of God?

Have we become so consumed by political battles that we have forgotten the value of a single soul?

Have we become so willing to justify the death of others that we no longer hear the cry of innocent blood?

I still believe what those old holiness preachers taught me years ago.

Every human life is sacred because every human being bears the image of God.

The Jew bears it.

The Arab bears it.

The Christian bears it.

The Muslim bears it.

The rich bear it.

The poor bear it.

And one day every nation, every ruler, and every people will stand before the Judge of all the earth.

Until that day, may the church never forget that Christ died for all humanity.

And may we never allow our politics to speak louder than our Gospel.

This version keeps the focus on biblical principles, the sanctity of life, and concern for all people made in God's image, while avoiding unverifiable claims and maintaining the emphasis on the Gospel message you want to communicate.

Who Does Washington Serve?

 There comes a time when a man has to speak what is on his heart. As a minister of the Gospel, I understand that my first allegiance is to the Kingdom of God and not to any political party, politician, or earthly government. Republicans will disappoint you. Democrats will disappoint you. Kings, presidents, members of Congress, and senators will all eventually disappoint you. Only the Lord remains faithful.

Yet, there are times when a citizen must ask hard questions.

I look at what is happening in our nation today, and I confess that I am deeply concerned and increasingly frustrated with the direction of the present administration.

When President Trump was elected, many Americans believed he would place the interests of the American people first. They believed he would secure our borders, strengthen our economy, reduce foreign entanglements, and focus on the needs of the citizens who elected him.

Instead, it appears that America is becoming increasingly involved in conflicts halfway around the world while many of our own people struggle to pay their bills, buy groceries, and fill their gas tanks.

I hear discussions about Iran.

I hear discussions about Gaza.

I hear discussions about Lebanon.

I hear discussions about military cooperation and alliances that seem to grow deeper every day.

What I do not hear enough about are the families here at home who are working harder than ever to stay afloat.

The average American is not asking for much. They want safe communities. They want affordable food. They want affordable energy. They want a government that protects their freedoms and spends their tax dollars wisely.

Instead, many feel as though their concerns have been pushed to the back of the line.

The Bible warns us about leaders who forget the people they were called to serve.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish..." (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)

Government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.

What troubles me even more is the growing discussion of deeper military integration with foreign governments while serious allegations continue to emerge concerning military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Whether one supports Israel or opposes Israel is not the issue. The issue is accountability.

As Christians, we cannot excuse wrongdoing simply because an ally commits it.

We cannot condemn violence when committed by one nation and remain silent when committed by another.

The Lord is not impressed by our political loyalties.

The Lord is concerned with justice.

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8 KJV)

If war crimes have been committed, they should be investigated.

If innocent people have suffered, their suffering should not be ignored.

If our nation becomes increasingly tied to another military's actions, then Americans have every right to ask how that relationship will affect our future and our moral responsibility.

These are not hateful questions.

They are necessary questions.

Throughout my years of ministry, I have watched politicians from both parties promise change. They promised honesty. They promised accountability. They promised to represent the people.

Yet too often, once elected, they become more concerned with power, influence, foreign interests, lobbyists, and political survival than with the citizens who entrusted them with office.

The prophet Jeremiah warned:

"Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm..." (Jeremiah 17:5 KJV)

That verse is not telling us to withdraw from public life. It reminds us that our hope cannot rest in politicians.

My hope is not in Washington.

My hope is not in Congress.

My hope is not in the White House.

My hope is not in the Republican Party or the Democratic Party.

My hope is in Jesus Christ.

As I grow older, I become more convinced that the problems facing our nation are not primarily political. They are spiritual.

A nation that forgets God will eventually lose its way.

A government that values power more than righteousness will eventually stumble.

People who seek security without seeking God will eventually discover that true peace cannot be found in military strength, economic prosperity, or political victories.

The answer to America's problems is not found in another election cycle.

The answer is repentance.

The answer is a return to truth.

The answer is a return to justice.

The answer is a return to the fear of God.

I pray for President Trump.

I pray for Congress.

I pray for our military.

I pray for the people of Israel.

I pray for the people of Gaza.

I pray for the people of Lebanon.

I pray for the people of Iran.

And I pray for the American people, who often find themselves carrying the burden of decisions made far above their heads.

May God give us leaders who seek wisdom more than power.

May God give us citizens who seek truth more than party loyalty.

And may God help His people to stand firm in these uncertain days, remembering that kingdoms rise and fall, presidents come and go, but Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Amen.