I just finished reading my morning newsletters and, as has been the trend lately, there were
reports that the US and its allies, primarily the UK, as part of a multi-day campaign, bombed
targets connected to the group that has been attacking US installations in the Middle East. How
does the Christian in our culture react to news like this?
Whatever your opinions or convictions regarding the fighting in the Middle East and Europe
(Russia-Ukraine), it is important to note that the mission of governments is not the same as the
mission of Christians.
Government, at its core, is a secular institution designed to establish order, protect citizens, and
provide a framework for the functioning of society. The authority of government is derived from
legal and constitutional structures, with its power often enforced through institutions like the
judiciary and law enforcement.
The mission of the Christian, however, is to follow Jesus Christ. Christianity’s core tenets
emphasize love, compassion, forgiveness, and moral conduct. In practical application, that
means followers of Christ are commanded to embrace weakness, forgo retaliation, and leave
revenge to God. The authority of the Christian comes directly from God as revealed in the
Scriptures.
Governments of countries can, obviously change the trajectory of world events. But the
Christian has even more power than the collective powers of world governments. Christian
influence has had a tremendous influence on world history for the last 2000 years. The
power is still there. The Bible teaches that our fight is not against flesh and blood as the world’s
fight is but against the spiritual realm. Our methods of fighting, then, are not the same as the
secular world. If we can introduce one person in our sphere to Jesus Christ, and they can
introduce one person, and so on, the world could achieve relative peace. All in the name of
Christ.