The Gospel is not about what we do; it’s about what Jesus has done. Acts of service, feeding the poor, and pursuing justice are expressions that can extend from the Gospel’s transformative power, but they are not its essence. The Gospel is the good news that “Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures… He was buried, and He was raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, TLV), “and offers eternal life to all who believe” (John 3:16). Anything added to this message diminishes its truth and robs it of its God given power. As Paul warned, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9).
Our mission as believers is not to redefine the Gospel to try to reach certain human needs, but to proclaim it faithfully and live out its transformative truth in our lives. At this point one might ask, so how do we as believers engage with believers in a different cultural context than us?
It’s impossible to ignore the visible disparities around us. They often provoke reactions, but those reactions need to come from a place of understanding, not knee-jerk responses. Jesus taught, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). This takes time: still time, heart time, time in the spiritual think tank with the Holy Spirit and other godly influences.
Leaders often face challenges that unintentionally create divides within the church. Assumptions like mistaking majority presence for true inclusion, neglecting Christ’s call to love our neighbors, and operating out of ignorance rather than understanding can hinder the church’s mission.
A common assumption is that having a majority presence means everyone feels included or represented. This, however, is not always the case. Even when marginalization is not intentional, its impact can still be deeply felt. For example, a church may unintentionally foster an environment where the culture, leadership, or practices primarily reflect the majority group, leaving minority members feeling unseen or unvalued. Inclusion is not just about presence but about creating a space where everyone is truly heard, valued, and engaged.
Scripture challenges us to go beyond superficial inclusion. Romans 10:12 reminds us, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” God’s kingdom is inclusive of all people, regardless of race, culture, or background. As followers of Christ, we must strive to reflect this inclusivity by actively seeking to understand and honor those who may feel marginalized.
True inclusion requires intentionality. It involves asking difficult questions about who is missing from the table and why. It means seeking out those who feel overlooked and engaging in meaningful dialogue that values their perspectives and experiences. This aligns with Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12:26, where he emphasizes the importance of the body of Christ functioning together: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
Failing to love our neighbors as ourselves is another significant issue that opens the door to ideologies like Critical Race Theory (CRT) and similar movements. These ideologies often attempt to address societal inequalities but lack the Gospel’s transformative foundation. Jesus clearly commands us, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This love is not conditional, nor is it reserved for those who look, think, or act like us.
When the church neglects this command, it creates a vacuum that other ideologies seek to fill. Movements like CRT often gain traction because they attempt to address real disparities and injustices that the church has sometimes failed to confront biblically. However, these movements lack the redemptive power of the Gospel, focusing instead on human solutions that can lead to further division.
Loving our neighbors as ourselves requires more than good intentions or eloquent words—it requires action, empathy, and sacrifice. As 1 John 3:18 (TLV) urges us, “Children, let us not love with word or talk, but in deed and truth!” This love is not passive or theoretical; it is active and rooted in the example of Messiah, who laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16). To truly love others means seeking their good, standing against injustice, and living out the Gospel in visible, sacrificial ways.
Yet in our pursuit of love and justice, we must also remain spiritually discerning. Leaders—and all believers—are called to focus not on the noise of the world but on the voice of the Shepherd. As Romans 12:2 reminds us, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We are not reactionary people driven by headlines; we are Kingdom citizens led by the Spirit of God. Our calling is to participate in what God is doing—not what the culture demands.
The Spirit of God is actively working in and through the Body of Christ to bring about God’s will and shape us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). As followers of Yeshua HaMashiach, we must submit to God’s authority, honor Christ in all things, and remain sensitive to the leading of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). The world may shift, but our mission remains the same: to love in truth, to lead with wisdom, and to reflect the heart of God in every sphere of life.
As we’ve seen, the Gospel is not about what we do, but what Christ has done. Yet, living out this truth calls us to engage a broken world with wisdom, grace, and Spirit-led clarity. While disparities and cultural divides challenge us, they do not redefine the Gospel—they reveal the need for its transformative power all the more. In our next post, we’ll explore how church leaders can either faithfully steward or unintentionally distort this message, and how the Gospel, while not synonymous with justice or activism, produces profound and lasting effects that shape how we engage these issues in truth and love.
