“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.”
That’s it. That’s the measuring stick. Every sermon, every movement, every “Christian” cause has to pass that test. If it doesn’t, it isn’t gospel.
When Pope Leo called out the dangers of Christian nationalism, it struck a chord with me. Because what’s being preached in parts of America today looks a lot more like Caesar than Christ. It trades the cross for a flag, humility for outrage, and compassion for control. And it does all of this while still claiming the name of Jesus.
But the gospel of Jesus of Nazareth has never been about dominance or political power. Jesus could have toppled Pagan Rome and built an empire in His name. He chose not to. Instead, He gave us the perfect example of love and life in the Kingdom of God. He laid down His life for His friends.
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The Test of Love
When someone claims to speak for God, start with this question:
Does it line up with the great commandment—love of God, and love of neighbor?
If the answer isn’t a clear yes, then it’s time to take a closer look.
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Does this teaching lift up the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, the forgotten—or does it scapegoat them?
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Does it encourage humility and compassion, or pride and hostility?
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Does it call us to mercy, or to fear?
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Does it make us more loving, more patient, more joyful, more peaceful—or does it leave us angry and suspicious of everyone who disagrees with us?
Jesus said we would know a tree by its fruit. That means we can test a gospel by what it produces in the people who follow it.
If it produces peace, justice, generosity, patience, and compassion, it’s probably the real thing.
If it produces cruelty, arrogance, greed, or violence—it isn’t.
The Gospel of Power vs. the Gospel of Love
A false gospel always starts with something that sounds good. “Protect our nation.” “Defend the family.” “Stand for truth.” But if the goal is power rather than love, the fruit will always rot on the branch.
When faith is welded to political identity, the result isn’t Christianity—it’s idolatry. It replaces Jesus with a mascot version of Him, dressed up to bless whatever we already wanted to do. That’s what we’re seeing today in the rhetoric of “Christian” nationalism.
It isn’t new. Rome did it. Every empire in history has done it. And every time, the Church has faced a choice: will we follow the crucified Christ or the crowned Caesar?
What a True Gospel Looks Like
The real gospel always leads us back to love. Not the soft, sentimental kind, but the kind that feeds the hungry, welcomes the refugee, visits the prisoner, and stands up to cruelty. It doesn’t need a law to enforce it. It moves hearts from the inside out.
The real gospel calls us to humility, repentance, generosity, and peace. It reminds us that we are not saved by ideology but by grace.
The real gospel makes us slower to judge, quicker to forgive, and eager to reconcile.
And most of all, it bears good fruit.
If a gospel leads people to kindness, service, and joy—it’s the gospel of Jesus.
If it leads people to fear, resentment, and domination—it’s a false one, no matter how many Bible verses get quoted to justify it.
A Prayer for Discernment in Troubled Times
Loving and Eternal God,
You are truth that never changes,
light that no darkness can overcome,
and love that no hatred can destroy.
We come before You surrounded by voices,
each one claiming to speak in Your name.
Some shout of power and conquest,
others whisper of fear and division.
But Your voice, Lord, still speaks in the quiet,
calling us to mercy, humility, and peace.
Teach us to recognize the sound of Your Spirit
amid the noise of false gospels and empty promises.
Give us hearts that ache for compassion,
minds that seek understanding,
and souls that are rooted in Your truth.
When we are tempted by movements that promise greatness,
remind us that You came not to be served, but to serve.
When anger dresses itself as righteousness,
help us remember that Your strength is found in gentleness.
When we see others treated with contempt,
turn our eyes back to the Cross—
where You embraced the outcast,
forgave the guilty,
and broke the chains of violence forever.
Grant us the courage to name what is false,
not with bitterness, but with love.
Make us brave enough to stand for truth,
and humble enough to know we do not own it.
May our faith bear the fruit of Your Kingdom:
justice for the oppressed,
welcome for the stranger,
bread for the hungry,
and hope for those who have lost their way.
And when the world’s noise grows too loud,
draw us again into silence with You—
the stillness where wisdom is born,
and the heart learns to see as You see.
In the name of the One who is Truth,
who is Love,
who is the Way—
Jesus the Christ.
Amen.
If this reflection speaks to your heart, I invite you to go deeper with The Message from the Margins.
This book is the heartbeat of my ministry—a call to return to the radical love and mercy of Jesus of Nazareth. It’s written for those who’ve grown weary of culture wars and empty religion, for those who long to see faith lived out as compassion, justice, and healing in a wounded world. The Message from the Margins invites readers to rediscover the Gospel not from the palaces of power, but from the places where Christ still walks—the streets, the shelters, the margins.
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Loneliness: The Silent Epidemic — finding connection and peace in a disconnected world
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How to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say — a guide to prayer that feels real and alive
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A Book of Prayers for All Seasons — pastoral prayers for every moment of life
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