In a world increasingly torn apart by division, hatred, and ideological warfare, the Church is called not to conform but to confront—through love, truth, and spiritual power. But how can the Church effectively engage a broken world without becoming broken itself? The answer is found not in politics or platforms, but in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is not just good news—it is a divine weapon forged in the fires of grace, truth, and sacrificial love. It is the only force powerful enough to conquer enmity. Enmity: It’s all about Jesus. He alone bridges the impossible gaps between God and man, man and his neighbor, and even man and himself.
The Church, when fully equipped with the Gospel, becomes more than a gathering of believers—it becomes a movement of peace, a spiritual army armed not with weapons of destruction, but with the Word of life. In this blog, we will explore how the Gospel equips the Church, how it uniquely defeats enmity, and why this message must remain central to our mission.
Understanding Enmity and the Human Condition
Enmity is not simply conflict. It is a deep-rooted hostility, often invisible but deadly. It is what fuels racism, war, relational brokenness, and even inner turmoil. According to Ephesians 2:14-16, Christ came to destroy the “dividing wall of hostility.” This enmity is not only between people groups, but between humanity and God.
In the beginning, man’s rebellion in the Garden of Eden introduced a fracture between Creator and creation. That fracture set off a chain reaction: separation from God, shame, fear, and division between individuals. Since then, mankind has struggled to overcome enmity with human strategies—religion, legislation, philosophy—but none have succeeded because the root of enmity is spiritual.
Jesus Christ addressed enmity at its source. At the cross, He bore the sins of the world, reconciling man to God and tearing down every wall that divided humanity. This is why the Gospel is not just a message; it is a weapon of reconciliation. It exposes sin, heals the soul, and unites what was once fragmented.
The Gospel: Not a Weapon of War, But of Peace
It may seem counterintuitive to describe the Gospel as a “weapon,” but this term is used intentionally. 2 Corinthians 10:4 reminds us that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” The Gospel is that weapon—it tears down the strongholds of pride, prejudice, idolatry, and hate. It doesn’t wage war with bullets or bombs but with truth, mercy, and redemption.
The Gospel disarms hostility because it speaks a better word: “You are forgiven. You are loved. You are new.” These are not just comforting sentiments—they are declarations of spiritual reality that transform lives. When a person embraces the Gospel, their very identity is rewritten. And when many such people form a community—the Church—they become a living testimony of reconciliation to the watching world.
Equipping the Church: What It Really Means
To equip the Church is to saturate it with the Gospel. This doesn’t mean merely preaching the message on Sundays, but embedding it into every aspect of community life—discipleship, service, conflict resolution, leadership, and even mission work.
An equipped Church is marked by:
1. A Clear Identity in Christ:
Church members must know who they are—redeemed sinners, saved by grace, adopted into God’s family. This identity provides the confidence and humility needed to confront enmity without arrogance or fear.
2. Biblical Literacy:
The Gospel is found in the Scriptures. Churches must be intentional about teaching the Bible faithfully. A Church that doesn’t know the truth can’t wield it.
3. Unity in Diversity:
The Gospel breaks barriers between Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female (Galatians 3:28). A truly equipped Church reflects this diversity—not as a forced agenda, but as a natural outcome of the Gospel’s power.
4. Love in Action:
James reminds us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). The Gospel should lead to active compassion, justice, and peacemaking in the community.
5. Prayer and Spiritual Discernment:
Fighting spiritual enmity requires spiritual tools. A Gospel-equipped Church is a praying Church, sensitive to the Spirit and dependent on God’s power rather than human effort.
How the Gospel Defeats Enmity in Real Life
Look around, and you’ll see enmity playing out every day: racial divisions, political vitriol, family breakdowns, cultural hostility. The Gospel isn’t a theory—it works in the real world.
In Rwanda, following the genocide, Gospel-centered reconciliation programs helped former enemies forgive, rebuild, and even worship together. In urban communities plagued by gang violence, churches preaching the Gospel have seen young men lay down their weapons and take up the cross. Marriages have been healed, addictions broken, and generational wounds closed—all through the power of the Gospel.
What other message has this power?
The Church’s Call: To Be Peacemakers, Not Bystanders
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). The Church is not called to be silent in the face of enmity. Nor are we called to take sides in worldly battles. Our allegiance is to Christ, and our mission is reconciliation.
To fulfill this mission, we must prioritize the Gospel above all else—not political ideologies, not cultural preferences, not denominational traditions. The Gospel alone defeats enmity because it alone changes hearts.
Pastors must preach it boldly. Believers must live it consistently. Churches must model it in their communities. And when we do, we become beacons of hope in a world drowning in hate.
Conclusion:
If the Church is to thrive in this generation and be a light in the darkness, we must return to our core message: Jesus Christ crucified and risen. This is not just the entry point into the faith—it’s the engine that drives everything we do. We must equip ourselves with the Gospel daily, letting it shape our words, our actions, and our mission.
Because only the Gospel can go deep enough to dig up the Roots of Enmity.
