A Pastoral Letter: The Christian Perspective on the Iran War
In times of global conflict, emotions run high and opinions multiply. News cycles and social media intensify division, and public rhetoric often pressures believers to “take sides” in ways that may not reflect the heart of God. As followers of Jesus, we must anchor ourselves not in the shifting winds of public opinion but in the unchanging truth of Scripture. Let me suggest a few ways of maintaining a biblical perspective:
1. Resist the “holy war” rhetoric. Throughout history, nations have invoked divine approval to justify violence, but the New Testament gives no mandate for Christians to wage earthly battles in God’s name. Christ Himself rebuked Peter for drawing the sword, teaching us that His kingdom does not advance through force or bloodshed. We must not confusing national and geopolitical interests with God’s redemptive purposes and misrepresenting the gospel of peace entrusted to us.
2. Cautious about interpreting current events as direct fulfillments of biblical prophecy. While Scripture speaks of future realities and the ultimate triumph of Christ, it does not give us license to map every headline onto prophetic timelines. Such speculation often produces "blinker perspective" resulting in distortion rather than fulfilment of God’s will. Our task is live in readiness, holiness, and mission, trusting that God’s sovereign plan unfolds according to His wisdom, not our predictions.
3. Don’t be guided by uninformed impression. It is also important to remember that Persia—modern day Iran—has a complex and mixed history in relation to Israel. In the Old Testament, Persia was at times an instrument of blessing: it was a Persian king, Cyrus, who allowed the Jewish exiles to return and rebuild the temple. At other times, Persia stood in opposition to God’s people. No nation is monolithic, and no people group can be reduced to a single role in God’s plan, not even Israel, who as God’s chosen people has opposed God’s kingdom. While Iran is currently strongly Islamic and unfriendly towards Christianity, it has not always been the case and may not be the case in future. It has been reported that more Iranians have become Christians in the last twenty years than in the previous 1,300 years, since Islam came to Iran.
4. A New Commandment. After the coming of Christ, the New Testament reframes how believers view all nations, including those who oppose God’s kingdom. Jesus teaches us to see every people group—not as enemies to be destroyed—but as nations to be discipled. The Great Commission sends us into all the world, including places marked by hostility, conflict, or spiritual darkness. Christ died for sinners in every land, and His church is called to pray, to witness, and to love even those who stand against us.
May we therefore respond to global conflict not with fear or hostility, but with prayerful discernment, gospel shaped compassion, and unwavering trust in the Prince of Peace. May our hearts remain aligned with His mission until the day He makes all things new.
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基督徒對伊朗戰爭的觀點
在時世動蕩之際，坊間情緒高漲、意見紛陳。新聞媒體與社交平台加劇分化，公共論述常常迫使信徒「選邊站」，而這些立場未必反映神的心意。作為耶穌的門徒，我們必須不被世俗輿論搖動，把自己錨定在的聖經真理上，而不是隨波逐流。讓我提出幾個保持聖經視角的建議：
1. 抗拒「聖戰」的言論。
歷史上，許多國家曾以神的名義為暴力辯護，但新約從未授權基督徒以神的名義發動地上的戰爭。基督親自責備彼得拔刀，教導我們祂的國度不是靠武力或流血來推進。我們不可將國家或地緣政治的利益與神的救贖計畫混為一談，也不可誤解那託付給我們的和平福音。
2. 謹慎不將時事隨便解讀為聖經預言的實現。
聖經確實有預言未來與基督最終的得勝，但並未授權我們把每一則新聞都硬套進預言時間表。這類推測往往造成「狹隘視角」，導致扭曲，而非成就神的旨意。我們的任務是活在警醒、聖潔與使命中，相信神的主權計畫必按祂的智慧成就，而不是按我們的推測。
3. 不要被未經查證的印象所引導。
我們須記得，古代的波斯——今日的伊朗——與以色列的關係歷史複雜且多元。在舊約中，波斯有時是祝福的器皿：正如波斯王古列允許猶太被擄者歸回並重建聖殿；但在其他時候，波斯也曾與神的子民對立。沒有任何國家永遠是單一立場的，也沒有任何民族可以被視為在神計畫中有永不改變的角色; 甚至以色列作為神的選民也有敵擋神的國度的時候。雖然今日的伊朗深受伊斯蘭影響，對基督信仰不友善，但過去並非如此，未來也未必如此。有報導指出，在過去二十年間，歸信基督的伊朗人比伊斯蘭進入伊朗後的一千三百年間還要多。
4. 主的條新命令。
基督降臨之後，新約重新塑造了信徒看待萬國的視野，包括那些敵對神國的人。主耶穌教導我們看待每一個民族，不是視為要毀滅的仇敵，而是要使萬民作主的門徒。大使命差遣我們到萬民中，包括那些充滿敵意、衝突或屬靈黑暗的地方。基督為整個世界的罪人而死，祂的教會蒙召去禱告、作見證、並去愛那些甚至反對我們信仰的人。
因此，願我們在全球衝突中，不以恐懼或敵意回應，而是以禱告、屬靈分辨力、福音塑造的憐憫，以及對和平之君堅定不移的信靠來回應。願我們的心常與祂的使命對齊，直到祂使萬事更新的那日。
Rev. Christopher Chan
