Reflection:Whose Side Is God On?

War, Immigration and the Misuse of Faith

A Christian reflection on war, human dignity, immigration, nationalism and what it truly means to follow Jesus Christ.

We live in a world where conflict, division, fear and uncertainty seem to be increasingly part of everyday life. We see wars being fought, innocent people losing their homes and families, communities being divided, and people being judged because of where they were born, what they believe or the circumstances into which they were born.

Alongside this, we are witnessing the growing influence of nationalism, particularly something increasingly described as Christian nationalism.

It raises some important questions for us as Christians.

Where does God stand when nations go to war? Does God take the side of one country over another? What does the Bible actually teach us about welcoming strangers, caring for refugees and treating people who are different from ourselves?

And perhaps most importantly, are some people using faith to justify things that Jesus himself would challenge?

These are questions we cannot simply ignore.

Whose Side Is God On When Nations Go to War?

One of the most difficult questions we can ask during times of war is: whose side is God on?

When two nations are fighting, both may claim that God is on their side. Both may use religious language, prayer, national identity and even Scripture to justify their actions.

But can God really be reduced to a national flag?

Can we honestly say that God belongs exclusively to one nation, one army or one political leader?

I don't believe we can.

Throughout the Bible, we see that God's concern is not simply the success of nations, the expansion of territory or the victory of military powers. God's concern is humanity, justice, mercy, truth and peace.

In Psalm 82:3–4, we are reminded:

"Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed."

And in Micah 6:8, we are reminded of what God requires of us:

"To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

These teachings do not disappear when a war begins.

The innocent civilian caught in the middle of a conflict is still a child of God. The refugee fleeing violence is still a child of God. The family grieving the loss of someone they love is still a child of God, regardless of which side of a border they happen to live on.

We should be careful about claiming that God supports a particular war simply because our own government, country or political leaders tell us that it is justified.

There is a difference between recognising that a nation may have legitimate reasons to defend its people and suggesting that every action taken in the name of national security has God's blessing.

Our faith should make us question violence, not automatically celebrate it.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:9:

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Notice that Jesus does not say blessed are those who create division, hatred or hostility.

He calls us to be peacemakers.

That does not mean ignoring injustice, abandoning people who are suffering or pretending that aggression does not exist. It means recognising that peace, justice and the protection of human life must remain central to our understanding of God's teachings.

Immigration: Remembering the Stranger

Another area where I believe Christians need to reflect deeply is immigration.

Immigration has become an increasingly divisive political subject. People have legitimate questions about national borders, public services, housing, economic pressures and how immigration systems should operate.

These are matters that governments must address responsibly.

However, there is a difference between having a discussion about immigration policy and treating immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees as though they are somehow less human than everyone else.

The Bible has something very clear to say about how we should treat strangers.

In Leviticus 19:34, we read:

"The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself."

And in Matthew 25:35, Jesus says:

"I was a stranger and you invited me in."

This is particularly powerful because Jesus places welcoming the stranger alongside feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty and caring for those in need.

He does not tell us to first establish whether somebody has the correct nationality, political beliefs, religious background or social standing before deciding whether they deserve compassion.

He asks us to recognise their humanity.

This does not mean that our faith requires us to abandon sensible immigration policies or ignore the responsibilities of governments. It means that whatever policies we support, we cannot abandon the Christian responsibility to treat people with dignity.

We can disagree about immigration policy without dehumanising immigrants.

We can discuss border security without encouraging hatred.

We can recognise the pressures on our communities while remembering that the people arriving here are human beings, often carrying experiences of fear, loss, conflict and uncertainty that we may never fully understand.

The question should not simply be what can these people offer our country?

It should also be what does our faith require of us when we encounter someone in need?

Christian Nationalism: When Faith Becomes an Instrument of Power

This brings me to something I find particularly concerning: Christian nationalism.

Christian nationalism is not simply loving your country, being proud of your national heritage or wanting to see Christian values reflected in public life.

There is nothing inherently wrong with loving your country.

The problem arises when Christianity becomes tied to a particular national identity, political movement or vision of power, to the point where belonging to that nation is treated as almost synonymous with being Christian.

When that happens, something important gets lost.

Faith becomes less about following Jesus and more about defending an identity.

It can create the impression that God belongs to one particular country, that one nation has a special entitlement to God's favour, or that people who do not share a particular political or cultural identity are somehow less deserving of belonging.

But where do we find that teaching in the Gospel?

Jesus did not establish a political empire. He did not tell his followers to build a nation based on religious superiority. He did not instruct his disciples to divide humanity into people who deserved God's love and people who did not.

Instead, he taught us to love our neighbours, care for the vulnerable, forgive those who wrong us and even love our enemies.

In John 18:36, Jesus says:

"My kingdom is not of this world."

Those words matter.

Jesus was speaking to a political authority, in a world where power, empire and political control were very real. Yet he made clear that his kingdom could not be understood through the normal structures of earthly power.

The Kingdom of God is not the possession of any earthly nation.

It cannot be claimed by a political party, a president, a prime minister or a nationalist movement.

It is rooted in God's love, justice, mercy, truth and peace.

When faith is used to justify discrimination, hostility towards foreigners, racial superiority or the mistreatment of vulnerable people, we should be prepared to ask whether those actions genuinely reflect the teachings of Christ.

We must not confuse defending our faith with defending everything that is done in its name.

The Danger of Choosing Politics Over Faith

Perhaps one of the greatest dangers facing Christians today is that we can become so attached to our political identities that we stop allowing our faith to challenge us.

We can become more concerned about defending a political leader than defending the vulnerable.

We can become more concerned about protecting national identity than welcoming the stranger.

We can become more concerned about winning an argument than showing compassion.

And we can become so convinced that our own side is right that we stop listening to the suffering of those on the other side.

But Jesus repeatedly challenged people who were confident in their own righteousness.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), Jesus deliberately chose someone who would have been viewed as an outsider by his original audience to demonstrate what it meant to be a neighbour.

The person who showed compassion was not the person whose religious or cultural identity might have been expected to make them the hero of the story.

It was the person who stopped, helped and cared.

That is a powerful challenge to us.

Our neighbour is not simply the person who looks like us, votes like us, worships like us or comes from the same country as us.

Our neighbour is also the person we might otherwise overlook.

If our faith does not challenge our prejudices, our assumptions and our treatment of other people, then perhaps we need to spend more time listening to the Gospel.

What Kind of Faith Are We Representing?

I sometimes wonder what people see when they look at Christians today.

Do they see a faith centred on love, compassion, forgiveness, reconciliation and hope?

Or do they see a religion being used to justify political division, hostility, exclusion and the pursuit of power?

Of course, Christians will disagree about politics. We will disagree about government policies, immigration, international relations and how best to respond to conflict.

That is part of living in a diverse society.

But there must surely be something that holds us together beyond our political differences.

That something should be Jesus Christ.

We cannot preach about loving our neighbours on Sunday and then spend the rest of the week treating people as though their nationality, background or circumstances make them less worthy of our compassion.

We cannot speak about the peace of Christ while celebrating hatred.

We cannot preach about welcoming the stranger while encouraging people to fear everyone who is different.

And we cannot claim to follow the Prince of Peace while using his name to legitimise everything that happens in the pursuit of national or political power.

Our faith should be bigger than our politics.

Our understanding of God's love should be bigger than our national identity.

And our commitment to the Gospel should be stronger than our desire to belong to a particular political movement.

A Final Reflection: Our Faith Must Always Point Us Back to Christ

I don't believe the question we should be asking is whether God belongs to our side.

Perhaps the more uncomfortable question is whether we are standing on the side of what God teaches.

Are we standing with those who are suffering?

Are we defending the dignity of those who have been forgotten?

Are we welcoming the stranger?

Are we challenging injustice?

Are we seeking peace?

Are we loving our neighbours, including those with whom we disagree?

These are not simply political questions. They are questions of Christian discipleship.

The Bible does not give us permission to use God's name as a badge of national superiority or as a weapon against those we disagree with.

It calls us to something much more demanding.

It calls us to love.

It calls us to mercy.

It calls us to justice.

It calls us to humility.

And it calls us to recognise the image of God in every human being.

Perhaps the greatest challenge for Christians today is not deciding which political side God is on, but having the courage to allow our faith to challenge whichever side we happen to support.

Because God is not the property of any nation, government or political movement.

And faith was never meant to be a tool for nationalism, division or power.

It is about following Jesus Christ.

If we are going to call ourselves Christians, then surely we must ask ourselves whether the way we treat other people reflects the person we claim to follow.

After all, we cannot separate the teachings of Christ from the way we live them.

Come tired, come real, come broken. But come willing to listen, to learn, to love and to be challenged by the Gospel.

Scripture for Further Reflection

• Micah 6:8 – Justice, mercy and humility.

• Psalm 82:3–4 – Defending the vulnerable.

• Leviticus 19:34 – Loving the foreigner.

• Matthew 5:9 – Blessed are the peacemakers.

• Matthew 5:43–48 – Loving our enemies.

• Matthew 25:31–46 – Serving Christ through serving others.

• Luke 10:25–37 – The Good Samaritan.

• John 18:36 – The Kingdom of Christ.

• Romans 12:18–21 – Overcoming evil with good.

• Galatians 3:28 – Our unity in Christ.

• Hebrews 13:2 – Showing hospitality to strangers.