How Evangelical Leaders Have Co-opted "Loving Your Neighbor" to Distort the Gospel

The biblical commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” is a cornerstone of biblical Christian ethics and teaching since the beginning of time. It is an instruction that, according to Jesus Himself, encompasses and summarizes a vast array of the other commandments. In essence, loving our neighbor demonstrates a heart that is close to God and, leads us to a path of selflessness, service, and sacrifice.

Regrettably, in modern Evangelicalism, the profundity of this commandment has been co-opted and misused to accommodate an assortment of political and cultural agendas that are, in many instances, at odds with the core tenets of the Scripture. Modern Evangelical leaders and organizations, such as former SBC ethicist, Russell Moore, various authors at The Gospel Coalition, and many of their associated organizations and leaders, are among those who have been caught in this whirlwind of misinterpretation.

Early on during this trend, one of the most contentious issues revolved around border security. Russell Moore was notorious for applying a distorted interpretation of "loving your neighbor," arguing for lax border security, asserting that we should show "love" and "welcome" to everyone, irrespective of their legal status. While the sentiment of extending help seems noble on the surface and appears to align with the call for compassion in Christianity, it overlooks the reality that nations have a God-given responsibility to ensure the security and well-being of their citizens, as per Romans 13:1-7. Blindly equating love with unrestricted openness negates the necessity for order, structure, and accountability, which are equally biblical values.

On the subject of vaccinations during COVID, the co-opting of "loving your neighbor" was used extensively by voices like Ed Stetzer, Russell Moore, and former NIH director, Francis Collins, to promote a distorted perspective that correlates the act of getting vaccinated with the moral and Christian duty to protect one’s neighbor. Not to get into a debate about vaccinations, suffice it to say that the evidence now has become abundantly clear that those who had reservations about these experimental concoctions were right to do so, and the Scripture-twisting guilt trip by the Evangelical elites was, to put it mildly, demonic.

Arguably, one of the most debated issues within the modern Evangelical sphere is the LGBTQ movement. With increasing pressure from society, some Evangelical circles have taken to using "loving your neighbor" as a pretext to endorse and celebrate lifestyles contrary to biblical teaching. At the very least, many Evangelicals have adopted unbiblical theologies on inclusion when it comes to homosexuality and other sexual perversions within their congregation. From "gay celibacy" to full inclusion, misusing this commandment to justify sinful acts and an unrepentant heart according to biblical standards is a clear deviation from its original meaning.

Finally, in the context of abortion, a profound misinterpretation occurs when "loving your neighbor" is employed to support women who have abortions. We see this with Southern Baptist pastors like Dwight McKissic, who has argued in favor of "exceptions" to abortion laws that amount to nothing more than a pro-choice ideology. Further, the & Campaign is notorious for promoting an unbiblical theology of abortion, promoting social justice in lieu of legal prohibition. Indeed, Christians are called to show compassion and understanding to women facing such a difficult decision. Yet, providing spiritual support and speaking the truth in love should never involve condoning the act, particularly when it contravenes the sanctity of life, as clearly enunciated in Psalms 139:13-16.

These distortions of "loving your neighbor" miss the true, biblical essence of this commandment and essentially distorts the gospel by adding works. In the Gospel of Matthew, the context of this commandment is important. When Jesus said to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39), he was not advocating for blind acceptance of all actions and lifestyles. Rather, he was expounding the path of sacrificial love, one that seeks the ultimate spiritual well-being of others.

Authentic biblical love is a call to sacrifice, even at the cost of personal reputation, as exemplified by Jesus Himself. It is the courage to tell others the truth about God and sin, as seen in Proverbs 27:5-6: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Biblical love doesn't avoid uncomfortable truths but instead, confronts them with grace, always seeking to lead individuals towards repentance and salvation.

Therefore, rather than co-opting "love your neighbor" to endorse particular political, cultural, or moral leanings, we should aspire to understand and practice it in its full, undiluted biblical context. This means extending grace without compromising the truth, showing compassion where it is warranted without endorsing sin, and loving others so deeply that we are willing to risk our reputation, our livelihoods, and our own lives, even, to tell them the life-saving truth of the gospel. The commandment to love our neighbor is not a call to societal conformity, but a call to spiritual transformation—of ourselves and those we encounter. This is the true, biblical way to love your neighbor.