The Christian Gospel has been preached for two thousand years. Inconceivably great good has resulted. One wonders, however, if most of the believers most of the time have understood what the Gospel is.

The Gospel is viewed as a proclamation stating whoever will believe in the Lord Jesus and be baptized in water will go to Heaven when he or she dies and live there forever in a luxurious house. The truth is, the Gospel (Good News) is a proclamation stating justice will come to the nations of the earth when the Kingdom of God has come down from Heaven. Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus and is baptized will be saved from destruction at that time.

For most of the world's history, most of the people have suffered injustice. Under every form of government, from absolute monarchy to democracy, most of the earth's population has suffered injustice in one form or another. This is because of sin and self-seeking in the hearts of people. The beggar starves at the gate while the rich gorges himself with delicacies.

The philosophy of communism, for example, addresses the problem of financial and social inequity by attacking the evils of capitalism. However it may be noticed that some of the leaders of the Communist Party have lived in luxury while the "working class" has not been as fortunate. Whether capitalism or communism or feudalism, a minority revels in abundance while the majority live from hand to mouth. This condition is far worse in some countries than in others.

Many millions of people are suffering today from lack of food and shelter. In other countries people have a problem with overweight and are killing their spiritual nature with material possessions.

The United States and other Western nations pride themselves on the fact that their citizens enjoy freedom of speech. Yet the most horrible bondages exist, including lust, various addictions, violence, covetousness, and sorcery. Those who practice evil bring the wrath of God on the whole nation. As a result the innocent suffer.

Today the United States exerts sanctions against nations that do not permit freedom of speech. But some of the larger cities of America are in a state of anarchy because of our emphasis on personal freedom. The very statutes that guarantee personal liberty are used to defend every form of destructive, criminal behavior. The wicked are assured of the protection of law.

Because the teachings of the Lord concerning mercy and forgiveness have unscripturally and unwisely been mixed into the criminal justice system, criminals are set free to prey on law-abiding people.

Americans cannot seem to understand freedom cannot be given to one person without taking it away from another. Excessive protection of the rights of lawless people take away from the rights of law-abiding people.

To be continued.