NC pastor: Iran is not a holy war, despite what US commanders might say

Christians all around the world are observing the holy penitential season of Lent. We set aside the forty days before Easter to fast, pray and meditate on the meaning of Jesus’ sacrificial death. The gospel of Luke frames the whole story of Jesus’ life as his journey to Jerusalem and the cross. As he nears Jerusalem, Jesus sends some of his disciples ahead of him into a Samaritan village to get things ready, but the villagers would not welcome them. Some of Jesus’ most zealous disciples, flush with their own new-found power to heal disease and cast out demons, turn to Jesus. Eager to punish the villagers for their inhospitality and avenge Jesus’ honor they ask, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” Luke says Jesus “turned and rebuked them” before leading his disciples to another village.

Then and now, the name of Jesus carries great power. Jesus entrusted his name to his disciples and sent them out to heal and cast out demons, to feed the hungry and preach good news to the poor. Jesus himself declares that his name brings liberation to the oppressed and release to the captives. But once the disciples have great power to minister in his name, they want to use it to punish and destroy their enemies. Jesus is on his way to die for the sake of those who will betray, deny, reject and crucify him. His disciples want to incinerate a village that won’t provide lodging for a night.

Last Saturday, the United States launched a full-scale military operation in Iran, bombing civilian and military targets in broad daylight. Iran’s supreme leader was killed when his compound was hit. So were 158 little girls who were in class at an all-girls elementary school. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says there will be no “stupid rules of engagement” in this war and joked that “this is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change” and “the world is better off for it.”

More than 110 service members, in over 40 units and from at least 30 different military bases, have filed formal complaints with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) reporting that their commanders told them this war in Iran is a “biblically sanctioned” part of God’s plan to trigger the second-coming of Christ. People ascribe this so-called “rapture” theology to the book of Revelation, but it is actually derived from the “Left Behind” fiction series based on the dispensational post-tribulation rapture myth created by a failed lawyer with no theological training named John Nelson Darby. Military service members are being told that this is a holy war America is waging to hasten the return of Christ.

Jesus rebuked his disciples when they picked up weapons to defend him, warning them that “those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” He told his disciples that anyone who followed him would need to “deny himself and take up his cross.” The cross is the place where Jesus poured out his life’s blood in order to secure salvation for his enemies. The kingdom of God is a realm of enemy-love, not enemy destruction. We can not destroy our way into it. Followers of Jesus may be required to die for him, but they will never be permitted to kill for him.

Jesus’ first disciples asked permission to rain down fire from heaven to destroy their enemies. Jesus not only denied their request, he rebuked them for asking. This administration is raining down fire upon Iran, and they are doing it in the name of Jesus. This war is evil, and waging it in Jesus’ name is blasphemy. If they’d asked Jesus for permission, they’d have been rebuked and denied.

Kate Murphy is pastor of The Grove Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.

This story was originally published March 5, 2026 at 11:03 AM.