As I’ve mentioned in the last two articles, I have been reluctant to write about this subject for at least six years. However, because I continue to hear on a regular basis demeaning labels that flow freely from the lips of Christians about President Donald Trump, I am addressing this disconcerting trend. This is the last of three articles. Please read the previous two as they have additional information germane to the subject. To increase readership each article is about 5-7 pages. I appreciate you taking the time to read and act on anything that the Holy Spirit might prompt you to do.
Topics of interest—look to the headings and select all or some that interest you:
• Included are about 33 related Scriptures and Scriptural reference
• Positive introductory remarks about Trump
• Derogatory comments about Trump
• How I usually respond when I hear such comments
• The relevance of God-fearing people
• Dennis Prager’s insights
• Myopic people, righteous fighters, discerning people, cowardly people
• Leftism is a secular religion
• Actions to take
• Prayers
“Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD Almighty lives, whom I serve, I wouldn’t even bother with you (King Joram of Israel) except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah.” – 2 Kings 3:14 NLT
Even though Jehoshaphat was a good King he was a flawed (1 Kings 22:43, 44), yet Elisha showed him respect!
“Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.” – Romans 13:7 NLT
Positive introductory Remarks About Trump
In each of these three articles I’m offering comments I use when talking about Donald Trump in my conversations with others. I choose not to use derogatory, dishonoring or apologetic language about his character. If you are up for it, please look up the verses I have listed below about each of the interests he stands for.
Below is a general comment Linda and I make most of the time.
“I support Trump because he stands for so many of the biblical issues that I believe in.”
In addition, when the time is right here are three more:
• Donald Trump knows that without legal immigration and control at the border there is no country. (Lamentations 4:12 NLT). Since Biden took office there have been 10,000,000 new illegal entries, many of them criminals and Muslim terrorists. All Americans, the police and homeland security will have their hands full (2 Timothy 3:13).
• Trump will stand up against the Marxist ideology of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools and organizations. (Colossians 2:8; I John 4:1)
• Trump believes that all nations should be independently strong and not under the control of global governance. (Deuteronomy 32:8)
Hey gang, let’s become comfortable with verbalizing the good Trump is doing!
Derogatory Comments I hear Consistently From Christians About Donald Trump:
Look to my two previous articles for more comments.
• He is a manipulator
• I will never vote for Trump because he was unfaithful to his wife.
• Trump is extremely arrogant.
• His intentions are evil.
How do I usually respond when I hear such comments?
Taking the label from my above list, “his intentions are evil,” I usually say something like this: “Oh, you mean having “a heart with evil intentions” like you and me? The Holy Scriptures are very clear about the nature of mankind.”
“The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?” – Jeremiah 17:9 KJV
“21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” – Mark 7:21-23 NLT
Imagine if people in the Christian community and outside it would label you or me with negative character traits. Speaking for myself this would be very dishearting and disconcerting.
The Relevance of God-Fearing People
Regarding a description of Donald Trump, it is worth gaining some understanding about “God-Fearing People” in the Scriptures.
I find it rather intriguing and encouraging to see “God fearing” people throughout the Scriptures who were some of the bravest men and women who feared God and stood against evil. Examples: the midwives who defied Pharaoh and refused to murder the Hebrew babies (Exodus 1:17). Or what about Cornelius the God-fearing Centurion (Acts 10:1-2)? Sometimes I am not courageous enough and lack the character of the midwives who were so brave and feared Elohim (the Creator God of the universe) more than Pharaoh.
Have you ever let negative opinions from others influence your walk with Christ? To my disappointment, I know I have ☹.
“The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” – Proverbs 29:25 NKJV
One of my favorite God-fearing persons in the Bible is the Persian Emperor, Cyrus the great, who had somehow come to recognize the fact that the God of the Jews, was actually the God of Creation. As a heathen king, Cyrus was set apart by God’s providence for His divine purposes. Though he was not a worshipper of the Lord, the Persian monarch played an unusual role as God’s instrument to gather the faithful remnant of Israel back to the land. Look to Isaiah 44:28; 45:13 and Ezra 1-4. The Henry Morris Study Bible and the MacArthur Study Bible notes are really illuminating regarding this God-fearing king. Linda and I think he was so amazing that we have hung a picture of him in our upstairs stairway. I bought the picture from a Persian man who owns an outlet art store in San Clemente. Of course, I had a wonderful time talking to him about the Shepherd of our souls—The Lord Jesus Christ!
In many ways these God-fearing people were demonstrating more courageous faith, respect and the fear of God than the average evangelical pastor here in the northwest.
So I wonder, who is more morally upright? Who has a more righteous character? To be kind— at a minimum, Christians who do not understand the place of God’s sovereignty in history lack wisdom.
Dennis Prager’s Insights
It is also insightful to read a few comments by Dennis Prager in his commentary on Deuteronomy 1:13 JPS, pages 6-9.
“Pick from each of your tribes, men who are wise, discerning, and experienced, and I will appoint them as your heads.”
“In Moses’s recounting, God did not tell him to pick good men to be leaders. Wouldn’t being a good person be one of the major attributes, if not the major attribute, one would seek in a leader? While the Torah takes for granted that a leader should be a good person, goodness is not sufficient. That is why all three traits listed here concern wisdom. There is an extraordinarily important lesson here —one of the most important in the Torah and in life:
A good society is unattainable without wisdom.
This is why God told Moses to choose wise men rather than good men. There have always been people who were personally good—individuals who had good intentions and even a kindly disposition— who enable evil to prevail. Germans who voted for Hitler and who were not primarily animated by Jew-hatred were fools for not recognizing how evil the Nazis were. Consequently, they contributed as much to making World War II as the Germans who were animated by Jew-hatred. Such is the legacy of a lack of wisdom.”
Myopic People
• I think many Christians are very myopic by marginalizing Trump because of their perceived understanding of his moral wickedness. Unknowingly and knowingly, many professing Christians are doing what the Germans did in their support of the Marxist ideologies of the Social Justice Movements. From my perspective this is far more damaging and dangerous then one’s assessment of Trump’s character. It is becoming more evident of the massive deception in our world regarding these false ideologies and the dangerous romanticizing of Islam. Come on gang, we can become wiser!
Righteous Fighters
• Good people ought to fight evil in their societies as early as possible, but they rarely do. Most good people are not fighters. In Biblical history there were fighters, like Abraham. Abraham was a man of peace (Genesis 13:8), but he was also a man of war (Genesis 14:14). Winston Churchill sought peace through strength and without him the world would look totally different if England followed Chamberlin. The flawed King David was a man after the heart of God (Acts 13:22), yet he also was a man who would fight for good, (2 Samuel 23:8). Far too many Christians focus on David’s adultery compared to the many exploits that he accomplished for Yahweh God. Please remember the Lord (God Jehovah) in Exodus 15:3 was called a “man of war.” Our God is a fighter, like a dreaded champion.” (Jeremiah 20:11 NASB95” and a God of sacrificial and steadfast love. (Ezra 3:11; 1 John 4:8). Stand with me in awe of these powerful wholistic truths!
• I find it ironic that this “immoral President” is fighting for the Nation of Israel, the apple of God’s eye (Genesis 12:1-4, Zechariah 2:8). Oh, by the way, where are the so-called godly pastors addressing the prophetic Scriptures? They are very few. Did you know in the last month Trump met with pastors like Mark Driscoll, Eric Metaxas, Jack Hibbs, Greg Laurie and others? He is forming a Faith-based team around him. Did Bush ever do this?
• I find it disconcerting that not enough Christians are outspoken about protecting the citizens of the United States by reinforcing military strength ( 1 Chronicles 5:22; Psalm 144:1; Luke 14:31), and the rule of law as demonstrated in the role of the police (Romans 13:1-8). A young influential pastor here in Portland leading thousands of young Christians openly professes to be a pacifist. Wow, where is the godly character being demonstrated when so much of the Word of God describes justifiable war (Hebrews 11:31-34)?
Cowardly people
• I find it morally reprehensible that Christian pastors do not stand up and speak out for the life of the unborn (Psalm 139:13). Meanwhile, our labeled “morally deviant” President has done more to protect the precious lives of the babies in the womb than any president in the last 20 years. Do you find this as staggering as I do? I seriously ask, who is morally complacent?
Discerning people
• I actually think Trump is morally upright to attempt to combat the degenerate ideology of transgenderism, critical race theory, racism, and many of the Social Justice Marxists ideologies (Ephesians 4:14; Colossians 2:8). Far too many churches and Christian organizations have complied and compromised regarding wokeism from the social justice movement. Ironically, all under the banner of a misapplied and unbiblical understanding of love. Once again who is demonstrating the most upright character? Who is manifesting discernment? Courage is one of the least valued attributes in the Christian community. There are a lot more Christians who are compassionate and kind than there are brave, courageous, and tenacious Christians!
The Leftist Religion
Leftism is a secular religion. It is both a way of understanding the world and a value system. Many of its adherents believe in it with the same passion as religious Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe in their respective religions. They direct their lives by it, and more than a few have been willing to die–and many have killed–for various leftist ideologies. In much of the world, outside of the world of Islam, leftism is the dominant ideology. It influences the values and actions of nearly as many people as Christianity or any other religion. It even influences many believing Christians and Jews.
Unlike the traditional beliefs of religions, leftism beliefs must often be inferred. One knows that a Christian is one who affirms a variety of doctoral beliefs like the Trinity. But it is not nearly as easy to label people as leftists, as it is to label them as Christian. The dogmas to which virtually all Christians hold to are listed or easily identified by asking essentially every Christian pastor. But the dogmas of leftism are not listed and there is no official leftist clergy. However, to assume or deny leftism is literally absurd.
Some Tenets of Leftism Listed Below
• Quasi pacifism, cradle to the grave social democracy, equity (equal outcomes) for the perceived marginalized, and a secularization of America.
• The left wants Americans to be citizens of the world and is ambivalent about the display of American patriotism. In their view, the State is the vehicle to utopia and, therefore, must continually tax and spend.
• Leftism fundamentally wants to transform America, as compared to improving America.
• One of the most cherished values is the focus on feelings over facts. This is evident to me in the comments I hear many Christian women make, as they seek to influence their husbands. This same sentiment is seen in Christian kids who are influencing their parents. This is not a general categorization, but it definitely is playing a significant role in the opposition we see against Trump. This demonstrates a lack of wisdom. Once again, the tenderized Christian culture is playing into the hands of leftist ideologies.
Far too many Christians have unwittingly bought into these secular ideologies. Because of the lack of wisdom, and lack of a comprehensive biblical understanding, many Christians have been voting progressive leaders into office. This is also true regarding most of the Jewish people who are willfully blind and voting in leaders whose ideologies will eventually undermine their own nation and people. To think that this is not applicable to us who profess Jesus Christ, is to live in foolishness and naiveté. Simply Look at the persecution, elimination and evacuation of Christians in Middle Eastern countries.
It behooves us to seek wisdom and not fall into the trap of being simpletons.
“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” – Proverbs 27:12 NLT
Actions To Take:
#1 please muse over each Scripture here and the the context of each.
#2 communicate to others your thoughts about God fearing people.
#3 become enlightened and aware of progressive ideologies and their influence.
#4 become skilled in critiquing at least two tenets of leftism with others.
#5 from the following, circle the traits that best reflect your character—
myopic, naive, good, a fighter, wise, or discerning.
We all can progress in maturity by constant practice
“But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” – Hebrews 5:14 ESV
Intercessions:
- Pray for people within your small group to become discerning, wise, and bold.
- Do Home Church once every two months.
- Pray for your school board members and local public officials.
- Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
“To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” – Jude 1:25 KJV
Dale