Many evangelicals are supporting Donald Trump. So who are evangelicals? They are conservative Protestants, the Bible believing Christians. Some of the Trump support seems to be from the prosperity preachers but some of it is from mainstream evangelicals such as Jerry Falwell Jr., Robert Jeffress, and Pat Robertson. They have said that Trump inspires them and he will save the country. They contend that the usual political issues do not matter during this election cycle. Quite frankly evangelical support for Trump is baffling and stunning.
So what about Donald Trump's Christian claims? He says he is a Presbyterian who admired Norman Vincent Peale, a liberal positive thinker who was no evangelical. Mr. Trump runs casinos (his were the first to have strippers), he has bragged about sleeping with married women, and has even made weird statements about his own daughter. Trump is just as immoral as Bill Clinton, yet evangelicals who were outraged by Clinton give Trump a pass. Trump is also extremely profane and vulgar. He routinely disparages and demeans women and he even mocks disabled people. He is full of greed, a lover of money, a lover of self, and power hungry. Trump is a bully who tries to destroy all who disagree with him. He always slanders and belittles his opponents showing little love and respect for others.
In his own words Donald Trump says that he has never asked for forgiveness or seen the need to do so. He considers himself basically a good person who has done the best he can. The truth is that none are righteous and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10,23). Trump does not acknowledge that he is a sinner in need of forgiveness. He seem to have little understanding of Christianity itself. All true Christians realize they are sinners facing God's wrath and need forgiveness. They also know that salvation is found in Christ alone. Going by Trump's own words and actions he should be regarded as an unbeliever. The church he belongs to should exercise church discipline and remove him until he repents (See 1 Corinthians 5). Allowing people like Donald Trump to use the label "Christian" makes a mockery of Christianity.
There are similarities between Donald Trump and the prosperity preachers. They both love money, fame, and power. They also deceive people and lead them astray. They both make huge promises to people that they cannot fulfill. Both seem to have a special ability to make things right for people but of course they really do not. Both of them receive blind allegiance from their followers.
The Trump disciples are like mindless zombies who are under his spell. They give him blind allegiance and are led by pure emotion. They have rejected all reason and logic. They believe anything he says, after all they get the truth from "the Donald". How often has Trump denied something he has previously said? He constantly spreads falsehood about all who disagree with him. In reality Trump is not trustworthy and he is as dishonest as Hillary Clinton.
The Trump disciples remind me of the Obama supporters who thought he was a savior. The Trump disciples have an absolute devotion to him which borders on idolatry. This is very frightening for our country and it brings about the wrath of God.
Could evangelical support for Donald Trump be the fruit of a weak modern church? Does it speak to the sad state of the modern evangelical movement? Unfortunately the average Christian knows little theology and does not have a Biblical worldview. Modern evangelicalism has been said to be a mile wide and an inch deep. There is little serious thought from modern evangelicals and they are led by emotionalism. But what about someone like Robert Jeffress? He is usually reliable, definitely knows theology, and has a Biblical worldview. It is hard to understand but perhaps Dr. Jeffress has allowed desperation and emotion to cloud his judgment.
Evangelicals of all people should know that Trump is not their savior. He will not save our country because he cannot save our country. No politician can save
us. Our real problems are not political but are moral and spiritual. Evangelicals supporting Trump should be ashamed of themselves. The only hope for saving our country is turning to Jesus, not Donald Trump or any other politician.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Monday, February 15, 2016
Trump, Obama, And The Political Problem
So what is the real problem in American politics? Some believe the government is not doing enough, there is just too much gridlock. Some believe the government is just being run by the wrong people. Still others think the wrong political ideology is prevailing.
Many Republicans think the problem with Barack Obama is that he lacks experience and simply does not know what he is doing. But this is not the case, President Obama knows exactly what he is doing. He is transforming America along his Leftist/Marxist worldview. The problem with Obama is not that he is incompetent but that he is implementing the wrong political ideology.
Meanwhile many supporters of Donald Trump think that we just have the wrong people running the government. The people in charge are just a bunch of losers, instead we need a winner like "The Donald". We just need Trump to manage the bureaucracy. The Trump followers want him to use the levers of government to get what they want. Supporters of Trump are not ideological conservatives. No committed ideological conservative would support Trump. Of course Donald Trump is not conservative, he seems to have no solid political principles. Though he is generally secular and progressive or statist in his political views.
The real problem we face in the political realm is the socialist/progressive agenda that has dominated our political sphere over the last century. From Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" to Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" to "Obamacare", the march toward socialism has continued. Government has continued to get bigger, gaining more power and becoming more intrusive. From retirement to healthcare to welfare to education to the economy, government has gotten involved in all kinds of things it should not be involved in. We have adopted the government as god philosophy.
The solution to our political problem is a radical reversal in our guiding political ideology. We need to adopt a constitutional conservative political philosophy. We need a return to small, limited government. We must stop looking to the government to solve all of our problems. We must stop worshiping the government because it is not God.
Unfortunately most people do not really think about things they just feel and adopt what sounds good. Their decisions are based purely on emotion. Obama was not our savior and Trump will not be our savior. Those looking for a savior need to look beyond the political realm to Jesus Christ, the only savior.
Many Republicans think the problem with Barack Obama is that he lacks experience and simply does not know what he is doing. But this is not the case, President Obama knows exactly what he is doing. He is transforming America along his Leftist/Marxist worldview. The problem with Obama is not that he is incompetent but that he is implementing the wrong political ideology.
Meanwhile many supporters of Donald Trump think that we just have the wrong people running the government. The people in charge are just a bunch of losers, instead we need a winner like "The Donald". We just need Trump to manage the bureaucracy. The Trump followers want him to use the levers of government to get what they want. Supporters of Trump are not ideological conservatives. No committed ideological conservative would support Trump. Of course Donald Trump is not conservative, he seems to have no solid political principles. Though he is generally secular and progressive or statist in his political views.
The real problem we face in the political realm is the socialist/progressive agenda that has dominated our political sphere over the last century. From Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" to Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" to "Obamacare", the march toward socialism has continued. Government has continued to get bigger, gaining more power and becoming more intrusive. From retirement to healthcare to welfare to education to the economy, government has gotten involved in all kinds of things it should not be involved in. We have adopted the government as god philosophy.
The solution to our political problem is a radical reversal in our guiding political ideology. We need to adopt a constitutional conservative political philosophy. We need a return to small, limited government. We must stop looking to the government to solve all of our problems. We must stop worshiping the government because it is not God.
Unfortunately most people do not really think about things they just feel and adopt what sounds good. Their decisions are based purely on emotion. Obama was not our savior and Trump will not be our savior. Those looking for a savior need to look beyond the political realm to Jesus Christ, the only savior.
Monday, February 8, 2016
(Psalm 46) A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Martin Luther's famous hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" was based on Psalm 46. Psalm 46 teaches us to trust in God for protection and security in the face of instability from nature and the nations. The Psalm was written to the nation of Israel and now applies to the church.
(Psalm 46:1) "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (ESV)
God's people are secure in times of upheaval because God is our refuge and strength no matter what the situation.
(Psalm 46:2-3) Even with the instability of nature in things such as earthquakes and floods we should not fear because God is our refuge and strength.
(Psalm 46:4-5) God provides security and stability to his people no matter what the threat.
(Psalm 46:6-7) Even when nations rage and kingdoms totter, God is sovereign over all things, so we should not fear.
(Psalm 46:8-11) God will ultimately bring peace to all the nations. It will be fully realized in the new heavens and new earth.
(Psalm 46:10a) "Be still and know that I am God." (ESV)
We should step back and realize that God is God.
(Psalm 46:11) "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (ESV)
Whether we encounter earthquakes or floods, war or terrorism, we should realize God is sovereign (in total control) and omnipotent (all powerful) and trust in him.
(Psalm 46:1) "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (ESV)
God's people are secure in times of upheaval because God is our refuge and strength no matter what the situation.
(Psalm 46:2-3) Even with the instability of nature in things such as earthquakes and floods we should not fear because God is our refuge and strength.
(Psalm 46:4-5) God provides security and stability to his people no matter what the threat.
(Psalm 46:6-7) Even when nations rage and kingdoms totter, God is sovereign over all things, so we should not fear.
(Psalm 46:8-11) God will ultimately bring peace to all the nations. It will be fully realized in the new heavens and new earth.
(Psalm 46:10a) "Be still and know that I am God." (ESV)
We should step back and realize that God is God.
(Psalm 46:11) "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (ESV)
Whether we encounter earthquakes or floods, war or terrorism, we should realize God is sovereign (in total control) and omnipotent (all powerful) and trust in him.
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