As I look at the presidential election in America, I get very puzzled, especially with the support for the former president Donald Trump – especially with the support given by Christians.
Donald has openly admitted that he doesn’t need to be forgiven, clearly he doesn’t see himself as flawed – as certain Christians, like myself do. In his speeches he often makes fun and ridicules his opponents – which other politicians do , but I am feel uneasy about his behaviour.
Why do Christians vote for him? Well he has given them what they wanted, Roe vs Wade re abortion rights, has been overturned. Some religious leaders maintain that you vote for the party in keeping with your beliefs, and here the Republicans score.
Other Christians say that God has raised up unbeliever to do his will, and quote King Cyrus of Ezra 1 – who freed the Jewish captives in Babylonia and allowed them to return to their home land. So people reasoned that God has raised up Trump to do God’s will.
I just have this unease about Trump, I naively expect anyone professing some kind of faith – well you’d expect a character changed by an encounter with the almighty.
However the relationship which Trump has with Christians is transactional, you give him your vote, he brings in legislation which you wanted.
We all witnessed the horrific scenes with the attempted assassination of Trump, and he has publicly stated that he wouldn’t be with us except for the grace of God. How do you interprete such an event? Was God saving Trump for better things, was God giving Trump another chance? Would there be a change in Trump, only time will tell. But initial signs are not encouraging – certainly if you see how he speaks about his Democratic opponents in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump apparently has around him spiritual advisers, and I’d love to hear what they say to him.
Some of us can remember Watergate and what happened to President Richard Nixon. Nixon had religious advisers, one was John Huffman an evangelical pastor. When questioned as to what advice he had given Nixon in his troubles, Hoffman said “I told Nixon the truth, that he had to be honest with people. I told him the truth because I loved the man”.
But the viewing of Trump as solving all the problems in American – is like they view him as messianic figure. Make America Great Again, really means things have changed – that I want things how they were in the past.
It is interesting that Jesus says that his kingdom is not of this world. We are told to pray for those in authority that we might live peaceful lives.
I believe that christians should be salt and light in society, for the betterment of their fellow man. However, I believe that society can only change if the person is changed, what scripture calls the new birth. Anyone who has an encounter with God, must change – or else what does that encounter mean?
Simply put, you don’t trust fallible man, even presidents – but you trust in God whose business is changing people.
Ken Hubbard