Why Bible advocates should not blindly endorse the president.
President Donald Trump has lived an immoral life. When an individual pursues celebrity and the presidency they enter a glass bubble that exposes both the best and worst part of their lives. Presidents Trump’s public moral failures are tremendous and embarrassing. Donald Trump is immoral. This statement is self-evident and made without consideration of other political personality. For many, particularly evangelicals, the immediate Fox News trained response to this statement is “but so was Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton.” Yes, they are, but that does not negate the truth that regardless of quasi-conservative policies, some good nominations like Secretary of Defence General Mattis and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and not being Hillary Clinton, President Trump is not a role model for virtue. Virtue in our leaders should matter to Bible advocates.
Good governance begins with righteousness.
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” – Proverbs 29:2 KJV
This Bible principle is always true. Understand that righteousness before God is only obtained by accepting the atonement made by Jesus Christ shedding His blood on the cross. However, Bible advocates should value a person’s personal virtue over their party affiliation. We cannot express righteous indignation at President Clinton’s affairs yet turn a blind eye to the litany of scandalous issues that trail President Trump. Both Republicans and Democrats have abandoned virtue for political expediency, but Christian should have, but one allegiance and that is to Jesus and His teachings. Presidents should be praised when right decisions are made, but Bible advocates cannot ignore the stench of immorality to earn a seat at the table. Immorality, wherever it is found, can never be overlooked by those who claim to advocate for the Bible. Participation in political parties that demands the approval of immortality by turning a blind eye is wicked. Multiple marriages, past carousing with prostitutes, and vulgarity in any public official should always draw the ire of Bible advocates. Conversely, what should be celebrated is 73 years of marriage between President George H. Bush and his recently passed Barbara Bush. Vice-President Mike Pence’s policy of never eating dinner with a woman without the presence of his wife to protect his virtue should be celebrated and not mocked. Christians should rejoice when those in authority do good and mourn when they fail.
“We voted for a president, not a pastor.”
“For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” – Mark 6:18 KJV
This was not the sentiment of John the Baptist. Remember John, the one who Jesus said was the greatest man to live. Remember John, who preached “Repent” to the religious leaders of the day. Remember John, who dared to preach against the immortality of the king from the pulpit when he called out King Herod for marrying his brother’s wife. John’s political loyalty was to God; hence, when the leaders of God’s people Israel decided to live an unapologetically immoral life John as a Bible preacher faithfull extolled righteousness by calling out the public sin. The faithful Bible preacher is obligated to call out the darkness wherever it may lie. And whether behind the pulpit or printed in a newspaper if a preacher cannot call out public immorality where it exists he is nothing more than an unfaithful hireling. So long as President Trump is unrepented of past public failures, Bible advocates should publicly decry immorality. The fact that we make such a distinction between presidents and pastors illustrates how far we have drifted from our moral moorings.
Accepting immorality leads to tyranny.
“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” – Proverbs 14:34 KJV
Tyranny is the exercise of immorality upon the governed. An immoral leader with no respect for virtue in their own lives will not respect and protect the virtue of the citizens they lead. When a people accept immorality by allowing it to be flaunted in their leaders, they become ripe for tyranny Patrick Henry said the following, “Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.”
Righteousness is a protection to a people. Remember it was Abraham that pleaded with God to withhold His judgment upon Sodom if but five righteous people could be found. Sadly, a righteous remnant could not be found, and judgment reigned down on Sodom. However, in the midst of Sodom was one man who knew God’s righteousness but remained unfaithfully quiet. Had Lot spoken out perhaps a righteous remnant would have remained to protect the city? The lesson to be applied today is that the most patriotic thing we can do to love America if to stand for virtue and reprimand immorality.
