Last year I wrote about the inevitability of a Trump presidency. In that article I pointed to the reasons, none of which have anything to do with his leadership qualities nor his convincing and sincere faith in Jesus Christ. Now it is time to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. This is difficult for many of us, especially Matt Walsh.
Why is it so difficult for Christians to believe that the people that rise to these positions are like they are? Consider Pontius Pilate:
“Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” – John 19:9-12
Does anyone really believe that Pilate was suddenly a deep and spiritual leader? Or did he remain a secular part of a secular cog in a secular machine? There is no fellowship between The Church of Jesus and the governments of men. In fact, our heavenly father explicitly warned us that no good would come of our attempts to create these governments but the rejection of God Himself:
1 Samuel 8:7-9: “And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.””
Yet, here we are. Surrounded by 21st century Christians that are determined to repeat 1st century Christian mistakes. Attempting to create alliances and allegiances, to establish a “good leader” and to partner with the state. Despite said state’s utter corruption. Our all to get a “good king”. Yet what did Jesus say in Luke 18?:
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone.”
Dear friends, when will we stop looking for salvation at the hands of men? My conservative friends may point out that they aren’t “takers”, yet they sure take “their” child tax credit, don’t they? My pastoral friends will point out: “we teach our flocks to rely on God” while they bask in tax-exempt status and a plethora of clergy benefits.
How long before Gepetto pulls the strings and says: “if your church wants to keep its perks you’d better let boys pee with girls.” Are you more afraid that Trump will do that than our previous dear leader? If we didn’t take the perks we wouldn’t have that allegiance. The UMC – the denomination I grew up in – recently voted for compromise themselves. It is compromise after all to entertain this so-called “debate” of how truth must change for the 21st century. What happened to the part about “take up your cross and follow Me?”
How long before “Gepetto” decides that you should only get your child tax credit if you can prove that you’ve sent your child to sexual-identity-realization-courses? They’ll be offering those at the Catholic Charities office next month for a nominal fee. I hear it’ll be run by former priests with a knack for choosing which children should use which restroom.
This is not an attack on Catholics or priests, if your identity is tied up with those titles I’m frankly surprised you’ve read this far. It is a rebuke of Christians that think partnerships with the government are anything but compromise. What fellowship does light have with darkness?
There’s no reason, no hope, and no purpose to trying to find Jesus in a human leader. He’s not there. If He were there, then He will have accepted the temptation of satan to make Him a worldly ruler.
This government facilitates the slaughter of more than 3000 babies per day! Do you really want to be in their pocket too? Do you realize that across the globe more than 125,000 babies are aborted every day? That is on par with estimates of the casualties of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined, every day! After just 2 weeks the casualties of global abortion exceed the total known death toll of the entire Atlantic slave trade. Yet, ironically, abortion activists want you to feel guilty for the Atlantic slave trade because your great-great-grand-aunt on your step-cousin’s side, may have hammered a nail into the hull of one of those ships! 10 weeks after that, all of the casualties of the Holocaust are accounted for, and by the end of the first quarter of the year the genocide of the American Indians and the Buffalo herds too. In just 6 months abortionists will have killed as many as all known atrocities in all of history, and every year that’s multiplied by two. All of the wars of history, even the plague can’t keep up with modern abortion.
There’s no reason, no hope, and no purpose to trying to find Jesus in a human leader. He’s not there. If He were there then He will have accepted the temptation of satan to make Him a worldly ruler.
So rather than drive ourselves crazy with the whys and worries of a Trump presidency, just repeat after me: “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” Put that energy into adoring Jesus and the scripture, love God, and love people. Let Trump play his role in the annals of secular history, and, where possible, wean yourselves from the god-of-this-world’s teat.
I’ve discussed this with many believers and I’ve seen people all over the map. Many think Trump is the perfect “wrath of God” answer to the last 8 years of atheistic narcissism. Others think he could be the antichrist himself. I think he’s weather. He’s a thunderstorm that will come and go as the end draws near and Jesus prepares to return and claim His own.
Come Lord Jesus, come.
Christians will continue to worship their golden calves as long as they continue arrogantly ignorant of the Words of Yahovah. As long as they continue to hang their choir robes on their evil man-made doctrines such as Replacement Theology and blindly practice the pagan traditions of men such as Easter and Christmas they will place their reliance on mere men instead of the Creator.
Do you suspect that it’s sinful to enjoy Christmas and Easter?
I would say it depends on the mind set of the individual, where his heart is at, where he places the importance of the events, in the material or the spiritual ….wouldn’t you?
I couldn’t agree more Trace. There are an incredibly few absolutes with Jesus, maybe even exactly one, and that is the state of our heart. I’m always interested in where other people see compromise because it’s a chance to test my own heart. I don’t suspect that Mr. Martin is wrong. In fact, I concur that paganism played a big role in today’s traditions which is why it’s a great opportunity to point out that celebrating Christmas trees and Easter bunnies has very little to do with Jesus. I also have seen how we’ve treated Israel, and of all the nations in that region, it seems obvious to me temporally that moving away from them and toward Iran or Egypt or Syria is the wrong direction. I personally don’t ascribe to replacement theology, or any specific theology for that matter, so if Paul’s “hacked off” and “grafted in” monologue points to some change in God’s promise then I’ll just let Him show me that if & when that is important to Him. Until then, I’ll assume that God’s plan remains consistent with what He said from Genesis. If you believe differently I only ask, why now? Why assume to know exactly where Israel fits when we already know where they have fit in the past? We already know that, so why assume something else?
Ryan shared about Montanus and his pine trees in this post. I’m always skeptical of the traditions we inherit from men, even the modifications that have been made to the Passover meal and Baptism. Yet my goal is to find & fellowship with other true believers despite the layers of traditions and confusion of the institutions of church. I should hope that nobody frequenting this site would be quick to dismiss others for any specific tradition or theology. Much of what I share is considered heretical by many, so I certainly am not going to throw any stones in that sort of contest.
I gotta say, your trump article last year is the article that I discovered this site from. I agree with you completely, we are truly living in the end times. “But you, Daniel, keep these words secret, and seal the book until the end times. Many will travel everywhere, and knowledge will grow.” you even brought up that verse I keep thinking of ““You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. ” I won’t even vote now you’re completely right. “Not my circus, not my monkeys.”
Dan, Thank you for your support. I was sorry to see that your comment got stuck in spam jail. It’s an unfortunate necessity these days. Please contribute anytime, even if you disagree thoughtful dialogue is welcome here.