I will instantly stipulate that there is probably no Christian alive (or dead for that matter) that hasn’t at some moment played fast and loose with the Scriptures with regards to its interpretation and application. We know that we all “see through a glass darkly” and tend to venerate our “private interpretations” as THE interpretation. Most of the time and for most honest students of the Word, this is done unconsciously. We are not willfully twisting the Word. We may be unskilled or immature in rightly dividing the Word, but we are honestly wrestling with its contents. Unless you are a fully deceived cult leader my hope would be that for the vast majority of Christians a humility would exist that could say, “I had never thought of that before”, or, “I have never seen that in Scripture just like that”. I will be the first to confess that in my 38 years of following Jesus and my 32 years of preaching the Gospel, I have stood up on several occasions and changed my views based on the Scripture. What I believed those early years preaching are not exactly in line with what I uphold in these later years. And let me be crystal clear on this point…my “morphing” has happened because of the Scripture, the Holy Spirit’s enlightening, and the discipling of other ministers who helped me connect many dots. I suspect my journey is not unlike many other sincere Christians.
Contemporary Church Issues
It’s Time Evangelicals Said to Donald Trump…”You’re Fired”.
Like many of you, I watched over these last months, well-respected and notable Christian pastors, professors, ethicists, university presidents, and lobbyists endorse (sometimes reluctantly) Donald Trump for president. I grimaced and groaned as I listened to the reasoning which mostly entailed unprecedented theological acrobatics to reach such a conclusion. Many even admitted that they did not like the conclusion they reached, but the “times” demanded unusual measures so therefore, foundational Scriptural precepts were suspended for the greater cause (or hope) of “conservative values”. I don’t question these people’s motives. I do believe for most (if not all) of them they have a genuine concern about our country and the direction it is headed. However, the time has come to reevaluate this endorsement and defense of Donald Trump. It was a prophetic long-shot in the beginning to imagine such a man carrying the banner of evangelical concerns and values. It has now become a prophetic mandate to rebuke him by distancing ourselves from his candidacy. Contrary to what some will claim in the comment section below, this is not judgmental or pharisaical. This is about conviction, credibility, and consistency.
Confronting Public Endorsements: A Matthew 18 Fallacy
If you have stayed connected to this blog you have seen that I have responded to articles written by high profile pastors, Christian leaders, and academicians in regards to their endorsements of Donald Trump. There has been a continual parade of well-known and influential leaders making the case for the Church to support Donald Trump because he is less of a problem than Hillary Clinton and the only viable alternative. As you are aware from my writings I find that problematic for the Church on the basis of obedience to God’s Word and the presumption of pragmatism. If you read some of the past threads and comments, the discussion can get rowdy. My problem is not so much the passion of the discussion or the rationale that is offered as a defense for Trump, but rather the instant rebuke that is often given to me for daring to respond and critique these leaders endorsements.
A Response to Dr. Jim Garlow’s Endorsement of Donald Trump
As pained as I was to critique Dr. Wayne Grudem’s endorsement of Trump, I find myself even more conflicted to address the recent Charisma online article by Dr. Jim Garlow. Dr. Garlow is the Senior Pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, California. He is the recent author of the book, “Well-Versed”, a great resource of biblical insight applied to the tough issues and topics of today. You may read his endorsement and reasons at the following link Here .
A Response to Dr. Wayne Grudem’s Endorsement of Donald Trump
One of the most respected conservative theologians has thrown his opinion in the political ring and has advocated for the election of Donald Trump. His name is Dr. Wayne Grudem, the distinguished Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary. Prior to that he was a Biblical theology professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. You may read his endorsement here. http://m.townhall.com/columnists/waynegrudem/2016/07/28/why-voting-for-donald-trump-is-a-morally-good-choice-n2199564