March 28, 2016 @ 9:30 AM
The biblical ignorance and lack of spiritual discernment prevalent in the contemporary church is proven by the inability of today's evangelicals to see through Donald Trump's Christian profession like a pane of glass.
Trump confesses: "I believe in God. I am a Christian. I think The Bible is certainly, it is the book. It is the thing." He also professes to be "a Protestant" and "a Presbyterian," who thinks "religion is a wonderful thing." According to Trump, his vague and generic Christian profession is proven genuine by the "good relationship" he has had "with the church over the years" and by the nationwide support he is getting from evangelical voters at the polls. Perhaps, evangelical voters would do well to remember how they legitimized a cult in our last presidential election by going to the polls in droves to vote for a Mormon. If they did, it might give them pause in legitimizing apostasy in this year's presidential election by going to the polls in droves to vote for a man whose Christian profession is obviously proven false by both his professed beliefs and public behavior.
Donald Trump professes to be a Christian, but has publicly stated that he has never done what the Bible teaches one must do to become a Christian; namely, confess his sins to God and ask for God's forgiveness. When asked in an interview if he had ever asked God for forgiveness, Trump answered: "I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don't think so." He later added that when he does do something wrong, which he claims he seldom does, he just tries to make it right, feeling no need to "bring God into [the] picture."
When questions began to rise over how Trump could possibly be a Christian if he has never asked for the forgiveness of his sins provided for us all by God in Christ, Trump backpedaled by suggesting that his observance of church communion could be seen as him asking God for forgiveness of his sins. Speaking of the wine, which represents the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world, and the bread, which represents the torn body of Christ on the cross of Calvary for our salvation, Trump said, “When I drink my little wine – which is about the only wine I drink – and have my little cracker, I guess that’s a form of asking for forgiveness.” Apparently, not many modern-day evangelicals are appalled like I am by Trump's referring to the sacred elements of the Lord's Supper in so profane a way as, "my little wine" and "my little cracker."
Adding insult to injury, Trump has now added to his most generic and unorthodox Christian profession his take on Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which the Apostle Paul taught the whole of our Christian faith hinges on (1 Corinthians 15:14-19). According to Trump, Easter "really means something very special," which is why he said yesterday, "I’m going to church in an hour from now and it’s going to be — it’s a beautiful church. I’m in Florida.” When pressed to elaborate on what Easter means to him, Trump gave the kind of vague answer he always gives in response to questions about his "Christian" faith. He said: "It’s just a very special time for me. And it really represents family and get-together and — and something.”
Have you noticed the conspicuous absence of two words from all of Donald Trump's comments about his "Christian" faith? Those two words are "Jesus Christ." Trump doesn't mention Christ or His crucifixion in connection with God's forgiveness of our sins. He doesn't mention Christ or His resurrection in connection with the Christian's celebration of Easter. He calls the Bible "the book" or "the thing," but not the Word of God. He calls Easter "a very special time," but doesn't mention the resurrection of Christ, which alone makes it special. Long ago the Apostle John gave us an acid test to prove whether someone has the Spirit of God and is of God or whether someone has the spirit of antichrist and is of the devil (1 John 4:1-3). The proof of the spiritual pudding, according to the Apostle John, is whether or not the person is willing to confess Jesus Christ. If they are, they have the Spirit of God and are of God. If they are not, however, they have the spirit of antichrist and are of the devil.
Undoubtedly, most evangelicals today will balk at any suggestion that Donald Trump has the spirit of antichrist and is of the devil. Yet, John clearly teaches that anyone who refuses to confess Jesus Christ is an antichrist (1 John 2:22, 4:3; 2 John 1:7). In addition, the Apostle Paul warns us that just as "Satan" transforms himself "into an angel of light," his "ministers" transform themselves into "ministers of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). Ignorant of or indifferent to what the Bible teaches, many gullible evangelicals are lining up at the polls to vote for Donald Trump. They really believe that by doing so they are making America great again. The truth, however, is there is no telling what they're really making America. While they may actually be making Hillary Clinton our next president, one thing for sure, they're not making America great again. The only one who can do that is Jesus Christ, who Trump won't profess and today's evangelicals continue to betray at the polls.