Religious Right leaders spent decades telling American Christians about the importance of electing people to public office who met their standards for moral character. When Trump came along, they tossed those standards out the window, pointing instead to examples from the Bible of God using flawed people to accomplish his purposes. The latest example of this genre comes from Intercessors for America field correspondent Wanda Alger, courtesy of Charisma.
“Are Christians imposing unbiblical standards on our president?” Alger asks in the column posted on Friday morning.
Alger says that “leftist liberals” look for any reason to suggest Trump is not fit to govern. But, she adds, that even among some Christians, “there are differing opinions on the president’s integrity and effectiveness based on his demeanor and style.”
Alger wants to set such Christians straight, writing they must look past their “desire to see a greater Christian witness in the government mountain” and understand how God uses “nominal or even non-believing leaders to extend kingdom influence.”
Alger says that, while “God expects high moral character and purity of conduct and speech in those who lead His church,” He has different standards for governmental leaders he uses “to accomplish His purposes.” Here they are, according to Alger:
- God's servant for the good of the people.
- A terror to bad conduct, bearing the sword.
- Avengers who carry out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
- Servants of God, attending to taxation of the people.
- Sent by God to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good
“These descriptions of how God will use civil leaders include no indications of personal morality or godliness being necessary,” adds Alger. “Unlike church leaders who must model Christ to the flock civil government leaders are called to rule with a strong hand to ensure safety, protection and freedom for all.” Alger continues:
Perhaps instead of focusing so much on personal style and demeanor, it is time believers start assessing, and championing, our president's effectiveness by the qualifications listed in Scripture. What is his track record since being in office, and what has he accomplished? What legislation has he initiated to improve the quality of life for all citizens? How is he dealing with those who threaten our sovereignty and national security? How is he rewarding those who serve the nation and its good citizens? And, for those concerned about conservative values, how is he supporting Christians and religious freedom?
Not surprisingly, Alger ends with passage from the 13th chapter of the biblical book of Romans, one that seems to have been miraculously rediscovered once Barack Obama was no longer serving as president: “Therefore whoever resists the authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment,” it begins.
The passage ends with a warning to evil doers that the authority God has appointed “does not bear the sword in vain, for he is the servant of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him who practices evil.”
