I am saddened by those who call themselves “conservative Christians” who rail against the sins of Trump. It is as though they have never known sin themselves and yet the Bible clearly states in Romans 3:23 that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.
These folks, (I believe), legitimately hate sin and cringe at the thought of an apparently unrepentant sinner whose sins have been chronicled in every form of media to a world hungry for the salacious becoming President.
It is plain that God hates sin, and in fact nothing less than the blood of Christ can satisfy its debt payment to full satisfaction according to God’s justice; however God has used sinful men over and again to accomplish great things for His kingdom, thereby demonstrating His mercy and grace and its awesome powers of transformation.
The Apostle Paul was one example. We read in Acts chapter 8 of the martyrdom of Stephen and those who stoned him laying his clothing at Paul’s feet. It goes on to tell of his persecution and imprisonment of Christians including women and children. Paul of course went on to have a Damascus Road encounter with Jesus which changed him so radically that he eventually became the greatest evangelist of all time who wrote most of the New Testament.
God kept him humble and I believe that when he wrote in 2 Cor. 12:7:
“ . . . even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.” I believe the “thorn” given to him by God was remembering his sins and the faces of those Christians who were tortured and killed at his behest.
King David committed adultery and had the husband of his adulteress, Bathsheba, murdered. And yet the Bible tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart and the lineage of Jesus through Mary is actually derived from him. Additionally his son King Solomon, a product of David’s marriage to Bathsheba, actually built the Holy temple in Jerusalem.
David wrote this passage beginning in Psalm 51:15
O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Matthew Henry wrote about this and the gist of what he said is as follows: The good work of anyone who truly repents, is a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, and sorrow for sin. Oh that there were such a heart in every one of us! The broken heart is acceptable to God only through Jesus Christ; there is no true repentance without faith in him. Men despise that which is broken, but God will not. He will not overlook it, he will not refuse or reject it; though it brings God no satisfaction for the wrong done to Him by sin. Those who have been in spiritual troubles, know how to pity and pray for others afflicted in like manner. David was afraid lest his sin should bring judgements upon the city and kingdom. No personal fears or troubles of conscience can make the soul, which has received grace, careless about the interests of the church of God. And let this be the continued joy of all the redeemed, that they have redemption through the blood of Christ, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.
So it is not anything conservative Christians, (or anyone in all of creation) has done that will earn them grace, rather the free gift of God’s mercy and grace. Perhaps I am wrong but I believe that Trump is a man whom God will mightily use.
Will he repent? I’m believing he will. I’m praying for this man. I hope to share some verses with him when I meet him later this month that describes the before and after of all who trust in the Lord (including hard core conservative Christians and pre-believers who will come to know the One who loves us with all of His heart), Jesus Christ.
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church or somewhere this Sunday.
Psalm 52:8
“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire.” But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever. I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones.”
June 3, 2016 – Click here to listen