Your analysis of the meaning of Donald Trump is probably neither insightful, useful nor necessary

Some of the below piece is written in a "tongue in cheek" style. I mention this since I once had a friend and colleague who I didn't realise for some time was taking my British manner of expression entirely literally. It's also possible that he had out-manoeuvred me with his own apparently unvarying straight-down-the-line acceptance of whatever I said...

It seems that a good number of pastors find it important at this time to provide us with their theological analysis of what God is now doing, in the election of Donald Trump to be US president for the second time, and how Christians should respond.

In general the will to carry on comes under severe threat before completing the second paragraph, though reasons for this vary.

One principle reason is that whilst still being a youth (stop sniggering at the back, Rehoboam was called a youth in his 40s) I've now been alive sufficiently long to see the vast majority of such analyses falsified by how events turned out.... and to note that such falsifications rarely result in retractions, resignations from the self-appointed prophetic pulpit, changes of procedure in future, or the like.

I and many of my fellow non-dispensationalists and non-historicists raise a chuckle at the ease with which advocates of those theologies manage to move smoothly from "the USSR is a key part of the book of Revelation" to "the USSR doesn't appear in the book at all", and from "the EU gaining a 12th state is a significant event in the prophetic timeline of Scripture" to "actually it's not in there anywhere", etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. But unless I overlooked all the volumes of retractions and humble explanations of why one's theological antenna were so badly wrong being published somewhere, those more in my theological camp aren't at all immune from much of the same thing.

I can't help noticing too in the formulations of these theories, the habit of simply ignoring or treating as non-existent, any contrary evidence to the thesis. When I studied with a Bible college (which I've already clarified was so recently that I'm surprised I've made it out of the car park yet), I learned that if you want to make a convincing case, then you need to meet the contrary case's strongest presentation, head-on. Ignoring it entirely is the fast route to being completely unconvincing. This is unless you're confused about the difference between building a personality cult rather than a Christian church based upon the message God told pastors and preachers to faithfully transmit and neither add to nor subtract from.

I'm more interested in why it is that the subject seems so interesting, over and above many other subjects, that it requires pastors to give it so much sustained attention. "And make sure you give yourself to copious amounts of low-grade armchair punditry, especially concerning the latest shifts and moves in the realm of earthly power" wasn't one of Paul's instructions to Timothy. Paul was remarkably (and thus perhaps we could mark it?) uninterested in the political back-and-forth within the halls of Roman movers and shakers.

A good number of online American brethren appear to think that a pretty good chunk of what Paul *did* have to say about authorities is now obsolete because of the unique attributes of the American constitution and history, even if they would probably blush to say it quite so bluntly. But if this is so, it's very unfortunate: it appears that said constitution must be quite a curse, to have un-relativised the powers of this present age and brought them back, and so drastically reduced the effects of the dawning of the new age. Christ's death and resurrection had previously succeeded in cutting the cosmic importance of Caesar, the President, or whoever your country's particular Big-Cheese-Du-Jour was down to a much smaller size. In the New Testament, Caesar wasn't so much defeated in a head-on collision as completely out-moded and rendered to a significant degree irrelevant (even when he cuts apostles' heads off, since they died expecting to be sent immediately to the presence of the risen Christ and to shortly return with him in glory). Maybe consequently American Christians' major campaign ought to be abolish the constitution so that the realm of struggle for political domination using the forms and practices of the old order can be returned to its New Testament place? To get rid of said constitution since it appears to have raised the old, out-moded powers out of their graves and given them new life?

By all means, make use of your rights to represent the truth within the political realm; we'll all be affected, a lot, by what they get up to. But if you think that was what I was taking aim at, please go back to the first paragraph and I'll wait for you here.

I speak, as I say, partly tongue-in-cheek. A proper essay on the topic would have more things to say, brought out less elliptically. But I hope I have given you something to think about. It's not that politics is unimportant or uninteresting. It's not that there aren't things that do need to be said about it. But it is that, when a pastor of a Christian regularly treats it as very important and very interesting and an important part of his public output, it's concerning. It makes you wonder. We must all have our specialities to contribute to the overall health of the body. But those who feel themselves called to partake in armchair punditry about politics are with us in numbers that far outweigh either any apparent need or the brilliance of the track records they build up. I'd like to suggest we all make a close study of what really excited the apostle Paul, and get back to majoring on that. When you really see Him whom Paul preached, and grasp what he's done, it's not just in another league. It's a completely different game. Men lie, steal and kill to get their hands on political power, because they are completely ignorant of the game having changed, and that they've been left giving away their souls for the wrong one. Let's not be like them.

Churches as trojan horses

"They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always" - Galatians 4:17-18

Whilst Christians are commanded to deal with individual cases with charity, nonetheless, it is impossible when it passes by your nostrils not to think that you're smelling the spirit of the world and to recognise it as such. Treating others with kindness and grace may yet co-exist with an unavoidable suspicion that something is very wrong, and that we'd be wise to a) keep a sensible distance and b) ourselves operate otherwise.

In the above verses from Galatians, Paul was speaking about false brethren: the "Judaizers", who sought to recruit the Galatian churches to their false gospel of justification through Christ plus obedience to Old Covenant laws. Nonetheless, it refers to a matter seen throughout the Christian world today. A matter rarely mentioned, unless I have been looking the wrong way.

The Judaizers presented themselves as being zealous for God's truth, and for God's standards. They, after all, preached laws that God himself had given, and which were good things. Was not being enthusiastic for those things a good? Who could question it? An apostle of Jesus Christ not only could, but had to, and did, not only question but refute it. The Judaizers' "zeal for God's truth" was a trojan, cloaking their own naked ambition. Such was their zeal for their real cause - their own pre-eminency - that they would quite happily exclude the Galatians from the blessings of the gospel of grace - which had brought those Galatians life, knowledge of Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and incorporation into the people of God and the promise of an eternal inheritance - in order to achieve it. That's quite some zeal: and a very evil zeal.

Christian brother or sister, is it only people preaching rank heresy who possess that same zeal and who are animated by the same lust for pre-eminence, for man's praise and fame amongst those of their chosen domain? Do you not think you often caught a strong whiff of the same odour in many sound Christian institutions, conferences, colleges, ministries, websites, blogs/podcasts and the like? Many attempts to build one's own personal brand, and zealous entering into all kinds of pointless and empty controversies in order to further not the glory of Christ, but the development of someone's brand/institution/reputation?

It is good to be zealous for Jesus Christ, his honour and glory, and his priorities - spreading the gospel to the lost, building up his sheep in the local church, glorifying his name through good works in the home and community, and eagerly awaiting his return. But he forbids us to attempt to serve two masters (one reason for which is that since it's impossible, you'll only deceive yourself and others in the attempt). And he forbids us to seek any of his glory for ourselves. In Christian ministry, "the way up is down", and those who seek the true and eternal glory must be willing to be the servant of all: genuinely willing, not just willing to be praised by other men for their 'umble service.

Show no interest in your personal brand, because the one who will sit on the throne and judge the nations (judge you) on the last day, has no interest in it except insofar as he is disgusted with your displays of the flesh. Show no interest in the prestige of your institution, because if it gets too much of it it may become a rival to his purposes and need destroying in order to advance those purposes. Show no interest in a "wider ministry" that means neglecting the flesh-and-blood sinners who inhabit the place where God's providence has placed you. Leave aside your reputation except insofar as it will aid the preaching of the gospel if you are known to live in the light (and then with great care because of the danger of self-deception).

How many churches and other ministries are ultimately trojan horses whose real aim is to win fame, praise and boost the ego of their founders and followers? How many have little to do with encouraging the weak and stumbling sheep in Christ, and much more to do with building a personal empire? The last day will tell us. I shudder to think, because I can't help noticing that familiar smell. As a son of the first Adam myself, I know it well. May I die with Christ more each day, so that the only life I seek is that of his resurrection.

Always on the tip of his tongue

The Apostle always has Christ on the tip of his tongue. He foresaw that nothing would be less known in the world some day than the Gospel of Christ. Therefore he talks of Christ continually. As often as he speaks of righteousness, grace, the promise, the adoption, and the inheritance of heaven, he adds the words, "In Christ," or "Through Christ," to show that these blessings are not to be had by the Law, or the deeds of the Law, much less by our own exertions, or by the observance of human traditions, but only by and through and in Christ.  - Martin Luther on Galatians 3:7

If you are a minister of the gospel, then are you one that Paul would recognise, because Christ is always on the tip of your tongue?

If you are a believer in Christ, then is your manner of life one that the Bible would recognise - your cry is always "more of Him!" ?

Measure your Christian life

One measure of Christian life and growth is: how real is eternity to you? And how important is it?

To a healthy Christian, eternity is present, and all-important. He/she lives, as seeing the things which are invisible. Christ is real and present; the evil one is real and dangerous; eternity is glorious and eagerly expected; life is lived hoping to hear "well done, good and faithful servant" and looking forward to the enjoyment of the New Creation. Prayer is precious and valued, and the struggle to establish and maintain it one that is felt and engaged each day.

For an unhealthy Christian, eternity is vague, far off and of little immediate concern. He/she lives as seeing the things that the world sees - money, advancement, pleasure. Christ is distant and of little relevance; evil is a theory that rarely intrudes into daily life; eternity is far off, does not need to be thought much about, and will probably sort itself out; life is lived to pursue and enjoy the good things of this life. Prayer is a few muttered words to satisfy conscience before getting down to the real business.

How is your Christian life doing?

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" - Matthew 6:21.

In context, this line is not saying "your attitude to wealth reveals where your heart is". That would be a true statement, and a Biblical one too. But it's not what this line is saying.

Here, Jesus was saying that where you put your treasure influences where your heart is directed towards. By investing your resources in the kingdom, you will enable and direct your heart to follow. Giving will improve the state of your heart.

Randy Alcorn explains this further in this article. "I’ve heard people say, “I want more of a heart for missions.” I always respond, “Jesus tells you exactly how to get it. Put your money in missions—and in your church and the poor—and your heart will follow.”"

Life in Christ (Charles Spurgeon)

These are a tonic for the soul; Charles Spurgeon preaches Christ to us from the parables, and reminds us that the blessing is obtained simply be believing. Here is the gospel in all its graciousness and freeness towards needy sinners.

These are Kindle links for the UK Kindle store. Volume 1 is free, the others are just pennies. If you follow them and change the ".co.uk" to ".com" you'll get the US store if you have a US-based Kindle.

Life in Christ volume 1

Life in Christ volume 2

Life in Christ volume 3

Volume 1 is also available on Nook, Google Play and Apple Books for free, here.

Two retractions

1) I am always eager to read about the 1950s Hebrides revival for various reasons, including 1) I once knew a man who visited the area at the time and talked engagingly about it and 2) I'm hungry for God - aren't you?

In the past I've recommended Duncan Campbell's autobiographical account of the Hebrides revival. At the start of this year, I mentioned that I was reading Island Aflame by Tom Lennie, a new and edifying historical account of those events. I recommend that you read both, and you will gain a lot from the experience. But if you do, you will be forced to conclude that whilst being used of God in an astonishing way, with the evidence indicating that true revival did go where he personally went, again and again (even to other countries) - and would that God would use any of us even just 1% of how he used him - yet Duncan Campbell did have an unmortified personal problem with fabricating events which simply never happened. A full account of the revival was needed to put the record straight on that.

2) I have also occasionally linked on this blog to edifying and/or incisive pieces written by Douglas Wilson, of Moscow, Idaho (as well as writing some criticisms). As is well known amongst those theologically interested, over the years he has produced a number of good writings on family, education and (with rather more reservations) culture particularly.

However, he also has, and for long has had various unmortified issues (but in more recent years they seem to have moved more to the fore and become significantly more dominant in his output), such as (a sample list, not intended to be comprehensive) 1) an unmortified zest for unnecessary controversy 2) deploying controversy as a recruitment and marketing tool 3) neglecting to engage responsibly and adequately with critics, preferring to brush them off with responses far beneath the level of someone of his education, ability and understanding (and this not just for unworthy challenges, but at all sorts of levels) 4) (related) frequent fundamental unseriousness in his writing style which is not (as his defenders claim) mere misunderstanding of his sense of humour and playfulness, but crosses the line into a regular ongoing refusal to switch out of his default mode and deal with serious issues in a way that respects their importance and which respects the readers 5) straying far outside of his areas of competence and embarrassing himself and the church (such as his recent attempts to argue that overall voter numbers constitute a statistical proof that the 2020 US presidential election was rigged - if you want to suppose it was, please distinguish this from his statistically hopeless arguments for it; I may or may not explain the specifics of this one day) 6) A line increasingly implied of "them and us", "only we are faithful, you have to be with us to be faithful", "unless you're talking about what we're talking about, and doing it in the same way, then you lack discernment" 7) a catalogue of serious and consequential doctrinal errors, of which his particular brand of Christian Reconstructionism is one which is particularly serious and influential, resulting in prodigious amounts of empty and prideful talk and time-wasting across the Internet, instead of the godly edification and challenge which leads to serving the needy and lost. His "objectivity of the covenant" doctrine is also both largely novel and has serious consequences. This list could be considerably expanded. (Subsequent to writing this I came across a piece in which he teaches that the "cup" and "fruit of the vine" in the Bible passages concerning the Lord's Supper must be fermented, and otherwise it is sin on behalf of all those taking part, and encouraged a correspondent to separate himself from a church which won't conform to this view, and to ask for forgiveness each time he otherwise partakes. This is pure and simple adding to the word of God and teaching the doctrines of men).

The sorts of controversies and issues that constantly arise around Douglas Wilson would lead most men to ask "how exactly did we get into the situation where we keep needing to talk about this, and refute this and that crazy thing?". Unfortunately Wilson does not seem to understand that if you regularly attract the wrong company and those who thought they were following you make predictable classes of ruinous errors, you can't always blame this on people failing to understand the full breadth of your vision or pay enough attention to another pile of your writings. At some point, a wise person has to ask why certain classes of problems keep happening and ask, is all the blame on the other side because those people have failed to understand my full vision?

I would very much regret pushing anyone towards the influence of Douglas Wilson and his brand of thinking and acting on the Internet. I condemn nobody who has benefited from any of his efforts or resources, as indeed have I (though even at the beginning of encountering them, 25 years ago, I found the undertone which I thought I detected that nobody else quite knew how to be faithful today in all the world as well as his circle did, hard to stomach).

In many things we offend all, and the number of my own failings and omissions (too many to enumerate) rises up to the heavens. We repent, and Jesus Christ will keep his promise and pardon us, and wash us through his blood. Douglas Wilson makes it clear that this is his faith too, and this is what he preaches when he sticks to the Bible. But, I think that for honesty and clarity it has to be said: of Douglas Wilson's writings the good parts, you can get elsewhere (despite the impression you might sometimes get from him and those around him); and the other parts, could lead you far astray from a productive life of service and into many lost years of useless and empty chatter. "Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good".