Praying for Trump’s Impeachment is not Christian

[Goldsboro, NC] A group of individuals calling themselves Red-Letter Christians gathered on October 1 & 2, 2019 to pray in favour of impeachment proceedings against President Trump. More than 100 leaders of this group signed a letter in support of the impeachment (here).

The problem is that this is not what Scripture tells true Christians to do, well, ever. There are a couple of major theological errors here. The first of those is to assume that only the words in red (ostensibly those spoken by Jesus Himself) are only the words of God. This is like a building made of half Canadian lumber and half North Dorkistan lumber, and only Dorkisanian lumber is good for supporting the structure. I can tell you what you get in that case – one big mess of dorky collapsed building. All of the Bible is the very Word of God. Revelation 19 tells us that Jesus’ name is “the word of God.” Every one of its 66 books is the Word of God, written by men, certainly, but men under the inspiration and control of the Holy Spirit of God with the purpose of declaring to us the very will of God.

The next error is to assume that it is the responsibility of the Christian to deal with a national, provincial, state, municipal, or other government leader with whom they disagree. Another man than Jesus, but one who knew Him intimately and powerfully tells us how we are to deal with our leaders in his first letter to his protégé Timothy: “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior… ” (1 Tim. 2:1-3).

I should add that Paul was not speaking in hypothetical generalities here. The leader he was instructing Timothy (and through him also us) to pray for was none other than Nero, the man actually responsible for burning down Rome and blaming it on Christians. Nero went on to condemn both Paul to the axe and Peter to inverted crucifixion over that burning of Rome.

I write these things with the knowledge that there is a Canadian election in 10 days. What if a good conservative candidate with family values does not win? What if we have 4 years of tyranny under some atheist regime that wants to curtail specifically Christian freedoms?

I need to point you toward the sovereignty of God, reader. I have said this before, but there is not one stray atom out of place in the universe to our holy and sovereign God. If a hostile-to-Christians government comes to power, it is because God wills it so. Remember His instruction to the Church at Smyrna – “be faithful up to your death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10b)

I seriously doubt it is going to be as bad as that at this point in history. But in case it is, rejoice and be glad, beloved, for our salvation is now nearer than when we first believed.