Procedural Note

Some people have objected to my calling the incoming-president an "unrighteous" man.

My using that term comes from a recent conviction that human beings don't have moral "standing" to call any other human being "evil" or "good."  Both are assertions what someone's spirit IS, absolutely and without admixture.  At the most basic level of reality, that's a dishonest view of any human being.

Certainly Jesus forbids us to call anyone "good": even Himself in the days of His flesh: because "No one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:19).

But Jesus does speak of "evil" people.  In all the other gospels, His references are to men's evil deeds or thoughts: but in Matthew, there is an evil generation of men (12:39, 12:45, and 16:4), an evil slave (24:48), an "evil person" He tells us not to resist (5:39), an "evil man" who brings forth evil treasures (12:35).

Collective mankind on which the sun rises (5:45), and which the king invites to the marriage feast (22:10), includes evil people.  And Jesus is completely direct about who these people are, and what their nature is: "you, being evil" (7:11, 12:34).

I'll be the first to admit I don't understand everything about Jesus referring to people as "evil."  But knowing Who Jesus IS, I think He has the spiritual authority to make that judgement, which belongs to God Alone.  And I think His "...you, being evil" means no human being has spiritual "standing" to call any other human being evil.

I'm convicted we should rightly only characterize people by the nature of their deeds, and thoughts, and words.  We can call someone who does righteous things and speaks righteousness, "a righteous man."  Jesus has forbidden any characterization beyond that, for "no one is good except God alone."

And a man whose deeds, and thoughts, and words are manifestly evil and harmful is "an unrighteous man."  I'm convicted I'd be spiritually unwarranted in judging Donald Trump "an evil man:" but only as "unrighteous."

But that only explains the terminology I've chosen.  I could yet be factually wrong about Donald Trump.  God knows the thoughts of his heart.  My characterization is only based on what he's publicly done, and said.

So I here publicly invite correction.

If anyone who objects to my characterizing Donald Trump as "unrighteous" will make me aware of an instance I might have missed, in which he did or said a righteous thing, I will post it here.

In light of any verifiable evidence of his doing any righteous thing, or saying a righteous thing,
I will also re-think my characterization of Trump as "an unrighteous man."  And if anyone shows me proof that I have mis-characterized him, I will here publicly apologize.

Apologia pro Vita Sua

Some readers don't like my blog-posts.  Usually that's because they disagree with my views on politics, and I write frequently about politics.

But as our brother-in-Christ Tim so wisely says, it's not really about politics.

And I figure people's perception it is says a great deal more about the mindset they are coming from, than mine.

I know the mindset I am coming from, as surely as I would know being on fire.  God has given me an intense passion that the Church, the Body of Christ, Christians, act in the Spirit of Christ.

That's not a desire from my natural heart. Nor did I choose it for myself.  No one would.  It is a fierce desire guaranteed, always and inevitably, to break any man's heart.  It breaks God's Heart...that no one, Christians included, will ever from their natural heart act in the Spirit of Christ: and that everyone, Including Christians, tends to act first from their natural heart. 

Yet God's intense desire for each member of the Body of Christ is that we act contrary to our natural heart.   I'm surprised when people can't perceive "where I'm coming from:" but surprised most of all when Christians can't hear in it God's most burning desire for them.

I'm also surprised anyone believes that we can talk honestly about unrighteousness in the American Church without talking about politics.  The deceiver's thoughts and attitudes in the hearts of today's American Christians have virtually all been insinuated there from politics.  And the unrighteousness infecting American Christianity most notably manifests in Christians' political ideas and deeds.

When I write about what scripture says is righteousness or unrighteousness: scriptures about Truth or lies, about being merciful to the poor and refugees, about arrogance and rebellion, about loving good and doing justice: I often use politicians' words or political events as specific, widely-known examples...usually bad examples.

But those who find my comments "too political" tip their hand.  When I write about righteousness and (especially) unrighteousness without using those examples, their reaction shows they know their political "heroes" and attitudes are bad examples. 

That some people find my comments "too political" tells me the Spirit sharpens to their hearts His condemnation of the political unrighteousness they accept...or even endorse.  What I pray is that The Spirit will also sharpen to their hearts His call for repentance, and His passion that Christians act in the Spirit of Christ.


Amen !