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| PentecostalTheology.com
On August 27, 2018, US President Donald Trump met with evangelical leaders at the White House and asked them for their political support and said the upcoming elections were a “referendum on your religion.”
As reported by several media outlets during a recording made following his official remarks, the President said, “This November 6 election is very much a referendum on not only me, it’s a referendum on your religion, it’s a referendum on free speech and the First Amendment. It’s a referendum on so much.”
Trump also said, “You have to hopefully get out and get people to support us. If you don’t, that will be the beginning of ending everything that you’ve gotten. The polls might be good, but a lot of them say they are going to vote in 2020, but they’re not going to vote if I’m not on a ballot. I think we’re doing well, I think we’re popular, but there’s a real question as to whether people are going to vote if I’m not on the ballot. And I’m not on the ballot.”
He continued, “I just ask you to go out and make sure all of your people vote. Because if they don’t — it’s November 6 — if they don’t vote, we’re going to have a miserable two years and we’re going to have, frankly, a very hard period of time. You’re one election away from losing everything that you’ve gotten. Little thing: Merry Christmas, right? You couldn’t say ‘Merry Christmas.’”
Dallas megachurch Pastor Robert Jeffress said that during the event, attended by 100 evangelical leaders, “Leader after leader stood up and started talking about why they supported President Trump.” He continued, “The headline of the evening would be: ‘Evangelicals remain enthusiastically supportive of President Trump.”
Although the Johnson Amendment, prohibiting non-profit organizations from engaging in partisan politics on behalf of or against specific candidates, is still in effect, with the Senate failing to repeal it, the President has directed the IRS to move away from enforcing the existing law.
Despite Trump’s unclear credentials, some influential evangelical leaders see his administration as a pathway to political power. The current group of hard-right politicians are abandoning moderate conservatives, as seen in the example of John McCain and the distance from the Bush administration, while a smaller, but much harder base is being forged. As the Trump administration faces legal and international challenges, it will become more and more dependent on this right-wing evangelical base of supporters, some of whom view Donald Trump as the fulfillment of prophecy.
While this may not have occurred previously in the United States, we are not uncharted waters in terms of global history. The linkage of secular political and religious power previously occurred when the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and integrated the Imperial government with the Church beginning with the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325. While the bishops defined doctrine in the Nicaean Creed, the emperor’s role was to enforce doctrine, root out heresy, and uphold ecclesiastical unity.
The President’s threat that the November election will be a “referendum on your religion” is troubling because it assumes that the success of Christianity is dependent on the result of a political vote. The fact that some very influential Christian leaders are buying into this argument and will throw their congregations behind this political movement is even more concerning.
Scotty Searan
I do believe persecution will come to the Christians if Democrats gain control of governor offices and the Senate and Congress
It is already showing its stripes in California but to you Troy Day it is Blah, blah.
It has been prophesied by many.
Joshua A. Humphries
Sorry Scotty, but that’s absolute nonsense.
Nelson Banuchi
Actually, perfection could also come from evangelical Christians and/or those professing to be Christians and supporting and following Trump.
Varnel Watson
Scotty Searan pls do not involve me in your political agendas pls I am so not interested in vain politics! I got up early this morning and this is being spam plastered in the group over and over again. I am starting to believe Ricky Grimsley was right about certain info being fed to evangelicals. Why the scare tactics? Why info is leaked via NBC and to the so called “state-fed prophets” ???
Tim Dalton
Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 2 Tim. 2 God watches over little birds. I trust he watches over me. Luke 12:24 No promise of God has been too good for Him not to fulfill it.
Varnel Watson
My ultimate loyalty as a follower of Jesus is to Someone higher than POTUS (& to something greater than America). So I’ll stand w. POTUS however & whenever I can, but I won’t lose my conscience in the process. https://stream.org/either-really-good-really-bad-president-trump/
Phil Brown Jr.
No matter who wins in any election, violence will come to Evangelicals, and the entire Church. It is prophecy in the Word, and the Word of God is ever true.
Varnel Watson
Phil Thank God I will be pre-trib raptured with Jesus
Tim Dalton
I agree, but I want to take a few more up with me. I believe that to be the will of God.
Tim Dalton
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
Tim Dalton
Some think the rapture is a rapture from our responsibility here, We share the gospel to the end.
Varnel Watson
Yes lets take as many as we can while we still can I personally want Ricky Grimsley and Scotty Searan And when we get to heaven per-trib we have 5 yrs time until pre-wrath to tell them how wrong they were – oh what a blessed hope 🙂
Ricky Grimsley
Pre-trib rapture is false. Paul certainly didy teach it. Netheir did jesus
Nelson Banuchi
“…Thank God I will be pre-trib raptured with Jesus.”
Hate to disappoint you, Troy Day, but, if there is a rapture, it won’t be a pre-trib rapture (Rev 20:5-6: “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the *thousand years were completed.*” NASB; Matt 24:29-31: “But immediately *after* the tribulation…the Son of Man will appear in the sky…and they will gather together His elect…” NASB).
I know, I know, a theological bummer…?
Phil Brown Jr.
Maybe Troy. If the Lord wills (James 4:15). There are Christians being persecuted right now,and the Great Tribulation is not yet here. The church was birthed from the persecution of our Lord and Savior, and was grown through countless persecutions. To say that we as Christians will no longer go through persecution until the Second Coming is not biblical.
Robert Erwine
if anyone deserves it , it is American evangelicals !
Joshua A. Humphries
Amen, Robert!! American Evangelicals have engaged in all sorts of persecution and the Lord is very clear: you reap what you sow!
Varnel Watson
oh no you didnt just say that – how dare you 🙂
Robert Erwine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hw1g_9gKUs
Joshua A. Humphries
I’m with Robert on this one. American Evangelicals have engaged in all sorts of persecution and the Lord is very clear: you reap what you sow! Fortunately, most of those people for whom Evangelicals have a persecution complex are in fact quite merciful when you get to know them.
Solomon Dallas
Trump is the one who’s actually persecuting the christians he gives all the questions about add name
Ricky Grimsley
Go spew you liberal feces somewhere else Solomon. Electing Hillary would have been way worse
Varnel Watson
Ricky dont know if you read the whole article and watched the Wal-nutt-job “prophecy” mis-labeled video BUT this little “media” announcement is making me a believer of your deep state feeding the evangelicals. Brown jumped on it as usual now lets see what the next Manna will be about and I’ll be all in
Ricky Grimsley
The point is….what you said is dumb.
Solomon Dallas
Really do you wanna discuss Theologically I am actually a minister of God for the past 30 years
Ricky Grimsley
Please. Discussion about over. Acts 23:5 KJVS
[5] Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
Solomon Dallas
Spirit of God told me trump is actually fulfilling the Devil’s work For the End times foretold by Ezekiel Daniel and John in revelation
Solomon Dallas
Again persecution is not physical violence Alone It is also when you say you are a Christian and you do things opposite opposit You’re actually persecuting Christ
Ricky Grimsley
Ok Proverbs 21:1 KJVS
[1] The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord , as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Ricky Grimsley
Of course persecution is happening. It isn’t from trump.
Solomon Dallas
Really Nero killed thousands of Christian’s in Rome…he was a ruler appointed by God….tell me about that…you so dumb….what about the Pentecostal Mexican Christian’s seeking asylum….
Solomon Dallas
I m done with you….you are just like other trump supporters…..you think with your hatred and anger….not with your brain or in spirit of God
Ricky Grimsley
Please. Repent and ask god for wisdom
Varnel Watson
Ricky Grimsley Robert Erwine Nelson Banuchi I have a different TYPE of question on this one
For nearly 40 years, Evangelicals preached dire sermons against a godless, sin-soaked culture focused on wealth, immorality, celebrity, sexual promiscuity and worldly power. This week, they celebrated it. The White House guest list was a who’s who of Conservative Christians: Paula White, Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell Jr., Robert Jeffress, Ralph Reed, Tony Perkins, Lester Warner, Eric Metaxas, James Dobson and others. It’s easy to see how former Evangelicals become disenchanted with the church of their childhood – literally the living personification of everything Evangelicals have opposed for 40 years. But he has given them everything they want politically.
Now then HOW MUCH exactly did a plate at this said dinner cost each denomination budget, which paid their leaders seats in the WH??? http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithonthefringe/2018/08/the-irony-of-evangelical-idolatry-in-the-white-house/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=FBCP-TCL&utm_content=faithonthefringe
Robert Erwine
$= access
Varnel Watson
how much for real? – was it approved by denom. budgets?
Robert Erwine
follow that money !
Varnel Watson
how much are we talking about? $10K a seat? 20K 30K mid.class annual salary Jimmy Humphrey help us out
Tim Dalton
The same is true of the catholic priest who comments for Fox. Trump was a horrible person until he, with others, were invited to the WH. They came to give advice (sure sure). After that his attitude changed . I suggested he got his pride massaged. He kicked me off his forum.
Tim Dalton
Tim Hill was at the WH. His pic was posted all over the place. He was near the first lady, although by a few feet. Makes you wonder where the CoG is on the pecking order.
Varnel Watson
Ricky Grimsley I dont know if you read the whole article and watched the Wal-nutt-job “prophecy” mis-labeled video BUT this little “media” announcement is making me a believer of your deep state feeding the evangelicals. Brown jumped on it as usual now lets see what the next Manna will be about and I’ll be all in
Link Hudson
Misleading tag. I posted clips of Copeland saying “I am,too”. and saying Adam was God in the flesh.
Varnel Watson
Not really. The kingdom-now theology aka we are all gods is well known in the faith movement and is the very foundation of the kingdom-now theology that supported in the current political agenda. The ppl in the picture above are close co-workers and co-thinkers of Copeland as a matter of fact he was in one of the prayers too if I remember correctly Link Hudson Have you read where Copeland said “God’s reason for creating Adam was His desire to reproduce Himself … Adam is as much like God as you could get, just the same as Jesus … Adam, in the Garden of Eden, was God manifested in the flesh.”? #littlegods #littlemen
Link Hudson
Troy Day One could be ‘kingdom now’ without believing that.
Varnel Watson
I see your point and I agree Many evangelicals in America are kingdom-now having been drown in a general election and political agenda that is not really theirs. For example, I dont think that Scotty Searan is kingdom-now or socialist but see how general Christian media has twisted things where people say I am this but I dont even like to be part of it but what else is there to be? Evangelicals in America are losing their Biblical identity The article we discussed with Nelson Banuchi and Robert Erwine about how evangelicals have changed in just 40 yrs shows that every well BTW Link Hudson I am still looking to find where Copeland took part in political prayers just recently and not just the flirt with the Pope promoting kingdom-now theology
Varnel Watson
So, No Link It wasnt misleading tag since I see on our previous discussion on the same you contributed quite a bit Here’s the Copeland Link http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/praying-for-the-donald-%e2%80%aa%e2%80%8etrump%e2%80%ac/
Donald Harrison
losing the house and senate to the democrats will not be that bad. Divided government is the way it was intended to be. With two party control, only the important issues ( those with overwhelming support) will get passed. I like it that way.
Varnel Watson
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/billy-and-franklin-graham-evangelicals-midterm-elections_us_5bd33705e4b055bc948b64ea
RK Newell
2 Timothy 4:1-8 KJV
4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Anonymous
Presidential debate
Five Republicans have qualified for the third 2024 presidential debate set for Wednesday in Miami. They are former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Missing from the debate stage will be North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who both failed to meet the criteria. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who qualified for the first two debates, dropped out of the Republican primary last month. Donald Trump, the front-runner, is skipping the debate as he did the two previous ones. He is slated to host a rally in South Florida as counterprogramming instead. https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/07/us/5-things-to-know-for-nov-7-trump-trial-israel-presidential-debate-actors-strike-ukraine/index.html
Anonymous
Joseph D. Absher Trump Leads in 5 Critical States as Voters Blast Biden https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2023-11-02/trump-condemns-efforts-to-remove-him-from-the-ballot-under-insurrection-clause