Dr. BJ Condrey

The purpose of this post is not to endorse Kamala Harris or promote a vote for the Democratic party. Rather, I want to address the intense and, at times, idolatrous affection that some conservative Christians—especially on the far right—are showing for Donald Trump. Being enthusiastic about a candidate and hoping for their election is one thing, but viewing Trump as “God’s chosen one,” the one who will bring peace, is another matter entirely. Trump is, in many ways, playing the political game; Christians, however, should be grounded in the Word of God, focused on what we believe, what truly matters, and why no single candidate or party will “make America great again.” America has always been great for some and deeply flawed for others—a fact that Black Americans, along with other racial minorities, know all too well.

I hope this post does one thing: tempers the fervor that some Christians are showing for Trump.

Trump is not Jesus.

Of greater concern, the far right seems to celebrate Trump as if he were divinely anointed, a Christian who genuinely loves God and aligns with our beliefs. It is certainly possible to vote for him whether or not he is a Christian—that’s not the point. Instead, the problem lies in the misguided belief that he is the solution to America’s deepest problems.

Consider an interview in which Trump said he doesn’t ask for forgiveness, choosing instead to live in such a way that he feels he doesn’t need it. Christian? Evangelical? If there’s anything that conservative Christians value, it’s the belief that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace—a grace available only through the death and resurrection of Christ and received through faith (have we forgotten the Five Solas?). Beyond showing a lack of understanding that sin is rooted in the heart—something Jesus addresses in the Sermon on the Mount—Trump’s statement reveals that he sees no personal need for Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

If you plan to vote for Trump, then by all means, do it. But don’t be the kind of superficial Christian who imagines, even for a moment, that he holds biblical convictions, loves Jesus, or understands the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Let go of any illusions. Choose your candidate, cast your vote, but do not deify them. He is only a man—a sinner—who doesn’t even seem to recognize his own need for grace.