Evangelical Christians make up around 22 percent of the American population and over 80 percent of evangelical Christians voted for Trump in 2016. It would not be an understatement to say that evangelical Christians helped elect Donald Trump in his first election and they will be just as critical to electing him next week.
And let’s be clear on the definition of evangelicals. Evangelicals are a distinct subset of Protestant Christians which are separate from mainline Protestants and black Protestants. The major defining differences between evangelicals and these other Protestant groups is that they believed the Gospel was separate from racial and social justice issues. Evangelicals took a strong stand against MLK’s Social Gospel and his socialist wealth redistribution ideas while on the other hand Black Protestant churches fully embraced it.
And when we add to this that the vast majority of Hispanics are Catholic, this then explains why the overwhelming majority of evangelicals are white.
I pray though that God will change the hearts and minds of Black Protestants, to have their eyes awakened to the falseness of MLK’s’ Social Gospel and that as an ethnic group they would come to reject socialism as an unbiblical philosophy. I have seen some hopeful signs of this and I believe President Trump will receive the highest percentage of Black votes that any President has received in the last 50 years.
I said all that to say you need to be careful when looking at polls which can show evangelical support for Trump at only 50 percent. The problem with those polls is that they add black Protestants as part of evangelicals and that badly distorts the numbers. The fact is that white evangelicals, which make up the overwhelming majority of evangelicals, are strongly behind President Trump to the toon of at least 80 percent.
But that still leaves 20 percent of white evangelicals who may not vote for President Trump and John Piper is one of those white evangelicals.
John Piper is one of the most respected evangelical pastors in America. He is the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist church in Minneapolis and the author of numerous Christian books. On October 22nd, he wrote an article entitled “Policies, Persons, and Paths to Ruin” where he outlined why he could not vote for either Trump or Biden.
John Piper’s View of Trump vs Biden
Below are a few excerpts from Piper’s Article:
“Actually, this is a long-overdue article attempting to explain why I remain baffled that so many Christians consider the sins of unrepentant sexual immorality (porneia), unrepentant boastfulness (alazoneia), unrepentant vulgarity (aischrologia), unrepentant factiousness (dichostasiai), and the like, to be only toxic for our nation, while policies that endorse baby-killing, sex-switching, freedom-limiting, and socialistic overreach are viewed as deadly
…
In fact, I think it is a drastic mistake to think that the deadly influences of a leader come only through his policies and not also through his person.
This is true not only because flagrant boastfulness, vulgarity, immorality, and factiousness are self-incriminating, but also because they are nation-corrupting. They move out from centers of influence to infect whole cultures. The last five years bear vivid witness to this infection at almost every level of society
…
Freedom and life are precious. We all want to live and be free to pursue happiness. But if our freedoms, and even our lives, are threatened or taken, the essence of our identity in Christ, the certainty of our everlasting joy with Christ, and the holiness and love for which we have been saved by Christ — none of these is lost with the loss of life and freedom.
Therefore, Christians communicate a falsehood to unbelievers (who are also baffled!) when we act as if policies and laws that protect life and freedom are more precious than being a certain kind of person. The church is paying dearly, and will continue to pay, for our communicating this falsehood year after year.
The justifications for ranking the destructive effects of persons below the destructive effects of policies ring hollow.
I find it bewildering that Christians can be so sure that greater damage will be done by bad judges, bad laws, and bad policies than is being done by the culture-infecting spread of the gangrene of sinful self-exaltation, and boasting, and strife-stirring (eristikos)
…
When I consider the remote possibility that I might do any good by endorsing the devastation already evident in the two choices before me, I am loath to undermine my calling (and the church’s mission) to stand for Christ-exalting faith and hope and love…
With a cheerful smile, I will explain to my unbelieving neighbor why my allegiance to Jesus set me at odds with death — death by abortion and death by arrogance.”
So what Piper is saying is this – “I can’t vote Biden because of his pro-abortion policies but at the same time I can’t vote for Trump because of his arrogance”.
I was going to write my own rebuttal of Piper’s views on the 2020 election as a fellow Baptist and evangelical but then I came across an excellent rebuttal of John Piper’s article by a close friend of his – Wayne Grudem.
Here is Wayne Grudem’s Bio as listed on the Phoenix Seminary Website where he serves on staff:
“Dr. Grudem became Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary in 2001 after teaching at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for 20 years. He was named Distinguished Research Professor in 2018. He has served as the President of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, as President of the Evangelical Theological Society (1999), and as a member of the Translation Oversight Committee for the English Standard Version of the Bible. He also served as the General Editor for the ESV Study Bible (Crossway Bibles, 2008).
Education
University of Cambridge, PhD
Westminster Theological Seminary, MDiv
Harvard University, BA”
With that said let’s dive into Wayne Grudem’s response to John Piper.
Wayne Grudem’s Rebuttal to John Piper’s Position on Trump vs Biden
Below are some excerpts from Wayne Grudem’s article written for Christianpost.com entitled “A respectful response to my friend John Piper about voting for Trump”.
On the influence of leader’s character verses laws he helps enact Grudem writes:
“There is a difference between the personal influence of a leader’s example, which may be rejected, and laws that compel obedience.
Piper’s argument fails to recognize that people can decide not to imitate the sins of a leader, but they cannot do that with laws. Laws require obedience. But millions of people have seen and decided not to imitate Trump’s character flaws. The most frequent comment I hear from Trump supporters is something like, “I don’t like his insulting tweets or his personality, but I’m supporting him anyway because he has brought about good laws and policies.”
Americans are perfectly free to say, “Trump’s boastfulness offends me and I don’t want to act that way myself.” But if laws are passed (and upheld by the courts) that enforce the LGBT agenda, no creative professional like a cake decorator (or photographer or florist) will be free to say, “I believe same-sex marriage is morally wrong, and I won’t use my artistic talent to decorate a cake celebrating same-sex marriage.” No high school girl will be free to say, “I won’t undress and change clothes for my gym class because there are boys in the locker room who claim to be girls.” No Christian adoption agency will be free to say, “We will not place children with same-sex couples.”
And if Democrats gain control of our government and the Supreme Court, and enact their desired policies, no Christian taxpayer will be free to say, “I refuse to pay that portion of my taxes that the government is using to pay for abortions.” No business owner will be free to say, “I will not buy medical insurance for my employees that pays for abortions and sex-change surgeries.” There will be only two choices: violate your conscience or else be driven to bankruptcy or go to jail”
On policies verses character Grudem writes:
“Political policies are not, in general, more important than personal character, but they are the primary factor to consider in a political election.
A candidate’s character and policies are both important to consider before voting. And I would agree that there are some character flaws so serious that they would by themselves disqualify a candidate (such as an avowed racist). But in most elections, and with most candidates, we have to choose between two rather ordinary human beings, both of whom have flaws. In that case, an evaluation of their policies becomes decisive. And that is the case in this election.”
On Piper’s evaluation of Trump’s character Grudem writes:
“Piper speaks of Trump’s character in entirely negative terms. Because of unbelievably hostile reporting in the mainstream press, other people can see no good character traits at all in President Trump. My assessment is different, and I think it is more balanced. I wrote this in 2016 and it still applies:
He is egotistical, bombastic, and brash. He often lacks nuance in his statements. Sometimes he blurts out mistaken ideas … that he later must abandon. He insults people. He can be vindictive when people attack him …. He has been married three times and claims to have been unfaithful in his marriages. These are certainly flaws, but I don’t think they are disqualifying flaws in this election.
On the other hand, I think some of the accusations hurled against him are unjustified. His many years of business conduct show that he is not racist or anti-(legal) immigrant or anti-Semitic or misogynistic – I think these are unjust magnifications by a hostile press exaggerating some careless statements he has made. I think he is deeply patriotic and sincerely wants the best for the country. He has been an unusually successful problem solver in business. He has raised remarkable children. Many who have known him personally speak highly of his kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity.”
On the type of leaders Trump has chosen Grudem writes:
“Donald Trump is not the only person we are voting for. It is remarkable that the Trump administration has elevated so many self-professing evangelical Christians – far more than any in my lifetime – into positions of high influence in our government. They also provide role models for Americans. To vote for Trump as president is also to vote for Mike Pence as vice president, Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, Ben Carson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, Russell Vought as director of the Office of Management and Budget, and numerous others. In addition, Trump has appointed numerous deeply committed Roman Catholics to various positions, the most recent being Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. The character of these leaders is also a role model for the nation.”
Grudem makes the case that there is no “neutral” position for evangelicals:
“If a significant number of evangelicals follow John Piper’s example, it will guarantee a Biden victory.
Imagine what would happen if all evangelical Christians followed Piper’s example and decided to write in someone else’s name instead of voting for either Trump or Biden. The result would be an overwhelming landslide victory for Biden, because the largest single bloc of Trump supporters is evangelical Christians. In 2016, 80% of white evangelicals voted for Trump, while 16% voted for Clinton and 4% didn’t vote for president or voted for some other candidate. If that 4% of “vote for neither one” evangelical voters had been 5% or 6%, Hillary Clinton would have been president.
So, if Trump loses the evangelical bloc, Biden wins. In fact, if a significant number of Christians decide not to vote for either Trump or Biden, the result will not be some ideal third-party president. It will be a Biden presidency which (in my opinion) will bring great harm to the nation.
Therefore the decision not to vote for either candidate is not a neutral position for evangelicals. When evangelicals decide not to vote for either candidate, this takes voters primarily from Trump’s base and therefore helps Biden win the election.”
Grudem gives his vision of second Trump Term:
“I differ with my friend John Piper about the results of a second term for President Trump. In Trump second term, I look forward to the appointment of more originalist judges (who will interpret the laws and not make new laws on their own), further legal restrictions on abortion, greater protections for religious freedom and freedom of conscience, lower taxes, fewer government regulations, a rapidly growing economy, low unemployment rates (especially significant for ethnic minorities), increased prosperity for people at every income level, additional history-making agreements between Israel and additional Arab nations, a clearheaded recognition of the economic, military, and information threat from China, a high value placed on human freedom and on personal accountability for committing crimes, increasing numbers of children eligible for taxpayer-supported school choice, a secure border followed by a comprehensive reform of our immigration system, and an increase in police presence in high crime neighborhoods, with a resulting decrease in crime.”
Grudem gives his vision of America with Biden as President:
“On the other hand, if evangelicals stay away from voting for either Biden or Trump, then then under a Biden presidency I would expect the appointment of hundreds of judges who take the law in their own hands and even consider themselves to be above the original meaning of the Constitution, laws that allow abortion up to the moment of birth and even after, the use of tax money to pay for abortions and gender reassignment surgery, the crippling of our economy with ever-increasing government control and ever-increasing taxes, increased unemployment, a weaker military unable to counter the increasing aggressiveness of China in the world’s oceans, a Jimmy Carter-like foreign policy of appeasement, abandoning Israel to fend for itself in the Middle East, adding additional seats to make a liberal majority on the Supreme Court, draconian laws that compel artistic professionals to affirm the validity of same-sex marriage even when contrary to their consciences, a reinstatement of the Obama-era guidelines that required schools to allow biological males to use girls bathrooms, locker rooms and showers and to allow them to compete in women’s sports, a massive increase in energy costs, ever-increasing restrictions on police forces, leading to an increase in crime, and the proliferation of violence and intimidation to nullify freedom of speech (in practice) for those who disagree with the liberal political agenda, open borders, sanctuary cities, and a complete federal takeover of our healthcare system.”
Grudem gives his vision of two different kinds of nations:
“These are two vastly different kinds of nations. The first one features increasing freedom, personal responsibility, and human flourishing. The second one features ever-increasing government control of every aspect of our lives, significant losses of freedom, and the implementation of many laws and regulations that are contrary to the moral teachings of Scripture. That is why voting for Trump seems to me to be the most loving, most faithful choice for a Christian.”
Conclusion
I very much agree with Grudem’s rebuttal of his friend John Piper’s position which would encourage evangelicals to abstain from voting for either Trump or Biden for President. Every election in American history has featured candidates with personal flaws both known and unknown. Grudem is absolutely right that we are not bound to emulate Trump’s character flaws as Christians. We can agree with Trump where his words and policies align with a Biblical worldview and at the same time disagree with him when his words and policies go against a Biblical worldview.
Leftists want to use Trump’s character flaws to cause evangelicals to stay home next week. And Piper is falling for that trap hook, line and sinker.
The Bible says in Titus 1:7 that “a bishop must be blameless”, it does not say a king, a governor or a president must be blameless.
What is the job of a president? It is to enforce the Constitution and laws of the United States and protect the God given rights of the American people. And among the most important God given rights of the people are the right to life, the right to bear arms to defend life, the right to acquire and do what one wishes with their own property, freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
And there is absolutely no doubt which candidate will better protect these rights. Trump has more than proven himself in these areas over the last four years.
This is why I agree Wayne Grudem that Trump is indeed “the most loving, most faithful choice for a Christian”. Amen and Amen.