Introduction:
Many of Donald Trump's most vehement opponents have been Christians who have been dissuaded from supporting Trump because of his questionable ethics; but many of Trump's most fervent supporters have been evangelical Christians who firmly believe that Donald Trump will revive the old America in which "kids will pledge allegiance to the flag every day at school" and "every respectable citizen with have the old fashioned Protestant work ethic". I am not writing this article to defend Donald Trump; I am writing this so that fellow believers who oppose Trump can see Donald Trump through our eyes.
I will outline four common arguments against Donald Trump and subsequently outline defenses against those arguments.
1. Donald Trump lacks the diversity in his administration that Obama had in his.
This is completely untrue. Donald Trump has Christians, atheists, Mexican-Americans, Asian-Americans, men, women, Republicans, and Democrats in his administration. Some members of his administration even opposed his nomination for President during the Republican primaries.
His administration is not designed to please the media, social activists, or even his support base as Obama's was. Trump's administration is designed to get things done efficiently, quickly, and effectively.
It is true to a limited extent that Trump's administration is not as well educated as Obama's was, but he did not pick people with a strong degree. He picked people who have the necessary experience in their field to get their job done well.
2. Donald Trump's Muslim ban does not reflect Christ's love for everyone.
Firstly, this is not a Muslim ban. If he wanted to implement a full Muslim ban, he would have banned immigrants and refugees from Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world; the United Arab Emirates, which has some of the richest Muslims in the world; and Saudi Arabia, which has some of the most powerful Muslims in the world.
Secondly, the refugees are banned temporarily. He supports refugees, as seen by the statement the White House released after implementing it. He will allow them to enter the country after reviewing the vetting process thoroughly. He is doing this for America's national security. He is prioritizing American citizens' security, but is not deaf to the cries of the refugees in the Middle East.
All of the countries named in the executive order are either state sponsors of terrorism or do not have a stable central government.
3. He wanted the Presidency to increase his wealth or power.
He turned down the Presidential salary, and divested his stocks in various companies. He gave his company to his kids and self-funded his campaign. If anything, he lost money during the past two years.
He left his skyscraper and luxury in New York City to live in the White House and clean our country up, and he is determined to get our country back together whether that means facing the corruption and politics by himself or not. He also gave up his position of being able to lobby Congress for special favors.
4. He is not born again; therefore he cannot truly represent or implement Christian values.
As Christians, we cannot possibly say this without realizing what we are doing. We are doubting God's sovereignty over a man that He created. We are essentially saying that any hold Satan has over a man's heart cannot be broken by God. We do not know what God has been doing in Donald Trump's heart. However, we do know, from what Trump has done in the White House, that he is sympathetic with Christians.
He has re-implemented the Mexico City Policy which, in short, means that federal funds can no longer go overseas to fund abortions. He has taken a pro-life stance, a Christian stance which he said he would take during the campaign.
Surrounded by Christians, Donald Trump is in a place to be heavily influenced by believers. Rex Tillerson, Ben Carson, and Mike Pence are evangelical Christians (or at least their life shows it). They will no doubt support strong morals and advise Trump to pass pro-Christian measures through Congress.
Donald Trump is attending the National Prayer Breakfast, where he will see believers talking to God. I strongly believe that this will have a positive effect on Trump.
Conclusion:
As Christians, we know that God's plan will be accomplished whether it is through a fallible man or not. Trump's rise was all a part of God's plan. We can all take comfort in knowing that God holds the whole world in his hands, including the refugees in the Middle East. There is no use in criticizing the man that God put in government. Just as we prayed for Obama during his eight years, we should also pray for Trump during his presidency.
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