Many Christians in America and around the world are still in shock, not because of the ravaging pandemic and other global crises, but because of the outcome of the recent presidential election in the country. A number of prophets in America and across the world, including Nigeria, had prophesied that Trump was going to win the election. In addition, a number of Christians expressed their desire, prayed to and believed God for the continuation of the Trump presidency for another term. Up until a few days before the inauguration, some prophets still believed something could happen that would overturn the result of the election and keep Trump in the White House for another term. But that was not to be.
This development has left a number of these people devastated, both mentally and spiritually. Some prophets have summoned the courage to apologise to their teeming followers for getting it wrong with their prophecies. I commend them for that. It is not an easy thing to do. Some people’s faith has been shaken as a result of this development. They are now asking: How could they have gotten it so wrong? Does this mean these are false prophets? First, we need to understand that hidden desires in our subconscious are capable of influencing or interfering with what we receive from God. When one goes to God on an inquiry, with certain desires or biases, one will most likely return with those biases as answers from God. Second, prophetic operations are not as simple as we take them to be. Some prophecies, for instance, are conditional. That these prophets got this wrong and apologised does not necessarily make them false prophets. It does not mean there are no fakes among them though. False prophets are all over the place right now, just as the Bible had warned.
Having explained what could be responsible for the wrong prophetic declaration and false predictions, let me move on to the second issue this piece seeks to address. The reasons why conservative Christians in America and others across the world wanted Trump to win the election and continue in the White House have been widely expressed. One is the issue of homosexuality, which the Bible is clearly against. The other issue is abortion. These are some of the major contentious issues that both Democrats and Republicans have clear and distinct positions on. The other is gun rights. However, the issues of homosexuality and abortion were of primary concerns to a number of believers in the past election, as they clearly violate Kingdom principles.
It is important for Christians, both in America and other parts of the world to know that taking a stand against homosexuality and abortion through an election does not make one a follower of Christ or a Kingdom believer. What makes us followers of Christ is beyond going against these two issues. Homosexuality and abortion are clearly against Kingdom principles. However, we cannot focus on these two issues and neglect the central issue of love, for instance. I realised from the exchanges on the news and on social media that a lot of people who are claiming to defend Kingdom principles are full of hatred for their fellow citizens. There are other principles of the kingdom that are clearly being undermined by these campaigners. I am focusing on the subject of love because it is the core of our faith and the greatest commandment, according to the Scripture. Paul, in 1 Corinthians dedicated an entire chapter to teaching us how important love is, especially how it trumps (no pun intended) other spiritual expressions such as prophecy, faith, giving of alms, etc.
The impression that Trump’s Christian supporters are giving to the world is that as long as the issues of homosexuality and abortion are sorted in line with the principles of the Kingdom of God, then everything is fine. ‘The everything is fine’ means the ‘Christian president’ gets a pass for other violations of Kingdom principles, which shouldn’t be so. Taking a stand against these two issues does not make a Christian or a Godly president. As believers, we must seek to promote the whole counsel of God.
I understand that a Republican president would not support abortion and homosexuality. It’s great for us as believers, even though that’s not all being a believer is about. I understand that we want to see or live in a society that is governed by kingdom principles and values.
The third important issue I will like to draw the attention of Christians to is the flaw in the notion that righteousness can be legislated. Laws are great. They help maintain sanity and order in every society. I understand that a Republican president would not support abortion and homosexuality. It’s great for us as believers, even though that’s not all being a believer is about. I understand that we want to see or live in a society that is governed by kingdom principles and values. However, in as much as laws are great and needed, there is an extent to which righteousness can be promoted through legislation.
Let’s look at a clear example in the Bible. After the Children of Israel exited Egypt, God gave them a set of laws, as well as a governance system that helped define them as a distinct civilisation. The letters of these laws were in effect for over 1000 years. However, when Jesus Christ came, the letters of the laws were set aside, primarily because they were ineffective in making the people righteous. First, the blood of animals was not capable of providing a sustained redemption and forgiveness of sins before God. Second, the practice of the law and compliance with its provision became ceremonial and ritualistic, with little or no impact on the quality of their being. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross put an end to that practice and the focus shifted from external observance of laws to internal conviction, submission, willing obedience and transformation.
In the Book of Hebrews, Chapters 8 and 9, Paul wrote succinctly on the nullification of the old legalistic system that had become obsolete and ineffective. Permit me to reproduce relevant portions of these chapters here:
“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah… For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.” — Hebrews 8:7-8, 10-11.
The purposes of God will not be stopped, regardless of who wins election into the office of the president in any part of the world and even if election malpractices are exposed in the future, in this instance, it still would not affect God’s purposes.
Paul went further to describe the old covenant:
“Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary…This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.” – Hebrews 9:1,9-10
From these verses, we can see how God Himself saw the ineffectiveness of the legislation of man’s purity and decided to come up with a better arrangement through Jesus Christ by which man gets to become righteous. Having legislations against abortion and homosexuality sounds like a great idea. But it will do very little to make people righteous. The issue of righteousness is beyond the physical observance of laws. It is a matter of the heart. God wants people to willingly submit and obey Him.
Having provided this clarification, if Christians in America and in other parts of the world believed God brought Trump in to serve a Kingdom agenda, why do they think the same God cannot use Biden to advance His purposes in America and in the earth? God is multi-dimensional. He cannot be figured out through a narrow lens. A multi-dimensional sight is needed to appreciate a multi-dimensional God. We must not put God in a ‘box’. If you do so, we will miss His movements in the earth in these last days. The purposes of God will not be stopped, regardless of who wins election into the office of the president in any part of the world and even if election malpractices are exposed in the future, in this instance, it still would not affect God’s purposes. As Kingdom believers, we should shine the light so that those around us will desire to know our Father and embrace His principles sincerely and not just depend on legislation to make people live righteously.
