“The People Rejoice”

In a predictable yet profoundly incriminating act, President Biden bookended his record-breaking number of presidential pardons by including General Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Faucci, and the congressional members of the J6 committee. More than any other bureaucratic figureheads, these men and women represent the absolute departure from justice, truth, common sense, and sanity that the last four years were. If the Biden presidency could be described in one scripture, it would be Proverbs 29:2, When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, people groan.

On a personal note, I can say without hesitation that no presidential administration has ever affected my own life and the lives of my friends and family more than Biden’s. Policies finding their source in the Biden White House saw the termination of my wife’s medical career due to vaccine mandates, widespread financial strain leading to the relocation of my family and many friends, and so many deaths from fentanyl that essentially every American knows or knows of someone who has died from overdose. 

As a chilly sun cast a muted glow over Washington D.C., Joe Biden, now a private citizen once again, boarded Marine One and was taken away from the Capitol, never to return as president.

Standing in the Gap – or the Way

As I write this, Trump’s proposed policies seem to be springing into action. The CPB One app used for facilitating millions of illegal immigrants into the US has allegedly been suspended.  Many federal employees have resigned from their positions in anticipation of being fired. J6 political prisoners have been pardoned. Trump’s inaugural speech included repeated commitments to “drill, baby, drill,” return to a merit-based system in the military, take back the Panama Canal, and improve the nation’s physical health. For the most part, Trump’s return just sounds like a return to the most basic sense: There are only boys and girls, militaries are for fighting bad guys, and governments exist for the benefit of their own people, not peoples abroad.

It would appear that one man stood in the way of this return to fundamental, sensible government policy: Joe Biden. His absence took only seconds to begin producing results for the American people. His regime began under a hard lockdown that featured attendees sitting six feet apart for no reason, choked out by N-95 masks, listening to Garth Brooks awkwardly perform to a few dozen dignitaries and politicians. It ends with throngs of enthusiastic Trump supporters cheering for an end to the chaos and a return to order.

“Channels of Water”

It’s very difficult to feel anything but profound relief following the inauguration of Donald Trump. For those of us who have suffered under Biden’s policies, this change in regime feels like a vindication. We know from Scripture that the “king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1-9 (NASB 1995) As the Lord saw fit to allow Biden to rise to the office of the presidency, He’s now seen fit to raise Trump back to power. Our responsibility as Christians is to make “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings… on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet (lives) in all godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) In addition to praying for President Trump, there are specific areas that Christians will need to be especially prepared to deal with, provide biblical rhetoric for, and act when called upon.

Ceaseless Manipulation

Trump’s return represents many things, but specifically to the world of evangelicalism, it demonstrates the failure of leftist evangelical leaders to emotionally influence their own on key issues—most notably illegal immigration. One of the nation’s largest voting blocks, evangelicals, are a particularly favorable target for emotional manipulation. Often with a little scripture twisting, our biblical values can be weaponized against our own interests. We’ve seen this tactic used unceasingly to justify illegal mass migration under the guise of “justice for the sojourner,” or “mercy to the stranger.” 

From 2021 – 2024, in the name of compassion and humanitarianism, some of the most barbaric, cold, cruel, and callous policies have been justified and enacted. The open US border has led to currently unknown levels of murder, rape, carnage, fraud, and financial strain on ordinary Americans. But it appears that the propaganda may be losing its effect. Time will tell. 

Images of children crying while being loaded onto buses headed south will likely become center stage in the American media sphere over the next few months. The usual suspects will excitedly decry the “heartless,” unconscionable” policy of deportation. The responsibility of biblically minded Christians will be to maintain their commitment to true, biblical justice regardless of optics or projected emotion.

Pursuing Power

Trump stated during his inaugural speech that he believes “God saved me so that I can make America great again.” Whether he will be able to or not remains to be seen, but it cannot be denied that he was spared, it was God who did the sparing, and it was for a purpose. What Trump now possesses, in the face of his enemies, is power – a possession summarily denounced by a throng of evangelical figureheads (at least if it’s being exercised by the right).

But many evangelicals now understand that power isn’t a dirty word. The question is merely who will wield it, in whose name, and to what purpose. If power is shifting in a direction more aligned with biblical justice and virtue, then the time to act is now. Pursuing power and influence should not be eschewed by the righteous, but rather encouraged (“When the righteous increases, the people rejoice”). 

Many Christian conservatives will be quick to point out that the Republican Party has more or less abandoned issues like abortion and marriage. This is a serious misalignment of priorities at best and a judgment-producing miscarriage of justice at worst. Those in power will be held responsible for their lack of action on protecting life, marriage, and families. Uncompromising opposition to these evils may cause political alienation, even within the Republican majority. But this is not a reason to merely stand on the sidelines and complain. It’s a time to seek influence and authority so that actions can be taken to stop these evils. Regardless of the frustrations of the lackadaisical attitude by many supposed right-wing politicians, opposing abortion and sexual anarchy under a Trump administration is far safer and more likely to produce results than it would be under a Kamala Harris regime.

Rejoicing in the Mercies of the Lord

A reprieve from the evil, oppression, and insanity of the previous administration is worth celebrating. It’s worth giving thanks for. It’s worth commemorating. Another day to love husbands or wives, laugh with our kids, cherish our parents and grandparents, and fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ without fear of reprisal is something to earnestly be desired and prayed for. Four years ago, these were not guarantees.

American Christians have been immeasurably blessed. But we have a lot of work to do. Let’s roll up our sleeves. 

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. – 1 Peter 2:16-18