Cal Thomas: A strong defense

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Thursday, February 29th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown. Up next: politics and faith. There’s nothing wrong with working to create good laws and elect good leaders. But WORLD commentator Cal Thomas warns some Christians are trusting politicians to do things only Christ can do.

CAL THOMAS: Last Thursday, former President Donald Trump spoke to an audience of devoted fans at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville. Among other things, he said if re-elected president he would create a federal task force for “fighting anti-Christian bias. … Its mission will be to investigate all forms of illegal discrimination, harassment and persecution against Christians in America.”

From the beginning of the nation, presidents and candidates have used religious language and quoted Scripture to influence Christians to vote for them and back their policies. Not all have meant what they said, or reflected in their personal and political lives the faith they claim to hold.

Trump also repeated his assertion that the radical left wants “to tear down crosses where they can, and cover them up with social justice flags,” adding, “But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration, I swear to you.”

I always thought crosses were a good defense against vampires until someone told me there are no vampires in America. I replied, “See, the crosses are working!”

But seriously, folks.

Evangelical Christians are just as misguided if they believe government is necessary to defend their faith. And they’re getting their marching orders from somewhere other than the Scriptures they claim to revere.

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus, suffered numerous persecutions because of his faith. These included beatings, shipwrecks, hunger, jail and eventually death. He responded in his second letter to Timothy: “My persecutions and sufferings that happened to me … I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Jesus Christ will be persecuted….”

In John chapter 15, Jesus Himself told his disciples to expect persecution: “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you, also….”

Matthew records Jesus saying: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven….” The key words here are “for righteousness’ sake” and “falsely.” If one is persecuted for saying and doing stupid things, the persecution is on them.

Christians all over the world have suffered harsh persecution. American Christians think they are being persecuted for things that would be considered trivial by those who have experienced imprisonment, even death, for their faith.

It’s not wrong to seek good government, but ultimately, people of strong faith don’t need secular government to defend them. Like Christians of the past (and some in the present like Russian patriot Alexei Navalny), we’re called to stand strong for the faith, living it out in obedience to the one we call “Lord.” If we do that, the world just might stand back and marvel.

I’m Cal Thomas.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.