A Biblical Critique of John Piper's Anti-Trump Election Article in 2020

John Piper's latest political article, "Policies, Persons, and Paths to Ruin" implies that President Trump's personality and character (mainly his pride) are far worse and more harmful than could possibly allow for any consideration of the specific long-term good fruit of his 3 1/2 years in office and the potential for even greater positive fruit in potentially four more years of service. Though he mentions abortion, Piper completely ignores strong arguments regarding the importance of abortion as a political subject, as he caters to the Fake News narrative that President Trump's personality and character together somehow represent the biggest problem, especially pro-self pride: "And I think it is baffling and presumptuous to assume that pro-abortion policies kill more people than a culture-saturating, pro-self pride."

1) “Thou shalt not kill.” (murder) Exodus 20:13

While this election is not a single-issue election, abortion is a valid priority to consider when voting. Perhaps the greatest evil there is today is the taxpayer funding of abortion on demand up to birth, and infanticide if the infant survives the abortion. Approximately 900,000 are aborted in the US each year through often very painful procedures wherein the skull of the fetus is crushed and the body eviscerated and vacuumed out. I can't imagine how this must grieve God's heart. Many Christians have developed a seared conscience to the moral atrocity that abortion represents. William Lane Craig has summarized a brief and powerful argument logically showing that abortion is essentially genocide. I've found that anti-Trump voters will refuse to engage in debate on this subject and answer the two questions that Craig outlines in his article, as shown in Facebook dialogues. If John Piper and his followers wish to dismiss the subject of abortion as secondary to Trump's character, they should be willing to answer these questions in the following linked article and publish their response somewhere, instead of just dismissing the subject as secondary:

"Given our answers to the two questions above, it follows that abortion on demand is the transcendent moral issue of our time. Since the legalization of abortion on demand in 1973, we have witnessed an American Holocaust which has claimed the lives of tens of millions of innocent human beings."

https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/abortion-and-presidential-politics

2) “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." Exodus 20:16

The most serious attacks on Trump's character are based on lies. For example, the lie that Trump is a racist is repeated over and over. The 'very fine people' lie is repeated by CNN around the world, and Biden and Harris each repeated it in their central debate points. The fact is, Trump, denounced Nazis and white supremacists in his Chancellorsville comments, but his enemies edit this out.

https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/08/20/fact-check-joe-biden-repeats-the-very-fine-people-hoax-at-dnc/

I've noticed that both Piper and Keller repeat the bad-character argument without ever admitting that many of the attacks are based on lies. This is a 'sin of omission' and bearing false witness. Tim Keller has supported the defamatory behavior by Fake News, apparently without ever challenging it. Facts matter and truth matters.

http://templestream.blogspot.com/2017/12/why-tim-keller-is-wrong-about-trump-and.html

3) “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7)

If Piper and Keller had their wishes in 2016, we would not have new conservative judges being appointed to SCOTUS. Though these spiritual leaders dismiss the value of less corruption, more free speech, more right to life, more religious protections, in contrast to the twisted presentations of Trump's character, Wayne Grudem makes a strong point that 'the good of land' is, in fact, more likely to happen through good judges and the appointment of constitution-supporting leaders, as Trump is enacting.

https://townhall.com/columnists/waynegrudem/2020/08/08/letter-to-an-antitrump-christian-friend-n2573909?fbclid=IwAR129eu2OcSCw9DxkppcQJLbeRz1N0FI11b1KYK-OhVkwNpMjEexjxrcXl8

4) "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." John 7:24

If we consider the good fruit of a person's life mainly to be with regard to how they appear (prideful in this case) and not what they actually accomplish, isn't that Pharisaical? If you look at all the good that President Trump has done for allowing basic freedoms and rights, and the potential ability to share the gospel, I would offer that the overall effect of Trump's work is much greater than what John Piper gives credit for. It seems that Piper is behaving like a modern-day Pharisee by assuming that the fruit of character is shown more by appearances than the work a person engages in and the net positive influences of the person.

http://www.waynegrudem.com/list-of-25-good-things-president-trump-has-done-for-america

5) "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." Proverbs 4:7

People familiar with US politics understand that voting for a third party can make sense in smaller local elections but in the 2020 Presidential Election will essentially be throwing your vote away. It's illogical, useful only perhaps for virtue signaling. While useless virtue signaling may incorporate elements found in political correctness, self-righteousness, and moral superiority, it does not seem to be a practical or sound biblical perspective. While very ambiguous, Piper seems to be advocating for a third party vote in his article. As shown in the first point, if Piper opposes the pro-life position then by default he's essentially an accessory to murder.

https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-09-15/third-party-contenders-not-a-factor-in-2020-presidential-election

6) “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” Matthew 5:13

Matthew Henry's commentary on this verse outlined that salt has a preserving quality and our light as Christians is shown mainly by good works. We are presently experiencing an onslaught of evil in society wherein good is called evil and evil is called good. We can choose to simply grin and go with the flow, or we can help to promote and explain ethical literacy and the objective foundation of ethics, beyond mere appearances, as the moral truth found in God's good, eternal, unchanging nature. Rather than simply judging the president's personality, we can join the president and Rep Tim Scott in helping the black community with reinvestment in inner-city opportunity zones and black-owned businesses, help prisoners set free through the First Step Act, and recognize HBCU initiatives and progress, to name a few positive things. And we can contribute with good works in our own way.
 
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/08/historic-black-business-ownership-under-trump-jumps-400-in-one-year/

7) (Pray) "For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (1 Timothy 2:2)

In John Piper's article, he invites us to imagine a world where anarchy reigns, Christians have no more rights and are giving up their lives joyfully as they are destroyed: "Imagine that America collapses. First anarchy, then tyranny..." What's ironic is that by helping to support a Radical Left platform based on secular-atheist values opposed to Christianity, Piper is hastening this type of scenario unnecessarily. The verse he quotes is in the past tense and in the context of ancient Rome is was a forgone conclusion that Christians were being persecuted and killed, so the compliment that they took these abuses with joy makes sense: “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property," Hebrews 10:34. However, we are not quite at the Christian martyr stage yet in the US and we're called to seek and pray for order and stability, not to promote anarchy and those that represent it. If Christians such as Piper simply act like Vladimir Lenin's 'useful idiots' and support their destructive agenda, it doesn't seem wise or biblical at all. Doctrine matters, and it seems that Piper's overt focus on pleasure in God is detracting him from practical matters, likewise, Tim Keller's own theology is influencing his politics in a negative manner. 

John Piper, who has built a virtual ministry empire around seeking pleasure in God seems to have his conscience dulled to the excruciating pain of the millions of aborted lives and the deep sadness that God must feel regarding this. Piper has pinpointed "self-pride" as the alleged ultimate and central problem to be avoided and yet it's apparent in the intro to his book Desiring God that Piper's doctrine of Christian Hedonism originated mainly with his own desire for happiness, and not as a result of biblical study. Could it be that Piper's obsession with President Trump's pride is really a reflection of his own pride? Remember how the prophet Nathan told David, "Thou art the man!" (2 Samuel 12:7). I've looked closely at Piper's doctrine and the manner in which he objectifies God for the sake of his own pleasure does seem prideful. The fact is, we are meant to be in a dynamic relationship with God and not to view God as an end towards a means, as Piper offers: "Christian Hedonism says more; namely, that we should pursue happiness, and pursue it with all our might." It's arrogant for Piper to claim that a Christian must accept his views or be considered unconverted: "Unless a man be born again into a Christian Hedonist, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

I believe that God isn't finished with the US yet and that God is awaking people's hearts in ways not seen in decades. Pastor Greg Laurie says he's not seen such widespread personal responses to the gospel since the Jesus Movement in the 1970s. Greg Laurie has met and prayed with the president and has interviewed conservative politician Tim Scott during his Harvest at Home meetings. Despite these public associations with President Trump and (deplorable) conservatives, masses of people are making personal commitments to Christ through his ministry. The idea that any association with President Trump is an obstacle to the gospel is simply not supported. On the contrary, Christians should understand that we can extend grace and forgiveness to all people because we know that God will judge all righteously. If God could forgive and use murder and adulterer King David, he can forgive and use President Trump and everyone else for that matter. Those that reject President Trump as a possible instrument used by God in some manner reject the grace and sovereignty of God.

Instead of helping the anti-God and anti-Christian agenda of the Radical Left, why not give God a chance to do even more in the next four years?