My thoughts on President Donald Trump giving a surprise visit to Pastor David Platt’s church

So yesterday Pastor David Platt’s church gets a surprise visit from the President of the United States.

On a positive note it’s wonderful that Trump visited this church, and that Platt prayed for him. And we can trust David Platt to not tell the President to “accept Jesus” or “Pray this prayer,” and then heretically tell him that he’s saved. Thankfully Platt has been an opponent of such anti-biblical rhetoric.

However, though Platt’s soteriology may be reformed, he apparently has not embraced the doctrines of grace, specifically a limited – particular atonement.

To enable my readers to better understand the reason for my post. We must understand that President Trump has boasted about adultery, continues to advance and celebrate the homosexual agenda, supports abortion in some cases, and stated during his campaign that he has no need to repent, nor no need for forgiveness.

I can appreciate many things that Platt said in his prayer. But knowing these things about Trumps character, I don’t believe it was wise to pray “God, we pray that he would know how much you love him—so much that you sent Jesus to die for his sins, our sins.”

Platt just prayed a universal atonement over the President of the United States of America. He did this at a mega church, and in the presence of a world wide internet audience. To say “you sent Jesus to die for his sins” can give Trump a false sense of eternal security. It implies that Christ died for Trump’s sins, that his sins have been atoned for (and that is uncertain at this time). Therefore it implies that Trump has no need for salvation. It implies that Trump already has a good standing with God. When in fact the Scriptures teach that before salvation, we are enemies of the Lord, children or wrath, and sons of perdition. And every time the unregenerate sins, they are storing up more wrath for the day of judgment.

But this is the unpopular truth. Christ died only for God’s elect, not for everyone! Oh how the ignorant will quote John 3:16 out of context, because they do not understand hermeneutics. By the grace of God, so go I.

Charles H. Spurgeon said it best –

“If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord’s will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel, insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness.”

You might be thinking, “Well you’re too divisive!” I liked what Dr. Theodore Zachariades posted today –

“Anyone that tells you: “doctrine is divisive,” hear them out. Just rephrase it like this: “Christ is divisive” and “Bible teaching is divisive,” so the matter is put to bed. Christianity is nothing if it does not discriminate. The faith of the New Testament is not the kumbaya-like inclusive movement of modern effeminate “christianity.” Rather, it is a roaring lion that proclaims allegiance to Christ at all costs, even to the division of closest family ties. If I must divide from my nearest and dearest for the sake of the gospel, then parting ways over doctrine with other strangers that are theologically suspect should be a walk in the park.”

SOURCE: LinkedIn

I’m just a knucklehead. But with this President, at such a time as this, perhaps my prayer would have been something more like this (after presenting both the Law and Gospel to Trump).

• Oh God as You already know our ungodly nation at-large has defiantly waved their fists at You. All the way to the highest levels of legislative jurisprudence, our nation has approved, committed, and legislated the following crimes and transgressions against You (including but not limited to).
• We have legalized drugs (sorcery), and call it ‘medicinal,’ or ‘recreational.’
• We have legalized unbiblical divorce, and call it an ‘irreconcilable difference.’
• We have legalized heterosexual sex ‘sex before, or outside of marriage’ (fornication), and call it ‘shacking up,’ or ‘making love.’
• We have legalized adultery, and call it ‘cheating,’ or ‘fooling around.’
• We have legalized sodomy (anal sex), and call it ‘being gay.’
• We have legalized homosexuality, and call it an ‘alternative lifestyle.’
• We have legalized homosexual marriage, and call it ‘love.’
• We have legalized abortion (murder), and call it ‘a choice.’
• We have legalized taking the name of the Lord in vein (blasphemy), and call it a ‘freedom of speech.’
• This President has promoted the homosexual agenda, and calls it “diversity.”
• Lord Jesus as You said twice to the Pharisees in Luke 13, unless they repent, they will all likewise perish.
• Lord I pray that if it is Your will, if he is not saved, that You would grant him repentance and salvation.
• Lord grant the President and his staff wisdom, according to Your will – in Jesus name.”