Empty Words and their Exposure

It is not the immorality or strategic incompetence of Trump that will bring him down but his emptiness. It is the Christian apocalyptic task to recognise and expose it.

“Let no one deceive you with empty words.”

(‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬ ESV)

One of the premises of this blog is that the apocalyptic aspect of the Christian gospel must be explored and applied, not ignored. To ignore it, out of fear of its extremism or uncertainties, is to give its interpretations over to fools and those preaching a perverted Christian apocalypticism without a biblical basis.

I have been thinking about this problem as Donald Trump’s rhetoric has become even more extreme over the weeks of the foolhardy US-Israeli war against Iran. Some Christian commentators have broken from him but others have urged Christians to stay with the man that they believe will save the nation.

I am hopeful that over the next few months the choices facing conservative Christians who have publicly supported Trump will become more acute. Those that stay loyal as his decisions and his rants - inconsistent though they are - become more monstrous will demonstrate that they side with power over Christian virtues.

In a widely shared post on X, Mandy Arthur, captured the mood: “God, we might have made a mistake and accidentally elected the Antichrist. Send help.”

However, we shouldn’t put the blame on Trump voters. People often vote on single issues or on instincts. Ultimately, it’s a relative choice between two bad options. The problem - sin, in Christian terms - arises when voters believe that only their candidate can save the nation, or make it great again. These voters buy into the lies that all politicians tell - on both right and left - to keep the system ticking over. In the US, such fictive politics have been taken to the extreme in recent decades. Trump’s “Big lie” (about the 2020 election being stolen) is, of course, just one of many. His business is not so much lying as fiction.

Fiction is a primary medium of politics and it has its consumers as well as its producers. This was evident in the AI Jesus episode where Trump posted a generated image of himself as Christ. As Mike Judge commentated in the Evangelical Times:

This is not merely about one man’s misjudgment; it exposes a wider spiritual confusion at the heart of modern evangelical culture.

Judge argues that the thirst for cultural Christianity is so great in the evangelical church that we are prepared to compromise the truth for fiction and ultimately a big lie.

Let’s take some of this week’s “smaller” lies regarding the Iran war which might need “help”. The war is not a necessity, it’s a choice. Its strategic disaster is well documented but repeatedly denied. The blockade of the straight of Hormuz cannot work. It is unlikely to achieve leverage over Iran as the blockade can be thwarted with low tech means. Why would Iran negotiate seriously now? Why would America’s “partners” support its recklessness? The only choice left for Trumps delusion of absolute victory to appear possible is military escalation, which could cause humanitarian disaster.

We may pray for providence. However, God is neither an emergency service nor a military commander. He doesn’t provide “strategic solutions”. His first response to human suffering, Christians believe, came in Christ who was with God from the beginning and the Holy Spirit who is given to help us discern good from evil. The wider purpose here is apocalyptic: it is about unveiling the lies we tell ourselves. Lies which keep the political world turning but cause untold human suffering. Telling about that suffering and its needlessness is an act of the apocalyptic.

For those getting queasy over talk of the apocalyptic, we could dial it down to the mere prophetic. The Bible provides not a manual for getting rich or success but it does provide plenty of counsel in the face of wicked and/or feckless rulers like Trump. Such teaching is the underlying basis for Pope Leo’s warning about the “illusion of omnipotence” which elicited another juvenile response from Trump this week.

He would be wise to read Isaiah 14:13-15 on how foolish leaders who strive for worldly greatness are brought down. Or maybe he could read Habakkuk 2, Jeremiah 50, or Micah 2 on the woes faced by kings who unjustly attack others. But perhaps best of all of Hosea’s warning against rulers who rely on military power.

Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people, and all your fortresses. (Hosea‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬-‭14‬)‬‬

There is a more general biblical truth here. This week, I’ve been reading Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. It contains a warning that is especially important for us all who are living after Christendom as much as it does for its audience in Ephesus before Christendom. The apostle Paul writes:

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭11‬)

Whether or not Donald Trump is the “Antichrist”, a representative of the “Man of lawlessness”, or just another of the foolish kings of history is less important than the fact that we avoid being deceived by all such darkness. We are told that the wrath of God comes on those that do. Some of the American church - aspects of which have held themselves out as a model of how to do churches in a post-Christendom West of individuals and consumers - will surely see this wrath. They are as much guilty for promoting non biblical morals as some of the Christian “liberals” they rail against for putting individual self expression over membership of a community of duty under God.

But the letter to the Ephesians holds out hope for those that have been deceived, that they may recognise that and turn away. It holds that “now you are light in the Lord” and exhorts the Ephesians to “try to discern what is pleasing to the lord”. This is the language of grace which accompanies the language of wrath.

Paul urges the Ephesians not to take part in “unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them”. This is how we take part in the apocalyptic, not by fighting the war of Armageddon, but by calling out the wars of the world - including ones being commanded by the chiefs we serve. Christians in the US military are in a tough spot. But I would hope to see a surge of resignations from the American armed forces by faithful believers in coming months. Such resignations would indeed be powerful acts of unveiling evil.

For those civilian Christian leaders and influencers who have publicly followed Trump the right choice is less costly but still comes with a blow to their pride. Rather than simply criticise the president, as more and more are now doing, they should look at themselves. There is plenty of biblical wisdom that they ignored in supporting Trump. In being deceived by his empty words they disobeyed God.

My guess is that this year there will be a reckoning - military, economic and electoral. Some will blame Trump, he will blame one of his acolytes, they will blame each other. But the spiritual reckoning in the American church and before God is the most important one from a Christian perspective.

It is not just the American evangelical church which has been taken in by “emptiness” but parts of it offer extreme versions of its dangers. For my American Christian friends, if you didn’t vote for this, I feel your pain but encourage willingness to listen to those that did. If you still support Trump, then please reconsider the lies about “strength” and the role of government that you’ve been sold. It’s time to expose these empty words.