"I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked." Psalm 26:4-5, NRSV
King David was the legendary ruler of Israel. As all countries have a leader hero they point to, who they credit with being responsible for their "golden age," and in the history of Israel, as it is told in the Old Testament, King David is the symbol of their golden age. Not all of his reign was golden, as the various records in the Old Testament indicate, and he committed some grievous mistakes as both the King of his nation, and in his personal life.
What makes him stand out is that, as a leader, he acknowleged the error of his ways when that was pointed out to him, grieved over his wrongdoing, repented from it, and had to accept the consequences of his bad choices, which included family conflict and turmoil that persisted among his children, including having a son rebel against him and try to take the throne from him. Ultimately, his actions resulted in the death of three of his children.
He is attributed as the author of many of the Psalms in the Old Testament, reflections of his thoughts and his character, as he led Israel as its second King, to what would be its greatest extent and influence as a middle eastern empire. Psalm 26 is a request for forgiveness, and a statement of repentance that demonstrates his desire for redemption and his turning away from the evil he had committed, asking for a grace he acknowledges he does not deserve on his own.
"Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty, those in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes. But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord." Psalm 26:9-12, NRSV
Integrity in a political leader. Imagine that.
Mike Johnson and his "Biblical Worldview"
The current Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, a Louisiana congressman from the northern, "Bible belt" part of the state, an Evangelical by virtue of his membership in a Southern Baptist-affiliated congregation, has made the statement that those who wish to understand his "worldview" need only read the Bible, and that's it. I'm suggesting, based on the evidence, including looking at this particular passage from the Bible which directly relates to the issue of politics and leadership, that the Speaker's real worldview is not biblical at all.
That's based on my own observation. It appears that the Speaker has an unqualified devotion for, and loyalty to, former President Trump. And frankly, it is impossible to lay claim to holding a biblical worldview, and also support Trump in any way, shape or form, including from a strictly political perspective. "Integrity" and "Trump" is an oxymoron. One either has integrity, or he doesn't, and support for Trump is an indication of a lack of integrity. I don't really care what the Speaker says about his worldview, if that's what he wants to call his perspective, it's not biblical, if that's the measurement he's using.
King David says, ""I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked." That's a pretty clear worldview. Speaker Johnson cannot say the same.
His handling of the speakership is also an indication that he's missed the point of a biblical worldview. Frankly, in a nation with a constitution that grants complete freedom of consicence to its citizens, including freedom of religion and separates the government from the church, for the good of both institutions, I would not expect the imposition of one's biblical perspective to come from a member of the government. I have no problem with a member of Congress or a President relying on their faith for the strength and integrity to do their job of serving the people who elected them. But I do have a problem with their failure to live up to the oath of office they took to become a member of Congress by making excuses for the leader of their political party who intended to overthrow what they swore to protect.
The core values of the Christian gospel are found in the record of Jesus' preaching and teaching, and in the written works of the apostles, left behind as a rich deposit of values and virtues produced by the practice of Christian faith. This would include the vitrues known as the "Beatitudes," found in Matthew 5:1-13, which includes values like "hungering and thirsting after righteousness," and being a peacemaker. It produces character traits like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, genrleness and self-control. "Against such things there is no law," says the Apostle Paul, who wrote that.
Where is any of that visible in Trump, his agenda, or his MAGA following?
It isn't. And that's exactly why, under any circumstance, support for Trump is incongruent and inconsistent with a "biblical worldview." The Speaker has made his choice, and it's not to follow the theology, doctrine and practice of Christian faith as it is defined in the Bible. He's allowing himself to be defined by Trumpism. That's his worldview and he needs to have the integrity to admit it.
An Evil Infiltration of Christianity
The early church apostles warned that philosophies and practices based on evil would easily slip into the Christian church and subvert its mission and purpose if the members of the church weren't well informed and well educated about their theology, doctrine and practice. Jude says, "For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who, long ago, were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness..." It's pretty obvious that a good sized segment of what is known as Evangelical Christianity in America has had this intrusion affect their ability to function as a Christian church, and it has become nothing more than a political tool in the hands of a corrupt, evil politician who brags about his worldliness as his trademark.
Many Christians have accepted this man as a political leader, and think he has embraced their faith. But Jude describes the kind of infiltraters in the church as "grumblers and malcontents, indulging their own lusts, they are bombastic in speech, flattering people to their own advantage." That's a perfect description of Trump and his followers. Trump has gone so far as to actually deny any experience of conviction of his sin, repentance and acceptance of forgiveness, which are core essentials of Christian conversion, according to the Bible, claiming he is sinless, and in no need of asking forgiveness from God. The Apostle John labels any human who makes that kind of denial an "antichrist."
As a Christian, I could never accept or support any leader, political or otherwise, who has such a record of pathological lying, business fraud and blatant dishonesty, who treated all three of the women he was married to with contempt, having multiple affairs and then humiliating his wives with the public proclamation of his adultery, who doesn't have a shred of integrity when it comes to owning up to his mistakes, but instead, seeks vengeance against everyone who holds him accountable to the truth.
And so, the Speaker of the House has a choice. He is either a follower of a Christian worldview with its foundation in the Bible, or he is a follower of Trump, and is just another dishonest politician who can't operate outside of partisan blindness.
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