“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”

Titus 1:15-16 (NIV)

I have been unyielding and unwavering in my criticism of our current POTUS – and the Christian communities that support him. As a passionate and studious Born-Again Christian, that criticism has been entirely grounded in scripture.

These two passages from the Apostle Paul in his letter to Titus seemingly offer opportunity to rebut POTUS’ professed love of Christ and the misguided Christians that empower him. But to do so would be taking these verses out of their intended context.

In his letter, Paul is specifically referencing leaders within the church – particularly those teaching false doctrine. Applying it directly to a political leader outside the church stretches its context.

So let’s put the spotlight on those church leaders that endorse, enable and empower POTUS by leveraging their church leadership to deceive those whom they are to faithfully lead to Christ.

I preface these comments by acknowledging that God alone will judge the hearts of those to whom I have alluded. I cannot and will not do so. But I will judge their words and behaviors in the context of scripture. And I will pray that God sees in each a repentant, compassionate and faithful soul – just as I pray He sees that in me.

Here I will focus on the individual POTUS appointed to lead the White House Faith Office. This woman, void of formal theological training, is a zealous proponent of the prosperity gospel, asserting that faith and financial giving will lead to material wealth, physical health and personal success.

Most theologians believe this to be a distortion of biblical teachings. For instance, 1 Timothy 6:9-10 clearly warns of the evils of such material aspirations:

“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Her willingness to beguile those whom she should be leading to Christ becomes particularly evil when, instead, she leverages those relationships to enrich herself through highly questionable appeals. This past Easter season, for example, this pastor encouraged followers to give her $1,000 and receive in return “seven supernatural blessings” based on Exodus 23: God will “assign an angel to you,” “be an enemy to your enemies,” “give you prosperity,” “take sickness away from you,” “give you a long life, “bring increase and inheritance” and “give a special year of blessing.” Oh, and she’ll also send a Waterford cross.

Contrary to her implication, God is not a divine vending machine. Scripture is unambiguous that He prefers love, compassion, humility and sacrifice to cash. The Christian theology is one that worships God – not use Him.

Ironically, this pastor seems to have conveniently skipped past verse 1 of this same chapter which warns as follows…

“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.”

… while verse 2a offers wisdom to those who may be vulnerable to dubious solicitations:

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.”

In his letter to Titus, Paul is writing about false teachers and those who undermine Christian teaching through hypocrisy and moral failure. Those who claim to know God but live in disobedience to His word are the subject of his warnings, representing the greatest threat to the Christian Church in their hypocrisy.

As to why POTUS deemed this individual to be the right choice to lead the White House Faith Office, one can only speculate. I have my thoughts but leave the reader to nurture their own. However, as with many similar choices, this one was made with fealty to him in mind – not to serve the faithful in this country.

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them —bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”

2 Peter 2:1-3