“Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked.”

These are the words of conservative political activist Riley Gaines in response to Donald Trump’s heretical posting of himself as Jesus Christ.

BRAVO!

Gaines was not alone in chastising POTUS. As expected, many of those towards the opposite end of the political spectrum registered their indignity. Rightly so. But conspicuously absent among the those in condemning Trump’s blasphemy were many of the duplicitous grifters who curry his favor to satisfy their own egos and/or bank accounts. They masquerade as church leaders, but they are instead false prophets, serving only themselves rather than the sheep they profess to shepherd.

This episode is quite revealing about the scale of their hypocrisy.

The Bible is unequivocal regarding the responsibility to recognize and oppose evil. And while I as a layman seek to fulfill that responsibility through writing and example, the obligation of church leaders to shepherd their flocks to eternal life with Christ through obedience to His word is infinitely greater.

Thus, their silence – or, worse, their rationalization – is incriminating.

Scripture leaves no room for neutrality. Silence in the face of evil is complicity – and the consequences are severe, particularly for those who are called to be our watchmen. Failure to speak against heresy can be self-indicting.

“If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.” Ezekial 33:6 (NKJV)

In his epistle, James, the brother of Jesus, puts it in simple terms that even the grifters should readily understand. This goes beyond simply avoiding evil – it includes the failure to oppose it.

“To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

Clearly, sins of omission are on equal footing with those of commission. But more disheartening than the sin of silence is the wickedness of defending blasphemy against Christ.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil!” Isaiah 5:20

The Apostle Paul reminds us that the righteous judgment of God awaits all of us. Judgment, however, will be particularly harsh for those who enable, endorse and encourage sin:

“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32 (NIV)

In concluding, I defer to Paul to deliver the Lord’s wisdom to those who sin by their silence:

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11