Will Trump announce a run for office ?

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

Maybe. I can't tell be our conversation. But I will say that I was never in a position to support an evil pastor.

I think the difference in our replies is that you are looking at evil as being actions (sins a Chriatian may commit). I am looking at it as ontological.

The Christian pastor may stumble. However, the man himself is not evil but reborn and has the right to be called a "child of God".

An evil may do an action that is not in itself evil (an evil man may love his child, care for his child...or a worldly power may have an agenda to end abortion).

Yes, we seriously disagree here. Following/supporting the agenda of a Christian in a leadership position who is off track is following evil. Per Galatians, Paul publicly rebuked Peter for acting as such a leader. It was a very serious matter, adversely affecting many other leaders and the church itself.

Galatians 2:11-13

11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.​

 

[JonC]

Yes, we seriously disagree here. Following/supporting the agenda of a Christian in a leadership position who is off track is following evil. Per Galatians, Paul publicly rebuked Peter for acting as such a leader. It was a very serious matter, adversely affecting many other leaders and the church itself.

Galatians 2:11-13

11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.​

I'm not talking about following off track Christians.

I'm talking about supporting a pastor who is not perfect.

I do not think that Christians are evil simply because they struggle with the flesh.

Paul spoke of struggling with the flesh, but I do not believe we should think of Paul as evil. Peter struggled with the flesh and was even rebuked openly by Paul. But I do not believe this means we should remove 1 and 2 Peter from Scripture.

There is no reason for a Christian to choose the lesser of two evils, period. We need to do kingdom work in kingdom ways.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

The point is that no pastor can or should be assumed to have a perfect agenda, exhibit perfect leadership. For example, his own pride or ambition can easily mislead a pastor into misleading the church. The very denial of this is dangerous to the church.

One of those same pastors mentioned, also admitted he had led his church according to the flesh rather than according to the Spirit. It is unreasonable to believe that this doesn’t happen to some degree in every church. Again, the very denial of this is dangerous to the church.

 

[JonC]

The point is that no pastor can or should be assumed to have a perfect agenda, exhibit perfect leadership. For example, his own pride or ambition can easily mislead a pastor into misleading the church. The very denial of this is dangerous to the church.

One of those same pastors mentioned, also admitted he had led his church according to the flesh rather than according to the Spirit. It is unreasonable to believe that this doesn’t happen to some degree in every church. Again, the very denial of this is dangerous to the church.

I agree that Christians are not perfect. We all struggle with the flesh.

But does that mean Christians are evil and giving support to a Christian is supporting evil? No. We are to support one another. We are to help one another when we see another stumbling.

I do not believe there is a correlation between supporting an imperfect pastor and supporting the powers of darkness of this world we are told to resist.

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

Problems come when Christians support imperfect pastors in their imperfections. That can easily lead to evil holding sway in the church. Even the apostle Peter succumbed to worldly pressure in the church so that even Barnabas was led astray.

Again, to believe this cannot be so is a good way to give evil its head in the church. I’ve read about it, heard about it, and seen it happen.