If news about the advances that North Korea’s missile and nuclear program has made over the past few weeks haven’t made you jumpy, then President Donald Trump’s response to them yesterday most likely has.
In a response to US intelligence sources giving information about a miniaturized nuclear warhead produced by the North Koreans, Trump said, “North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen… he has been very threatening beyond a normal state. They will be met with fire, fury and frankly power the likes of which this world has never seen before.”
Trump’s threats sounds almost apocalyptic. “A rhetorical grenade”, “dangerous, reckless and counterproductive”, and “unhelpful rhetoric” are some of the judgments regarding Trump’s “fire and fury” outburst. But there is one man who has been very supportive of Trump’s threats to North Korea, even to the point of saying “In the case of North Korea, God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un.”
Dr. Robert Jeffress is Senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Texas, and one of President Trump’s evangelical advisors. According to Pastor Jeffress, the Bible is very clear that God gives to leaders the power to deal with the threat of evil with “any means necessary, even war.” (TWITTER) Apparently this is what Romans 13 abdicates. When Jeffress was asked whether he wanted Trump to embody Jesus’ sermon on the mount he replied, “Absolutely not”. And forget Romans 12 – that’s for Christians, not governments…
With their shared love for “fire and fury”, building walls, and controversy, it is understandable that Jeffress has been a firm supporter of Trump from the outset. It seems the two leaders also share a love for dangerous, reckless, counterproductive and unhelpful rhetoric. I’m just grateful God is in control.
