If God "chose" Donald Trump to be President

Beliefs not firmly connected to a Christian foundation, or the implications of which have not been fully examined, can be extremely dangerous.  Recently White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said during an interview on CBN, "I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times and I think that he wanted Donald Trump to become president, and that's why he's there and I think he has done a tremendous job in supporting a lot of the things that people of faith really care about."  There are several significant objections to the theology of such a statement.  (1)  God does indeed call those who serve him, i.e. disciples of Jesus Christ, to serve his Church as apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists (Ephesians 4:11).  The call of God to such people is a call to service, not self-advancement, to sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not fame, power, and wealth in service of a political agenda.  What is the Biblical basis for the belief that God chooses, and then puts in power, secular political leaders?  If the answer to that question is Nebuchadnezzar, or Cyrus of Persia, both of whom God used with respect to Israel (the first to punish and the second to bless), the objection would be simple: (2) America is not Israel.  We are not a nation being directed by God according to a Covenant of blessings and curses awaiting a promised Messiah.  In the New Covenant, God works primarily through his Church, not through national politics.  When God works "all things" (Romans 8:28-29) he is working for the people he has called to accept the Gospel, to transform them into Christ-like disciples, not for the benefit of particular ethnic groups, kingdoms, or nations.  The Church transcends any grouping of humanity, and the goal of God's will in the New Covenant is clearly stated: to increase the number of redeemed saints worshiping the Lamb at the end of time.  (3)  If God wanted Donald Trump to be president, on what basis was that decision made?  His politics or his character?  On what basis are the politics of Donald Trump, or any politician, judged to be aligned with those of God?  Are there some issues God cares about more than others, and how would we know?  Is God choosing the most Christ-like candidate to support, or the least, or somewhere in between?  (4)  If God chose Donald Trump, did he also choose Barrack Obama, George Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., etc...?  If God chose one, then why not all?  If your answer to that is, "because I like this President's politics, but I didn't like the last one."  Let me simply say that assuming that the will of God, maker of the universe, whose loving-kindness extends to all generations of all of humanity, is aligned with your exact political preferences is an expression of ego worthy of fear.  (5)  If God chose Donald Trump, was it to bless America or punish it?  This one bears thought.  Those who cheer Donald Trump, like Sarah Sanders, assume that the "choosing" they believe in was a blessing, not a curse, but on what basis is that judgment being made?  Is it God's intention, at this point in history, to bless America for its righteousness or to curse America for its wickedness?  There is plenty of righteousness and wickedness to be found in America if you want to support your conclusion, but concluding that this moment is a time of blessing, or a time of punishment, is an arbitrary decision that says more about your perspective than anything else.  (6)  The assumption that the things that "people of faith really care about", are in alignment with the things that God cares about.  Church history, and that of Israel before us, is replete with examples of the people of God focusing upon the wrong things, ignoring things of tremendous importance, and generally being foolish in all manner of areas.  Perhaps "people of faith" know exactly what God would desire for a republic in the 21st century, or maybe they don't, either way, their priorities are not necessarily God's priorities, to assume so is arrogant.  It is the Word of God which declares the will of God, NOT the priorities of "people of faith".  {There is an unspoken word in the sentence from Sanders, one that goes without saying during an interview on CBN, that is "what Republican people of faith really care about."  God, and his Church, are not now, nor have they ever been, limited to one political party.  What of the priorities of Christians who support Democrats, Independents, or none of the above?  God is not a Republican, nor a Democrat, both parties support policies consistent with, and both parties support policies contrary to, the Word of God, neither represent God, it is impossible for a political party to do so.}

Lest you think this is personal, the same objection would have been raised about such a claim regarding any American president, member of Congress, governor, mayor, etc. {Evidently, President is the only office important enough for God to choose who inhabits it, or else objection #4 is much larger}.  I don't pretend to know what God's will is for the United States of America.  I have no idea if God is pleased with our charity and attempts at justice, or infuriated at our greed, immorality, and pride.  To claim to know the mind of God regarding a nation, any nation not named Ancient Israel about whom his Word is specific, is presumptuous and dangerous.  I do, however, know the will of God concerning his Church.  Why?  Because the Word of God has made the mission of the Church, the quality required of its people, and its status as an organization, "in the world but not of the world" clear.  We know because God has spoken through the inspired Scriptures.  We, the Church, have been called of God, to repent and turn to righteousness, and to serve the Gospel.  To speculate what God is, or is not, doing beyond the Church, is just that, speculation, foolish at the least, dangerous at worst.  In the end, the Word of God is our standard for Truth, not what "people of faith really care about."