What Do the Scriptures Have to Say About Corruption in America?
Our Sunday morning message from the Social Gospel Worship & Learning Center, Atlanta, Ga.: an online faith-based community of like-minded Christian believers, Christ followers & Jesus worshipers
by Minister Paul J. Bern
Follow me on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/RevPaulBern
The events of the first ten months of Donald Trump’s second term in office have left many of his supporters in shock, with the rest of the American people having become utterly appalled. President Trump can be considered a microcosm of America because he claims to represent what America represents. Donald Trump represents the American dream of becoming wealthy from a capitalist economic system that, allegedly, gives everyone a fair shot at becoming a rich businessman or real estate tycoon. But during his first term, President Trump found out the hard way that being president of the United States was nothing at all like running a real estate empire. When he ran for election in 2016, he wanted a job that he wasn’t prepared to take on.
America, We Have a Problem
President Trump represents a microcosm of capitalism. As such, he represents everything that is wrong with America and everything that is wrong with capitalism, all at once. The ugly truth is that Donald Trump didn’t become a mega-billionaire because he is an exceptionally shrewd individual or because he has some kind of inside track in the business world. Donald Trump got rich by screwing people every chance he got. During his presidency, Donald Trump was sued at least 134 times, according to the Boston Globe. He has reportedly filed for bankruptcy at least 4 times since the 1980s, evidently for the sole express purpose of stiffing his creditors while short-selling the property(s) in question.
The Blind Pursuit of Riches Is Only for the Corrupt
Donald Trump is a human shark, and a big, menacing “great white” at that. He reveals capitalism for the essentially predatory economic system that it truly is. Trump is also a perfect example of the fact that, in a capitalist economy where everything is organized hierarchically, there are only a handful who end up at the top of the heap, similar to Donald Trump. Everyone else winds up underneath, where the majority of us get financially crushed without mercy (it’s called ‘inflation’). Moreover, Donald Trump represents all that is corrupt in Washington, DC. Washington is overburdened with corruption from within and crushing debt from without. In fact, Washington is so heavily laden with debt and corruption that it is slowly sinking into the soil it sits on.
Yet Jesus warned us long ago to beware of the pursuit of riches, and I quote: “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that (which is truly life.” (1st Timothy 6:17-19)
The True State of Mainstream Christianity
President Trump is also a microcosm of the current state of mainstream Christianity, no matter what denomination. Donald Trump, like much of the rest of America, seems to think he can do whatever is expedient for himself and his family real estate empire, and he undoubtedly calls himself ‘blessed’ because of it all. Well-to-do mainstream ‘churches’ are filled with people just like that every Sunday morning. They firmly believe God has blessed them, when all they really did was to help themselves to all they could carry away from the ‘negotiating table’. Or sometimes, whatever they can take by force; that kind of stuff happens every day. They go to church every Sunday as a token of acknowledgment of their sinful natures and professing their devout beliefs, but then they go back to doing the same things the next day.
The Teachings of Christ Applied to Modern Times
But Jesus taught us: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.” (Luke 6, verses 24-26) So, based on this quote from our Lord and Savior, many of those who think they are richly blessed by God are actually on their way to hell. You can be sure that they are all Donald Trump devotees.
Make Sure Your Treasure Is Not Misplaced
Oftentimes, these are the people who think life is all about accumulating as much as they can, when in fact life is all about the legacy we leave behind. Instead of being focused on ourselves, we’re supposed to be focused on Christ and the blood he shed for us all, and then to obey the commandments of Christ. But what are today’s churches focused on? The bottom line which is propelled by church membership and the money those members donate (“tithes”). But Jesus has already drawn the road map to eternal glory for us to follow, and I quote: “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:33-34)
Hold Money and Wealth In Contempt
Jesus said it, and I still believe it: There will be no billionaires in heaven. Period, end of story. To be rich is to be self-seeking. We as Christians, on the other hand, have a moral obligation to stand up to tyranny and to oppose greed and materialism as being the very antithesis of what it truly means to be an authentic follower of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Moreover, the Bible has a few other things to say about rich people who are obsessed with obtaining even more wealth, just like president Trump, and I quote just one of the many examples in the Bible: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
Danger Ahead
As you all can see, the above quotes, combined with the corrupt nature of America’s political and economic systems, are a macrocosm of what is wrong with America, capitalism and Christianity. I’m trying to sound the alarm about this because I see danger ahead, and we had better begin preparing for it now while we still have a little time left. Better hurry, too, or it will be too late.
Please help support this ministry by visiting our online store at
Please visit my blog at https://www.medium.com/@greatestservant62
While you’re at it, check out my free newsletter and videos at
