On February 7, at the National Prayer Breakfast, President Donald Trump announced he was establishing a White House Faith Office headed up by Paula White-Cain. I disagree with the choice of having Paula White. Still, President Trump said that this faith office would consult with other faith and community leaders to develop policy recommendations for protecting women and children, strengthening families and marriages, protecting religious liberty, combating faith-based discrimination, and other relevant areas. It will also help to identify and promote grant opportunities for faith-based and community organizations.

A White House Faith Office

At the prayer breakfast, President Trump said, "While I'm in the White House, we will protect Christians in our schools, in our military, in our government, in our workplaces, hospitals, and in our public squares, and we will bring our country back together as one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all." A couple of hours after the breakfast, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Faith Office; he also announced that he was forming a task force led by the Attorney General to investigate the "targeting" of Christians. Trump said the task force would be directed to "immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government, including at the DOJ, the IRS, the FBI, and other agencies."

Regarding this executive order the president signed to establish a White House Faith Office, it seems Christians are divided on anything Trump does. Some say he is the antichrist; others want to sing nothing but his praises. Let's look a little deeper at what he is doing. First, what he is doing with this faith office is not new. All he is doing is re-reestablishing past executive orders. His executive order amends six previous executive orders from former President George W. Bush.

Section 2 of Trump's Executive Order

The following comes directly from Sec. 2 of Trump's Executive order. Section 2 addresses amendments to Executive Order 13198 of January 29, 2001, With Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. This order addresses amendments to Executive Order 13279 of December 12, 2002, Equal Protection of the Laws for Faith-Based and Community Organizations. This order addresses amendments to Executive Order 13559 of November 17, 2010, for Policymaking Criteria for Partnerships with Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations. This order addresses amendments to Executive Order 13280 of December 12, 2002, in regard to the Department of Agriculture with Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. This order addresses amendments to Executive Order 13342 of June 1, 2004, in regard to the Departments of Commerce and Veterans Affairs and the Small Business Administration with Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. This order addresses amendments to Executive Order 13397 of March 7, 2006, in regard to the Department of Homeland Security with Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

The Spiritual Condition of America

The re-establishment of a White House Faith Office is needed. This need is confirmed by research done by George Barna, a well-known Christian market researcher who routinely conducts surveys that reveal the spiritual condition of America. To classify if someone is a Bible-believing Christian, in his polls, he asks 6 questions:

1. Does moral truth exist?

2. Is the Bible totally accurate?

3. Is satan a real being?

4. Can people earn their way into heaven?

5. Did Jesus live a sinless life?

6. Is God an all-knowing, all-powerful Creator?

Barna's results show that only 9% of Americans believe in the Bible.

Reestablishing a White House Faith Office takes us back to our Christian roots. Further research has shown that for over 320 years, from 1607 to 1918, Christianity was the predominant culture in America. For 70 years, from 1918 to 1988, Christianity was considered to be a subculture, and for 10 years, from 1988 to 1998, Christianity was considered to be a counterculture in America. Since 1998, Christianity has been a persecuted culture, and the battlefield has been the classroom, from preschool to the university.

Positivist Law

Obedience to the law of God was a standard understanding of Americans until the mid-1800s when "positivist law" began to take over. In the mid-1800s, the start of denying the reality of God became acceptable with arguments such as "Did God write the Bible or did man?" This type of "argument" was non-existent 150 years ago. Using history, we know the purpose of the French Revolution was liberty and equality. The purpose of the American Revolution was freedom to worship. The French Revolution led to an immoral and corrupt government that would control people, whereas the American Revolution led to a self-governing nation.

Blackstone's Commentaries on the Law

I don't think many people realize the deep religious roots of America. William Blackstone died in 1780 at the age of 56. During those 56 years, he wrote Blackstone's Commentaries on the Law of England, which are still widely used today. For over two hundred years, Blackstone's rules were the final word in court. Many of the laws of our land today come from Blackstone, and Blackstone's laws come from Scripture!

Charles Finney

Charles Finney is known for being a great preacher and evangelist, but before he was in ministry, he was an attorney. Finney saw so many Scripture references in studying the law and Blackstone's commentary that he bought a Bible. That began Finney's process of studying Scripture. In studying Blackstone, he read so much of the Bible that he became a Christian, received his call to the ministry, and became the great preacher, evangelist, and leader of America's Second Great Awakening of the 1800s.


Blackstone’s Laws Which are Still Active and in our Books Today

What Blackstone laws are still active and in our books today? We have three branches of government because of Isaiah 33:22. "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." The logic for the separation of powers comes from Jeremiah 17:9. "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it? The basis of tax exemptions for churches can be found in Ezra 7:24. "You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God." Since many of our land's laws are based on Scripture, shouldn't the people who obey those laws also be impacted by Scripture? Hopefully, the reestablishing of a White House Faith Office will once again shine a positive light on America's Christian roots.

Daniel Webster vs Steven Girardi

In February of 1844, a wealthy atheist named Steven Girardi left his fortune to build schools; he sought to establish a school for "poor white male orphan[s]," 6 to 10 years old. The trust document provided for the City of Philadelphia to establish and administer the school. A specific provision of the trust required that no minister or missionary be allowed to teach at the college. The Girardi family wanted the gift voided. Daniel Webster argued this case and, in his closing argument, which lasted 3 days, asked the Justices, "Which one of you feels he is wiser than the son of God?" Jesus said to bring the children to Him. His point was that a school with no ministers allowed would hinder the command of Jesus.

Lt. General Lewis "Chesty" Puller

I think we can learn from the most decorated Marine in Marine Corps history: Lt. General Lewis "Chesty" Puller. He was awarded five Navy crosses and served in both WWII and the Korean War. At the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, his troops were outnumbered 29 to 1; they were surrounded, and General Puller said, "We are surrounded, that simplifies our problem. Now we can shoot in any direction. They can't get away from us now!"

As Christians, we may feel surrounded by unrighteousness. But yielding to General Puller, I say we can trust God in all directions; the enemy cannot get away from Him. Let's hope the reestablishing of a White House Faith Office allows more Americans to discover the love of Jesus.

Maranatha Lord Jesus