What Should Christians Do Now That Donald Trump Is President?

People cheer during speeches at the Women's March, in opposition to the agenda and rhetoric of President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 21, 2017.Reuters

Hundreds of thousands of people attended the Women's March in Washington on Saturday, with the protesters airing their grievance over President Donald Trumps's alleged anti-women stance.

But Bruce Ashford, Provost and Dean of Faculty at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, said Christians should have a different approach in looking at Trump's presidency.

He said he knows some Christians supported his candidacy while others were indifferent or totally opposed to it. But whatever category they fall into, Christians owe Trump the benefit of the doubt, Ashford wrote in an article for Fox News.

"We owe it to President Trump and to our fellow citizens to hope that he does well, to give him the benefit of the doubt, to affirm him and his Cabinet when they do well for our nation. We owe it to President Trump because he is our President, and one of the Bible's few political imperatives is to give leaders the respect that is due to their office," he said.

Christians should also give Trump their honest criticism, especially since the nation's political discourse has broken down. Ashford said Trump supporters might be lured to agreeing with everything he says, while those opposed to him might be tempted to ignore his faults just so he would fail.

He said Proverbs reminds God's children to speak the truth at all times, even when it hurts. When the truth is spoken, only then will the nation encounter healing. "Because we are Christians who are committed to truth, and because we are citizens of a democratic republic in which we are encouraged to speak up for the common good, we owe him our honest criticism," he said.

Lastly, Ashford said Christians should not forget to pray for Trump. He said the Bible is clear that Christians should seek God's guidance for those in authority. People should not get carried away by discussions or debates against Trump that they forget to appeal to God for his leadership. By praying for Trump, believers are placing their trust in God.