To the churches of America:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

Christian conservatives have had their auto reply, “we don’t worship Trump,” working overtime ever since Franklin Graham’s remarks to look at Trump as Moses or David. Artist Jon McNaughton’s latest piece is no different. A quick scan revels the strategically placed serpent under Trump’s heal. This is a direct reference to Genesis [3:15].

I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.

This verse is commonly known throughout Christendom as the first understanding of the Gospel, a Proto-evangelium, depicting Jesus as “her offspring” triumphing over the serpent. It would play out a few thousand years later with Christ hanging on the Cross and rising from the grave in three days. Likewise, Graham’s remarks equate Trump with men that the Church has always taught were foreshadows of Christ. How do we not look at Trump as a man that was a foreshadow of Christ, or even Christ himself, without worshiping him?

And that is why this picture, and the similar remarks of people like Graham, are horribly offensive; they are giving the very work of God, that deserves and calls for our worship and adoration, to Trump. It is a different gospel.

As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.[1]

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