House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a news conference Wednesday that it “must be God's will” for Joe Biden to become president, drawing support from the SBC chairman and sparking a debate on social media.
Johnson, an outspoken Christian and former attorney with the faith-based legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, was asked by a reporter if he believed it was God's will for Joe Biden to become president. I was asked a question and made this comment.
Mr Johnson smiled and said he thought the reporter was referring to a speech he gave on the day he was sworn in as speaker.
Mike Johnson says it was 'God's will' for Joe Biden to become president:
“Since God allows people to be elevated to authority, it must be God's will.” pic.twitter.com/tyNH8gbgER
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) January 17, 2024
“I said this in my speech before I took the gavel, look, I'm a Bible-believing Christian, right? Bible-believing Christians believe what's written in the Bible,” Johnson responded. Ta. “The Bible says that God raises people to authority. I believe that God is sovereign. So did the Founders, by the way. They quoted the Declaration of Independence. recognized that our rights come from God, not from the government, and that we are created in God's image and that we are all created the same. We are all endowed with equal rights and worth, which we will uphold. So if you believe all of this, you know that God allows people to be exalted in authority. It means you believe it.
“It must have been God's will,” Johnson said of Biden. “That's my belief.”
Stephen Bannon, a strategist in Trump's first year in office, criticized Johnson, calling Biden an “illegitimate president” and adding: “We don't need a theologian.” We need a Speaker of the House. ”
Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber said on X (formerly Twitter) that he supports Johnson's comments.
It is important to learn to accept both the desired and undesired results from God's hands. The political aspect of this is not important. This is Christian discipleship.@SpeakerJohnson 100% correct. Mr. Bannon is 100% wrong. https://t.co/eRs7hN75o4
— Bart Barber (@bartbarber) January 17, 2024
“It is important to learn to accept both desired and undesired outcomes from God's hand,” Barber wrote. “The political aspect of this is not important. This is Christian discipleship. @SpeakerJohnson he is 100% right. Mr. Bannon is 100% wrong.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said in comments Wednesday that he was looking forward to the November election.
“I think the reason countries collectively make decisions is because we are given free will,” he said. “And I think we're going to make better choices as a country going into this election cycle. We're very much looking forward to the change of government.”
Theologians often quote Romans 13:1 when discussing the issue. It says this: “Submit all men to the governing authorities, for there is no authority but God, and all that exists is ordained by God.”
Image credit: ©Getty Images/Joe Raedle/Staff
Michael Faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His story was published in Baptist Press. Christianity Today, Christian Poecent, of leaf chronicle, of toronto star and of knoxville news sentinel.
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