Evangelicals emphasize the born again experience as fundamentally necessary to be a member in good standing of their community. If you don’t claim Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you will never become a member of their tribe.

It’s a common practice in church services and youth groups for new converts to share their testimony of how they came to Jesus. New believers tend to embellish their sinful past, because the more dramatic their testimony the more warmly they will be welcomed to the fold. Evangelicals love to hear a testimony of how a person who was in the depths of depravity found forgiveness and grace in Jesus Christ.

It’s de rigueur for an evangelist holding a revival crusade to share his testimony, usually on the last day. Nothing short of a Paul’s epiphany on the road to Damascus or a Prodigal Son experience will satisfy the congregation.

If the thrice married, serial philander, pathological liar, and braggadocios former casino owner Donald Trump repented of his sins, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior it’s understandable if he was embraced by evangelicals

Trump hasn’t repented of his sins, every day he finds new and innovative ways of breaking The Ten Commandments. He’s never claimed to be a born-again Christian and he only attends church on Easter and Christmas. The short-fingered vulgarian said he’s never sought forgiveness for his sins; I can’t imagine him prostrating himself before the Almighty.

Nevertheless, not only has Trump been enthusiastically received by evangelicals, but he’s been treated as the Anointed One who will Make America Great Again.

This paradox illustrates the truth that evangelicals care more about their political objectives than they do about their mission to evangelize the world. Trump’s adherence to Republican orthodoxy (pro-life, anti-immigrant, strong military, anti-gay) covers his myriad sins.