Christian Post executive editor explains why he agreed to be part of Donald Trump's evangelical executive board

CB Condez Friday, June 24, 2016

Dr. Richard Land, the executive editor of The Christian Post and the president of the Southern Evangelical Seminary, explained why he agreed to be part of the evangelical executive board formed by presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers a campaign speech about national security in Manchester, New Hampshire. | Reuters/Brian Snyder

"Mr. Trump and his advisors asked us to join the advisory board (no endorsement required) in order to give Mr. Trump spiritual counsel and advice on moral and ethical issues arising during the campaign," Land wrote.

The kind of issues in question, as outlined by Prestonwood Baptist Church pastor Jack Graham, include: Supreme Court nominations; defense for the sanctity of life; and defense of religious liberty. Indirectly, Land said that they would not let pass "the opportunity to give spiritual counsel and advice to Mr. Trump and his team."

Early on in the article, he clarified that he has not endorsed the business tycoon. Rather, the board represents Trump's endorsement of the many issues that Christians deem to be important and shows his "his desire to have access to the wise counsel of such leaders."

"It is our duty to speak biblical truth to Mr. Trump," he said. "It is his responsibility as to how Mr. Trump responds to our counsel and advice."

On Feb. 29, the senior editors of the publication told their readers "to back away from Donald Trump." They said that it is their "moral responsibility" to clarify that Trump "does not represent the interests of evangelicals" and that he "would be a dangerous leader" for the United States. They called him "a misogynist" and a "philanderer" and listed down many of Trump's offensive actions, such as speaking "insults, obscenities, and untruths."

"While Christians have been guilty of all of these, we, unlike Trump, acknowledge our sins, ask for forgiveness, and seek restitution with the aid of the Holy Spirit and our community of believers," the senior editors wrote.

In the recent article, Land said that Christians often ask themselves what Jesus would do in certain situations, and he cannot imagine Him ignoring Trump's request for spiritual counsel and advice. He also expressed that should Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratice presidential nominee, ask him to join an advisory board similar to Trump's, "how would I justify saying no?"