Perhaps more so than previous years, the 2016 presidential campaign was about good versus evil in the eyes of the faithful members of each party.

The GOP was eager to destroy any chance the "inevitable" Hillary Clinton had at capturing the highest office in the land. After eight years of unchecked progressivism, Republicans countered with a president who declared he would nominate right-leaning justices and make America great once more, among other things.

While a fair number of President Trump's grand promises are left waiting, some have been fulfilled. Many who voted for Trump continue in their belief that he will see his agenda through to completion.

In addition, some believe he has been specifically chosen by the Almighty to stem the leftist tide. On Wednesday, press secretary Sarah Sanders expressed this very sentiment during an interview with Christian Broadcast Network News:



I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times, and I think that he wanted Donald Trump to become president. And that’s why he’s there, and I think he has done a tremendous job in supporting a lot of the things that people of faith really care about.



It's always dangerous to conclude that an event or a person's rise to power is supported by God simply because it happened. This is true not only when Republicans connect religion to politics, but when Democrats do it, too. The practice further blurs the line between faith and political gain, areas of life that should be clearly delineated. There is certainly nothing wrong with saying your faith informs your choices, but it is another thing entirely to equate personal wants with the mind of God based on outcome alone.

If people of faith have no qualms stating that Trump was wanted by God, then shouldn't the same be conferred upon his predecessors? God was also in control when former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and all previous presidents won their respective elections. God did not sleep while Obama served two terms. The Almighty was not unaware that his name was invoked as a parting blessing in 2013 by Obama in a keynote speech at a Planned Parenthood conference. Surely, the Creator does not bless an organization whose top executive recently stated that destroying life through abortion was their "core mission." Yet, these former presidents were victorious and these words were stated. Does that not indicate heavenly endorsement?

Not one individual who serves our country as commander in chief will carry with them the mantle of perfection. That we may agree with them and support them on Election Day does not mean they are without flaw.

Trump's rise to the White House is an indication that God has allowed his success in the political field. However, the same exact reasoning can, and should, be used when discussing any who has either gone before or will follow in his footsteps. Permission to inhabit a space in time and history is not a tacit endorsement.

Trump's words and actions making a mockery of others' looks and abilities are part of his presidency. Clinton fooled around with an intern and lied while in office. That behavior is part of his presidency.

People of faith, no matter their political leanings, must be careful in how they discuss the hand of God in the lives and missions of those who lead our country. Allowing a presidency to come to pass is not the same as endorsing it. Without that distinction, Christianity will easily seem emptier, phonier, and more self-serving in the eyes of non-Christians than secularism.

Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a freelance writer and contributor to the Washington Examiner 's Beltway Confidential blog.