I just read an open letter to President Trump by Pastor Douglas Wilson about questions of eternity. President Trump recently made comments about hoping that he would make it to heaven and even expressed a doubt that he would make it to heaven. Pastor Wilson took that opportunity to address the deep questions of human mortality.
Every time I hear President Trump talk about heaven and how he might get there, it appears that he judges his standing before God through mere mortal eyes. There is a general view that Christianity is like a set of scales.
Do good and it goes on one side. Do bad and it goes on the other. When the clock runs out in this life, just check the scales to see which side wins out.
Seems to be reasonable – but it is a lie straight out of the pit of hell. The Bible says, “There is a way which that seems right to a man but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12 ESV)
So what is the right way to be assured of heaven and eternity with God? The right and only way is through the person of Jesus Christ.
The Condition of Man – Mankind is infected with sin. The Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 ESV) Sin is not a behavior, it is a condition. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, no not one.” (Romans 3:10 ESV)
God’s Provision – Man was hopelessly lost in unrighteousness, “but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV) Jesus came into this world, lived a perfect life, and gave Himself as payment for mankind’s unrighteousness. He is the unique and only provision that God made for man’s sin.
The Required Response – God presents to man a free gift of full payment for man’s sin. Here is the catch – man must accept God’s free offer. This becomes a sticking point for many. It appears that it may be a sticking point for President Trump.
It is not a matter of doing enough good works. Man’s condition rules that out. God holds up a standard of perfection which man could never meet, but God did in Jesus.
What does it require to be right with God and spend eternity in heaven?
It requires that an individual be humble enough to recognize that he cannot save himself.
It requires repentance or turning around in your thinking from relying on self.
It requires faith and trusting in Jesus Christ as the only way to be right with God.
The Bible says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
President Trump is surrounded by Christians who have received the gift of eternal life. That is no accident. Those around him understand how to be right with God. It would not surprise me to learn that some of them have had this discussion with President Trump.
What is his spiritual condition? He may need to stop relying on what he thinks are good deeds and trust in Jesus. Then again, he may have done that and just needs a clarification on what makes him right.
Whatever his standing with God, assurance is available as a free gift and it is available to anyone. Just humbly turn from any other reliance and place your trust in Jesus to experience hope, assurance, and confidence in your relationship with God.
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