When Self-Assessment Replaces the Gospel

On Air Force One on October 13, 2025, President Donald Trump made a startling admission.^[1] When asked by a reporter whether helping negotiate a ceasefire might help him get into heaven, Trump responded: “I don’t think there’s anything going to get me in heaven. I think I’m not maybe heaven-bound. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make heaven.”

He then added, almost as consolation: “I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.”

For those who identify as followers of Christ, Trump’s statements should prompt both grief and reflection. Here is a man who identifies as a “non-denominational Christian,”^[2] surrounded by Christian advisers and supported by millions of evangelical voters, yet he articulates a view of salvation fundamentally at odds with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Two Errors, One Missing Truth

Trump’s statements reveal two common errors that plague American Christianity today, both missing the central truth of the gospel.

The first error is self-condemnation: “I don’t think there’s anything going to get me in heaven.” This sounds humble on the surface—an acknowledgment of unworthiness. Yet it completely misses the point of grace. The gospel doesn’t begin with us finding something within ourselves that qualifies us for heaven. It begins with the recognition that we have nothing to offer, followed by the good news that Christ offers everything.

Paul addressed this directly: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). The gospel proclaims that Christ’s work—not our work, not our goodness, not our contributions to society—is what reconciles us to God.

The second error is self-justification: “I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.” Here the pendulum swings to the opposite extreme. While claiming nothing will get him into heaven, Trump immediately points to his own accomplishments as a kind of redemptive credential. This is the language of works-righteousness, the very thing the Reformation protested against.

Isaiah warned against this centuries ago: “All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isa. 64:6). Our best works, apart from Christ, cannot bridge the chasm between us and a holy God. This doesn’t mean good works are meaningless—Scripture is clear that true faith produces good works (James 2:17). But good works are the fruit of salvation, not the means of salvation.

The Gospel Trump Missed

What’s absent from Trump’s response is any mention of Christ, grace, repentance, or faith. These are not peripheral concepts in Christianity—they are the heart of it.

The gospel message is simple but radical: We are saved not because we’ve made life better for people, but because Christ made a way for sinners to be reconciled to God. Salvation is not about what we bring to the table; it’s about recognizing we come to the table empty-handed and receiving what Christ freely offers.

Jesus himself said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Not through good deeds. Not through political achievements. Not through making life better for others—noble as that may be. Through Christ alone.

The thief on the cross contributed nothing to society. He had no resume of accomplishments. Yet Jesus told him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Why? Because in his final moments, he recognized his need, turned to Christ, and received grace.

A Sad Indictment

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of Trump’s statement is not what it reveals about him, but what it reveals about the state of Christian witness in America. Here is a man who has been surrounded by prominent Christian leaders, advised by pastors, prayed over in the Oval Office, and championed by evangelical voters. Yet when asked about his eternal destiny, he articulates a theology that sounds more like moralistic therapeutic deism than biblical Christianity.

Where were the Christian voices clearly explaining the gospel to him? Where was the teaching about grace, repentance, and faith in Christ alone? The fact that someone can be so closely connected to the evangelical world while fundamentally misunderstanding the gospel is a troubling indictment of our witness.

This is not about Trump’s political policies or his fitness for office. This is about the eternal destiny of a soul—something that should concern every Christian far more than any political platform or policy position.

How Should Christians Respond?

First, with sorrow, not mockery. When anyone expresses uncertainty about their salvation or misunderstands the gospel, the appropriate Christian response is grief, not gloating. Paul wrote that he had “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” for those who did not know Christ (Rom. 9:2). We should feel the same.

Second, with prayer. If Trump genuinely does not understand the gospel or doubts his salvation, Christians should be praying for him—not just for his policies or his leadership, but for his soul. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).

Third, with clarity about the gospel. Trump’s statements should prompt Christians to examine whether we have been clear in our witness. Have we proclaimed Christ crucified and risen, or have we conflated political power with spiritual authority? Have we emphasized grace and repentance, or have we measured Christianity by political alignment?

The tragedy here is compounded by the fact that Trump has been surrounded by Christian advisers—people who presumably know the gospel and have had countless opportunities to share it clearly. Yet his response suggests either they haven’t communicated it effectively, or he hasn’t received it. Either way, it’s a sobering reminder of how easily the church can become so entangled with political power that we forget our primary mission: to make disciples by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fourth, with humility and self-examination. Before we judge Trump’s theology too harshly, we should ask ourselves: Do we understand the gospel? Are we resting in Christ’s finished work, or are we secretly trusting in our own goodness, our church attendance, our moral behavior? The apostle Paul urged, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5).

The Only Way In

Trump is right about one thing: nothing he can do will get him into heaven. But he’s tragically wrong in thinking that means heaven is out of reach. The gospel declares that while nothing we do can save us, everything Christ did can.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Not whoever achieves enough. Not whoever makes life better for enough people. Whoever believes.

The door to heaven is open—not because of our accomplishments, but because Christ opened it through His death and resurrection. The question is not whether we’ve done enough to deserve entry. The question is whether we’ll stop trusting in ourselves and trust instead in Him.

That’s the gospel Trump needs to hear. It’s the gospel America needs to hear. And it’s the gospel the church must never stop proclaiming, clearly and without compromise—no matter how entangled we’ve become in the pursuit of political power.

Questions for Reflection:

● Have you ever found yourself trusting in your own goodness or accomplishments rather than Christ’s finished work?

● How can you pray for those in positions of power who may not understand the gospel?

● In what ways has the American church failed to clearly proclaim the gospel to those in its sphere of influence?

● Are there people in your life who, like Trump, identify as Christian but may not understand what that truly means? How can you lovingly share the gospel with them?

● What does it mean practically to examine yourself to “see whether you are in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5)?

Prayer Points:

● For Donald Trump’s soul: Pray that God would bring genuine conviction and clarity about the gospel to Trump’s heart. Pray that he would encounter the truth of Christ’s saving grace and respond in repentance and faith.

● For Christian leaders and advisers: Pray for those who have access to positions of power and influence—that they would prioritize gospel clarity over political expediency, and faithfully communicate the message of salvation through Christ alone.

● For the church’s witness: Pray that the American church would repent of conflating political power with spiritual authority, and would return to its primary mission of making disciples through the clear proclamation of the gospel.

● For our own hearts: Pray for the Holy Spirit to examine your own understanding of salvation. Ask God to reveal any areas where you’re trusting in your own works rather than resting fully in Christ’s finished work on the cross.

[1] “Trump says he does not believe he is ‘heaven-bound’,” KBTX, October 14, 2025, https://www.kbtx.com/2025/10/14/trump-says-he-does-not-believe-he-is-heaven-bound/. Accessed November 7, 2025.

[2] Ibid