Today Donald Trump will be sworn in as our 47th president. I am thankful that Donald Trump is being sworn in instead of Kamala Harris. I, along with millions of others, breathe a sigh of relief that we are not swearing in a President with an aggressive abortion and woke transgender ideology agenda. I agree with many that Donald Trump is a lesser of two evils in this scenario.

However, this does not mean that he is a good option. Less evil, unfortunately, still means evil.

In recent years, really since the 2020 kerfuffle about the election supposedly being stolen, certain circles have given rise to the idea that Donald Trump is this generation’s “King David”. That he is somehow anointed and a powerful force for the Lord. That God is using Trump in big ways, and Trump is being a warrior for God’s causes in the nation. That he is an amazing Christian who maybe just has some behavior we don’t like, as long as we don’t look too hard. To assert that Donald Trump is an equivalent to David is a statement that we should take seriously, as David was called by God, a man after His own heart. So, to elevate Trump to this level is a serious claim.

To this assertion about Trumps character, salvation, and morals, I have one main rebuttal to offer, in the form of a question.

When has Donald Trump made a public confession of faith?

By this, I do not mean the numerous times he has said “Thank God” after a victory, or quoted a scripture, or allowed someone to pray for him.

I have a dear friend who is a practicing pagan, and she does these very same things. She allows me to pray for her, may reference a scripture, and slips in a “Thank god” here and there. This does not make her a Christian, and she would be the first to admit that, with zeal!

By confession of faith, I mean, Trump confessing publicly that Jesus Christ is Lord, came to die for his sins, and that he believes in and follows Him with his whole heart now.

In fact, after the attempt on his life earlier this year, Donald Trump said this when asked about his faith. “If I’m good, I’m going to heaven. If I’m bad, I’m going to someplace else like…over there, right? But it [faith] gives you…there’s something so good, like, for a country.”

Prior to this, when asked if he ever asked God for forgiveness, Trump said this with much laughter and light heartedness: “I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. I don’t think so. I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture. I don’t.”

Further, when given the option to share his faith or even his favorite Bible verse, Trump routinely backs away slowly, claiming it is too personal or not something that is a big part of his life. On the rare occasions he has quoted a scripture, his eyes are glued to the script and his quotations have often been incorrect. This is not behavior of a man who is passionate or knowledgable about the word of God.

He has said things like, “This country needs a savior, and that’s not me, that’s someone much higher than me.”

At best, these types of beliefs are christian-adjacent. Remember, even the demons acknowledge that God exists and believe in Him. These statements show that Trump has a fundamental mis-understanding of the Gospel and what Jesus Christ came to do. Specifically, on the issue of being “good enough”, I wonder if he is familiar with any New Testament writings regarding how we “get to heaven”. Here are a few that come to mind.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

“None is righteous, no not one. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10)

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)

One cannot be “good enough” to get into heaven. Righteousness and propitiation for our sins comes only through believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, His death, and His resurrection for our sins. Our salvation comes only by His blood over us to cleans us from all unrighteousness, as we believe in Him.

Donald Trump’s professed beliefs do not resemble Kind David, who shouted his faith with zeal any time he was given the opportunity. We could draw the similarity that they’ve both dealt with infidelity, scandal, and public shame. This is a justified similarity. David was not the faithful husband of one wife, purposefully murdered and lied to cover an affair, and there are multiple areas of God’s law that he broke.

However.

David, when faced with the reality of his sin with Bathsheba (or any other sin) while initially trying to hide it, very quickly broke down and confessed. He repented publicly and directly, and did what was in his power to make the situation right. David in every way sought the Lord’s heart, and acknowledged him publicly and without shame in everything he did. David’s life is marked by humility and penitence before the Lord. What made David and man after God’s own heart was the fact that he always returned to God, and praised the Lord’s power in his life.

Trump is not King David in any sense of the word. Rather, (from all apparent evidence that Trump provides) Trump’s beliefs and morals actually more resemble those of Benjamin Franklin, who thought that Christianity was good for a people, but not necessary for individual moral growth.

Like Trump, Benjamin Franklin made many illusions to scripture in his writings and speeches, acknowledged that the Church was good for a society, and even went so far as to write articles supporting the existence of God. However, he did not claim Christianity, nor Christ as his personal Lord and savior. Franklin was a Diest. He believed that there was an infinite creator of the world, but that there was no need for he himself to have a personal, saving relationship with Him. He didn’t think he needed saving.

Remember what Trump said about not needing to bring God into his mistakes?

We can actually see a fair amount of parallels between the lives of Franklin and Trump. While Franklin was a founding father and profoundly instrumental in the formation of our country, his personal life was one of scandal and infidelity. He never formally/legally married his wife, as there were complications with her former marriage that made this impossible. While “married”, he spent much time abroad, living out numerous elicit affairs and was known for his flirtations, even while married.

Franklin did huge things politically, but that does not equate being a saved and regenerated Christian.

So what’s my point here? Despite what about 50% of readers are likely thinking right now, no I do not have Trump Derangement Syndrome, and I’m not intending to just dump all Trump’s trash out. He’s done that well enough on his own and the evidence of his life is plainly laid out for anyone to see.

I am hoping this post will offer a gentle but needed check to the dangers of elevating Donald Trump to the level of one who God called “after his own heart.”

“But,” people will say, “God is using Trump in so many big ways!”. This is true! God mercifully allowed Trumps surpreme court picks to be confirmed which led to the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade, and there have been plenty of other policies that he was able to pass that aligned closer with a Christian moral ethic.

And, had Kamala Harris gotten into office, God would be using her to carry out His will just as perfectly as He will use Trump anyone else.

The fact that God is using someone does not mean they are saved or righteous. The fact that someone does objectively good things does not mean they are saved or righteous. We attain righteousness through Christ alone, by Grace alone, through Faith alone.

In scripture, God used evil kings, false prophets, and a talking donkey to fulfill his will for the people. That does not mean that those people were ordained by God.

To begin to put the bow on my point here, I pray that Donald Trump will receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. I pray this because there is no evidence that he is living in relationship with Jesus, and much evidence to the contrary. I hope that everyone reading this will join me in that prayer. Because ultimately, it doesn’t matter how much “good” Trump or anyone else does for the country or themselves, if they don’t know Jesus. All good works are useless and void of eternal value if not empowered and motivated by the Holy Spirit.

So, I’m thankful that Trump is being sworn in instead of Harris, but whatever good the Lord might use Trump to accomplish in the next four years will be a fleeting shadow worth nothing if he spends eternity separated from God when he inevitably dies.

Pray with me for the salvation of our new President.

He who is Mighty has done a great thing!

-M-