Trump Says He’s Unsure about Going to Heaven — What Christians Can Learn about Assurance of Faith
Spiritual Life
Audio By Carbonatix
5:20 AM on Wednesday, October 15
By Amber Ginter, Spiritual Life
1. We Can Trust God's Promise
In John 10:28, we're told that if we belong to Jesus, no one will be able to snatch us out of His hand. God keeps His Word, and the Words we read in the Bible are true. God never waivers or changes, and if He says something, it will come true. James 1:17 is one of my favorite passages about His immutability, and it reads this way:
"My dear brothers and sisters, don’t be fooled about this. Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created" (ERV).
In times of doubt, these verses encourage me because they remind me that God's salvation is a free gift given to all (Ephesians 2:8-9). He promised that He gives us every good gift, and of those gifts, salvation is His top priority for us. Why? Because as verse 18 reminds us, we've been given His message of life so that we—His children—can be the most important of all that He created.
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2. We Can Trust Faith, Not Feelings
While I'm a firm believer that feelings are signals that can help us understand the world, we should never evaluate or measure our faith on feelings. Assurance in Christ, especially, isn't based on the Sunday high, Holy Spirit goosebumps, or how into the Bible Study you felt. No, biblical assurance is rooted in Christ's finished work on the cross for our sins, not emotion or performance.
As Grace Provoked defines it best: "Faith is not a feeling, but rather something that can be present regardless of how we feel, and it can operate despite the worst of feelings." Again, God is the same yesterday, today, and always. Hebrews 13:8 writes, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (NIV).
Regardless of your bad mood, lack of feelings, or abundance of them, God sees and loves you the same. He doesn't judge your salvation on how you feel, and neither should you. Because while feelings are fickle, come and go, and are unreliable, salvation is rooted in the objective truth of God's promises and unchanging Word.
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3. We Can Trust the Spirit's Testimony
In Romans 8:16, Paul tells us that the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. This passage explaining life in the Spirit explains that if we are in Christ, we, therefore, have no condemnation separating us from God. Sin once separated us, but Jesus is the solution:
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:1-4, NIV).
Friends, eternal life is a promise we can cling to, not a prize we must earn. And contrary to many highly esteemed figures, we know the truth, and the truth can set us free. Billy Graham, a leading evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister, and civil rights advocate, whose broadcasts featuring live sermons became well known in the 20th century, summarizes salvation best this way:
"Salvation is free to us, but it cost Jesus His life. It will also cost the sinner his or her sins when a person receives His gift. This does not mean that we have to clean up our lives in order to be saved. The Lord knows we don’t have the power to do that. But we must come to Him in repentance, and then His Holy Spirit will take up residence and empower us to walk away from sin. That’s why Jesus paid for our sins with His blood—to set us on a new path."
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How to Talk about Heaven and Salvation with Others
As Christians, it's our responsibility to share the truth of this topic with others. Through gentleness and clarity, let us seek to follow the advice of 1 Peter 3:15-16: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander" (NIV).
If you're struggling with assurance, I want to remind you that you're not alone. I would also highly recommend the book Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart by J.D. Greear. It sounds controversial, but it is truly one of the best-versed books on this topic. Finally, I want you to know that not only are your doubts normal, but your doubts don't disqualify faith; they invite you into deeper trust.
For ministering to non-Christians, be open to answering their questions. If you don't know the answer, seek to find it. Focus on grace and not guilt. Share your personal testimony and show them Scriptures about God's love. Because while events like Trump's candid comment may open doors for more honest spiritual discussions in our culture, it's important to know the truth and share that truth with others. Be prepared, in and out of season, to have these conversations and watch lives be radically changed and redeemed.
At the end of the day, friends, only God knows the heart, but Scripture invites all people to find peace in Christ. Yes, all people means everyone. Even Trump, and even those you don't like.
Let 1 John 5:13 be our closing prayer: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life" (NIV). I quote these words so that you may know. Examine your heart, trust in Jesus' promise, and then share that hope with the world.
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