Photo Courtesy of Mary John Dye
I was surprised to see President Trump's comments yesterday about getting to heaven. I am glad he is thinking about that and have sent him this letter:
Dear President Trump,
I was so happy to hear you want to try to get to heaven.
That is a very wise focus for all of us who are in “the fourth quarter” of life. I hope this is serious to you and I will continue to pray for you.
Getting to heaven is an ultimate guide and hope. In addition, we are praying that you are able to stop the Russian aggression in Ukraine. That will be a good thing. I think it is important to let you know that getting to heaven is not something that you can earn. It is not something you can buy. It is not something you can sweet talk your way into. It is certainly not something you can play games with God about. You can’t boast enough or bargain or bully with to get some special deal. The gate of heaven is open and the eternal blessing of God is available to all those who follow Jesus according to His word.
Getting to heaven is not something you can negotiate. Getting to heaven is available only on God’s terms. Because Jesus paid the price for our sins, He sets the terms.
Thankfully, Jesus has made those terms clear. He has said that the way we live is the proof of whether or not we are on track for the welcome of God. No pop quizzes. No surprise important requirements. No curve balls. No backdoor deals. Being a follower of Jesus is the one and only ticket to heaven.
How can we know if we are a follower of Jesus? That’s clear, too. Those who are the disciples of Jesus are the ones who keep His commandments. And more good news! His commandments are clear. Want to go to heaven? Love others the way Jesus loved. (John 13: 34, 35). Treat others the way you want to be treated. (Matthew 7:12) Take special care for those in need (Matthew 25: 31-47). Jesus was wonderfully straightforward: those who follow Him, follow His commandments. Those who do not love Him don’t follow His words (John 14:24) No guessing to it.
Jesus says that when we treat others the way we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12), that fulfills all the law and the prophets. If you want to go to heaven, begin there. (All of us have to do the same thing.) Whether it is in your personal interactions, your Truth Social posts, your public words, your policies: are you treating others the way you want others to treat you?
There are a couple of places in the Bible where Jesus quite specifically talks about the question of who will inherit eternal life. In the Sermon on the Mount, He says that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom” (Matthew 7:21-23) So we know for sure that there are no magic words that can get us into heaven.
There was a lawyer who tried to trip Him up on this very question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” And, specifically in response to that question, Jesus gives the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Read it for yourself in Luke 10:25-37) Those who hope to gain eternal life show mercy to others.
In one other place, Jesus paints a specific picture of the Last Judgment. He tells us who will get into heaven and who will not. (Matthew 25: 31-46). Everybody at the Last Judgement knows to call Him “Lord.” The criteria for the welcome of the Father and eternal life is determined by the actions of those who are gathered, not by their posturing words. Those who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked; those who welcomed and provided for the stranger, brought healing to the sick and cared for prisoners are the ones who are welcomed to eternal reward. Those who did not feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty; those who did not welcome the stranger, did not care for the sick and those in prison are sent to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46) The determination of who gets to heaven is in the choices we make. God makes the path clear and we make the choices of our eternal destiny. The signs of how we are doing are practical and observable and attainable.
President Trump, if you want to get to heaven, we stand with you in hope and prayer. There is no greater goal. Our grounding in Scripture reminds us that those who are wealthy have particular challenges in following Jesus. (Luke 18) Without your asking, we know that you need our prayers – and we offer them gladly.
Since the people around you appear to be only those who praise and flatter you, if (as you said) you hear you are "not doing well” and “are at the bottom of the totem pole,” I encourage you to receive that as the prompting of the Holy Spirit reaching out to you. It is undeniable that your words and actions and policies are the opposite – the absolute polar opposite – of what Jesus taught. God is reaching out to you now while you still have time to change toward God's heart.
The way to heaven is open to all. God's terms are clear. We hope you will take the path to eternal life. We will be praying for you.
Rev. Dr. Mary John Dye
The Rev. Dr. Mary John Dye is a retired clergy member of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. This post is republished with permission from her Facebook page.