When someone claims moral authority, they invite scrutiny. That is not hostility. It is accountability.
Within Christianity, the standard for evaluating those who claim to represent it is not vague or implied. It comes directly from the teachings of Jesus. The focus is not on guessing what someone believes privately. It is on what can be seen. Patterns of behavior. Actions over time. Evidence of humility, repentance, and change.
If someone claims to represent those values, their conduct should reflect them. Not occasionally or when convenient, but consistently over time.
This is where the tension arises.
There is a growing reluctance to make any meaningful judgment about public figures who invoke Christianity. The common response is that we cannot know what someone truly believes. That is true, but it misses the point. Christianity does not require insight into private belief to evaluate whether someone is living in accordance with its teachings. Jesus explicitly directs his followers to evaluate people by what is observable. Their actions, their patterns of behavior, and whether their conduct reflects humility, repentance, and consistency over time. The emphasis is on conduct, not private belief.
Jesus states this plainly in Matthew 7:15–20:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits… Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit… Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.”
That is not ambiguous.
The Bible does not tell Christians to take claims at face value or ignore what is in front of them. It tells them to evaluate it.
Patterns matter. Repetition matters. The absence of repentance matters.
Yet too often, the response is acquiescence. It should not be.
This is not about political parties. It is not about Democrats or Republicans. It is not about policy platforms or ideological alignment. Reducing this conversation to party politics is a way to avoid the actual issue.
The issue is far simpler.
It is the need to acknowledge that Donald Trump has repeatedly used Christian language and symbolism for personal and political gain while simultaneously mocking, contradicting, and disregarding the very teachings he claims to represent.
His conduct is not abstract. It is plainly visible.
He has shared and amplified imagery portraying himself in Christ-like ways, including depictions that place him in the position of Jesus. That is not a minor misstep. It reflects a willingness to blur the line between faith and self-promotion in a way that should make any Christian uncomfortable.
He recently publicly criticized the Pope, one of the most recognized leaders of the global Christian church, while positioning himself as a defender of Christianity. In response to the broader pattern of political leaders using faith as a tool, Pope Francis warned that the Gospel is being abused for power and influence. That warning is directly relevant here.
Donald Trump has also stated, when asked about personal wrongdoing, that he does not feel the need to ask God for forgiveness. That is his own statement. It stands in direct tension with the core of Christian teaching, which centers on repentance.
There is also a broader pattern of invoking Christianity to justify or support agendas centered on power, conflict, and dominance, including rhetoric that treats war, destruction, and death as necessary or even righteous. That stands in sharp contrast to the teachings of Jesus, which consistently emphasize humility, mercy, peacemaking, and sacrificial love.
Beyond that, the pattern continues in more familiar ways. Public behavior marked by mockery, personal attacks, and a lack of humility. The elevation of self above others. The use of faith language as a shield rather than a standard. None of this aligns with the values being claimed.
This is not about one comment or one moment. It is a pattern.
Donald Trump is using Christianity as a tool for personal and political gain while disregarding its substance. Jesus does not tell his followers to ignore that. He tells them to recognize it and respond to it. Silence is not neutral. It is acquiescence. And acquiescence allows the misuse of Christianity to continue.
Brandon Harmony is an attorney and owner of Harmony Law, a Columbus-based law firm. He studied theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School before leaving to attend law school.