With the presidential match-up apparently set now between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Republican candidate is opening up a bit more about his faith in Jesus.

"Who do you say Jesus is?" was the question posed to Trump Wednesday by noted columnist and author Cal Thomas.

"Jesus to me is somebody I can think about for security and confidence," responded Trump.

"Somebody I can revere in terms of bravery and in terms of courage and, because I consider the Christian religion so important, somebody I can totally rely on in my own mind."

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Meanwhile, Trump, who famously quipped last year that he had never asked God for forgiveness – sparking a brouhaha among Christians and evangelicals who promote confession, repentance and prayer as forefront of the faith – said he has changed his mind.

Thomas noted, "You have said you never felt the need to ask for God's forgiveness and yet repentance for one's sins is a precondition to salvation."

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And Trump's answer?

"I will be asking for forgiveness," he said, "but hopefully I won't have to be asking for much forgiveness."

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He then went on: "As you know, I am Presbyterian and Protestant. I've had great relationships and developed even greater relationships with ministers. We have tremendous support from the clergy. I think I will be doing very well during the election with evangelicals and with Christians."

Trump then spoke of the persecution of Christians taking place across the globe:

"In the Middle East – and this is prior to the migration – you had almost no chance of coming into the United States. Christians from Syria, of which there were many, many of their heads … chopped off. If you were a Muslim from Syria, it was one of the easiest places to come in (to the U.S.). I thought that was deplorable. I'm going to treat my religion, which is Christian, with great respect and care."