Can A True Believer be the President?

[righteousdude2]

I would love to see a true, born-again believer be the president of our nation... however, with all of the corruption, behind-the-door-deals, political backstabbing, Quid Pro Quo hand shakes that goes on behind the closed doors of the Oval Office [and any other political office], is it really possible for a Christian to hold their ground and be a true believer while in the office?

This is a serious question. I say a true believer could do the job and remain faithful to their God. My wife does not believe anyone can do this job and remain a believer.

So what do you folks believe? I have wanted to run for a local office, but, it seems that I may have to sell my soul to get the kind of support I need to elected and stay popular while in the office.

Thanks for your responses, I cherish your input, because I'd like to run for an office in the city council, but, I don't want to sell my soul to do so!

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

 

[AAA]

I would love to see a true, born-again believer be the president of our nation... however, with all of the corruption, behind-the-door-deals, political backstabbing, Quid Pro Quo hand shakes that goes on behind the closed doors of the Oval Office [and any other political office], is it really possible for a Christian to hold their ground and be a true believer while in the office?

This is a serious question. I say a true believer could do the job and remain faithful to their God. My wife does not believe anyone can do this job and remain a believer.

So what do you folks believe? I have wanted to run for a local office, but, it seems that I may have to sell my soul to get the kind of support I need to elected and stay popular while in the office.

Thanks for your responses, I cherish your input, because I'd like to run for an office in the city council, but, I don't want to sell my soul to do so!

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

No one is forced to commit a willful sin while in office and there was many godly Kings that ruled with the fear of GOD upon them...With every temptation there is a way of escape...

Can a believer sale something (SOUL) that he does NOT own? We can NOT lose our salvation for GOD annointing us for HIS use in office...Seek GOD...

 

[Mexdeaf]

Althought they were not 'The Man', the Bible does give a couple of OT references of men who were 'true believers' and held high offices- Daniel and Joseph. You might also include Nehemiah.

I say it is possible.

 

[dan e.]

My impression is that many of us have our own little additions to what constitutes a "true" believer. I'm not sure why there needs to be a qualifier there.

I suspect that believers, that is those that are true, screw up and live lives that don't reflect Jesus 100% of the time, including politicians. Should we automatically discount their belief? I don't think so. Then again, it is difficult to have confidence when we don't really see their personal lives, just what is plastered on the tv. Maybe it isn't AS important to making sure we have a "true" believer in office as it is having the best candidate.

Difficult to say, but I think it is better to err on the nonjudgmental side than to accuse them of not being a believer if they say they are.

Not sure about the "remaining a true believer". If you are a believer in Jesus...you will remain in Him; not because of your ability, or perfection...but because of His ability and perfection.

 

[preachinjesus]

I believe we've had a number of followers of Christ as presidents. It isn't up to me to question or qualify someone's faith in Jesus Christ.

 

[just-want-peace]

Pro 29:2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

This is a serious question. I say a true believer could do the job and remain faithful to their God.

I believe you are correct, and laud you for so desiring. The whole problem with our country now is the absence of Godly people in positions of authority. Had Christians not decided politics was pure dirt in the long-long-ago, we could have had more Godly/moral leaders cvurrently so as not to be in the mess we're in now.

I think we are now living the last part of the above verse now

No doubt it will be rough, but if you feel led of God for such, He'll give you the strength for the task.

 

[JamieinNH]

My impression is that many of us have our own little additions to what constitutes a "true" believer. I'm not sure why there needs to be a qualifier there.

I suspect that believers, that is those that are true, screw up and live lives that don't reflect Jesus 100% of the time, including politicians. Should we automatically discount their belief? I don't think so. Then again, it is difficult to have confidence when we don't really see their personal lives, just what is plastered on the tv. ...

.....Not sure about the "remaining a true believer". If you are a believer in Jesus...you will remain in Him; not because of your ability, or perfection...but because of His ability and perfection.

I believe we've had a number of followers of Christ as presidents. It isn't up to me to question or qualify someones faith in Jesus Christ.

I have to agree with these two posters. Many people have different definitions of a 'true believer' Mine would be a person that believes in Jesus Christ and know him as his Lord and Savior.

Also, I think we have had a number of people in political office that are true believers. (On the flip side I think all politicians are corrupt) They may not be when they start out but I do think the process corrupts them.

Given that I would say that a true believer can hold office, but I don't think it's realistic to think they won't compromise their standards along the way.

Jamie

 

[swaimj]

I believe that we have had some believers in US history who have been president. I certainly believe that we have has believers in the congress. And there have been believers in positions of influence who have not necesarily held office. I do not believe that it is necessary for a president to be a believer in order to serve the nation well and with honor.

 

[DonnaMartinez]

I believe they could. I dont believe they'd actually get elected now though.

 

[pinoybaptist]

RD: What is YOUR definition of a true believer ?

What if a person professing Christ is elected in office, but he goes to a Reformed church, or a Primitive Baptist church, would the Arminians on this board call him a "true" believer ?

Or what if a person professing Christ is elected in office, but he goes to an Arminian church, Baptist or otherwise, and states his Arminianism very publicly, would the Doctrine of Grace-ers and the Reformed Christians and Baptists and Calvinists on this board call him a "true" believer ?

Let me ask you and all, do you guys think Ronald Reagan was a "true" believer ?

Let's stray away from the Oval Office for a while, do you all think Rick Warren is a "true" believer ?

Or the favorite whipping boy of one poster on this board, John Mc'Arthur and company and the GES, do you guys think he and they are "true" believers ?

I think we could not really pinpoint what a "true" believer is.

God can, though.

 

[spiersdodgerblue]

I try not to judge a mans heart. I believe there have been and can be believers in the White House. I would not want to be in there shoes. One could say the same thing about believes being in the fortune 500 companys, no less back door deals there, don't you think.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Given that I would say that a true believer can hold office, but I don't think it's realistic to think they won't compromise their standards along the way.

Yes, a Godly man can hold an office without compromising his standards.

We have an Assoc. Pastor in our church who is also the Asst. D.A. He is one of the Godliest men I have ever met. He would quit his job before compromising his standards.

He is a lawyer and refuses to take divorce cases. Everyone told him he would not make it because of his stance, but he is the most sought after lawyer in town!

 

[pinoybaptist]

Yes, a Godly man can hold an office without compromising his standards.

We have an Assoc. Pastor in our church who is also the Asst. D.A. He is one of the Godliest men I have ever met. He would quit his job before compromising his standards.

He is a lawyer and refuses to take divorce cases. Everyone told him he would not make it because of his stance, but he is the most sought after lawyer in town!

I would pray for this man and his family, if he has any, because what he is doing is indeed very difficult, but I wouldn't put a period on what I think about him until he is with the Lord.

Years ago when I was in the Philippines and just "out of Satan's grip", so to speak, I met a man in church who was in the intelligence community, and in the more "lucrative" part of that community - the drug enforcement part.

Now, in those times, that country professed to be governed by laws, but in reality, many law "enforcers" took on the role of judge, jury and executioner, and at the same time, take spoils here and there so that one with the rank of sergeant could live in an affluent section of town in his own house.

Not to mention the pressure from your peers to be "one of them" and "one of them" means you have at least "two notches" on your gun.

Well, this sergeant lived within his means, he did not own a flashy car or "jeep", lived in a sem-slum area, had only one wife, no mistresses on the side, didn't smoke, drink, cuss, or frown.

He always smiled, always seemed to be content, and was a regular church goer. His wife and two kids sang in the choir.

But he was always in danger. From retaliation by some of the pushers and dealers he had put away, and from his own team because of the "arbitrary executions" (they call them 'salvage' over there) he did not participate in BUT witnessed.

Which is why eventually he practically begged to be put back in uniform.


When he retired, I had a chance to speak to him and asked him how he was able to maintain a clean record before man, and clean conscience before God.

His reply was that his record was never clean.

He did compromise. By not coming out and speaking out against the executions.

There may be big compromises, and little compromises.

But there will always be some sort of compromise.

That is why Jesus Christ alone is perfect and true.

However, when we have a brother or sister, such as this lawyer, who is steadfast and resolute, we ought to lift him up to the Lord in prayer.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

This man has a wife and five children...

He is the principle of our Christian school and his wife is a teacher there. Of course, all of the children attend there.

All of the politicians he works with respect him and do not even attempt to make him compromise because they know he follows God...not man.

 

[Aaron]

I would love to see a true, born-again believer be the president of our nation... however, with all of the corruption, behind-the-door-deals, political backstabbing, Quid Pro Quo hand shakes that goes on behind the closed doors of the Oval Office [and any other political office], is it really possible for a Christian to hold their ground and be a true believer while in the office?

This is a serious question. I say a true believer could do the job and remain faithful to their God. My wife does not believe anyone can do this job and remain a believer.

So what do you folks believe? I have wanted to run for a local office, but, it seems that I may have to sell my soul to get the kind of support I need to elected and stay popular while in the office.

Thanks for your responses, I cherish your input, because I'd like to run for an office in the city council, but, I don't want to sell my soul to do so!

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

Yes, a true believer can be President, but only with extraordinary help from God. We must pray for our leaders, Christian or not.

 

[EdSutton]

I would love to see a true, born-again believer be the president of our nation... however, with all of the corruption, behind-the-door-deals, political backstabbing, Quid Pro Quo hand shakes that goes on behind the closed doors of the Oval Office [and any other political office], is it really possible for a Christian to hold their ground and be a true believer while in the office?

This is a serious question. I say a true believer could do the job and remain faithful to their God. My wife does not believe anyone can do this job and remain a believer.

So what do you folks believe? I have wanted to run for a local office, but, it seems that I may have to sell my soul to get the kind of support I need to elected and stay popular while in the office.

Thanks for your responses, I cherish your input, because I'd like to run for an office in the city council, but, I don't want to sell my soul to do so!

In answer to the OP, the answer is "Yes." Presidents Jimmy Carter, Abraham Lincoln, George W. Bush, Calvin Coolidge and James A. Garfield, who was a long-time ordained minister, easily come to mind, among others, for all have said this specifically. That is not to say that they or any others, are or were perfect, by any stretch. Or that I would necessarily agree with some or all of their positions, for that matter. But they, and many others were and are believers.

The use of the phrase "true believers" is loaded, at best. What exactly is a "true believer"? One cannot find such language in the Bible, for the Bible doesn't talk like that. Does one have to be 'perfect' to qualify? If so, aside from a couple who post on the BB, who seem to self-fit this category, I don't know of any 'perfect' Christians. They merely believe in a perfect Jesus.

Undoubtedly , to paraphrase one tag-line I see on the BB, you can find many posters who are far better than I. But you cannot find one who is a believer in a better Savior than I.

FTR, I am no politician, I am just a dirt farmer, wagon builder, and sometimes taxi driver.

Ed

P.S. So run for the office. I'm sure that if God doesn't want you there, He can see that it doesn't happen, if that is His directive will! BTW, our pastor is on the School Board, and one of our deacons, who has been one of our two Youth Leaders (He leads the Junior High-age) for several years, is the County Attorney. And we have had far more youth involved, and become Christians with his and the associates leadership, than we ever did with any four before them, so I suggest they were and are doing something right, and besides that, their predecessors all are and/or were Godly men, as well.

 

[Aaron]

The use of the phrase "true believers" is loaded, at best. What exactly is a "true believer"? One cannot find such language in the Bible, for the Bible doesn't talk like that.

A true believer is a faithful believer, one who practices pure religion: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27.

 

[righteousdude2]

In That We Both Agree

Yes, a true believer can be President, but only with extraordinary help from God. We must pray for our leaders, Christian or not.

We've been told to pray for our leaders, so I agree with you on this. However, I don't believe that a Bible believing, born-again, spirit led Christian could ethically be president because there are too many things that the office of president has to execute for the good of the people as whole that would be in conflict with the Word of God.

A lot of people argue that this is not a Christian nation. They argue that this nation was never founded under Christian ideals, therefore, if this is factual, then being a Christian president would constantly present conflicts the necessary actions, and if the president were to object to signing off on things because the Bible would not permit the needed action, the public would crucify their response.

 

[Beth]

I agree

We've been told to pray for our leaders, so I agree with you on this. However, I don't believe that a Bible believing, born-again, spirit led Christian could ethically be president because there are too many things that the office of president has to execute for the good of the people as whole that would be in conflict with the Word of God.

A lot of people argue that this is not a Christian nation. They argue that this nation was never founded under Christian ideals, therefore, if this is factual, then being a Christian president would constantly present conflicts the necessary actions, and if the president were to object to signing off on things because the Bible would not permit the needed action, the public would crucify their response.

I agree with this viewpoint.

I would also add that Daniel, Moses and Esther were put in gentile governments specifically for purposes pertaining to Israel.

I don't believe a Christian is going to be able to vow to uphold the law legitimizing abortion. Peter put it this way: Ac 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.