Politicians Make Poor Messiahs

Valerie Cullers 27 Comments

I have noticed a trend in the last few Presidential elections. People seem to look at the leading candidate like he is some sort of messiah. No matter which side of the political spectrum your candidate is on, the man is the one who is going to fix all of the problems in the country. With his god-like status, he will be able to right all wrongs.

close up photo of man wearing black suit jacket doing thumbs up gesture

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 The problem with this kind of thinking is that it just isn’t true. Our Presidents are human and can only do so much to alleviate the ills in the country. If they have a Congress who is willing to work with him, they may get something done. If not, the President is pretty much spinning his wheels during his time in office.

No matter who we elect, that person is human and a flawed individual. The media may or may not choose to prop the President up, but in the end their flaws and mistakes become known. There is no hiding the fact, that even if they do their best, they will still make some pretty big mistakes.

Have we so left behind our belief in a Supreme Being that we are willing to assign god-like status to a man? Do we really think that a mere mortal can save us from ourselves and provide some sort of utopia here on the earth? There is nothing wrong with needing a Messiah as long as we choose one who is not fully human. Take Jesus for instance, he is the ultimate God-Man. He was perfect, sinless  and came to give his life for the likes of you and me. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16  Jesus is the only one who can take care of all of our needs and make our lives better.

Let’s quit looking at mere mortal men as messiahs. In spite of their best efforts, they are ALL flawed individuals. And let’s be done with looking at our Presidents and Presidential candidates like they can solve all of the ills of the world. From my vantage point, Politicians make poor Messiahs. How about from your vantage point? 

27 thoughts on “Politicians Make Poor Messiahs”

  2. And this isn’t unique to democracy or the current times. The Jews wanted a king and reading the King books of the bible indicate all did not go well with that. They wanted Jesus to be a political leader who would lead them as a great nation. And we want a president to lead us without limiting us with laws. God is the King of kings and Jesus is the Prince of peace. Let’s accept our human leaders for who they are and believe and hope in the promises of the true King.

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  3. One problem with expecting any politician to function as a messianic figure (Don’t messiahs die?) is that doing so holds that person to an impossibly high standard. In the world there are very human forces beyond the control of one person, for example. On the other hand, one should not hold any politician to a standard set too low, or to no standard at all.

    I, as a student of U.S. presidential history, can think easily of some very competent Presidents of the United States who have not become household names after dying. They did their jobs well, behaved honorably in public office, and recognized the limits of presidential power, as the Constitution defines those limits. Yet these men were not “great Presidents,” for they held office during quieter times. They did not feel the pressure to live up to widespread messianic functions.

    These messianic expectations, which some candidates and officials encourage, much to everyone’s detriment, and into which many people buy, are ways of we citizens shirking our responsibilities. We want others to do the work that properly devolves onto us in a constitutional system. We are busy, distracted, and frequently lazy. But, as John Adams said very long ago, “a republic, if you can keep it.”

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  4. I do not believe in a predident of the messianic republic. I believe in a man who takes on social commitments, humanitarian, balance, discernment for diverse subjects like economy, security, employment, housing, health, education, culture, for example. I am concerned, especially in a country with Brazil, that we may also have a balanced legislative body and also committed to these causes. the big question is that a president here does not elect with majority and fractures this balance creating conditions for corruption, etc. but only by reaping the sensitivity and wisdom of God can we move forward.

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  6. I don’t know anyone who has ever considered a president the messiah. In fact we all know that politicians are among the worst of liars and charlatans . What we expect is a man who will not defraud our nation and uphold our constitution and democracy.

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  7. There is only ONE TRUE GOD THE HEAVENLY FATHER who art in Heaven Above and ONE SON Christ-MESSIAH Jesus-Yeshua, thus, Christ Jesus-Yeshua is the only ONE MESSIAH / SAVIOUR!!

    Love 💕 Always and Shalom ( Peace ), YSIC \o/

    Kristi Ann

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