resident Theodore Roosevelt once said, "There are always politicians willing, on the one hand, to promise everything to the people, and, on the other, to perform everything for the machine or the boss, with chuckling delight in the success of their efforts to hood wink the former and serve the latter. Now, not only should such politicians be regarded as infamous, but the people who are hoodwinked by them should bare the blame."

America has had enough of politicians. Although much of the country has abandoned traditional ethics, enough morality is still left to give most people the instinctive feeling that this nation is on the wrong track. People are looking today for principled leaders. They may not always effectively identify them, but they're impressed when they see a leader operating out of conviction and not political expedience.

The Bible records the shameful accounts of authority figures that sacrificed principle for politics.

Saul was the first king of Israel. He was privately anointed by Samuel, the prophet, in Ramah, and would later be elected by popular assembly at Mizpah. He had an auspicious beginning and was very popular with the people. But his love for the favor of men would soon eclipse his moral compass.

Saul, in direct disobedience to God, preserved the Amalekite king and the best of his cattle and sheep. He didn't really do it for humanitarian or religious reasons as he claimed (I Sam. 15:15). Rather, he was fully prepared to modify social custom and religious conviction to accommodate public opinion, or better said, political pressures (I Sam. 15:21,24).

In the sight of God, this disqualified him as an effective leader.

Samuel told Saul, "Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king" (I Sam. 15: 23).

Saul supplanted politics for principle.

In the New Testament, Jesus charged the authorities in Israel, the Pharisees, for repeating the same error as Saul. He said to them, "Full well, ye reject the commandments of God, that ye may keep your own tradition" (Mark 7:9).

In other words, they replaced the clearly delineated directives of God's Word with their own devices. One could even say they redefined God's commands according to the latest notions.


Read more: How Our Politicians Are Like Those in the Bible