The Answer

The last time you watched Fox or CNN I bet you didn’t watch long before the subject was some individual or group that was in big trouble. War is widespread. Crime causes hurt to thousands of people. Poverty ruins the lives of millions. Surely there’s a solution for all of this.

Someone says, “Yeah, I’ve got the answer. Throw enough money at it and any problem will disappear.” But we spend and spend and the problems still abound.

Someone else says, “If we have the ‘right’ form of government, then everyone will get along and live happily ever after.” I sure am proud to live in a democracy – but there are still problems – and a lot of them.

Another says, “If we have a strong enough military, then we can force what’s right on others.” I don’t know how many wars we will have to endure before we realize that it’s not that simple.

Then someone says, “If we can just get people educated, then they’ll know better than to cause all this trouble.” If people became enlightened enough to understand the benefits of getting along and helping out – that would be great. But, how many people do you know who don’t act like they know they ought to act?

“Well,” another says, “what we really need is for people to be more religious.” Yeah, right. Look at all the pain and suffering that’s being perpetrated right now in the name of religion.

But, you know, there is an answer. It’s not money, government, armies, education, or even religion.

The answer is Christianity.

“That’s a religion,” you say. Ok. But it’s really not “a” religion, it’s “the” religion. There is a vast difference between being religious and being religiously correct. The Pharisees were very religious – but were a long way from being religiously correct. They were religious people who were constantly at odds with Jesus.

Christianity solves everything. It even gives us hope, and thus courage, to bear the trials of life. Christianity works because it makes relationships work. Christianity fixes war, poverty, enables us to bear trials, and secures our relationship with our Maker.

If everyone were a faithful Christian, there would be no greed and no arrogance. Without greed and arrogance, how many wars do you think we would have? I don’t think we would have any. Read James 4:2-3: You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

If everyone were a faithful Christian, there would be no poverty. We would all heed the example of the apostle Paul: They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do (Galatians 2:10 NKJV).

If everyone were a faithful Christian, we could cope with trials, because we would view them as growth opportunities. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance (Romans 5:3 NKJV).

If everyone were a faithful Christian, our relationship with God would be in order, and we would all go to heaven when we die.

But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV).

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him (James 1:12 NKJV).

God has provided us with the answer. It is up to us to heed it.