The Key to a Happy World

"THE single most powerful figure—not merely in these two millenniums but in all human history—has been Jesus of Nazareth," said Time magazine. When Jesus was on earth, thousands of honesthearted people recognized, not just his greatness, but his concern for others. Hence, it comes as no surprise that they wanted to make him king. (John 6:10, 14, 15) Yet, as mentioned in the preceding article, Jesus declined to get involved in politics.


JESUS' response was based on at least three factors: his Father's view of expressions of human self-determination, which include human rule; Jesus' awareness that there are powerful, hidden forces working against even the best human efforts at rulership; and God's purpose to establish a heavenly government to rule over the entire earth. As we examine these three points more closely, we will see why mankind's efforts to make the world a better place have failed. We will also see how success will be achieved.

Can You Make the World a Better Place?

"Politics cannot begin to put the connecting tissue back in society. It is ill-equipped to reconstruct traditional moral beliefs. The best policies cannot recover courtship or marriage, make fathers responsible for their children, restore shock or shame where it once existed . . . The vast majority of moral problems that trouble us cannot be eradicated by law."

ARE you inclined to agree with those words of a former U.S. government aide? If so, what is the solution to the many problems today that stem from greed, lack of natural affection in families, loose morals, ignorance, and other corrosive factors eating away at the fabric of society? Some people feel that there is no solution, so they just get on with their lives as best they can. Others hope that one day a charismatic and brilliant leader, perhaps even a religious leader, will come along and point them in the right direction.

In fact, two thousand years ago, people wanted to make Jesus Christ their king because they perceived that he had been sent by God and would make a most able ruler. Nevertheless, when Jesus discerned their intentions, he quickly left the scene. (John 6:14, 15) "My kingdom is no part of this world," he later explained to a Roman governor. (John 18:36) Nowadays, however, few take the stand that Jesus took—even religious leaders who profess to be his followers. Some of these have tried to make this world a better place, either by attempting to influence secular rulers or by holding political office themselves. We can see this by looking at the 1960's and '70's.