Democratic countries throughout the world elect leaders to run their governments. Winds of change are bringing brighter futures to people everywhere—or at least that’s what the stream of promises from candidates would lead people to believe.

Changes for the better would be welcomed by nearly anyone, anywhere. Knowing this, political opponents strive to illuminate all the bad that exists today and contrast it with the good that will come if only they were elected. After all, to hope to win, a candidate must make a case that he or she can bring change for the better.

Our modern cultures are the end result of thousands of years of attempts at improving the world we live in. Yet the problems remain.

In a world filled with difficulties and dangers, most people hope for positive change. Yet, in spite of so many promised improvements, people everywhere face obstacles that are only escalating—locally, regionally, nationally, internationally and globally. Complex problems confound our governments, economies, social and physical environments. Conflicts and sorrows are so pervasive that British writer Aldous Huxley once observed, “Maybe this world is another planet’s hell.”

Trial and error

What is the solution to the problems we face?

Various ideas have been put forward and tried as supposedly ideal solutions. The roots of Western big government began with the Sumerian kingdom of Mesopotamia around 3000 B.C. One of the early rulers of the region is mentioned in Genesis 10:8-12—Nimrod, who became one of the world’s first tyrants. The area was “the beginning of his kingdom.” Eventually, the Babylonian domination of this region, the cradle of civilization, spawned a governmental system ultimately involving all the great empires of the western hemisphere.

These successive empires devised every conceivable tactic and system in attempts to address humanity’s problems. The attempted fixes have continued down to our day. They have included improved education, greater mechanization, bigger cities, increased sports and entertainment, greater wealth and trade and one-world-government-style empires.

Our modern cultures are the end result of thousands of years of attempts at improving the world we live in. Yet the problems remain.

What if?

What if you were chosen to lead a nation? Where would you begin in addressing the problems and challenges facing so many countries?

Consider the major priorities the major U.S. presidential candidates promised to address:

* Improving the nation’s educational system.
* Strengthening a national retirement program.
* Providing adequate, affordable health care.
* Strengthening national security.
* Lowering taxes.

In addition to these, national leaders perennially face a number of challenges:

* Eliminating crime and the drug trade.
* Reducing poverty.
* Promoting a just judicial system.
* Ending discrimination.
* Promoting international peace and cooperation.
* Strengthening moral and family values and work ethics.
* Reducing government bureaucracy.
* Reducing pollution and promoting proper ecology.

Do these problems sound familiar? They should. American politicians have been promising to solve the same problems for decades. Yet they remain unsolved.

The big lesson is this: The right government, the correct plan and the perfect person in a crucial position of leadership isn’t what we have now, or have had in the history of human governments. Although many have tried, no humanly devised government in any country or in any age has even begun to make a decent start down the road to creating a perfect civilization.

Good news is coming

But, we should never despair. There is incredible good news on the horizon. A perfect leader with a perfect plan already exists. And He has been carefully assembling a government capable of doing all these things.

A perfect leader with a perfect plan already exists. And He has been carefully assembling a government capable of doing all these things.

The human mind laughs at such a utopian prospect, even while some leaders are now working to concoct their own world order. But an appointed Person and His staff are preparing to step in and put the world on its feet at last. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah sums up the basics: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign… over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever” (Isaiah 9:6, New International Version).

We humans are far too young on any historical time line, too eager, immature and impetuous. We envision solutions to problems as far less complex and deep-rooted than they are. The fact so many of our problems have remained with us—not only for a few presidential administrations but for thousands of years—should prove sobering.

Fixing all the wrongs and ills of humanity is not that simple, even for God. He and His Son Jesus Christ haven’t simply been “killing” time waiting for the right time to step into human affairs. They have been working diligently in preparation for “fixing” planet earth. Many aspects of the solution are much more complex than we can imagine.

Aspects of God’s master plan

Biblical history and prophecy reveals some of the key strategies God has begun to or will implement to create a just, peaceful and prosperous world for all:

* Establish righteous laws that will guide human behavior and build just societies (Deuteronomy 4:5-8; 5:29).
* Provide a way for people to understand and internalize those laws and keep them in their full spiritual intent (Jeremiah 31:33-34).
* Record examples from which mankind could learn so as to avoid others’ mistakes (1 Corinthians 10:6; Romans 15:4)
* Establish a worldwide educational system to train people in the right way of life (Isaiah 2:2-3).
* Create a transformed world in which all suffering and sorrow will be eliminated (Revelation 21:4)
* Devise a means for humans to escape the finality of death (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
* Arrange for the perfect King to rule all nations (Revelation 1:5-6; 19:11-16).
* Put an end to human rebellion (Revelation 19:15).
* Establish universal peace and freedom from crime, violence and war (Micah 4:3-4).
* Select and train assistants to administer proper government throughout the world (Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:4; Daniel 7:27).

These events cover some of the most important aspects of the massive preparations that have been underway for as long as humans have existed.

Another change needed

Could you fulfill any of the above items? Certainly these things are far beyond our human abilities. Yet they are all necessary to solve the problems that plague mankind. Even so, yet another vital step is still missing. Without it, many of these dramatic changes could never come about, and we could never see a fulfilling, peaceful world.

The real culprit for humanity’s ills is within us—the nature we each possess.

The real culprit for humanity’s ills is within us—the nature we each possess. Even widespread mainstream Christian movements have not tamed the inner nature of man. British historian Paul Johnson wrote, in spite of Christianity’s civilizing influence, “there is a cruel and pitiless nature in man which is sometimes impervious to Christian restraints and encouragements” (A History of Christianity, 1976, p. 517).

God alone can solve that problem. Ultimately, He will remove humanity’s greedy, selfish nature along with its source, Satan the devil (John 8:44). Only by removing the sources of man’s problems can the problems and effects begin to be erased. God then will replace human self-centeredness with an attitude of service and love toward others. Of that day He says, “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds” (Hebrews 10:16, NIV). It is through the administration of the government of God—referred to in Scripture as the Kingdom of God—that humanity will ultimately find true happiness.

God’s strategic solution

Sin is biblically defined as “the transgression of [God’s] law” (1 John 3:4, King James Version). It lies at the root of every human problem. No man can heal the countless tragedies resulting from sin. We can’t erase the mental pain. We can’t undo the dreadful tolls of warfare, slavery, persecution and pogroms. We can’t change the greed and selfishness that motivate so many human actions.

We can’t even clearly differentiate between villains and victims in a world where people are too often both. We can’t restructure and repay fairly all the wrongs that have happened to peoples and nations who have had outbreaks of wars and reprisals against each other. The whole human race, all of it from top to bottom, needs to repent—to truly change its ways and start afresh with a new and different spirit, the Spirit of God, leading their thoughts. Only with repentance, forgiveness and a change of our nature can all the wrongs eventually be removed and forgotten.

If you have ever wished you could be part of a government that really made a difference, then seek to be an ambassador of Christ’s coming government.

This is what it will take for the real solution to wars, crime, pollution, abuse, discrimination and a whole host of other problems to come about. If you’re inclined to think, “If I were president, I would…,” remember what the real solution entails. None of us has the smarts, the power, or the stamina to change this world’s problems. The solution lies in the hands of God Himself. Let’s be glad He has been working tirelessly in preparation to handle them when Jesus Christ returns to earth.

You can play a part

There’s the old saying, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” What can you do to make a difference today? Run for government office?

When Jesus lived and set a perfect example we should follow, He said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). He didn’t abolish disease, but He healed many. He didn’t stop crime, but He had compassion on its victims. He didn’t stop oppression, but told others to never oppress others. He called Himself and His disciples the light of the world, engaging them as examples of God’s way of life (Matthew 5:14-16).

Those He calls today have an invitation to be living examples of godly love and concern (Colossians 3:12-15). Jesus Christ needs assistants willing to prepare to rule with Him by learning to choose right instead of wrong and beginning to govern their lives by God’s Word. Remember Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan and prepare to be good neighbors, helping others as the opportunities arise. This is the mind-set Christ will employ to help Him rule the nations in His coming Kingdom (Matthew 25:36).

Another important responsibility is to pray for the leaders of our nations so the gospel of the Kingdom may be proclaimed without undue hindrance (1Timothy 2:1-4; Colossians 4:2-4). If you have ever wished you could be part of a government that really made a difference, then seek to be an ambassador of Christ’s coming government (2 Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador is a representative appointed by one government to represent it to others. God is calling people today to be representatives of His government to all other governments and peoples. You could become one of His ambassadors, one of His representatives reflecting His way of life.

Such a role actually contributes a great deal toward the ultimate solving of society’s problems and leads you into being made a coruler in the administration of the coming Kingdom of God (2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:26).

In this world aspiring candidates are constantly making plans to gain political power in hopes of advancing themselves or solving particular problems. People remain hopeful that some leader will one day make a real difference.

Although that won’t happen in this age of man, it is sure to occur in the biblically promised world to come. We need to awaken to the awesome plan that God is implementing for mankind. And we should be finding out about how to pursue a contributing role in His coming Kingdom.

A few leaders have bravely attempted to deal with crises that arose on their watch. Britain’s Sir Winston Churchill, America’s Abraham Lincoln and Egypt’s Anwar Sadat are examples of courageous men at the helm of countries plying very troubled waters. Some of them gave their lives for noble ambitions of positive change.

On the other end of the spectrum, some leaders have focused more on materialistic and hedonistic opportunism, which ultimately only erodes the moral integrity of those around them and the general populace. Some leaders have been egomaniacs, focused almost entirely on the acquisition of power and possessions for ignoble ideals.

Frederick the Great (II) shamelessly declared, “I begin by taking. I shall find scholars later to demonstrate my perfect right.”

Inevitably, the majority of leaders wind up making little or no lasting improvements. Checked by their competitors’ agendas, they learn that real progress in the political arena is often near to impossible. Two-term President Ronald Reagan even conceded jokingly, “Government does not solve problems. It subsidizes them.”