Joel Littlefield

A world without _______ would be a better world!

What would you put there?

A world without violence…

A world without hate…

A world without fear…

A world without financial struggle…

A world without disappointment…

A world without divorce…

A world without abandonment…

A world without human trafficking…

A world without COVID…

It’s alright to dream a little, and imagine a better world without these evils and trials, but the reality of our fallen state is that things are getting worse, not better. There are glimpses of good in the midst of the bad, and light in the dark, but until Christ returns there is an inevitable downward spiral we all must ride this side of Heaven.

The way to cope is not to imagine a better world, or to wish it would all just go away. The mechanism for handling the increasing trouble around us, according to Scripture, is faith in God. And not only faith in God, but faith in Christ.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:3

What is the believing that Paul speaks of here? Look at v8 of that same chapter.

“For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,“

The promise given to the patriarchs was that a Messiah, a Savior and Redeemer would come to the world and rescue God’s people from sin and judgement. God promised peace and blessing to men like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not saying that this world would get better, but peace would reign in their hearts if they would trust Him to be their God and to do what He promised.

Well, He did what He promised. Christ came! He crushed the Enemy of our souls at the cross and made peace between God and all who trust Him by faith.

“The root of Jesse will come,
    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.” Romans 15:12

Jesus came and will come again to set things right, to judge the wicked, the hatred, the traffickers, and cheaters who never trust Him. There will be justice for the unjust. But until then, hope in Him by believing. And as you believe, the God of hope will fill you with hope and peace. And as hope in Christ rises above the gloom of our day, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that you will not only have hope, but begin to abound in hope through Christ.

The trouble with erasing from the world the one worst thing we can think of is that there’s just too many of those one things. The root is sin and unbelief. People need hearts changed, and only though faith in Christ can that ever happen.

So how about this?

A world without unbelief would be a better world!