A Faith that Makes a Difference
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14–16
As an atheist, British historian and author, Niall Ferguson is not an expected source for kind words about the impact of religion on the world. Yet in his book Civilization: The West and the Rest, Ferguson included this revealing statement. He interviewed a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who told him they had diligently searched for the secret to the growth and influence of Western culture.
He said, “We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you had more powerful guns than we had. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic system. But in the past twenty years, we have realized that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don’t have any doubt about this.”
Of course many religious groups claim the name of Christianity without actually following what the Word of God teaches. But the impact of the followers of Jesus Christ on the world cannot be denied. That is exactly the way God intends for it to be. Our primary focus is to be on the spiritual and eternal things, but faithfully preaching and practicing the Bible day after day produces major changes in the temporal world as well.
Matthew 5:14–16
As an atheist, British historian and author, Niall Ferguson is not an expected source for kind words about the impact of religion on the world. Yet in his book Civilization: The West and the Rest, Ferguson included this revealing statement. He interviewed a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who told him they had diligently searched for the secret to the growth and influence of Western culture.
He said, “We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you had more powerful guns than we had. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic system. But in the past twenty years, we have realized that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don’t have any doubt about this.”
Of course many religious groups claim the name of Christianity without actually following what the Word of God teaches. But the impact of the followers of Jesus Christ on the world cannot be denied. That is exactly the way God intends for it to be. Our primary focus is to be on the spiritual and eternal things, but faithfully preaching and practicing the Bible day after day produces major changes in the temporal world as well.
Today’s Growth Principle:
God has called us to make a powerful impact on those around us by the way in which we live.
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