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willing to look into the Bible on this
subject, we find a
~urprising
answer.
There is a God - your Bible re–
veals - who has the ability to, and is
willing to, renew man and bis cities.
But God has been rejected - even
by this world's philosophers and re–
ligious leaders. Humankind, for the
most part, has thrown God's Word
"out the window," so to speak.
\Vhy? Because humans, deep down,
intrinsically resent it when God tells
them how to succeed. Yet, it is God
alone who reveals to us how man
can and must be changed. Only
God has the power and authority to
renew man and bis cities!
The Bible reveals a way of life
which brings about a change in a
man's character.
lt
explains how
old, erroneous ways of life must give
way toa renewed, abundant way of
life. The starting point
is
acknowl–
edging the existence of Almighty
God who is the author of this
change and accepting the utter au–
thority of his word.
Notice Romans 12:2: "Be not
conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by
the renewing ofyour
mind,
that ye may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God." And Colossians 3:10:
" .. . put on the new man, which is
renewed
in knowledge after the im–
age of him [God] that created him
[roan]."
This kind of "human renewal"
demands what the Bible terms "re–
pentance" - which is merely chang–
ing from doing and thinking what
humanly appears to be right and
good to what
God says
is right. lt
means adhering to the way of life
based on the principie of !ove
toward God above all else - and
loving one's neighbor as oneself
(Matthew 22:37-40).
Imagine residing in a city where
every citizen observed God's Ten
Commandments, which forbid steal–
ing, killing, lying, and adultery.
There would be no more crime or
illegitimacy. Strikes would cease.
People would pitch in to help eradi-
PLAIN TRUTH
June
1973
cate pollution, poverty, and suffer–
ing.
Surprising1y enough, such cities
are just around the comer! They are
prophesied in the Bib1e. God says
today's cities are destined to be lev–
eled in the not-too-distant future
(Reve1ation 16: 19). It is bis way of
initiating meaningful urban re–
newal.
The rebuilding of new cities
worldwide will commence after
Jesus Christ takes over as world ru–
ler and establishes the government
of God on this earth. That govern–
ment will insure the rebuilding of
tomorrow's cities.
lt
will insure the
preservation of natural environ–
ments and the control of growth. It
will concentrate on "renewing"
human beings. A "new age" of shin–
ing cities will begin.
Notice what God says he will do
at that time for bis people: "1 will
greatly increase your population ...
and
the ruined cities wi/1 be rebuilt
and filled with people"
(Ezekiel
36:
10,
The Living Bib/e).
Decayed
and ruined cities
will
be totally re–
newed. New, livable cities will be
built from scratch.
The typical city of this coming
utopía will be like the future Jerusa–
lem which "will have peace and
prosperity so long that there will
once again be aged roen and women
hobbling through her streets on
canes, and the streets will be filled
with boys and girls at play" (Zech–
ariah 8:4,
The Living Bible).
Urban
woes will be abolished forever!
Tomorrow's Rulers
Qualifying Today
Who, then, will be in charge of
running these cities? Who
will
have
the power to keep things in order?
Answer: mayors who are thor–
oughly qualiiied for their offices!
These mayors will need to have an
intimate understanding of the prin–
cipies of urban success. They will
possess the power to enforce the
preservation of the natural environ–
ment. They will need to display a
warm, sensitive concern for the
human beings under their jurisdic–
tion.
It
may surprise you to know that
these mayors are being trained right
now! They are qualifying for these
offices today by overcoming their
own human nature through repen–
tance and obedience to God's laws
as revealed in the Bible. The degree
to which they overcome today will
determine their office, their reward,
in the world tomorrow.
Christ referred to these future
mayors in the "parable of the
pounds" found in Luke 19. He de–
scribed them as servants of a king
(Christ), who apportioned to each of
them a certain amount of money
(representing God's Holy Spirit).
The king commanded each servant
to trade, or grow in character - to
overcome human nature.
When the king returned, he dis–
covered that the first assistant had
gained ten times the origina l
amount he had been given.
"'Fine!' the king exclaimed. 'You
are a good man. You have been
faithful witb the little
1
entrusted to
you, and as your reward, you shall
be
governor often cities'
"(verse 17,
The Living Bible).
The king then turned to the sec–
ond assistant who had gained five
times the original sum. "'All right!'
bis master said. 'You can be
gover–
nor over five cities'"
(verse 19).
The assistants traded. They
gained. They overcame. Tbey quali–
fied to rule future cities during their
physical, human lifetimes.
What about you? You could be
qualifying for such a position right
now yourself! The opportunity is
available.
O
If you would like more information
on how you can have a personal part
in the governing of tomorrow's c1ties
and about what society will be like,
write for our free, full-color booklet,
The Wonderful World Tomorrow
-
What lt Will Be Like,
and the article
"An Excitinl? Preview of Tomorrow's
Cities." See mside front cover for ad–
dress of our office nearest you.
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