與神的國度相比，所有發生在目前世界的議題全都索然無趣。我們必須投入目前世界的議題，至少要有一定程度的投入，才能使我們成為我們所蒙召的光和鹽。然而，要成為這光和鹽，我們必須看見並活出神的國，以彰顯其不同的方式與智慧。 

有時此智慧會從最不可能的來源說出，就像我們在聖經中所看見的尼布甲尼撒王，以及最近的前中國國家主席江澤明。前時代週刊特派員大衛.艾克曼（David Aikman）於2002年訪問前中國國家主席江澤民，問到他對中國未來的願景，他的回答震驚了艾克曼與全世界。

他說：『我希望我的國家成為基督教的國家。』（摘錄大衛.艾克曼對中國基督教的報導：與大衛.艾克曼對話。2002年九月26日於華盛頓公共政策中心的演講。）

當問及『為什麼』時，江澤民的回答有著奇妙的啟示，他解釋中國有一群學者花了二十年研究為何中國持續在科學、工業與文化上落後西方世界，聽了每一位學者的說明後，他們總結是西方的宗教遺產使其達到如此顛峰，這些中國學者的陳述是：

我們受邀做的一件事就是調查成功的原因；事實上，西方的卓越成就眾所皆知。我們竭盡所能從歷史、政治、經濟與文化觀點來研究。一開始，我們以為是因為強大的軍事力量，後來我們以為是因為最好的政治制度。接下來我們聚焦在你們的經濟制度上，但在過去二十年我們才意識到，你們的文化核心是宗教：基督教，這即是西方為何會強大的原因。基督教在社會與文化生活的道德根基使資本主義出頭，後來又成功轉型為民主政治。對此我們毫不懷疑。（摘錄自大衛.艾克曼所著的耶穌在北京：基督教如何改變中國及全球力量平衡）

當葉爾辛尋求將民主與自由帶到俄羅斯時，他所瞭解的第一件事就是：共產主義的無神主義奪走了人民基本道德的指南針，所以當人們自由後，犯罪率迅速上升。所以葉爾辛安排基督徒老師來到俄羅斯的學校與大學，教導基本道德原則。現在在俄羅斯的學校比美國有更多的宗教自由。 
 
因著美國的例子，全世界都大幅度的轉向基督教，所發生的正面結果顯而易見。就在世界多數對美國所提倡的國度能力甦醒過來時，美國卻走向相反的方向─遠離我們基督教的傳承，其是我們之所以偉大的根基。遠離我們根基所帶來的結果是如此明顯，令人驚奇的是，我們竟持續這麼長的時間走向這毀滅的道路，但屬靈覺醒正在發生，正朝著我們的根基巨大回轉。此回轉顯現在民意調查與許多暢銷書中，這些書多半和我們的建國父老、革命戰爭時期與美國憲法有關。 

當人試圖要成為自己的神，或自己的權柄時，就會有永無止境的衝突，一定會有極權統治來約束反對的人。極權統治掠奪了我們的基本人權，因為我們受造得以自由。那即是何以知識樹被放在園子裡的原因，並不是為了使人犯罪，但若沒有不順服的自由，就不可能有真正的順服。同樣地，若沒有敬拜的自由，就不會有真實的敬拜。我們受造得以自由，好讓我們可以從心靈來認識並敬拜神。 

唯有當我們承認神是我們的終極權柄時，我們才能自由成為我們受造的樣式。這即是何以哥林多後書三章17節告訴我們：『主就是那靈；主的靈在哪裡，那裡就得以自由。』將自由拿去，我們不過是人造機器或機器人。 

從自由中拿去對神聖潔的敬畏，不法的腐敗與沈淪將會接管我們。只因為美國人對基本宗教的忠誠，我們才有可能享受前所未有的自由。當我們國家對神失去忠誠時，我們也開始失去我們的自由。因為豐盛與自由的異象和創始力不可分開；中國專案小組說的一點也沒錯，西方力量與豐盛的根源就是我們基督教的道德價值觀。當此價值觀失落了，衰退是不可避免的，但我們仍有盼望它們不致失落的好原因。 
 
(摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 33, 2010) 
 

Prepared for the Times, Part 33
Week 33, 2010

Compared to the kingdom of God, all of the issues of this present world are boring. We must be engaged in the issues of this present world, at least to the degree that is necessary in order for us to be the salt and light we’re called to be. However, to be this salt and light, we must see and live in the kingdom to demonstrate its alternative ways and wisdom. 

Sometimes this wisdom is spoken from the mouth of the most unlikely sources, like King Nebuchadnezzar which we see in Scripture, and in recent times, by Jiang Zemin, the former leader of Communist China. Former Time correspondent, David Aikman interviewed the retiring head of state in Communist China in 2002 and asked what Zemin wished for in regard to China’s future. Zemin's response shocked Aikman, and much of the world, when he replied: 

  “I would like for my country to become a Christian nation.” (Aikman, David. “A Report on Christianity in China: A Conversation With David Aikman.” Speech at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, September 26, 2002.)

When asked “Why?” Zemin’s response was an amazing revelation. He explained how a panel of Chinese scholars had spent twenty years studying why China continually lagged behind the West in science, industry, and culture. After considering every possible explanation, they concluded that it was the religious heritage of the West that had allowed it to reach such heights. The statement of these Chinese scholars was:

“One of the things we were asked to do was look into what accounted for the success, in fact, the pre-eminence of the West all over the world. We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because of a more powerful military. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic systems. But in the past 20 years we have realized that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. This is why the West is powerful. The Christian moral foundation of the 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.” (Quoted from Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity is Changing the Global Balance of Power, by David Aikman.)

When Boris Yeltsin sought to bring democracy and freedom to Russia, one of the first things he realized was that the anti-God atheism of communism had robbed the people of a basic moral compass, so when people were free, crime skyrocketed. So Yeltsin arranged to have Christian teachers come to Russian schools and universities to teach basic moral principles. Now there is more freedom of religion in schools in Russia than in America.

All over the world there has been a turning to Christianity, to a large degree, because of the example of the United States. The positive results where this is happening are obvious and striking. Yet at the same time, when much of the world is waking up to the power of the kingdom methodology promoted by America, America itself has been going in the opposite direction—turning from God and our Judeo/Christian heritage, which is the foundation of our greatness. The results of this turning away from our foundations are also obvious. It is amazing that we have continued down that devastating path for so long, but there is a great awakening happening and a massive turning back to our foundations. This turning back is demonstrated in public opinion polls and the many books topping the bestselling charts about our Founding Fathers, the Revolutionary War period, and the Constitution. 

When man tries to be his own god, or his own ultimate authority, there will be perpetual discord and there must be totalitarian control to keep the rebellion of man in check. Totalitarian control robs us of our basic humanity because we were created to be free. That is why the Tree of Knowledge was put in the Garden, not to cause mankind to sin, but there could be no true obedience without the freedom to disobey. Likewise, there will be no true worship if there is no freedom to worship. We were created to be free so we could know and worship God from our hearts.

Only when we acknowledge God as the ultimate authority are we free to be who we were created to be. This is why we are told in II Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Take away freedom, and we will become subhuman machines or automatons.

Take away the holy fear of God from the free, and corruption and the debauchery of lawlessness will take us over. The unprecedented freedom enjoyed by Americans was only possible because of the basic religious devotion by Americans. As we lost our devotion to God as a nation, we began to also lose our freedom. Because prosperity is bound to the vision and initiative of freedom, when we lose our freedom, we will lose our initiative and then our prosperity. The panel in China was right. The root of the strength and prosperity of the West is our Judeo/Christian moral values. When they are lost, decline is inevitable, but we have a good reason to hope that they will not be lost.