Why I Believe Christ Commands Me to Build This City

Introduction

During my last message, I shared a unique perspective on how emerging technologies can create a city or government that allows its residents to live a prosperous life. If you missed that message, I recommend that you review it. This message will be about why I believe Christ commands me to build this city. It may be obvious that due to the potential good this City may offer, Christ would naturally want it to be constructed. However, when I doubt or simply need a clearer reason as to why this aligns with the will of Christ, I have written this essay.

I believe this City aligns with the will of Christ for many reasons. First, it would be shrewd to use modern technology to solve current issues. In addition, if successful, it would be an inspirational display of my faith that could result in hearts being turned towards God. Also, it would effectively help the sick and needy, and it would help prisoners and the fatherless. Next, it would fulfill Christ’s two greatest commands, and it would be one of many answers to his prayer for unity among his followers. Furthermore, it is in keeping with the biblical theme of nation-building and statecraft, and it would be the best environment in which to reside while preparing for his return. Finally, it’s an answer to a prayer. Therefore, due to these reasons, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this City right away so that I can begin helping as many people as possible.

Shrewd Use of Technology

First, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would be shrewd to use modern technology to solve current issues. Throughout the Bible, we experience a call to use wisdom and a shrewd mind to be cautious and effective in our altruistic efforts. In the Gospels, Christ shares the need to be shrewd as vipers when going out into the world and ministering Matthew 10:16. He also warns us not to throw our pearls before swine, which reflects a circumspect use of our resources Matthew 7:6. These messages shared by Christ are not new but rather a reflection of the wisdom books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The purpose of these books and Christ’s message is that we need to be able to overcome the evils that are present in this world with wisdom and a skilled or trained mind.

The reason for mentioning this is that this City reflects the request by Christ to make shrewd use of our time and efforts. For the longest time, the most effective way to help someone was by giving that person resources like food, clothes, and medicine, and although this should still be practiced, we also need to recognize how emerging technologies can help us to do more by targeting people’s needs in a new way. A major concern that is on our horizon is being able to effectively transition from one job to the next during this AI supercharged era. Not to mention the still-present issues of mental health that have yet to be effectively resolved on a large scale. I believe we should use the most effective methods to help our fellow brothers and sisters, which would be to use modern resources to solve modern problems. I believe Christ is calling on us to use this City to actively address these current issues. I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would be shrewd to use modern technology to solve current issues. Doing this would show adaptability and resilience, which is what Christ and the Wisdom books of old command us to embody as Christians, helping this modern world.

A Display of Faith

Second, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because, if successful, it would be an inspirational display of my faith that could result in hearts being turned towards God. To continue, Christ commands us to be the light of this world and a city on a hill whose good works inspire men and women to glorify God, Matthew 5:14. I believe this city’s success would be an inspirational show of my faith which is exactly what Christ calls us to do as a way of winning souls for the kingdom of heaven. This is because the function of the City would be to heal, educate, house, train, disciple, and feed its residents. If the city is successfully functioning, then each generation would benefit tremendously from the previous generation's efforts. With carefully planned moments of introspection and reflection, such as historical holidays today, the members can appreciate and be energized by the successful efforts of those before them. The goal would be to influence and empower each generation to go further and do more. In this way, the residents are being inspired by the fruits of faith-led actions.

In addition, this city would be an inspirational show of my faith because faith is believing in things not seen and confidence in things hoped for, reflective of what was spoken in the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11. I am practicing my faith by hoping that, as a result of this city, future generations will use the fullness of their technological power to help others thrive and be better, with each generation being increasingly blessed by the previous. By faith, I believe that building this city would provide the distant posterity with the equipment to address even greater problems like space travel or recovering from what was once deadly injuries. By the definition provided in the book of Hebrews Chapter 11, this City would represent an emblematic show of faith for all the world to see. Thus, if this city is successful, it would be an inspirational show of my faith, which is exactly what Christ calls us to do as a way of winning souls for the kingdom of heaven.

Also, those who witness and benefit from this generational growth would, much like in the days of the early Church, be convicted to turn their lives towards God. This is because if successful, the City should be able to radically heal and effect change in the lives of those around. The gratitude of the onlookers who would benefit from this city would inspire some to turn their lives over to Christ. To paint a clearer picture, the earliest functioning of this city would be a university that allows individuals to get retrained for higher-level roles in society. In the event that someone lost their job to AI automation, I am certain that they would appreciate being able to be trained and prepared for another role with little to no cost. In this way, the city, in its early stages, can affect positive change in a person’s life, resulting in a deep sense of gratitude, which could lead to a life dedicated to God. In this situation, my faith in building this city would result in a life being changed for the better. The fruits of my faith-led action would inspire a soul to turn towards God, which is what Christ called his followers to do in Matthew. As a result, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because, if successful, it would be an inspirational display of my faith that could result in hearts being turned towards God.

Helping the Sick and Needy

Next, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would effectively help the sick and needy. The city would effectively help the sick and needy by being a location at which individuals who were once struggling in their health and living conditions would be empowered to help not just themselves, but others. In doing so, the city would be an effective system in which the sick and needy are restored to the point of helping other people who are also sick and needy. Then an endless chain reaction of healing and helping, could potentially erase localized poverty in specific regions, meaning the city could eradicate living and health insecurities in places where it is established.

How would this be possible? This city would effectively help the sick and needy by using artificial intelligence, robotics, and brain imaging to provide the facilities for its residents to address higher-level issues with the best of modern technology. Those who reside in this city will be able to effectively address individuals who are afflicted with various illnesses. This will develop over the course of generations, improving their effectiveness. This use of technology in a groundbreaking way was demonstrated in Pfizer’s approach to the COVID-19 virus. Within 12 months, and with the collaboration of many highly trained researchers and with assistance from AI, Pfizer was able to accomplish what previously took 4 or more years. This, without a doubt, saved countless lives and demonstrates what modern technology can accomplish if fully utilized. The same efforts could be used to assist individuals with home and health insecurities.

To continue, many people who struggle with home insecurities usually suffer from a mental health illness or substance abuse. Dr. Peter Tarr states, “According to a 2015 assessment by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 564,708 people were homeless on a given night in the United States. At a minimum, 140,000 or 25 percent of these people were seriously mentally ill, and 250,000 or 45 percent had any mental illness. By comparison, a 2016 A study found that 4.2 percent of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness,” (Tarr 2023). This explains that a major cause of homelessness is mental health issues. Individuals who struggle in these areas would find refuge in the City. More specifically, they would be able to get their brains scanned, then assessed, and find community in the fraternal systems that exist. With their mental health issue addressed, they would be able to participate in the workforce and take care of themselves. In addition, with the fraternal system, they would have a sense of support and community, preventing them from, or reducing the chances of, their relapsing into poor habits. St. James Rehabilitation Center states, “Community involvement is a cornerstone of effective rehabilitation for individuals overcoming addiction. This approach not only facilitates emotional healing but also offers numerous practical benefits that support long-term sobriety,” (stjamesrehab.com). This explains the importance of community in curbing addictive behaviors, which are usually a sign of substance abuse or mental health issues. Even from a biblical perspective, we are encouraged to seek wise counselors when making important decisions Proverbs 11:14. This explains the importance of community in helping to make good decisions and consequently curbing wrong behavior. Now, the most important part is that it only takes one generation to begin this process of healing for a chain reaction to begin. This chain reaction, once established, could radically help the sick and needy. Since this city would enable its residents to effectively help themselves and others, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would effectively help the sick and needy.

Helping Prisoners and the Fatherless

To continue, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would also help prisoners and the fatherless. To continue, much like the needy, prisoners tend to struggle with poor decision-making habits, which is indicative of mental health issues and or poor home training. Freeland states, “Mental health problems can impair judgment, impulse control, and decision-making abilities, influencing an individual's likelihood of committing crimes.” (Freeland). This explains that mental health issues can affect decision-making. In addition, America First Policy Institute states that “Fatherless children are more likely to abuse drugs and show signs of delinquent behavior… In a study of 75 juvenile delinquents, 66% experienced fatherlessness, 20% had never lived with their father, and 25% had an alcoholic father…71% of teachers and 90% of law enforcement officials state that the lack of parental supervision at home is a major factor that contributes to violence in schools,” (americafirstpolicy.com). This explains the importance of parental involvement and specifically paternal involvement in a child’s life. As mentioned before, with the right brain imaging system in place, incoming individuals can have their mental health assessed to vet it as a potential cause for their past behaviors. In addition, the support continues after assessing their mental health with fraternities that can help to provide the family structure these individuals may have lacked. This would be useful for prisoners of poor home upbringings who lack a strong education.

We know that a large portion of the individuals in prison came from fatherless homes, which could have impacted their poor decision-making. That said, we know that fatherless homes are more adversely affected by mental health issues, and are usually poor performers in schools. It is no wonder that Christ and the Father commands his people to look after and protect the orphaned and fatherless Isaiah 1:17, Psalms 82:3, and James 1:27. With the help of the culture of family preparedness that is also a part of this City, prisoners and the fatherless will not only be supported by the fraternal systems and mental health checks, but also actively break the cycle of criminality and family dysfunction they may have experience in their youth. In addition, it would provide a place for them to be educated in order to properly assimilate into society for those whose lives of crime were financially dependent. The fraternal community would also provide a socially acceptable group in which they can separate themselves from more violent alternatives. Clearly, this city allows us to help this vulnerable demographic. Therefore, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would help prisoners and the fatherless.

Fulfilling the Two Greatest Commands

Furthermore, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would fulfill his two greatest commands. In Matthew 22:36-40, he explained that God commands us to love God with all our heart and soul and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Christ calls these two commands the greatest commands on which all the laws of the prophets hang.

To continue, the first commandment to love God with all our hearts and souls is fulfilled by keeping his commandments and honoring his son’s death and resurrection. In John Chapter 14, the bible explains that if one keeps Christ’s teachings, then the Father will love them. This would be a reciprocation of the Love that God first showed the world in John 3:16. In this way, simply keeping the teachings of Christ is a reflection of our love for God. Therefore, the way to love God with all our hearts and souls is to do our utmost best to keep His Son's teaching. This is important because of the intensity with which we are requested to show our love to God. The intensity of loving God with all our hearts and all our souls implies that we are doing everything and anything in our power to obey Christ’s commands. This is significant because the City would be a very intense way for us to show our utmost love for God. Yes, we can use conventional methods to help the sick, needy, prisoners, and the fatherless; however, the intensity to which Christ commands us to show our love to God implies going above and beyond, doing cutting-edge projects to achieve the same results, while constantly improving generation by generation. This is exactly what the city would provide. It would allow its residents to fully utilize emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing, brain imaging, robotics, as well as older conventional systems of health, family structure, and Christian fraternal systems to help obey Christ’s commandments and give Glory to God. Clearly, the city would help individuals keep the first of the two greatest commandments.

Lastly, the second of the two commandments is to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is very similar to the first commandment; however, this emphasizes forgiveness and compassion towards our neighbors. John 15:13 explains that there is no greater love than laying down our lives for our friends. First John 4:20 explains more harshly that we are liars if we say that we love God but hate others, continuing with “how we can love God who is unseen, if we hate our neighbors who are seen.” The importance of this is to clarify that this city would help us love and forgive our neighbors. This is because the system would promote an emphasis on mental health and, through fraternal and family systems, emotional intelligence. This would greatly reduce the presence and longevity of conflict among residents since many poor decision-making habits would be addressed with a mental health assessment, and the culture of considering the emotions of oneself and others would reduce the likelihood of individuals offending others or easily becoming offended by others. This is not without the diligent practice of glorifying God when disputes get reconciled. In addition, those who participate in the construction of this City will be actively contributing to cutting-edge resources used to help their fellow brothers and sisters. In this way, the city would facilitate the fulfillment of the second of the two greatest commandments by enabling neighbors to understand and overcome conflicts and by giving to technologically advanced charitable initiatives. Clearly, the City would help individuals love God with all their hearts and souls, and love their neighbor as they love themselves, by providing the technology and the mindset to do all we can to obey Christ, while being kind to our neighbors. Therefore, the city would help fulfill the two greatest commandments shared by Christ. As a result, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would fulfill his two greatest commands.

Unity of Believers

Also, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because this City would be one of many answers to his prayer for unity among his followers. In John 17, Christ prays a very passionate prayer over his disciples and all who would eventually believe in their testimony, which includes modern-day Christians. In this fervent, heartfelt prayer, Christ prayed for unity among his disciples and for their protection as he was about to leave. He prayed that they, and later believers, would live in a sense of unity much like he and the Father are one. He emphasized the importance of this unity because it would convince the world that he was sent by God and that God loves the world. This is profound on many levels because Christ’s convincing testimony is of supernatural power and a supernatural resurrection event. The apostles and early believers witnessed and were convinced that this happened, and through faith, new believers submit to the accounts of the gospels. The new believers even received the power of the Holy Spirit and were able to do miracles as a sign of their unity with Christ, Acts 1:8, 2:38, 6:8, 10:45. I would like to suggest that this city can emulate the experience that the holy spirit had on the early church for modern day Christians creating a sense of unity among modern believers and those of old resulting in it being one of many answers to Christ’s prayer for unity among his followers.

To continue, it would emulate the experience of the early church by radically addressing and resolving debilitating injuries, starting from simple mental health issues and family issues to deep physical infirmities. By emulating the work of the Holy Spirit in the time of the early Church, this city can represent a continuum of faith practices, from the days that Christ walked this Earth to now. It is my belief and faith that declares that over the course of many generations, this city will be able to do magnificent things reflective of what the apostles were able to accomplish due to its technological advancement and culture of using the best technology to do the most good. Through this, onlookers would be able to witness a group of believers much like those of the early Church, complete amazing feats in the name of Jesus Christ. To be more specific, later in this city’s development, I believe that residents will be able to heal the blind and enable the crippled to walk. These biblicalesque miracles would no doubt impress on the minds of onlookers the work of Christ in the Gospels. Since these residents would be dedicating their healing abilities to Jesus Christ, this would be very much the ultimate act of unifying themselves with the early church, which was unified with Christ

and the Father, through the apostles. Therefore, due to the city's ability to unify modern practitioners with the early Church, Christ, his apostles, and God the Father, I believe that it is one of many ways to answer Christ’s prayer for unity among his followers. Thus, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because this City would be one of many answers to his prayer for unity among his followers.

Nation-Building and Statecraft

Next, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it is in keeping with the biblical theme of nation-building and statecraft. Nation-building and statecraft are themes evident in the bible from the first covenant made between Abraham and God, to the rise and fall of the kings, and the arrival of Christ. To continue, God first promised Abraham that he was going to be the father of a multitude who would become a great nation. This came to pass through his grandson Israel and Israel’s descendants, which is how the first theme of nation-building began. Next, in keeping with the theme of nation-building, God gave the people of Israel a king even though he disapproved of it. The kings eventually disobeyed, and then God destroyed their nations and began a theme of nation-rebuilding. Finally, the most significant reference to nation-building and statecraft is when Christ began his mission. When he arrived, John the Baptist recognized Christ as the kingdom of heaven. Christ then began teaching the way to life so that his listeners could establish their own Christian communities here on Earth to presumably build an obedient group of people. Clearly, these actions by God and Christ represent a call to build a successful, righteous group of people. In keeping with the theme of nation-building, this city would serve to build a group of successful, righteous people by addressing a primary reason for disobedience, poor decision-making, as Freeland explains earlier.

The city would help individuals make better decisions by directly impacting the internal and external environment that influences a person’s decision-making process. First, the city impacts an individual’s internal environment by providing mental health treatment to the resident, allowing them to rise above certain mental dispositions. A more specific example of this is that, if a person is prone to anger, they can have their brain imaged to see if there is a deficiency or damage to the area responsible for mood. This would help them to control their temper and live more peacefully. Next, to address external factors that influence poor decision making, the city would provide good family structures with planned parenting systems that prepare couples for marriage and parenting, and fraternal systems that teach individuals about the proper etiquette and decorum. Lastly, its education system would broaden the minds of the residents, introducing them to new perspectives that encourage understanding others and the consequences of their actions. These social pillars of the City would aid in building a successful, righteous nation of people.

Much the same as God sought the development of holy people who worked to complete His will in the world, the goal of the City would be to create more morally upright individuals by challenging the hardships that bar individuals from fully and readily submitting to God. Therefore, the city would be in alignment with the biblical theme of nation-building and statecraft. Thus, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it is in keeping with the biblical theme of nation-building and statecraft.

Preparing for His Return

Once more, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would be the best environment in which to reside while preparing for his return. This is because no one but God knows when Christ will return, not even the Son nor the angels, but we do know that God wants none to perish but all to be saved. In addition, the scriptures explain that when Christ returns, we, his followers, will have to give an account of how we used our talents and resources. These two conditions are expected when considering the return of Christ, and I believe the city will satisfy both conditions. First, we know from Ezekiel 18:23, 2 Peter 3:9, that God does not want anyone, not even the wicked, to suffer. Rather, he wants us all to live peaceful and quiet lives 1 Timothy 2:1-7. The city’s ability to provide for our needs, by outsourcing the labor to robots, and by developing a healthy individual and community, would not only provide a peaceful and quiet life, but also facilitate the reduction of poor decision-making behaviors leading to more repentance and obedience to God’s words. If the city can truly provide these outcomes, and I believe by faith that it can, then it would be aligned with what God wants for His people. In this way, the city would help as many people to live a quiet and peaceful life in submission to God.

Second, the scripture explains in Luke 19:11-27 and Matthew 25:14-30, that Christ’s followers will be expected to give an account of what they did with their time and talents. The city’s ability to outsource manual labor to robots allows its residents to truly be free to educate themselves and reflect on God’s calling for their lives. Without worrying about what they will eat or what they will wear, they can fully commit themselves to God’s calling, whatever it may be for that individual. This would increase the residents' preparedness for the return of Christ, since, while residing in the city, their only concern would be Christ’s will for their lives. In this way, the city would help individuals live a prepared life for the return of Christ.

Thus, although no one knows the day nor the hour of Christ’s return except for God, we do know from the scriptures that God wants all to be saved and that we are expected to give an account of how we utilized our God given talents. With the aid of robots and efficient designing, this city would help many people live peacefully and develop their God given talents. As a result, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it would be the best environment in which to reside while preparing for his return.

Answer to Prayer

Lastly, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it is an answer to a prayer. If we review the bible, we can see distinct categories of things for which people pray. First, one of the primary categories of prayer is a relationship, as seen in a matchmaker's prayer in Genesis 24:12. The city would provide relationship advice and preparation for singles who are looking to meet the right spouse. It would help to develop their character through healthy homes and through fraternal grooming. In addition, the city would help individuals be genetically fit for relationships with its advancements in gene editing. In this way, the city would help answer many individuals' prayers to be ready for a wholesome relationship. Second, yet another category of prayer is for children, as seen in Genesis 25:25 when Isaac and Rebekah prayed for a child. This city would provide for this need by advancing research in the field of medical science to help understand infertility. In addition, it would provide children with the social support to grow and develop into professional adults. By doing this, the city would not only answer the prayer for children but also prepare them to be effective adults. Third, another category of prayer is health, as seen in 2 Kings 20:2-5, as King Hezekiah prayed for healing. This city’s mission to provide residents with the resources, technology, and time to focus on these issues would accelerate the rate at which commonly known illnesses are treated and resolved. This will not happen immediately; however, over the course of time, generations will be able to benefit from the research and discoveries provided by well-cared-for people who have nothing else but research to perform. In this way, the city would help to uncover groundbreaking treatment methods. Next, Philippians 1:3-5 explains that people of faith pray for the spreading of the Gospel around the world. The city would make this possible when its products are dedicated as gifts from God. For every life saved and every relationship enhanced, the city would dedicate its efforts to God, convincing the recipients to be grateful to God. In this way, the city would be pointing people to God and his Gospels, and the more accessible the city becomes, the more people would receive the Gospel in this unique and personal way.

Furthermore, the list of how many prayers can be answered can be very lengthy, ranging from general suffering to potentially improving the climate with ecologically friendly practices. Therefore, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this city because it is an answer to a prayer, and who knows, it may even answer my own future prayers.

Conclusion

Thus, I believe this City aligns with the will of Christ because it would be shrewd to use modern technology to solve current issues. In addition, if successful, it would be an inspirational display of my faith that could result in hearts being turned towards God. Also, it would effectively help the sick and needy, and it would help prisoners and the fatherless. Next, it would fulfill Christ’s two greatest commands, and it would be one of many answers to his prayer for unity among his followers. Furthermore, it is in keeping with the biblical theme of nation-building and statecraft, and it would be the best environment in which to reside while preparing for his return. Finally, it’s an answer to a prayer. Therefore, due to these reasons, I believe Christ has commanded me to build this City right away so that I can begin helping as many people as possible.

References

• “The Benefits of Community Involvement during Rehab.” Blog, St. James Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, link. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
  
  

• “Fatherhood and Crime.” Fact Sheet | Societal Issues & Values, 25 June 2024, link.
  
  

• Freeland, Stephen. “Longdom Publishing SL: Open Access Journals.” Longdom, 23 June 2023, link.
  
  

• Tarr, Peter. “Homelessness and Mental Illness: A Challenge to Our Society: Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.” 6 June 2023, link.