Biblical Worldview

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis Weight of Glory

Today's discussion: the Biblical Worldview. It's a buzzword in seminaries and used by philosophers of all flavors: both conservative and liberal. Worldviews. What is one you might ask, and you will probably receive a smattering of different answers, each one sounding somewhat similar, but also different. Personally, I have come to define a Biblical Worldview in the following way: Taking on the mind of Christ so as to use the God's self-revelation found in Scripture to shape one's perspective in all areas of life. But what exactly does this mean? It means that if we are true followers of Christ, then we must acknowledge that the Word of God, the Word of Him who created everything we have ever touched, tasted, or smelled, or seen, the Word of Him who is so comprehensive, so vast still speaks. In fact, the Word of God was there speaking at the beginning and will be there long after you and I are gone. Or as Isaiah put it," The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8) Those of us that claim Christ must drink deeply the draughts of the Word and share the man we found inside of it.

A part of our new birth, our sanctification is the metamorphisis that we undergo as we change from an enemy of God into his child. This change involves a transformation, a reawakening, a bringing back to life, an unveiling. As Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 We are to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewingof your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which good and acceptable and perfect." God literally changes our minds and thank goodness he does so!!!!! However, you and I have a responsibility to develop our understanding of how our faith applies to every aspect, every minute detail of our lives. What we read in a magazine or watch on tv, what we admire about an athlete, the way we speak to someone in an elevator, to how hard we work are all things that fall into the life that God has planned for us. We have a responsibility to know that Christ speaks to each of these situations. Sometimes, it may mean that we realize the Bible defines success differently than the world, and still other times, developing a Biblical worldview may help us to understand when someone is in desperate need of the saving love and atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul himself explains this importance when he states "Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Cor 4:2-4) For the believer, our veil has been removed, we see clearly now, yet the unbeliever does not share the same vision. The Devil has blinded so many with veils of the "I am my own God"isms that exist in today's culture, but by planely setting forth the truth, Christ can us poor wretches like us to deliver a message of mercy that shreds the veils of self-deification. Some no doubt think that discussions on worldviews and truth and the like are the realm of philosophers, and therefore do not apply to the simple Christian and his love for Jesus. But that is exactly wrong!!!!! Worldviews are important because the individuals perspective on things like who God is and what he did determine an eternal destiny that is as different as daylight (heaven) and dark (hell). We must develop the appropriate worldview (and learn about others so we can rightly understand them in light of Scripture) to rightly understand why we evangelize, why do we tell people about Christ. Some might say we must develop the mind of Christ so that we can have the ability to share our faith. Learning that the God of the universe has a message for everyone, that it applies to everything, and that Christ makes all the difference is a part of learning how to love God with all our minds. To state it as simply as I know how, a biblical Christian worldview takes all events and experiences and views it in light a sovereign God that is in control of every aspect of redemptive history. It is taking people, along with their problems, joys, experiences, emotions, needs, wants, dreams, sins, and together kneeling at the cross in worship of him who sacrificed so that we may live, so that we may see true reality.

To God alone be the Glory...