A biblical worldview is a perspective that sees everything through the “glasses” of Scripture.
Worldview Defined
Jehovah God, the Beginning
“Worldview, in Christian perspective implies the objective existence of the trinitarian God whose essential character establishes the moral order of the universe and whose word, wisdom, and law define and govern all aspects of created existence” (David K. Naugle, Worldview: The History Of A Concept (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 260.
“Worldview, in Christian perspective implies the objective existence of the trinitarian God whose essential character establishes the moral order of the universe and whose word, wisdom, and law define and govern all aspects of created existence” (David K. Naugle, Worldview: The History Of A Concept (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 260.
A View of the World and a View for the World
“A worldview is, first of all, an explanation and interpretation of the world and second, an application of this view to life. In simpler terms, our worldview is a view of the world and a view for the world” (W. Gary Phillips and William E. Brown, Making Sense of Your World (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), 29.
“A worldview is, first of all, an explanation and interpretation of the world and second, an application of this view to life. In simpler terms, our worldview is a view of the world and a view for the world” (W. Gary Phillips and William E. Brown, Making Sense of Your World (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), 29.
Application of our Worldview
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As Christians we have no less responsibility to think than do others and it is incumbent on us that we think in a Christian manner about the many issues confronting us as we live today. The Christian’s ability to think Christianly about every topic, every question, every decision requires that he or she develop a generally correct knowledge of reality. And this correct knowledge of reality must be developed in a world that promotes many ideas and values that contradict those held by the Christian community. That is to say, we live in a society that holds a great variety of worldviews, many of which contradict or ignore the worldview of Christianity.
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We live in an extremely complex world where we are bombarded daily with differing opinions and interpretations; it is a pluralistic world where relativism and ambiguity are important components in almost everything we do; it is a world where Christians are called on constantly to make decisions about complex matters with far‐reaching implications and consequences. Without a biblical orientation, the believer is adrift in such a world, shunted off course by every current of opinion, and blown erratically by the shifting winds of intellectual fashions. We need an awareness of the process by which our worldview is established and refined in order for us to filter out extraneous elements that do not belong in the value system of a Christian. We also need such an awareness in order to focus our attention on principles and methods that will establish biblical truth more solidly in our hearts.
Transformed Thinking. Loving God With All Your Mind by Edward M. Curtis, Ph.D with John Brugaletta, Ph.D. (Franklin, TN; JFO Publishing, Inc. 1996), 5-6. |
Truth
“It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you are sincere.” Wow! This statement is so broadminded, tolerant, unprejudicial, unbiased, and politically correct. There is one problem with it: it’s irrational! Our culture assumes that: Truth is relative; We cannot know truth; There is more than one way to God; Everyone is entitled to his own opinion; Man legislates his own morality; Moral values are relative; We must look out for number one; The church must keep up with the times; The Bible is irrelevant to modern life. In answer to these societal beliefs, God’s Word offers the following: Truth is absolute (Psalm 119: 160). God's Word is truth (John 17: 17). Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). Man’s opinions are often wrong (Proverbs 14:1 2). Man cannot legislate his own morality (Jeremiah 10:23). Moral values are absolute (Romans 12:9). We must put others first (Matthew 22:37-40). The divine side of the church cannot change (1 Peter 4:1-5). The Bible is timeless (1 Peter 1:23-25).
The problem with what culture says, what society says, what conventional wisdom is, or what I sincerely believe, is that it keeps changing. God speaks about “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Man is not to add to or take away from or modify the Word of God (Revelation 22:18-19). God’s Word does not change!
We can be "established in the present truth" (2 Peter 1:12; 1 Pet. 1:22-25). Like Paul, we can be "teachers…in faith and truth" (1 Timothy 2:7. We can understand the knowledge of the apostles (Ephesians 3:3-5). We can know the truth like the early saints did (1 John 2:21). By our conduct we know if we are "of the truth" (1 John 3:18-19).
It is a common held belief that goes like this: “since none is infallible then none can be certain of any doctrine; and since none can be certain of any doctrine we cannot conclude someone else’s beliefs and practices are wrong…” When applied to biblical teaching, there are those who conclude that baptism for remission of sins is not essential. That the use of mechanical instruments of music in the worship is a matter of opinion. They use the same reasoning to teach that individuals can divorce and remarry for any cause (Matthew 19:4) It is a mindset many use to try to justify those who teach salvation by faith only (Matthew 7:21). Bottom line: People have a problem with truth because it is absolute.
If we say we cannot be certain of God’s truth, then: We indict the power of God to communicate His will (Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Romans 10:6-8). There is a denial of the power of truth (2 Timothy 3:5-7; Romans 1:16). One Implies that Bible study is ultimately futile (2 Timothy 2:15). The implication is made that we cannot know whether we have gone beyond the doctrine of Christ (2 John. 9; Galatians 1:8-9). It would make giving an answer for our hope an arrogant exercise (1 Peter 3:15).
Samuel Thompson, stated in Modern Philosophy of Religion (1956),
"Although religion requires sincerity, sincerity is not enough, for belief needs also to be true. The sincerity with which a person holds a belief, maybe some indication of its truth, provided he who holds it is a person, of knowledge and integrity, on the other hand sincerity and false belief may equally well expose the frailty of the mind which holds it. The only sound reason to advocate that a religious doctrine be accepted is to be found in its truth." (90-91).
What is going to be the authority for my life? What’s going to be the basis for my beliefs and my behavior? What’s my compass? What’s going to be the standard by which I evaluate my life? It will be either the world or the Word!
Steve Miller
