Biblical Worldview

Saturday, June 16th is the 2 month anniversary of the infamous Blacksburg shooting. If you and I are anything like the media, our thoughts have moved from Virginia Tech on to the lastest breaking news. While we move on, there are many who still grieve and will so for a long time. April 16, 2007 is now known as the deadliest shooting in modern US history. Seung Hui Cho took 32 lives on that day before taking his own life. Before you continue reading this, will you pause and pray for the 33 families that grieve over losing a loved one and the many other students and friends that had their world turned upside down. Please pray that in the midst of chaos and confusion many will come to know and trust that our God is a refuge and a very present help in times of trouble. May all those who were affected by this tragedy "be still and know that He is God".
Read Psalm 46!

As I reflect back on that tragedy, it once again reminds me of our need to teach our children and adults a biblical worldview. What is a worldview? A worldview, according to Francis Schaeffer is "the grid through which one sees the world". In other words, a worldview is like a pair of glasses which enable you to see more clearly. Chuck Colson describes a worldview as "the sum total of our beliefs about the world, the big picture that directs our daily decisions and actions". You see belief will always affect behavior - our beliefs direct our daily decisions and actions! Our children and young people will ultimately act on what they believe. Whatever their worldview is will determine what they do. So, what kind of worldview do most Christians have? According to George Barna, less than 10% of self-proclaimed "born again" Christians in America have a biblical worldview. How can a worldview be tested? What subjects determine who has a biblical worldview and who doesnt? Well, it may vary a little bit, but there are 5 basic elements that determine our worldview. The 5 elements are:
1. Our view of God
2. Our view of Man
3. Our view of Truth
4. Our view of Knowledge
5. Our view of Ethics

The first issue is the nature of God. Our question is not simply 'is there a God?' - 90% of Americans believe in a "higher power". The real question is 'do you believe in the God of the Bible?'. A Holy God who created all things and is over all things and who has made Himself known to us. This is the God of the Bible. We find that most do not believe in the God of the Bible. So, you can see that most of Americans have an Atheistic view and not a Theistic view.

The second issue is the nature of Man. Although there is much to discuss on this subject as well, I will narrow it down to two simple question: what do you believe about man, is he/she basically good or sinful? The Bible is very clear on this subject. But which worldview does most of our world adopt? Almost everyone believes that man is good and it is only the world that corrupts him. The second question refers back to our view of God as Creator - do we believe that man has been created by an Intelligent Design or do we believe that man has evolved?

The third issue is our view of Truth. Is truth relative (what's good for you isnt necessarily good for me) or absolute (true for all people, at all times, in all places)? I hope you realize that almost the whole world believes that there is no absolute truth. In fact, a recent study says that 85% of Christian teenagers do not believe in absolute truth. This is where we are losing the battle and I will come back to this issue.

The fourth issue is our view of Knowledge. How do we know what we know? Is it because of revelation from God or only through naturalism? A biblical worldview says that we gain our knowledge from God's revelation in creation, God's revelation in His Word, and finally by God's revelation in the Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ.

The fifth issue is our view of Ethics. Are ethics "timeless and absolute" or "cultural and negotiable"? Who determines what is "right and wrong", man or God?

The two basic worldviews are Secular Humanism and Christian Theism. Here is how the two look in comparison to one another in these 5 categories:

Secular Humanism
View of God - Atheism
View of Man - Evolution
View of Truth - Relative
View of Knowledge - Naturalism
View of Ethics - Cultural

Christian Theism
View of God - Theism
View of Man - Special Creation
View of Truth - Absolute
View of Knowledge - God's Revelation
View of Ethics - Absolute

Just by a quick glance, you can see what our world teaches. This includes a high academic institute like Virginia Tech. Although this sounds harsh, the reality is that the shooting at Virginia Tech is a product of the very teachings that go on at Virginia Tech and almost every other "higher learning institute".

I guarantee that at Virginia Tech the school's view on truth is not absolute but relative. Which is often defined as "what's good for you isnt necessarily what's good for me". Which basically means that we all have the right to do whatever pleases us. So, what if what's good for me is to fly planes into towers and take many innocent lives? What if what's good for me is to walk into a campus dorm and classrooms and take 32 innocent lives? If we do not believe in absolute truth, than what gives anyone the right to say these killings are wrong? What standard are we using to determine what is right and what is wrong?

You see that kind of teaching and logic doesnt make sense! Throughout all the media coverage of the VT shooting, there was one thing that I never heard - I didnt hear anyone say 'would you leave the shooter alone, he did what felt good to him'. Isnt it interesting that everyone seems to know that what he did was wrong! You see no one really believes in "no absolute truth" - because it doesnt work logically!

When our children and young people believe in a Secular Humanist worldview which consists of: no Intelligent Design but instead we just happened to evolve - that we are just here by chance without any real purpose - that there is in reality no right or wrong but everyone can do whatever is right in their own eyes and whatever pleases them - is it any wonder that the behavior that comes with that belief system is one that devalues life?

All of these teachings and beliefs are a result of what the Bible describes as the depravity of man. Although man was created in the image of God with inherent dignity and value, through Adam all mankind is under the curse of sin. The Bible says that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; that there is none that doeth good, no not one; that there is none that seeks after God; that we have all turned to our own way. Even though God has revealed Himself and pointed each of us to the Way -the Way is Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for us. 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God". This is the whole purpose of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ- TO BRING US TO GOD. Christ became our sin bearer so that we could have our sins forgiven. Apart from the redemptive work of Christ, man remains in his sin. We are all dead (spiritually) in our trespasses and sins and our greatest need is to be made alive spiritually. We must be born again. This is the greatest need in the world today - not education, but salvation. Turning from our sin to the Living God in repentance and faith for new birth. But for many, instead of turning to God as He has revealed Himself in Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, people are doing exactly what Romans 1 says:

For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

I hope this topic will burn in your hearts as it does in mine. I believe God wants us to be very intentional about teaching our children and young people a biblical worldview. If God is burdening you with this issue, may I recommend a few books for further reading:

How now shall we live - Chuck Colson

Worldviews in Confict - Ronald Nash

The Gagging of God (Christianity confronts Pluralism) - D.A. Carson

Total Truth - Nancy Pearcey

Also, if you would like to add to this recommended reading list other books that you have found helpful on these topics, please feel free to post them.