What Is Your World View?

What Is Your World View?

• The importance of a Biblical world view
• many call themselves a Christian, but they don’t see the world through the same lens
• I would struggle to say you are follower of Jesus Christ if you do not hold to these views

• What has happened is that people and churches have presented Jesus and becoming a Christian in the simplest of terms
• Accept Jesus, Let God fill the hole in your heart, believe and receive, come to God, etc
• Most people- if they knew when they became a Christian would not sign up for it
• Come along, die to self, serve others, give your money away, rearrange your schedule, change how you think, talk, act and feel. Read, pray, worship, fellowship etc.
• Its an all encompassing transformation that BEGINS with Jesus, but it is so much more than that
• it is Believing that Jesus forgives of sin, putting faith in him to forgive you, and turning away from the world.
• Now- That being said Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

• We must think differently than the world thinks- our minds must be changed to reflect the mind of Christ. Merely saying we are a Christian and then holding a worldview contrary to the teachings of Christ and his Bible is wrong. If you aren’t a Christian- quit saying you are to make yourself look good and to feel good

• Its like me saying I am friends with Arnold Schwartznegger because I met him once when I was 5. We don’t talk. We don’t hang out. He doesn’t know me. We don’t believe the same things. How can I say that?
• 1 Corinthians 2:16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
• A few years ago- Barna did a study to find how many Christians in America hold to a Biblical worldview Only 9% of Americans hold a Biblical worldview
• Of those who call themselves a born again Christian only 19% of them hold a Biblical world view
• If we don’t hold to this worldview, we shouldn’t call ourselves Christian.

• Statistics say that most people have formed their worldview by the time they are 13 years old
• If you are a parent, you must teach them to your children. Literally indoctrinate them
• This, while not in the list is one of the points that is important when dealing with Children- we must indoctrinate them- That word gets a bad rap- but everyday you are indoctrinating your children
• Either with the ways of this world or the way of the Lord. Make no mistake- they are being indoctrinated
• Deuteronomy 11:19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
• In our childrens ministry, we must teach these truths over and over again so the truth will endure
• We must defend the Biblicalview as an antithesis to what the world teaches and we must come against it
• Christianity is not “believe whatever you want, just say you’re a Christian” there are absolutes to being a Christ follower and I agree with all 8 of these, and you should to
• If you DON’T- write them down- study them out. Think about why you don’t believe them and what you need to do to “get your mind right” so you can line your life up with the word of God
• Barna wrote. “People’s views on morally acceptable behavior are deeply impacted by their worldview,”
• If you, or your kids struggle with morally acceptable behavior, check your world view

• Barna found, in general that those who do not have a biblical worldview are more likely to condone or engage in immoral behavior- Their lifestyle did not match up with God’s demands

• Barna defined a Biblical worldview as belief in eight propositions which we will discuss this morning
• I will go through them one by one, and I encourage you to ask yourself if you believe them, and if not, why and then decide that you will study and pray until you believe it to be true.

• Absolute moral truths exist.

• truths exist in this world that are absolute and cannot be changed or modified under any circumstance
• Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
• There is such thing as good and evil
• “I the Lord change not” (Mal. 3:6); “There is no shadow of change” with God (James 1:17). Even though the universe will change, “You [God] are the same,” declared the psalmist (Ps. 102:27).
• This goes against the common thoughts of people today
• The world cannot define what is right for the Christian- they are woefully inadequate to do so
• Thrasymachus- Greek Philosopher- Might makes right- whoever has the power defines morality
• Morality is defined by culture– Social codes and groups define what morality is to them.
• Protagoras Greek “Man is the measure of all things’ – the individual person is the standard. What is right for me, may be wrong for you
• Human race is basis of right- The part does not measure what is good for the whole-
• Aristotle– Morality is found in moderation. The “Golden mean” Idulgence v insensibility
• Epicurians– What brings pleasure is what is morally right-
• To have a Christian worldview- you must believe that there is such a thing as right and wrong
• You must believe, even if you cannot articulate the truth, that there is absolute moral truth
• If there is no absolute truth- we believe in postmodern relative reasoning that ends with us deciding to do whatever we want to please our own notions- we must declare and believe in absolutes
• Absolute moral truths doesn’t mean you necessarily agree with them, but you are bound by them

• The Bible defines moral truth.

• If the Bible isn’t the Christian’s source for morality, the question needs to be asked, “What should be?”
• The Christian worldview is based on two foundational axioms: 1) God exists, and 2) God has spoken to us in the Bible. If these two presuppositions aren’t the starting point in a Christian worldview, then we’re just like everyone else, trying to find objectivity in a sea of subjectivity. https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-morality.html
• As a Christian- we must come from the position that the Bible is the beginning and end of our morality and abide and adhere to it
• We aren’t intended to add to it– Proverbs 30:5-6 Every word of God is pure;He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
• It is given to us as a guide– 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
• This rigidity annoys and infuriates those who do not wish to abide by the Bible’s truth
• The Bible says that I must forgive everyone– Read story about guy who’s wife and kids killed while he’s at the gym- Bible says he must forgive. He has to- I don’t want to forgive. I want vengeance
• Bible: Only man/woman in marriage, no drunkenness, covet, anger, unforgiveness, rebellion etc
• You cant add spikes to your helmet in football. Its against the rules. Sure it would help, but no

• The Bible is accurate in all its teachings.

• Denominations and sects have been birthed from disagreements about what is accurate
• But we must believe that the Bible is accurate in all its teachings
• I believe in Creation. Original Sin. The Flood. Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Daniel in the Lions Den. The Prophets and Prophecies. I believe that Jesus died, was buried and came back to life. All of it
• And I believe that everything the Bible says is going to come to pass will come to pass
• Matthew 5:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
• I live in the world of believing that I don’t have to explain the whole thing- I have to believe the whole thing
• Its like someone arguing with me about why I married my wife- I don’t have to explain that. I just did.
• There are literally volumes of proof of the accuracies of the Bible. FB- Fables, guy in sky- PROOF

• Psalm 12:6 The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, seven times.
• 2 Peter 1:21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus Christ lived a sinless life.

• This proposition is of the utmost importance because if Jesus didn’t live a sinless life then he was an inadequate savior-
• The law of God is such that for us to be forgiven of our sin, only a perfect blameless sacrifice could be sufficient to pay the penalty for our sin. If Jesus wasn’t perfect then we are not forgiven
• Now we don’t just say that he’s perfect because we need him to be perfect
• We know he’s perfect because the Bible says he was perfect
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
• 1 John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
• 1 Peter 2:22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth
• This is important firstly because we need to be forgiven of our sin, but secondly, it means that we can trust what Jesus has told us in his word, because he is sinless, he is not a liar
• This is a truth that many have tried to refute- The Movie- “Last Temptation of Christ” and people that said he had a wife and kids etc. (There is no way he was sinless if he had a wife)
• But even the detractors know- if we can erode his sinlessness, then the whole thing falls apart

• God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and He rules it today.

• Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
• Isaiah 46:9-10 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
• Psalm 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
• Sovereignty- We believe that YHWH is the ruler of the universe, God, having the right, the authority, and the power to govern all that happens and what has, is, or will happen being in accordance to His divine will. He has the right to achieve His purposes and has the power to bring about circumstances that dictate whatever He wills to come to pass.
• This means- whatever God does he can do because he is God. We can question it, and not agree with it, but we must submit to his sovereignty in our lives

• Some people die. Some people live. It rains on the just and unjust. Not all is able to be understood- We trust in God’s sovereignty above our personal goals, aims, desires and wants
• This means you’ll be upset when things don’t go in your favor- Job, health, etc ex soveriegnty

• Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.

• Christianity is the only religion where earning eternal life and God’s favor is not the predominant theme
• If you believe that you can work to earn your salvation, you are thinking contrary to the Bible
• Eternal life is a free gift-
• Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
• John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
• Romans 5:18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
• The implications of this are far reaching- You can’t earn your salvation- just receive it
• But it also means that people who try to earn their way to heaven without Jesus are sunk

• You can cure cancer, save busload of children, never lie, steal, cheat, kill or destroy, but w/o Jesus you’re sunk. You must believe this
• Satan is real.

• Some may wonder why having this worldview is important- why worry about Satan?
• You don’t have to worry about him because you’re in Christ, but the reality of Evil is apparent
• 1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
• Believing Satan is real doesn’t mean we believe in Satan, it prepares us for his attacks
• 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
• Satan is real and he is doing everything he can to destroy you and your faith.
• 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
• Too many people and Christians chalk up Satan to fables and nuance when his existence is REAL
• Fight spiritual battles and overcome Satan and his minions and you’ll experience Victory in your life

• James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
• Christians have a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with others.

• Christ told his disciples in Matt 28 to Go and make disciples. The last words he spoke to him and they are marching orders to us as Christians
• How horrible for us to experience salvation and forgiveness and not share it with the world
• God is counting on you to be his witnesses to the utmost end of the earth Rom 1:16
• Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.

• The time is short. Separation from God is the fate of many who do not know Christ- we must share our faith
• Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• All nations. This is why we do missions giving. This is why we believe in the tithe. We use what we have to push forward the Gospel of Jesus Christ by what ever means possible

• 2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,
• You shouldn’t be ashamed of who you are in Christ- you should be PROUD of who you are

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