Got Worldview? How Do You See the World?

It has been more than six weeks since our Homebuilders Sunday School class has started what I believe is the most fascinating Christian growth study I have everdone. The title of the workbook is "How Now Shall We Live?" and it is written by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey. For those of you who are not familiar with Charles Colson, he was former presidential aide to Richard Nixon and founded the international ministry Prison Fellowship.

As soon as I opened this workbook, I literally could not put it down. This study discusses how different worldviews have influenced thoughts, ideas and actions around the world. I would like to attempt to cover the basics of what a worldview is and make a comparison between two worldviews. My hope is that after reviewing these two points of discussion, you will start to see our world in a new light.

So what in the world is a worldview? If you had asked me six weeks ago, I can honestly say that I wouldn't know what type of answer you were looking for. Based on the text listed above, a worldview is defined as "simply the sum total of our beliefs about the world, the "big picture" that directs our daily decisions and actions. What we assume or believe becomes the lens through which we then see everything around us."

Now let's take this definition a step further and review three basic questions that are at the root of every worldview known to mankind.

1) Where did we come from and who are we?
2) What has gone wrong with the world?
3) What can we do to fix it?

The big difference between worldviews is how these questions are answered. This brings us to the comparison of two worldviews: Biblical Worldview versus Naturalistic Worldview. Below we can see how a person's worldview can impact the way they see the world.

Biblical Worldview answers to three basic questions:

1) Gensis 1:1 says "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanshp, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
2) Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This is due to what happened in Genesis chapter 3 with Adam and Eve (The Temptation and Fall of Man).
3) John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." The belief in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior enables us to have our sins forgiven and eternal life in heaven. 1 John 1:9 and Romans 10:9-10 are additional verses to back up this statement.

Naturalistic Worldview answers to these basic questions:

1) Nature is all that exists and life arose from a chance collision of atoms, evolving eventually into human life as we know it today.
2) This answer can be different depending on who you are asking; however, the following is a list of answers you would expect to hear: human beings, Europeans, the wealthy, males, the private ownership of property, sexual repression, ignorance, religion, democracy, or many other proposed evils.
3) This answer also varies but can include the following responses: more learning, growing technical competence, complete government control and many other suggestions based on what humans can do to fix this problem.

I wonder which lens you look through to see the world in which we live. My hopes and prayers are that it is the Biblical Worldview. It is constant, never changing and rests upon the perfect Word of God. I find it interesting how often and frequent the Naturalistic Worldview can change depending upon whom you ask. The other interesting point to make is that the answers to fix the world are based on what we humans can do instead of relying on God and trusting in His Son, Jesus Christ. I hope this has been insightful and relevant to where you are in your spiritual journey.

Your Brother in Christ,

Miguel "The Hitman" Viera #40

"Committed to tackling souls for Christ"

Visit www.trafford.com/06-0375 to read about Miguel's book "Walking on Higher Ground and Awakening the Spirit Within: A Christian Student Athlete's Spiritual Journey Through the Doors of College and Beyond." To learn more about Playing for Jesus Ministries, visit http://www.playingforjesusministries.vpweb.com.