WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW?

What is a Christian Worldview?

[Aired on Daily Thoughts Tuesday, November 27, 2018]

By S. Michael Houdmann, Got Questions Ministries

It drives me crazy how inconsistent many Christians are with their worldview. Many Christians claim to believe in God and to trust the Bible as being God’s Word, yet, as soon as the Christian worldview stands in the way of something they want to do, it gets thrown out the window, only to be recovered the next time it becomes convenient. This is the lukewarm faith Jesus spoke of in Revelation 3:16. I, too, would rather have people be hot or cold. If they are hot, I am ready to partner with them in declaring and living the truth. If they are cold, I am ready to attempt to reach them by speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). If they are lukewarm…(insert disgusting vomiting sound here).
  A worldview is, simply, how we view the world. Our worldview impacts every area of our lives, sometimes purposefully in that we intentionally base our decisions on it, and sometimes ignorantly in that it impacts us even when we are not consciously thinking about it. Our worldview is a core set of beliefs/values that determines how we view everything else in life. The core of a worldview is made up of the answers to the following questions: (1) Why are we here? (2) What is wrong with the world? (3) Can it be fixed? A Christian worldview would answer the questions: (1) God created us. (2) Sin. (3) Yes, through Jesus Christ.
  God created us for a purpose. God created us in His image so that He could have a meaningful relationship with us. God designed us so that we would be ideal stewards over His creation. This aspect of a Christian worldview impacts how we view and treat other people. Does human life have any value? Should human life be treated different than other forms of life? Why should I be loving, kind, and compassionate towards other people? We were created in order to have a relationship with God. Life has no true meaning of value without that relationship. Yet, so many treat God as an afterthought, something you talk about one day a week.
  Sin is what is wrong with the world. This world, as wonderful and amazing as it still is, is completely screwed up. It is not completely what God intended it to be. While it still contains beauty, and still provides what we need for life – it is a warped and faded image of what God created. We brought sin and evil into the world. We are responsible for all that is wrong in the world. We are completely messed up and infected with a deadly plague (Romans 3:10-23). We are the problem, not the solution. This aspect of a Christian worldview should humble us and keep us from pride and arrogance. The world does not revolve around us. If it did, it would be upside-down, spinning backwards, and shaped like a rotten potato with all those nasty-looking sprouts coming out of it.
  God is the solution. God became a human being (John 1:1,14), lived a perfect life, taught us the truth, and died to pay the penalty for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ resurrection proved that His mission was successful. Through Jesus Christ, our lives can be redeemed and restored. Through Jesus Christ, one day, the universe and everything in it will be restored to glory and perfection. Through faith in Jesus Christ, all of our sins can be forgiven and we can have our heavenly eternal destiny secured. Do you see the pattern? It is all about Jesus! We are the problem, Jesus is the solution. Jesus accomplished it all and offers it to us as a gift, if we will just receive it. How could such a tremendous sacrifice not completely shape our worldview? How could such an amazing gift not be the basis for how and why we live our lives?
  Whether it is your marriage, your job, your politics, your hobbies, your morals, or your desires, your worldview should be the foundation. Nothing in your life should be separated from the fact that you are a Christian, a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ. If the Christian worldview is true, it demands our all. We should be on fire for God. If the Christian worldview is false, it should be completely ignored. We should be as cold as the south pole. There is no room for remaining lukewarm. It is spewage