Worldview

A worldview defines how a person interprets their surrounding reality. Interpretation of the world around leads to attributes that make up a person’s character. It is the cause of being and the reason for behavior. Ultimately, worldview  can be thought of as how a person understands, interacts then responds to their existence.

Influence

A worldview can be influenced by circumstances such as culture, finance, politics, health and religion; all of which are under constant change. A worldview, because of time, is constantly undergoing change. If there is change around us, then we are affected by that change which in turn motivates modification of our worldview, either negative or positive. This can happen in our conscience aware as well as within our sub-conscience unaware. Heraclitus made the assertion, “Whatever is, is changing,” in other words, because the world is changing so does our worldview.

Thinking is Not Preferable

Most people are not mindful of their worldview. Most have accepted a reality that requires them not to think. It is preferable, at least for a certain population, to rely on the habitual mind in order to explain the things unaware in order to avoid thinking too deeply about what their worldview may or may not be. They rely on what Sociologist Peter Berger calls “plausibility structures.” This pertains to things like human existence and the idea that most people on a daily basis do not question if they exist or not. They accept it because it has become a part of their daily routine. Their habitual minds have translated the world for them.

A Biblical Worldview

A biblical worldview calls the individual into a state of activity involving awareness and a renewing of the mind. More specifically, a Christian biblical worldview does not permit the freedoms of a fully self-created worldview; rather it frees the follower by setting them apart from a loose associated distorted worldview. A biblical worldview informs Christians, clear and concise, on how they are to interpret their surrounding reality. It informs through answering questions such as who created everything? Who are we? How are we to behave? What is going to happen to us?

Christians believe in one God who created everything. Unlike other spiritual beliefs, Christianity embraces God in three persons known as the Trinity. The Trinity is made up of God the Father, His one and only begotten son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. In this Holy Trinity is a shared perfect equality with each other, thus making them one.

God created the universe, but is not part of the universe, although He manifests His attributes in everything good, which is His creation, God is not part of the universe. After creating nature and the beasts existing in nature, God created Adam, which translates to man. God formed man in His image, thus allowing humans a special relationship with God. God breathed a soul into Adam, which placed humans higher than the beasts. From Adam, God created Eve as an equal. They were to be loving companions walking together for and in the Glory of God. A state of grace is where we originated from, but a state of grace is also where we fell. We are now distant in righteousness, truthfulness, knowledge and love. We are sinful. We are distant from God.

The Need for Salvation

Through deception originating from the serpent, man fell. In doing so, humanity set itself up in opposition to God. The universe suffers as well because of the fall. Romans 8:20 (ESV) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it… It is due to this sin we are in need of salvation. Salvation is a biblical Christian worldview and it originated from the fall.

Christians find salvation in Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:2 (ESV) He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. Where other religions teach equality with God or instruct on good works and righteousness towards eternity, Christianity differs. Christianity informs, because of sin within man, that we are in need of Salvation. Isaiah 64:6 reminds us how perfect God is and how sinful we are by saying “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” It is not through works, but through the blood of Jesus Christ in which we can enjoy the everlasting state of Grace given by God for eternity.

The Great Counselor

Christians have a great counselor in the Holy Spirit whom resides in each believer. The Christian is to rely on the Holy Spirit for a proper worldview. His Spirit reveals the Holy Scriptures to us by way of urging us to renew our minds. In doing so we gain a worldview through the biblical message, which teaches us to love believers as well as non-believers alike.

Called into Spiritual Living

A Christian is not free to interpret the world in the same manner as unbelievers. We are called out of the world as stated in 1 John 2:15-17 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. We are to think spiritually and live according to the spirit. A revisit, again, to Heraclitus’s assertion, “Whatever is, is changing,” translates entirely different from a biblical worldview as opposed to the latter. The Holy Spirit is that which changes us through conviction, repentance and forgiveness. It is through God’s Grace, through Jesus Christ our savior, through the promise of the Holy Spirit, through the Holy Scriptures and through our Christ imitating behavior that we receive our worldview.

Kendell Healy