Establishing Christian A World View

An American Perspective How do we as Americans decide what is right and what is wrong? How do we decide who to vote for? How to raise our families? Where to attend worship? How to feel about current events? Does America have a unique world view that prevents/challenges devoted Christian thinking?

Statistics On The American mind From an early 2000s Barna poll. Based upon questions asked to born again Christians. Questions focused on how this group decided moral questions and issues.

Rather Disappointing Indicators Only 25% of those Christians polled said they made their moral decisions based upon the Bible. While 20% made moral decisions based upon what felt right to them. About 8% said they make decisions based on their parents’ views. While 10% made moral decisions based on what would cause the least amount of conflict in their lives.

More Statistics Women are more than twice as likely to base moral decisions on the Bible than men. Of the 25% who said they used the Bible for making their moral decisions, only about half that group believes in moral absolute truths. Where do you, personally stand?

Testing Our Bible-Centered Mindset Six considerations for a basic testing of our world view. #1: Do you believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and that He is Ruler and Creator of all the universe and that He still rules today?

Isaiah 40:28 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” Rom. 1:25 -- For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” If God is Almighty, the Christian world view is to trust God in all moral questions, and to understand that there are moral absolutes based upon God being the designer and creator of all mankind.

Was Jesus God Made Flesh? Was Jesus sinless on the earth? John 1:14 -- And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” If God walked this earth, what are the implications?

Did Jesus Remain Sinless? Hebrews 4:15 -- For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. What does this say concerning moral absolutes?

Is Satan A Real Entity? 1 Peter 5:8 – “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Matt. 4:10 – “Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and [a]serve Him only.’”

2 Corinthians 11:14 “No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” The Bible presents Satan as an identifiable entity who can stalk, pursue, tempt and devour people. Our world view must allow for Satan’s temptations.

Goodness not same as salvation Matthew 7:21 -- “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” Only obedience leads to salvation.

Romans 3:9-10 “What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one….” Everyone one of us has sinned and must seek forgiveness.

Responsibility For Evangelism 1 Peter 2:9 -- “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light….”

The Bible Is The Inspired Word 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Christian world view must be based upon Scripture. Scripture is profitable for reproof and correction. Only in the word can be we adequate and equipped.