Do you look at the issues of life with
the “mind of Christ”? The answer to this depends upon your
worldview. A person's worldview is the basis to his/her thought
process and foundational to the way they interact with the world
around them.
In researching worldviews, you will
find numerous “views” and definitions of them, but really we can
reduce them to just two: Secular and Biblical. Of course, within
each are various levels of development and degrees of strength of
adherence, but either you have a secular worldview or a Biblical
worldview.
Secular worldviews range from the
extreme of atheistic humanistic worldview to the Christian worldview.
What? Did I just say that a Christian worldview is in the secular
realm? Yes I did! Why? I have learned over the last 30 plus years
of being a Christian that just because one claims to be a Christian
and that they hold a “Christian perspective” does not mean that
their worldviews are Biblically correct!
Consider these disconcerting findings
among CHRISTIAN ADULTS …
64%
believe moral truth depends on the situation;
60%
believe male/female co-habitation outside of marriage is acceptable;
55%
believe a good person can earn his or her salvation;
44%
believe Jesus Christ committed sins while on earth.
Source:
Worldview Weekend
So if a
Christian does not believe that moral truth is from God as defined in
the Bible; or if they agree with non-marital co-habitation; or if
they believe that salvation can be earned; their worldviews remain
secular … even though they call themselves and their worldviews
Christian!
Furthermore,
many worldviews held by Christians result in lifestyles that attempt
to be in non-conflict with the world around them, contrary to what
Jesus clearly declared …
“Think
not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace,
but a sword.
For
I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her
mother in law.
And
a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
He
that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he
that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Matthew
10:34-37 KJV
Biblical
worldviews on the other hand are quite in conflict with the world in
which we live. Why? Because a Biblical worldview is focused on
living according to what God says is right. The foundations of a
Biblical worldview are quite different than secular worldviews:
Revelation
is absolute truth. (Revelation can be through nature or spirit, but
all agrees with and is substantiated by the Bible)
Reason
is a tool to better understand, supports, and is bound by revelation
(Reason is the God-given means by which humans can grasp and
understand God and God's revelations)
Experience
must yield to and is explained by the former two. (Experience is not
the validation of truth but is the catalyst to seek Truth as revealed
by God)
Additionally,
God makes it clear that to think from His perspective will be at odds
with people who are not spiritually minded …
Romans
8:5-8 we find this brought out ...
“For
they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but
they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For
to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace.
Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be.
So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
And
again in 1 Corinthians 1:25-29
“Because
the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is
stronger than men.
For
ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
But
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty;
And
base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God
chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things
that are:
That
no flesh should glory in his presence.”
So then the question
again … “Do you think with the mind of Christ?” How can you
know? Well, only the final judgment will reveal to us our level of
being Christ minded but we can get an idea of how we are progressing.
You can take a free,
worldview test that will show you what worldview you have at the
present which will give you either confirmation that you are
thinking in agreement with God or if you need some correction!
It has been said that
one's worldview is a matter of development rather than choice, but I
disagree. For what we choose about Christ Jesus determines what
course we will follow in developing our minds and thinking!
Why not challenge
yourself this week to learn what your worldview really is … is it
merely a secular christian worldview or is it a Biblical worldview?
You will certainly learn a lot about yourself by examining yourself
and Worldview Weekend gives you the means to be objective in your
self examination!
Discover your worldview
by going HERE!
