Examine Your Viewpoint in Understanding Life
Our worldview is the overall perspective we use to see and interpret our world. In short, it’s how we view the world—hence worldview. What’s your worldview? Consider some common options.
Unexamined Worldview
Many people today have an unexamined worldview. They’re essentially living life on autopilot.
Though they have an underlying set of beliefs, assumptions, and values that guide how they live and interpret the events surrounding them, they’ve accepted this perspective without forethought or intention.
They subconsciously gather these ideas from various sources throughout their life. Some may be good sources and others questionable. Additionally the various sources may conflict with each other. This produces confusion and discontent.
Socrates reportedly said an “unexamined life is not worth living.” Yet people with an unexamined worldview are effectively living an unexamined life.
An unexamined worldview is the worst one to have. Sadly, this explains the perspectives of too many people today.
Judeo-Christian Worldview
Next we can consider a Judeo-Christian worldview. The basis for this is primarily the Hebrew Scriptures, which forms the foundation for Judaism and Christianity.
Though many people today criticize this perspective as being limited and outdated, the reality remains that it formed the basis that underpins much of modern thought today, even as people strive to dismiss or ignore it.
Christian Worldview
To fine tune the Judeo-Christian worldview, some have chosen to truncate it into a Christian worldview. There are, however, two fundamental problems with this.
The first concern is that the foundation of Christianity comes from the Hebrew Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament. To fully appreciate Jesus, we need to embrace what the entire Bible says about him, starting with the Old Testament.
Reading only the New Testament—and basing our faith upon it—is like trying to fully appreciate the sequel to a movie without watching the first installment. It may somewhat work, but it won’t work well. Too much will be lost.
The second concern about a Christian worldview lies in the word Christian itself. Ask ten people what Christian means and you’re likely to get ten different answers.
These can range from various theological definitions to cultural identifications. In truth, some people view Christian more as a political perspective than as a religious belief system.
Given this vast array of understandings of what Christian means produces a wide array of definitions for a Christian worldview. In short, one person’s understanding of a Christian worldview may differ from someone else’s.
Evangelical Worldview
In an effort to fine-tune Christian worldview, some have advanced the narrower perspective of an evangelical worldview. They view evangelical as a subset of Christianity and want to focus on its core elements as revealed in the Bible.
This admirable pursuit sounds good, but evangelical also has its limitations.
First, some view it as a political movement more so than a faith perspective. And some evangelicals have so thoroughly integrated politics into their actions that they spend more time in the political sphere then the faith sphere.
The other concern about an evangelical worldview is that it isn’t always biblical. Don’t believe me? Just ask an evangelical what they must do to be saved. Then ask them where that’s found in the Bible. Most will struggle to find biblical support for what they asserted.
Biblical Worldview
This brings us to a biblical worldview. Though a Judeo-Christian worldview, Christian worldview, and evangelical worldview can also embrace an exclusive biblical worldview, this is seldom the case.
These other worldviews too often contain ideas that deviate from Scripture.
A biblical worldview views everything through the lens of Scripture. Too often people do just the opposite. They read the Bible through the lens of their perspective, through their worldview—often through an unexamined one.
Instead, we must remove our preconceived notions about our world and life when we read the Bible. Instead we must let what the Bible says form our notions about the world and life.
In doing so we move toward developing a fully functional, completely accurate, and holistic biblical worldview.
Yet as long as we have the influences of society and contrary views tugging at our perspectives, we will struggle in our pursuit of a biblical worldview in totality. But this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.
After all, the Bible is God-breathed and useful to instruct us in what matters most (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Bible is the best foundation on which to build our faith and establish how we live our lives.
It transcends our self and goes beyond the made-up religions that many people cobble together. Though they may feel good about their perspective, it won’t connect them with the God revealed in the Bible and prepare them to receive all that he has promised.
Toward this end, the Bible is my sole source for faith. I use it to establish my worldview—a biblical worldview.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
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