There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning.
2 Peter 3:3, 4

A major shift in moral values and lifestyles is taking place in our western culture. The term “worldview” has come into use as a descriptive term for this paradigm shift. A paradigm is an overall concept accepted by most people . . . because of its effectiveness in explaining a complex process, idea, or set of data. We could say our worldview is our beliefs about where we came from, what we are doing here, and where we are going—more succinctly, our origin, purpose, and destiny.

The two basic worldviews describing opposing viewpoints are creation versus evolution. God either created the cosmos, or He didn’t and it all self-organized from nothing. A person’s worldview has tremendous consequences in his actions and outcome. He will either live a life according to God’s Word or live according to the world, his bodily desires, and Satan’s dictates (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

The Apostle Paul describes life from a Biblical worldview in Colossians 3:1-10. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above . . . for ye are dead [to sins of the world] and your life is hid with Christ in God . . . put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. In verse five Paul lists the actions resulting from a secular godless worldview. For which . . . the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience (verse 6). But for the godly: When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory (verse 4).

Our Historic Worldviews

For many of us in North America, our ancestors were the barbarian tribes of early Europe and Africa. They followed nature religions, worshiping spirit gods in the earth and sky. When the Gospel of Jesus Christ swept across Europe, for example, its civil and moral ethics appealed to many. Through fire and bloodshed (of dying Christians), many accepted the Christian worldview.

However, in the mid-1800s Charles Lylle, then Darwin, again popularized the pagan view of spontaneous generation over inconceivably long ages of history. Evolution has now been forced on quite a few generations of people. Through media propaganda and intimidation, the naturalistic worldview has again saturated society. Occultism has also experienced a revival with the demise of Christianity.

Opposing Worldviews — God’s Word Versus the “Secular” Worldview

Absolute truth. God is right versus tolerance—everyone’s right. The human history of conflict, suffering, and death proves that it is not in man to direct his steps (Jer. 10:23). The tolerant spirit that avoids conflict by saying everyone is right is irresponsible. When God’s truth is followed in society, there is peace and man’s social needs are met. It works! For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).

Creation by God versus evolution from nothing. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Genesis1:1) is still the best explanation of origins and has never been disproved. However, evolutionists teach that all the biodiversity of our ecosystem self-organized from inorganic minerals! This is now bearing its fruit in the prevalence of death in abortions, infanticide, and shootings in the school and workplace.

Since man fell, human nature is sinful (Genesis 3) versus man is okay—it is his environment. The Christian perspective is that man needs correction and punishment to prevent evil conduct. Secularism rejects sin and guilt as the product of religious notions. Offenses are often excused and penalties rejected as making things worse.

There is a curse on nature (entropy) versus the earth is evolving upward. The second law of thermodynamics states the fact that everything moves in a descending order of complexity—entropy. The earth and the heavens are the works of thy hands: . . . they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up (Hebrews 1:10-12). Evolutionists believe in an increase in order from a big bang beginning.

Two kingdoms in conflict versus the “brotherhood of man.” Many times the response to the evils of our day is, “We need to keep faith in man. Don’t worry, good will prevail.” However, there is a “conflict of the ages” in which two kingdoms are vying for the souls of men. People choose between God and Satan with Heaven or Hell as the reward. Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many . . . shall not be able (Luke 13:24).

Satan established his false political and religious system at Babel (Genesis 10:10). Babylon hath . . . made all the earth drunken . . . therefore the nations are mad (Jeremiah 51:7). It is this Babylon that God deals finally and thoroughly with in the end (Revelation 18) before Jesus comes in triumph (Revelation 19). Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all (18:21).

Man needs a redeemer versus man can save himself. Men have proven it is vain optimism that he can maintain a peaceful, virtuous society of brotherly love. He needs a new heart and nature. God graciously provided this in Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).

The church is God’s kingdom among men versus human government and social services. Human governments presume to provide for their people and finally demand men’s allegiance and worship (Daniel 3:4-6). For the Christian, a Biblical church is where he places his allegiance, and his needs are supplied with love (1 Corinthians 16:1-3).

The family is God’s basic social unit versus men and women have individual rights. God made man Male and female, and said, for this cause shall a man . . . cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh . . . What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder (Matthew 19:4, 6). Christian husbands, wives, and children can trust each other and have security. Sinful men and women are ready to leave partners and children or extinguish the life of the unborn. “Alternate lifestyles” are practiced.

An order of authority in human relations versus individual rights. The Biblical order of command is God, Christ, man, woman, children (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 6:1). All legitimate authority originates with God. The godless worldview is that wives don’t need to respect husbands’ wishes and children are encouraged to inform against their parents. The Book of Judges records a time of confusion in Israel when atrocities were committed (19:22-29). The book ends with, In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). The weak are suffering the same abuses in godless cultures today.

God is sovereign over human affairs versus history is just a survival of the fittest. King Nebuchadnezzar, the sovereign king of Babylon, learned that God was his superior. The most high ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth is to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men (Daniel 4:17). The secular worldview sees the course of human history as an accident with the strongest or most clever prevailing.

Man has a soul that will live eternally versus man is just flesh and blood and dies like a dog. A Biblical worldview confirms to the child of God that after this life there awaits an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:4). The philosophy of unbelievers is “eat and drink for tomorrow we die.” Euthanasia (or suicide) is accepted as a legitimate way out if life becomes a burden.

The Biblical Worldview Explains Our Times

The godless worldview is a lie that Satan deceives people with who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:12). The Bible indicates there will be a miracle-working world leader in the end who will deceive many with a lie (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). In these times there will be those who understand . . . and shall instruct many (Daniel 11:32-36). Daniel wanted to know the end of world events but was told they are sealed till the end (Daniel 12:8-10). In Revelation 6, the Apostle John saw the seals of the book opened.

Revelation gives the culmination of world kingdoms in a grand consummation program that brings an end to the curse, wickedness, and death (1 Corinthians 15:21-25). We understand the conflict of the nations from this perspective. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him (Ezekiel 21:25-27). Righteousness then prevails in an everlasting kingdom.

The right worldview encourages the saints in perilous times, because they are wise to what is happening and know what will happen in the end (Daniel 12:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 24).

From: Reaching Out

Language

English

Author

Elvin Stauffer

Publisher

Reaching Out

Topics

Thought Life