Developing a Christian Worldview – Part 2
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What do you think are the core principles related to Christianity?
This is an important question to ask because your own personal worldview should be in alignment with God’s and the Christian faith. In fact, it is important to recognize that the worldview of the Christian faith should be the same as God’s.
We will be honest with you. While the Bible is clear on important issues, some Christian denominations have chosen to ignore the biblical teachings. However, we want you to be taught well and to understand principles set by God.
Truth Is at the Core
In the first lesson, you learned the concept of worldview and addressed the need for absolute truth. In the Christian faith, the Bible is to be the source of all truth. In addition, it is the expectation that the believer follows the teachings of the Bible so that he or she can be abiding in Jesus.
We will break down the principles related to the Bible, but these first few lessons will be focused on you developing a mindset focused on your worldview. One where you see that the teachings of the Bible are essential to your walk with God.
Do you want to have a biblical worldview?
What Are You Doing This For?
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gave what is referred to as The Great Commission. Jesus told us, “19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
It is the command that each Christian should go out and make disciples of others. This will be a focus of our next two weeks of lessons, but what we want you to see is that you are the teacher of the next generation of Christians. You will be the ones that people will be looking to for how to walk for God. Therefore, it is essential that you are knowledgeable about the Bible and are able to teach and demonstrate the biblical worldview.
Do you feel comfortable teaching others about the Bible?
The truth is that many of us are not comfortable with this at all. We don’t feel knowledgeable enough or that our walk with God accurately depicts the life of Jesus. No one is asking you to be perfect. What Jesus is asking you to do is to continue to grow in your faith and to be focused on the truth revealed in His Word.
What are things you would like to know about the Bible that you think would help you to disciple others?
Your Integrity Is Part of Your Worldview
You began this block of classes by examining the importance of integrity. Integrity matters. It also matters in your worldview.
Your actions, words, and attitudes reflect your worldview. If you believe that God and His Word are the essential words for life, but you live out a life in complete opposition to that, then your integrity is lacking. Once again, this is not a judgment. The Bible tells us that all sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
This is not an excuse to fall short, however. God wants you to live a life of integrity. Therefore, you should want to do things in the way that God commands. You should also repent when you fall short of that standard.
You began this lesson by being asked what the essential principles of Christianity are. How do you feel that you are living up to those principles? Do you feel it is important that you live up to them?
Keep in mind that people are going to learn from you, even when you are not directly teaching them. What we mean is that people are watching you. They are following your direction. When you act like Jesus, then they learn the correct lessons about Christianity. However, when you break rules, speak harshly to others, or engage in other forms of immorality, you distort the Christian worldview, meaning you are distorting the image of God. People will believe that this is how Christians are to act. So, your integrity matters greatly.
Let’s Start with a Basic Set of Principles
So, how does one begin to demonstrate their worldview? It starts by living out the Bible.
Let’s take the foundational principle of the Bible. In Matthew 22, Jesus is asked what the greatest commandments are. In Matthew 22:37-39, He stated, “37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The foundation of our faith is love. We should love our God with everything we have and love our neighbor in the same way that we love ourselves. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 explains love this way, “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Take a few moments and describe what each part of love means. Are there areas where you find yourself lacking in love?
The Christian worldview is that we would love people no matter what. They offend us and we still love them. That is because we sinned, and God still loved us.
So, what is a practical way that you could live out your love?
Let’s start with God. How could you show your love for God?
In John 14:15, Jesus told us, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
That sounds pretty simple, but could you explain what the commandments of God are?
Love in the Ten Commandments
Many people look at the Ten Commandments as a set of things that God does not want you to do or as 10 rules that you should follow. While that is true, the reality is that you are demonstrating love when you follow these commandments. Let’s explain.
While all 10 commandments relate to God and your relationship with Him, the first four are directly about your love for Him. These are found in Exodus 20:3-11:
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Take a moment to explain how you demonstrate your love for God in each of these commandments. If you did these things, would you be loving God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength?
Now let’s talk about the remaining commandments. These are found in Exodus 20:12-17
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Take a moment and think about how each of these commandments demonstrates your love for your neighbor. If you did each of these things, would you truly love your neighbor?
Combining Love and Your Calling
Let’s put all this together. The Christian worldview is about love. We do things out of our love for God and our love for others. That means that we do not try to harm others. It also means that we will correct behaviors that are wrong because we love that person.
It also means taking that message of love and teaching it to others. That teaching often means living a life of integrity and commitment to the words in the Bible. It also means correcting others and showing them that the life they are leading is not what God would want for them. All of that need him s to be done with love.
All of that needs to be done demonstrating love as well. Understand that people are always watching you. You are discipling people even if they are not calling them disciples of yours. They are learning. A disciple is nothing more than a person who embraces the teachings of another. If your teachings are bad, then that is what you are teaching others. That is what they are embracing.
What do you think you are teaching others through your words and actions?
Do you think you are representing love through your words and actions?
Would you think it was good if somebody was a disciple of the things that you teach and do?
How can you ensure that you are discipling others in the proper way?
