The Biblical/Christian Worldview

How does being familiar with a biblical worldview help us understand the big picture of God’s design, and how can you apply that understanding to your calling?

What is a worldview? On the word of Dr. Lew Weider & Dr. Ben Gutierrez (2013), "A worldview is the reflection of ones' heart; or internal existence, ones' mentality, feelings, and desires. The complete process that brings forth one's beliefs."

The biblical world view comes from the Bible. The first line of the Bible states, “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, NIV). Genesis 1:1 affirms the absolute sovereignty of God over creation and distinguishes the person of God from the created order . The text

There are many different ways to completely define the term “Worldview”. To actually have a worldview it means that you have built a particular opinion of life. The opinions that have been created will help in the development of ideas or decisions as well as how the world around you is perceived. No two people will have the same worldview, most people live their lives. (Open Bible, 2015)

A worldview is the lens through which one looks at the world. Specifically, worldview is a set of presuppositions, assumptions that can be entirely true, partially true, or not true at all, that govern the way one perceives the world and make moral judgements and decisions. Worldview can be compared to the foundation of a building on which everything else rests including ideas of morality, decision-making, and life questions concerning purpose and origin.

A worldview is a framework, so to speak, that provides a person with a set of beliefs that shape behavior. A worldview is the “set of glasses” by which one views the world and the issues that are a part of it. This “lens” provides the individual with a perspective that will think critically on societal, cultural, or moral issues from that specific worldview’s vantage point.

Worldview is defined as the concept of how one envisions the reality. It is the framework of ideas concerning the world, humans, and life in general. The concept of worldview tends to describe a comprehensive set of beliefs which govern people’s perception of the world. There are some worldview questions that seek to determine the origin of man, the existence of God and much more.

Christians form a worldview from many places, including on the internet, in the workplace, at school, from family members and friends, “these worldviews find their way behind the church doors” mixed in with Christian thoughts, and sometimes thought of as Christian beliefs (Wilkens & Sanford, 2009, pp.18). God’s word should be the only answer to a Godly worldview. Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome disclose to the world, his views of the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and culture.

“The meaning of the term worldview seems self-evident: an intellectual perspective on the world or universe. Indeed, the 1989 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary defines world-view as a "... contemplation of the world, [a] view of life ..." (Funk, 2001). The word contemplation can also mean inspection or observation. Many things go into a person’s worldview and everyone’s worldview will be slightly different. An individual worldview is comprised of the total of that individual (e.g. their history, religion, priorities, etc.).

In their book, “Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview,” Phillips, Brown, and Stonestreet (2008) organize the basic questions of life into five categories: origin, identity, meaning, morality, and destiny (p 9). How one answers these questions is a person’s worldview. How one lives one’s life will be determined by how he or she answers these questions. The answers are largely determined by what one believes about God. The knowledge that we learn in life will be interpreted differently based on an affirmation or denial of God. As Aristotle stated, “It is not the facts which divide men but, the interpretation of the facts” Aristotle (as cited in Hummel, 1986, p. 23). Someone who affirms God (his existence and ways) will come to significantly different conclusions than someone who denies God (his existence and ways).

Ethan Pope describes characteristics of a Biblical worldview in his article, “Developing a Biblical Worldview.” He suggests that there are two basic worldviews: one that centers on God and one that centers on nature and man. A Biblical worldview centers on God as Creator of the universe and everything in it. Others center on the belief there is no God; therefore, the universe formed itself and man is his own god. This view is called Naturalism or Atheism. (Pope, 2002).

What is your purpose in the world? This is a question that many people ponder as they grow up and begin to make an impact on the realm around them. As people grow they start to form their view of the world. Divincezo (2014) defines a worldview as “a foundational set of assumptions to which one commits that serves as a framework for understanding and interpreting reality and deeply shapes one’s behavior.” If a worldview shapes one’s behavior then where do they get their guidelines and morals? Many people develop their sense of right and wrong from their parents and society but Christians look for their answers from God and the bible.

A worldview is not determined simply by a single factor, value, belief or view. It can be described as a collection of beliefs a person has about his or her life and the world around. This worldview can include aspects such as a consistent decision making process, an idea of what is right or wrong, and also who or what authority do I respect and follow. This view can modified constantly by factors including experiences that a person might face, a changing environment, and different values. There are many different types of worldviews and perspectives people have about the world that help to shape who

“What is a worldview? A worldview comprises one 's collection of presuppositions, convictions and values from which a person tries to understand and make sense out of the world and life. A worldview is a conceptual scheme by which we consciously or unconsciously place or fit everything we believe and by which we interpret and judge reality. A worldview is, first of all, an explanation and interpretation of the world and second, an application of this view to life.” (Dr. John MacArthur, May 2006).

What is a worldview? How does it influence our daily lives? A worldview is how we see reality. It influences the way we live our lives. It influences the way we interact with each other. A worldview is a belief system of who we are, why we are here, and what our destiny is.