Understanding God, Myself, and the WorldExemplo

Biblical Christianity

In the modern world we live in, there are many different worldviews that tell us about God, the origin of the universe, how the world works, morality, and what we as human beings ought to value in life. Some of these worldviews have certain perspectives that might agree with the teachings of the Bible, while others might actually contradict the Bible. For example, both Biblical Christianity and Islam affirm monotheism: The existence of one almighty God who is also the Creator. However, Christianity affirms the Trinity, while Islam rejects the Trinity. Also, Christianity and Islam differ on the nature of God’s character. Christianity emphasises God as love, while Islam doesn’t really depict God as loving in nature.

Now, not all perspectives from worldviews that disagree with Biblical Christianity are that obvious to observe. Some of them are much more subtle, and yet equally destructive to our faith. As an example, let’s compare Biblical Christianity with a “Christianity” that is more influenced by popular culture than the Bible (we will simply refer to it as “popular Christianity”). Both Biblical Christianity and popular Christianity affirm that God is a God of love. However, where Biblical Christianity understands the love of God within the context of His holiness and the imperative for us to also be holy, popular Christianity ignores, or sometimes even completely rejects, the holiness of God and its implications for us as human beings. Biblical Christianity takes the problem of sin very seriously, while popular Christianity doesn’t really concern itself with the problem of sin. You can see that these two worldviews might seem to be similar from afar, but when we take a closer look, we realise that they are actually not the same at all. One view is based solely on the teachings of the Bible while the other view is based partially on the Bible and partially on the influence of popular opinion. 

It is therefore important that the Christian’s perception of the world, God, life, and ourselves is shaped by the teaching of the Bible and not by that which is popular or appealing to us. Proverbs 2:1-15 presents us with the wisdom of God. To be wise in life is to listen to, and obey, the words of God’s wisdom. It is the wisdom of God that tells us what is right and what is wrong, how we ought to live, and how we ought to perceive reality. 

Are there aspects of your worldview that are influenced by what is popular instead of the Bible? Bring these things before God and allow Him to change your perspective so that it can align with His Word.