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One day while walking with my daughter, we disagreed on the color of a flower we spotted along the way. I saw orange, but she saw pink. I was convinced Sarah was wrong, until she pointed to my sunglasses. The colored lenses changed everything. Viewing the flower through my glasses warped its true color. When I removed them, the “orange” flower suddenly turned pink.
We all wear “glasses” that affect how we see the world. Each of us interprets everything around us through our own personal view of reality. Sometimes my glasses—my worldview—keep me from seeing things the way God sees them. Unfortunately, these “glasses” aren’t nearly as easy to remove as my sunglasses.
Although I’ve been a Christian for decades, God is still gently transforming me spiritually through “the renewal of my mind” (Rom. 12:2). He faithfully continues to align my thoughts with His, to correct any faulty ideas that even now I sincerely hold.
God’s mind renewal is a normal, ongoing process in every Christian’s spiritual growth. Most of us hold assumptions that don’t completely reflect the truth of God’s Word. According to a recent survey by the Barna Group, “only 17 percent of Christians who consider their faith important and attend church regularly actually have a biblical worldview.” In other words, 83 percent of us see “reality” in a way that doesn’t fully align with God’s truth.
What is Worldview?
Worldview is the philosophical framework through which we view our world. It is a collection of fundamental beliefs and assumptions that forms our perspective for how we understand and operate in the world. Our worldview acts like a filter for our brain. Outside information, stimuli, facts, and events first flow through our personal worldview, which then influences and shapes how we will think, speak, and live.
In this article, What is a Worldview?, author James Anderson uses the analogy of eye glasses to help us understand this concept. “Like spectacles with colored lenses, they affect what we see and how we see it. Depending on the ‘color’ of the lenses, some things may be seen more easily, or conversely, they may be de-emphasized or distorted—indeed, some things may not be seen at all.” Our worldview—the color of our glasses—will determine not only how we see things, but how we interpret and respond to what we see.
What Worldview's Influence Us?
I want to see the world the way God sees it. I want my “reality” to align with His. But although I regularly study God’s Word, I am also constantly bombarded with messages from other worldviews. Sometimes it’s hard for me to identify the false assumptions and misguided theories. However, I’ve found having a basic awareness of the worldviews that have the heaviest influence in our culture helps me sort truth from distortion. Here’s a quick look at the core beliefs of four worldviews you probably encounter regularly:
1. Secularism/Naturalism
God, miracles, or a spiritual realm do not exist. The material world is all there is. Humans are merely highly evolved animals, and science explains everything.
2. Spiritual/Pluralism
All religions are equally valid. All gods are the same by different names; there are many paths to God.
3. Postmodernism/Relativism
There are no objective truths or moral standards. All truth is relative. What is right for one person may not be right for another.
4. Biblical/Christian
There is one true God who has revealed Himself to mankind through the Bible and through the person of Jesus Christ. Absolute truth exists and is determined by God. The Bible is accurate and authoritative for our lives.
While most Christians hold primarily to a biblical view of the world, the Barna Group’s survey discovered that the culture around us does distort our overall worldview by varying degrees. Here are a few examples:
- Twenty-eight percent of practicing Christians strongly agree that “all people pray to the same god or spirit, no matter what name they use for that spiritual being.”
- Twenty-three percent of practicing Christians strongly agree that “what is morally right or wrong depends on what an individual believes.”
- Twenty percent of practicing Christians strongly agree that “meaning and purpose come from working hard to earn as much as possible so you can make the most of life.”
Why Does Our Worldview Matter?
I crave a deeper relationship with God. I want my life to make a real difference for His kingdom. And I long to grow into spiritual maturity, looking more like Jesus all the time. But my faulty thinking can hinder these desires by impacting the way I relate to God and respond to the world around me.
What we believe, our assumptions about the world, directly shapes our character and behavior. Our thought patterns and presuppositions inform our attitudes, priorities, and biases. The way we think about God, ourselves, and our world dictates what we say and do. In short, our worldview determines the way we live.
For instance, if I accept God’s Word as authoritative, I will acknowledge that a sexual relationship with anyone other than my husband is wrong. Even if I yield to this temptation, I will agree with God that it is sinful and, hopefully, will be sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and repent. But if I believe truth and morality are relative, I can easily convince myself this sinful behavior is perfectly acceptable, no matter how harmful it is to myself and others.
This example is just the beginning. The Bible speaks clearly about many of today’s hot button topics. If we believe the Bible is God’s authoritative Word that determines truth and morality, then we will allow it to guide our beliefs, actions, speech, and behavior in all matters. But if we believe truth is relative, then we will choose what we believe to be right for ourselves and discard not only God’s Word, but also His best for us.
Four Benefits of a Biblical Worldview
Honestly, none of us operate with a worldview that aligns 100 percent with God. All of us are influenced to some degree by the worldviews of the culture around us. However, the more we think like God thinks, the more we will enjoy the benefits a biblical worldview brings to our spiritual health and walk with God. Here are just a few of those benefits:
1. Deepens our relationship with God (Ps.15:1-2)
A biblical worldview fosters holy living. Holiness draws us into God’s presence, fostering intimacy with Him.
2. Stimulates our spiritual growth (Rom.12:1-2)
Our spiritual growth and maturity is accomplished by God through the “renewing of our minds.” The more our thinking aligns with God’s the more our attitudes, thoughts, motives, and actions align with His.
3. Points others to Jesus (1 Pet. 2:11-12)
The top reason non-Christians give for not considering Jesus is the hypocrisy of Christians they know. But when Christians live godly lives in the world, the world gives God the glory.
4. Protects us from the consequences of sin (Col. 2:8) – The world’s way of thinking will often lead us into sin. But God’s way of thinking leads to freedom from sin and its consequences.
What Color are Our Glasses?
I find it helpful to evaluate my own worldview by comparing it to these key aspects of a Biblical worldview:
- There is one, true God who created all things (Deut. 6:4-9, John. 1:1-2).
- God has revealed Himself to us through creation, His Word, and ultimately through Jesus (Rom. 1: 19-20, 2 Pet. 1:20-21, John. 1:14).
- Mankind is created in the image of God; we are made for relationship with God, to bring Him glory (Gen. 1:27, Col. 3:16, Rev. 4:11).
- Jesus is fully God, come in the flesh, and is the only way of Salvation (Jn. 14:6).
- The Bible is true, accurate, and authoritative for our lives today (2 Tim. 3:16-17, Heb. 4:12).
- Absolute truth exists as revealed by God through His Word and through Jesus (John 14:6).
- Every person is spiritually dead, separated from God by sin. Reconciliation and eternal life can only be received through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus (Rom. 3:23, Rom. 6:23, Acts 4:12).
These foundational truths are merely a beginning framework for building a comprehensive biblical worldview. If you long to experience the full benefits of a biblical worldview, it starts by asking God to “renew your mind”.
