December 2004
 The
world is experiencing an information overload
as radio, television and the Internet
battle for our time and attention. These
devices provide a vision that dictates
how we should look at the world around
us. We receive these communications through
our physical senses: sight, sound, smell,
touch and taste. Similarly, we communicate
with God spiritually with our spiritual
senses. Whether physical or spiritual,
these sensory views not only create the
way we see the world, but the way we see
God.
This worldview is our
life perspective and determines how we
interpret events, situations and circumstances,
such as our religious and political views
or the war in Iraq. It makes up the thoughts
and beliefs that shape our lives, and
our relationship with God.
Everyone has a worldview.
The worldview of children depends on the
views of their parents, teachers, the
media, religion or whatever influences
their sensory experience. For instance,
the children of the Middle East, whose
parents are sympathic to the terrorists,
view the war on terrorism much differently
than the children of the United States
or Israel. It is evident how the terrorist
views of children affect and shape the
lives of Middle Eastern society. Our thoughts
develop our beliefs, prejudices and feelings.
These motivate our actions, habits, character
and destiny. King Solomon, one of the
wisest of all men, said, "As a man
thinks in his heart, so is he". 1
How we see things is
not necessarily how it is, rather it is
just how we see it. James Sire writes
in his book How to Read Slowly:
"A world view
is a map of reality; and like any map,
it may fit what is actually there, or
it may be grossly misleading. The map
is not the world itself, of course,
only an image of it, more or less accurate
in some places, distorted in others.
Still, all of us carry around such a
map in our mental makeup and we act
upon it."
Worldview Importance
Our worldview is an important
aspect of our spiritual, mental and emotional
makeup. It effects-every aspect of our
life from birth to death. Our worldview
parallels with certain judgments we believe
to be true, which promise fulfillment.
These judgments are learned and can be
distorted through unrealistic information.
Only when we release these judgments [humble
ourselves], can we see something from
a different point of view.
We must be willing to
humble ourselves and be willing to change
our minds to see things God's way. This
is called repentance. Then we are free
to believe the Truth. It is the LORD who
gives us minds that understand spiritual
things, eyes to see, and ears that hear.
2 The LORD says
if my people who are called by my name
will humble themselves and pray and seek
my face and turn from their wicked ways,
I will hear from heaven and will forgive
their sins and heal their land. 3
My worldview in the '60s
promised a utopia with the Manson Family,
but in reality it would lead me to a life
spent in prison. Evolutionists believe
we have been changed from one degree of
life form to another, but they neglect
the Creator who has made us in His image
and offers us His creative ability. Terrorist
suicide bombers are promised sexual gratification
in paradise, but their end is an unholy
death. Humanists are promised the world
through their own abilities, but end up
dissatisfied once they gain it. Conservatives
and liberals are promised based on their
political agendas, but are never fulfilled.
Religious people are promised heaven,
but many are deceived in their unscriptural
beliefs. Christians are promised an abundant
life, but are often as troubled by events
and tragedy as unbelievers are. It takes
courage to challenge our views that promise
hope, and to be willing to surrender our
opinions to God.
The Carnal Believer
Roger, one of my many
Christian brothers, was having a hard
time living the Christian life. He spent
time daily reading God's Word, but was
still trying to battle sinful thoughts
and actions in his own power. As a result,
he lived in condemnation, spending his
time trying to live obediently, but without
the ability to do so. God wanted to show
Roger the truth of His Word all along,
but he was not flexible enough to change
his position and look at it from God's
point of view.
Like so many who I minister
to, Roger's worldview focused on his problems,
rather than the solution or the promises
of God. Though I assured him of God's
love, he had become so conscience of his
sin, that he was depressed and living
a defeated Christian life. He was trying
to live his life in the ability of his
flesh, rather than the grace or ability
of God. Roger was showing the typical
traits of a carnal believer, trusting
in both grace and his own works for salvation.
The Apostle Paul said
that he had to talk to the carnal Corinthian
believers like they belonged to the world
or as though they were infants in the
Christian life. 4
Earlier, he reminded them that no eye
has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind
has imagined what God has prepared for
those who love him. But we know these
things because God has revealed them to
us by His Spirit, and His Spirit searches
out everything and shows us even God's
deep secrets. 5
The LORD is not keeping something hidden
from us. The problem is our unwillingness
to see something He has desired to show
us all along.
For years, I lived my
Christian life "in the flesh"
or by my own strength. I had
truly been born again, but I was trying
to be obedient through my own ability.
I felt that God's acceptance and blessing
was reliant upon my ability to perform
or walk in obedience. I didn't realize
I had an inaccurate Biblical view. The
preachers I heard told me about my sin
and my separation from God, but they never
empowered me to conqueror it because they
were were lacking a proper Biblical view
of their own. I'd leave church condemned
and desiring to be obedient, without understanding
how to achieve true repentance.
The Spiritual Man
As Christians, our worldview
is based on absolutes, with a Biblical
view of life. We believe all Scripture
is inspired by God and is useful to teach
us what is true. Scripture makes us realize
what is wrong in our lives. It straightens
us out and teaches us to do what is right.
It is God's way of preparing us in every
way, making us fully equipped for every
good thing God wants us to do.' 6
The Lord began to show
me that my legalistic Christian beliefs
were wrong. He began to straighten me
out as I grew in the grace and knowledge
of the finished work of the cross. 7
Grace is God's ability working in man,
making him able to do what he cannot do
in his own ability. I was no different
than the Saints who tried to keep the
law to be righteous, never achieving it.
If they could have been made righteous
by the law; ; Jesus would not have had
to die and rise again to give us the grace
[the ability] to obey. I needed God's
ability, His grace to accomplish in me
what I could not do for myself. 8
As I spoke to Roger,
I saw that nothing I said would pierce
the blindness towards what I was trying
to convey. It was almost like he was unsaved,
having a veil over his face. He had been
in my class for awhile and still did not
see the proper reality of Christianity.
It was like he had a learning disability,
but at the same time, I knew that only
the Holy Spirit [the Spirit of Grace]
could teach him the truth. 9
I knew that the only thing Roger and I
could do was pray for God to give him
a spiritual worldview, based upon the
power of grace.
Over the years, I've
learned the importance of spending time
with God, allowing Him to open my eyes.
I asked Roger to pray with me, as I ask
you to pray with me now:
"Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, give us the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of Jesus. That the eyes of our understanding
will be enlightened that we may know
what is the hope of Jesus' calling,
what are the riches of the glory of
Jesus' inheritance in us the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness
of Jesus' power toward us who believe,
according to the working of Jesus' mighty
power which You worked in Christ when
You raised Jesus from the dead and seated
Jesus at Your right hand in the heavenly
places, far above principalities and
power and might and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this
age but also in that which is to come.
And You put all things under His feet
and gave Jesus to be head over all things
to us the church, which is Jesus' body,
the fullness of You Who fills all in
all." 10
After the Apostle Paul
prayed this for the church at Ephesus,
he shared how because of God's love and
mercy, even though we were dead in our
sins before Christ, He raised us from
the dead with Christ and seated us too,
in the heavenly realm. God's purpose was
to be able to point to us as examples
of the incredible wealth of his favor
[grace] and kindness toward us, as shown
in all he has done for us through Jesus
Christ.' 1 From the view of this God given
reality, we can live as a spiritual man
in the power of grace, which enables us
to be obedient to the faith.
The Rower of Christ
Our view is from God's
perspective in the heavenly places. He
sees us dead, buried, resurrected and
seated with Him in Christ in heaven, and
so we need to see ourselves. Our confidence
is not in ourselves, but in the works
Jesus completed for us through the finished
work of the cross and His resurrection.
12 We are joined
now with Him in one Spirit. 13
Over two hundred times in the New Testament
we are told what has been accomplished
by Jesus Christ. He has brought us into
the very presence of God, and we are holy
and blameless as we stand before God without
a single fault. 14
We are to always thank God for qualifying
us to share the inheritance of His Son.
15 We are coheirs
in everything God gave His Son. 16
Jesus has given us His wisdom, His righteousness,
His sanctification and His redemption.17
Jesus Christ is the
power and wisdom of God. 18
Wisdom is the principle thing to the Christian
point of view. 19
It is through the power and the wisdom
of the Holy Spirit that we shape our spiritual
view to free us to live victoriously.
20 Roger was finally
getting the picture that as we walk in
the Spirit of grace, our worldview becomes
a view from heaven. From this heavenly
perspective, by His mighty power at work
within us, God is able to accomplish infinitely
more than we would ever dare to ask or
hope. 21
I took Roger to one last
view from from heaven. In the Revelation
[unveiling] of John the Apostle, he heard
a loud voice from heaven saying:
"Now is come salvation, and
strength, and the kingdom of our Lord,
and the power of his Christ: for the
accuser of the brethren [the devil]
is cast down, which accused them before
our God day and night, And they overcame
him [the devil] by the blood of the
Lamb, and by the word of their testimony,
and they loved not their life unto the
death. Therefore
rejoice... " 22
In reality, as we rejoice
in the Spirit of grace, God unveils the
eyes of our heart and transforms our worldview
into a Christian heavenly view. Later,
John wrote how we belong to God and overcome
as dear children, because the Spirit Who
lives in us is greater than the spirit
who lives in the world. 23
Have you been trying
to live the Christian life in your own
strength, instead of the power of Christ?
If this is the case, maybe it is time
to shift your Christian perspective from
your works to the performance of Christ.
As we align ourselves with God's view,
we see ourselves reigning in righteousness,
solely because of the ability and grace
we receive from Christ. Truly, our heavenly
Father made Jesus, who never sinned, to
be the offering for our sin, so that we
could be made right with God through Christ.
24 As a result,
the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit springs
forth from our hearts and the kingdom
of God rules in our lives.
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