What is a Biblical Worldview?

Suppose that you are going to take a trip to Hawaii. As you are seated on the plane, you introduce yourself to the passenger next to you who looks nervous. He replies, “I'm sorry if I don't seem very friendly. This is my first flight, and I don't like heights. Would you mind if we closed the shade on the window?” You smile and politely pull the shade. While preparing for takeoff, a voice over the intercom announces, “This is your pilot speaking. Can anyone tell me how to get to Hawaii? I can't find the compass on this thing. Since I've never been in a plane before either, I could use some help figuring out what all of these buttons are for.” Upon hearing this announcement, only a lunatic would remain in his seat. It is essential to have an experienced pilot in order to first make it off the ground, and then arrive at your destination. If the person next you had never been in an airplane before, it would have little effect on you. However, it would matter immensely if your captain had never been in a plane. His lack of experience as a pilot would affect his choices, everyone else in the plane, and your destiny. Many people think that their beliefs are irrelevant, but all beliefs have consequences. They affect our choices, they affect those around us, and they affect our destinies. Our beliefs are not just a passenger in the mind; they are the pilot of the entire body. Having the right beliefs is vital because our beliefs will determine the course of our lives.

It Matters

What we believe matters, but how can one know what to believe? There are many different belief systems, but the Bible alone is consistent with itself and reality. Author Susan Schaeffer Macaulay compared the search for truth with finding the right key to a lock. She recounted a time when she had a large ring of keys and needed to find the correct one for the door that stood locked before her. Mrs. Macaulay explained that just as only one key fit the lock, only one belief system fits the facts around us. The Bible gives the philosophy and explanation of life and truth that fits reality. The Bible offers the key to understanding the past, present, and future. It explains creation and its purpose and reveals why pain, disease, and death exist. It accounts for why we have a sense of right and wrong. The Bible also offers a living hope¹ for mankind and provides truth to guide us through life. The Bible contains the only correct belief system.

Worldview

Another word for a belief system is worldview. Francis Schaeffer said, “No man can live without a world view; therefore, there is no man who is not a philosopher.” Everyone has a belief system even if they do not believe in a god. A worldview can be broken down into what one believes about seven basic categories: truth, God, origins, man, purpose, morality, and destiny. Hence, a biblical worldview is viewing all of these areas through the lens of Scripture and letting the Bible govern one's beliefs. In order to understand what a biblical worldview is, we must answer the question, “What does the Bible teach us about each of these topics?”

Truth

Every worldview begins by laying the foundation for truth. By necessity, a Biblical worldview begins with the belief that God is the source of all truth, and that truth is revealed to us through His Word.² God cannot lie, so His Word is true.³ Thus, truth is not relative or subjective to our opinions. God's Word helps us to discern what is true and provides direction much like a compass does. It would be impossible for a pilot to navigate without a compass. Likewise, it is vital that we rely on God's Word in order to discern truth. Understanding where to acquire truth lays the foundation for the entire Biblical worldview.

God

What is a Biblical worldview of God? Having established that Scripture is God's revealed truth, we should investigate what Scripture teaches about God. However, this does not prove to be a simple task. God is eternal,⁴ and it is difficult for finite man to understand and explain a being who is infinite. While it is not possible for man to know God as God knows Himself, God has revealed Himself to us in His Word and we can know Him to the extent that He has revealed Himself in Scripture and through His Son.⁵ Not only can we know about God; we can know God Himself and have a relationship with Him.⁶ What He has revealed to us in His Word is sufficient for life, faith, and practice.

We learn in Scripture that God is independent from everything and does not need anything to sustain Himself.⁷ He is unchangeable and eternal.⁸ He is omnipresent (in all places), yet He cannot be contained by space.⁹ He is immortal,¹⁰ invisible,¹¹ omniscient (all-knowing), and wise.¹² He does not have a body but is spirit.¹³ He is truthful,¹⁴ faithful,¹⁵ good,¹⁶ and holy.¹⁷ He is righteous,¹⁸ jealous,¹⁹ sovereign,²⁰ and orderly.²¹ He has wrath towards sin and demands a payment for it.²² However, He is merciful, patient, and loving too, and He offers salvation to all men.²³ He is omnipotent (all powerful), free to do all His holy will;²⁴ and He is perfect.²⁵ He is blessed,²⁶ beautiful,²⁷ and glorious.²⁸ God is three persons in one: each is fully God, and there is only one God.²⁹ Although man has tried to use language to describe God, there are no words that can fully explain Him; He is indescribable. A Biblical view of God is that we cannot know God fully, but we can know Him personally as much as He has revealed to us in His Word and through His Son.

Origin

What is a biblical worldview of the origin of the cosmos? Many theories exist, so we must rely on our “compass” to guide us through the philosophies of this world. The very first sentence in the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”³⁰ We also read that without Christ nothing was made.³¹ All creation has its' origin in God. It is important, however, to clarify that God did not create sin. God's creation originally existed in a perfect state. All that He made was good, but because man sinned, creation was subjected to futility.³² This is the reason that pain, disease, and destruction are rampant today. The evil in this world is not a result of God's actions. Evil entered the world through man's disobedient choice. Scripture is clear on the origin of the cosmos, and the biblical view is that all creation originated from God and was originally perfect.

Man

What does the Bible teach us about man? We learn four basic things about man from Scripture. First, man was originally created perfect in the image of God. The Bible says, “...all that He had made... was very good,”³³ and, “God created man in His own image.”³⁴ Second, when man sinned, all mankind was doomed to death. In Romans we read, “all have sinned”,³⁵ “the wages of sin is death”,³⁶ and “...by the transgression of the one the many died.”³⁷ Third, man can still be redeemed. Jesus said, “In Him we have redemption through His blood”³⁸ Fourth, even when man is redeemed, he will still struggle with sin until he is made perfect when Christ returns. In First John 1:8 we read, “If we say that we have no sin we are deceiving ourselves....”³⁹ A Biblical perspective of mankind is that he fell from his original perfect state; he is doomed to die; he can be forgiven; and once he is redeemed he will not be made perfect until Christ returns.

Purpose

What is the purpose of creation? This question has been asked for ages because we all want to know why we are here and why everything else exists. Everyone longs to have meaning and purpose. In desperation some have tried to create their own purpose, but a purpose must come from a creator. People can only have purpose if they were created intentionally. Similarly, one can only know his purpose if his Creator reveals it. Once again, our compass is a vital tool for discovering what we were intended to do. Scripture teaches that God made all things for His own glory.⁴⁰ It is true that God does do things for our sake,⁴¹ but the ultimate reason He does anything is for His own sake and His own glory.⁴² If man's purpose is to glorify God, the question we are left with is, “How does one glorify God?” Jesus said that if we love Him we will keep His commands,⁴³ and that the Father is glorified when we bear fruit.⁴⁴ We glorify God when we obey His Word. A Biblical view of creation's purpose is that everything was created for God's glory and that we can glorify Him by submitting our lives to the teachings in His Word and bearing fruit.

Morality

How can one decide what is moral or immoral? This is the question of right and wrong. The Bible teaches that right and wrong do exist. Wrongdoing is synonymously called sin in Scripture. The book of First John tells us that all unrighteousness is sin, and sin is lawlessness. Hence, sin is any transgression of God's Holy Law. While sin is lawlessness, it is not merely lawlessness because according to Romans 5, sin existed before the law was ever given. Sin is anything that is contrary to God's character.

Galatians 3:24 teaches that God's laws were given to reveal our sinful state and point us to the perfect God who is the only One able to save us. The law was not given to be kept, for it had already been broken before it was revealed. Rather, the law was given to show us that we have broken it, that we are not like God, and that we need the power of the Spirit to obey His commands.⁴⁵ The Bible also teaches that we know right from wrong in our consciences.⁴⁶Therefore, we are held responsible for our sins. Since the beginning, man has made excuses for his sin because of his pride, but God will not excuse man's sin unless he is covered by the blood of Jesus. A biblical worldview of morality is that right and wrong are determined by God's Word, and man will be held accountable for his actions because his conscience tells him what is right and wrong.

Destiny

A Christian's view of eternity and destiny varies from all other religions, in that salvation is a gift of God that cannot be merited. In Isaiah 53:5 we read,“He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” Salvation is received through repentance and faith. In Scripture we learn that without repentance we will all perish.⁴⁷ Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches us that we are saved by grace through faith and not our works. Once a person is saved, they pass from death into life, become a new creature, and are sealed with the Spirit. Salvation is initiated and sustained by God's power, and one cannot lose it.⁴⁸ Only those who have trusted Christ will enter heaven. Acts 4:12 teaches that salvation is explicitly found in Christ.

If salvation is a free gift to those who exercise repentance and faith in Christ, what happens to those who do not obey the Gospel? The Bible teaches that God has planned a day in which He will judge the world through His Son whom He appointed.⁴⁹ On this day, He will say to the unbelieving to depart from Him into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.⁵⁰ In Matthew 13 we read that God will throw those who commit lawlessness into the furnace of fire, and in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Both hell and heaven are eternal and once in either place you cannot pass to the other according to Luke 6:26. A Biblical view of destiny is that those who repent and exercise faith in Christ will spend eternity in heaven with Him because of His blood, and those who are unbelieving will perish in their sins and spend eternity in hell.

Conclusion

All areas of life are influenced by our worldview because our beliefs are the pilot of our entire body. Our beliefs about truth, God, origins, man, purpose, morality, and destiny are important. They affect our actions, those around us, and our destinies. The more biblical a Christian's worldview, the more equipped he will be to carry out the Great Commission, understand the world around him, discern the will of God, and ultimately bring glory to Him. God has not left us without a compass to try to figure things out on our own. He has given us His Word to show us the way to salvation and to help us know His will. Having a biblical worldview is to view the world in truth and actuality because the Bible is truth. May we be as the Bereans who tested everything against scripture,⁵¹ and may we accurately handle the Word of Truth.⁵² Soli Deo Gloria.

Supporting Scriptural References

¹1 Pt. 1:3

²Jn. 14:6, Jn. 17:17, Ps. 119:160, 2 Tim. 3:16

³Heb. 6:18, Num. 23:19, Tit. 1:2

⁴Psalm 90:2

⁵Ps. 147:5, Ps. 145:3, Rom. 11:33, Is. 55:9, Col. 1:10, 2 Pet. 3:18, Matt. 11:27, Deut. 29:29

⁶Jn. 17:3, 1 Jn. 5:20, 1 Jn. 2:3, Gal. 4:9, 1 Jn. 2:3, Phil. 3:10, 1 Jn. 4:8, Jer. 9:23-24

⁷Acts 17:24-25, Job 41:11

⁸Ps. 102 :27, Mal. 3:6, Jas. 1:17

⁹Ps. 90:2, Job 26:36, 1 Kgs. 8:27, Isa. 66:1, Acts 7:48

¹⁰1 Tim 1:17

¹¹Jn. 6:46, Jn. 1:18, 1 Jn. 4:12, Ex. 33:21-23

¹²Job 37:16, Rom. 16:27, Job 9:4, 1 Jn. 3:20, Heb. 4:13, Job 28:24, Rom. 11:33

¹³Jn. 4:24

¹⁴Jn. 14:6

¹⁵Deut. 32:4

¹⁶Ps. 34:8, 100:5, 106:1, 107:1

¹⁷Isa. 6:3, Ps. 71:22, Ps. 99:9, Ps. 99:3, Ps. 22:3

¹⁸Deut. 32:4, Ps. 19:8, Rom. 3:25-26

¹⁹2 Cor. 11:2, Ex. 20:5, Ex. 34:14, Isa. 48:11, Deut. 4:24, Deut. 5:9

²⁰Isa. 46:9-10, Ps. 139:15-16, Jer. 1:12, Ps. 127:1, Dan.2:20-21, Rom. 8:28

²¹1 Cor.14:33

²²Deut. 9:7-8, Deut. 29:23, Rom. 1:18, 1 Thess. 1:10, 2 Kgs. 22:13

²³2 Cor. 1:3, Ex. 34:6, 1 Pet. 5:10, Rom. 3:23-24

²⁴Jer.32:17, Gen. 18:14, Jer. 32:27, Lk. 1:37, Matt. 19:26, Matt. 3:9

²⁵Ps. 18:30, Matt. 5:48

²⁶1 Tim. 6:15, 1 Tim. 1:11

²⁷Ps. 27:4

²⁸Ps. 24:10, Lk. 2:9, Rev. 21:23

²⁹ Matt. 3:16-17, 2 Cor. 13:14, Isa. 45:21-22, 1 Tim. 2:5, Rom. 3:30, Jn. 14:26, 1 Jn. 2:1, Jn. 16:7, Lk. 4:14, Acts 10:38, 1 Jn. 1:1-4, Matt. 28:19, Jn. 20:30-31, Jas. 2:19

³⁰ Gen. 1:1, 1 Cor. 8:6, Col. 1:16

³¹Rom. 8:20

³² Jn. 1:3, Heb. 1:2

³³Gen. 1:31

³⁴Gen. 1:27

³⁵Rom. 3:23

³⁶Rom. 6:23

³⁷Rom. 5:15

³⁸Eph. 1:7

³⁹see also Rom. 7:19

⁴⁰Isa. 43:7

⁴¹Ex. 32:11-14, 2 Kgs. 8:19

⁴²Jn. 17:4,5, Eph. 1:11-12

⁴³Jn. 14:15

⁴⁴Jn. 15:8

⁴⁵Gal. 5:16

⁴⁶Rom. 1:19-23

⁴⁷Lk. 13:3

⁴⁸Rom. 8:30, 2 Cor. 5:17, 1 Jn. 3:14, Eph. 1:13-14, Rom. 6:4, Gal. 2:20, Eph. 4:24, Ez. 36:26-27, 1 Pet. 1:5, Lk. 22:31-32, 1 Pet. 5:10, Jn. 6:37-39, Jn. 10:27-30, 1 Cor. 1:8-9, Phil. 1:6, 1 Thess. 5:23-25, 2 Tim. 1:12, 1 Jn. 2:19, Matt. 7:22

⁴⁹Acts17:31

⁵⁰Matt. 25:41

⁵¹Acts 17:11

⁵²2 Tim. 2:15

Keeping Small Talk Small

"It's a nice day, isn't it?"

"Yes! I love it when the sun is out. How have you been lately?"

"Good! How are you?"

"Good! Thanks!"

"That dress is so cute!"

"Thanks!"

"So, what have you been doing lately?"

"I've got this paper I've got to write for English. It's been keeping me busy!"

"Oh, I hope that goes well! Well, I've got to go. I'm going to go shopping with Anna."

"Okay. See you, girl!"

Big Small Talk
I have heard many conversations that have gone something like this one. What was accomplished through this conversation, and who was benefited? No one! There is a time and place for small talk, but so often small talk has becomes all talk. We can talk forever about things that do not matter and never get to what is important! Matthew 12:36 says, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak," This is a sobering verse! I have realized how small talk has become too big in my own life, and I have been trying to be more intentional about the conversations I have.

Meeting Someone New
When you meet someone new, she might feel uncomfortable if the first thing you ask is, "What do you think the meaning of life is?" It is important to connect with the person first, but I have realized that "connecting" does not require as much time as I once thought it did. When I meet someone new, I like to introduce myself and ask a few questions, but after this, I try to go deeper.

Directing Conversation
Rather than just letting my conversations go where they will, I am learning to take hold of the reigns and direct the conversation. I start by asking a simple question, "So, do you go to church anywhere around here?" The usual reply is, "Yeah, I go to such and such a church." I then say, "Oh, okay. So how do you believe people are saved?"

You would be surprised to discover how many different responses church-goers give! I have gotten many different answers since I have started asking people this question. One girl said, "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out." One boy said, "Keeping God's law." Another person told me that she believed that baptism saved you. Others have said, "Accepting Christ into your heart," or "Believing in God, and doing good stuff too." After hearing what they believe, I am better able to share the gospel with them because I know where they are coming from. (The word gospel means good news. See post entitled "Death" to see what the good news is!)

Getting Past Shut Doors
Sometimes people will brush off the second question because they do not know the answer or because they are ashamed. One lady said after I asked her how she believed a person is saved, "There are two things I don't talk about at work because there is such a wide variety of views here, and I don't want to fight, and that is politics and religion." What I decided to do was share the gospel with her anyways in a gentle way. I said, "It's good that you want to keep the peace, but there's nothing more important than your eternal salvation. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and salvation is only through faith in Him."

Zeal Without Knowledge
I have learned that many people who go to church have never heard the true gospel, and they may have even been taught lies! Many people are very devoted to "god", but their god is not the God of the Bible. Even Islam claims that Jesus was a prophet, but they have created a different Jesus. The Church of Christ believes that Jesus is the way to salvation, but that He saves through baptism of water and His death on the cross. (Which, by the way, is contrary to Scripture. Water baptism has no saving power.) Jehovah's Witnesses do not worship Jehovah, but the god of a man-made religion. There are many religions that include "Jesus", but he is not the Jesus of Scripture. There are even many religions that use parts of Scripture, but do not embrace all of Scripture, such as Mormonism and Catholicism.  

"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." Romans 10:1-3. 

Yes, people who go to Church meetings need the gospel too!

What if They Already Know?
Sometimes people can give you the right answer, without really understanding what they are saying. One girl told me that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that is how we are saved. I replied, "Yes! You're right, but just because Jesus died does not mean everyone is saved. The Bible says that even the demons believe, so how is His righteousness applied to us?" She said, "Well, no one's ever really asked me that before. You just believe in Him, but you have to do good stuff too." Then I was able to say, "Well, the book of Ephesians says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast.' We are saved by trusting in Christ for our righteousness. God gives us a new heart, and we are able to obey Him." She then said, "Yeah, I believe what you believe, but I just didn't know how to say it."

At the beginning of our conversation, I was concerned that she might believe you have to earn part of your salvation. It turned out that she already believed and understood the gospel, but neither of us lost anything! Afterwards I shook her hand and greeted her as a sister in Christ. It is our job to share the gospel, and we have no idea who needs to hear it, so we should share it every chance we get! That means we will run into people who are already saved, but we will also share it with people who are lost.

What if They Say No?
My reason for asking people if they go to church is to bring up their beliefs. I find it more natural than starting with, "What do you think happens when you die?" There are many ways to do it though; that is just my style. If they don't go to church anywhere, you can still find out what they believe because you are already on the topic! There are many questions you could ask as a springboard into the gospel, such as, "Who do you think Jesus was? What do you think happens when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person?" 

Granted Ministries has a great tract by Charles Leiter entitled "Good Teacher or God Incarnate?" that is full of scriptures about who Christ said He was. When you are talking to someone about who they think Christ was, you can tell them who He said He was and then share the gospel. This tract does not present the gospel but I think it is a great tool for witnessing! 

Is it Our Business?
Is it really our business to talk about what others beliefs are? Is it rude to ask others about the state of their soul? Yes, it is our business. And no, it is not rude. It is the loving thing to do! As Christians, our business is to be about God's business! Christ said, "Go therefore and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19.  We should not be ashamed of the gospel! Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." We can have confidence that when we share the Gospel, God will save whom He wills!

Plan Ahead!
There are many ways to turn a conversation to important things. The key is to plan ahead. If you do not have a plan, your conversations will just happen how they happen. Come up with your own ways to bring up a person's beliefs, and then purpose in your heart to steer your conversations to what matters most.

Always be sure to pray first that God will give you boldness and help you know what to say. Remember, you cannot fail if you are being faithful. Just do your best, and God can take your "loaves and fishes" and multiply them! You do not have to defend God or the Scriptures! They can stand alone! Just proclaim God's Word!

Conversations With Believers
The most important thing is a person's salvation! If I have never met someone before, I like to talk with them about their soul because I may never get another chance to share it with them again. But what about friends who you know are Christians? It is easy to talk about small things with them as well, but as believers we have much better things to talk about! You can ask them what God's been teaching them lately or ask how you could pray for them. You could share things God's been showing you or exhort them in areas they are growing in. 

You can talk about the good books you have been reading!

You can discuss theology or important issues. You can "spur one another on to good works." You can talk about history and many other things! Just seek to talk about things that matter! 

This begs the question, "What really does matter?" Maybe that would be a good thing for you to study in Scripture, pray about, and even bring up in your conversations. 

Keep Small Talk Small!
Let us seek to use our tongues for the glory of God, the edification of the saints, and the spreading of the gospel!  Let us discuss the things that truly matter in life and, as Ephesians says, "make the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Let us keep small talk, well, small!

Great Worldview Resource

I learned so much from William J. Federer's DVDs  called Political Islam's War on the West! Mr. Federer gives a fascinating account of the history of Islam. I knew so little about the Islam before watching these! He teaches from a Christian perspective and contrasts the way of Mohammad with the way of Christ. If you know a Muslim and would like to understand them better, or if you'd just like to know more about Islam so that you will be able share the gospel with Muslims better, this would be a great starting point!

 This series is in an interview format, and Mr. Federer is very interesting to watch. If you are still under your parents authority, please have your parent's review it first, and get their permission first. You can also learn the information in this series from his book: What every American Needs to Know About the Qur'an- A History of Islam in the United States. (I have not read the book, but the series is based of the book.) I hope you take time to learn about the religion that has deceived so many. May God have mercy on the Muslims, and may He bring many to faith in Christ!

Judicial Abandonment and Conscience

"Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience."- President George Washington

What is Conscience
Many of us think of our conscience as the little angel that stands on our shoulder and urges us to do the right thing, while a demon stands on the other and tries to convince us to sin; however, our conscience is something God has given us. There are laws that are written on men's hearts universally, and we know they are wrong to violate. Many have suppressed these truths and tried to ignore them so long that God gives them over to a depraved mind, degrading passions, and to the lust of their hearts. (Rom 1:18-28)

Given Over
In R. C. Sproul's commentary on Romans, he says of verses 22-25 in chapter 1, "Three times in this passage we read about human beings being given up by God. They are given up to their vile passions, to lust of the flesh, and their reprobate minds. When God judges people according to the standard of His righteousness, He is declaring that He will not  strive with mankind forever. We hear all the time about God's infinite grace and mercy. I cringe when I hear it. God's mercy is infinite insofar as it is mercy bestowed on us by a Being who is infinite, but when the term infinite is used to describe His mercy rather than His person, I have a problem with it because the Bible makes very clear that there is a limit to God's mercy. There is a limit to His grace, and He is determined not to pour out his mercy on impenitent people forever. There is a time, as the Old Testament repeatedly reports, particularly in the book of the prophet Jeremiah, that God stops being gracious with people, and he gives them over to  their sin. The worst thing that can happen to sinners is to be allowed to go on sinning without any restraint." Sproul is not talking about the grace of God unto salvation, but God's common grace. We cannot loose our salvation; however, God gives people another grace called conscience. He placed this restraint upon us lovingly to spare us the consequences of committing these acts, but when we suppress the truth and will not acknowledge God, He finally removes all restraints.

Judicial Abandonment
Sproul continues,"At the end of the New Testament, in the book of revelation when the description of the last judgement is set forth, God says, 'He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still' (Rev 22:11). God gives people over to what they want. He abandons them to their sinful impulses and removes his  restraints, saying in essence,'If you want to sin, go ahead and sin.' this is what theologians call 'judicial abandonment.' God in his His just judgement abandons the impenitent sinner forever."

Unrestrained
Our conscience can be squelched. I believe this is why George Washington warned us not to go against it. It is a terrible thing to be left to do whatever you please without any restraint! Consider a lion for example. You probably would not go see one at the zoo if it where unrestrained. Why? Because lions by nature are carnivores, and you are considered fair game in their sight! When humans are unrestrained, we do what we do by nature too, namely, sin! Ephesians chapter two says that we are by nature children of wrath! The world would be a nightmare if God put no restraint upon people!

Without Excuse
Not only does your conscience know right from wrong, it also knows there is a God. All men know that God exists. Romans 1:19-21 says, "Because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened." You will be without excuse on judgement day if you do not honor Him as God, because God "has made it evident to you" that He is God. Atheism is not the belief that there is no god, it is the suppression of the knowledge that there is.

Not Without Hope
We are all guilty of sin and are in desperate need of a savior because the wages of our sin is death. God's wrath against sin must be satisfied. God would not be good if He did not punish sin. We deserve hell, and that is where we will all go unless we believe in Christ and repent. The price for sin had to be paid, so Christ paid that price for us on the cross. He bore all of God's wrath in our place! Jesus says, " I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."(John 14:6) There is no other way to heaven! Trust in Christ for your righteousness! Ask him to forgive you today! You could die at any moment and be thrust into eternity. If you do this God will give you a new heart with desires to obey Him and eternal life. You will have to face God's righteous judgement! Only Christ' blood can pardon your sin! Call out to Him, and He will save you!

1 Million Views in 22 Days!

Suprise! Surprise!

The news
   It was a casual Wednesday. I'd finished my studies, and I was at war once again with the tangles in my hair. Then Mommy called my name, so I came. She had a very interesting look on her face. Her smile and laugh portrayed that she had an enigmatic surprise. Perplexed, I asked "What is it?" She just kept laughing instead of replying. My suspense had heightened at this point, but I would never have even begun to speculate what  she was about to inform me of. Our dear friends, the Williams, had invited me to go to Kentucky with them to the Creation Science Museum!

   I'd been hoping to go to the museum ever since I'd heard of it. Upon receiving this announcement, I was thrilled! The decision to take this trip was very spontaneous! The Williams said they'd be arriving to pick  me up in about two hours, so I hastily packed for our five day trip.

Our First Stop
  On our way, we stopped at Mammoth Cave National Park and toured the cave. Of course we did not see all of it considering the fact that it spans hundreds of miles. We toured for two hours and still only saw a small fraction of the cave. Without our guide and without the lights in the cave we would be lost. For a few moments our guide turned off all the lights in the cave so that we could see just how dark it really was inside the cave. There was no light at all! It would be impossible to find your way around in the cave without lights. There were deep  pits and tiny passage ways. In many places crouching was necessary and in some places there were enormous rooms such as the Rotunda. God's word must be our guide and our light in this life. God's splendor was displayed in intricacies of the design of mammoth cave!

Memory Making
   Sleeping arrangements were quite comical. Anna Clair, Sarah Grace, and I all shared a queen sized bed one night. We decided to sleep horizontally on the bed so we'd have more room; our feet, however, hung off. I slept well every night because I was really tired, and we all enjoyed being together.

The Ride
   The car ride was pleasant and I enjoyed it! We watched videos on worldview, apologetics, and history. We had great conversations about politics, history, and religion. I learned a lot from their family just by traveling with them. It was in the car that we ate salt and vinegar flavored crickets, and I watched in disbelief as Anna Clair ate her lollipop with a real scorpion in it. We got lost a few times in Cincinnati, which was an adventure too.  I was glad that I wasn't responsible for getting us to the destination; I was just in for the ride. God should be in control of our lives. He never gets lost, but sometimes he takes our lives on a different course than we'd planned. This can be difficult if we're still trying to "drive"; there can be only one driver though. We just have to trust him and submit to his plans.

An Unexpected Visitor
One evening as we were eating our dinner, a man pulled up a chair and asked us about our modesty. We explained that we are Christians, and as Christians we value modesty, want to glorify God by the way we dress, and don't want to cause others to stumble. The way we dress sends others a message. In the same way that a Muslim  can easily be identified by his or her attire.

Leaving Bread Crumbs
We stayed in several hotels. Before we left, if I had time, I would gather all the towels, and remove the bedding and place it on the bed to make it easier for the maids to clean our room. I also left a tract for them. I wanted it to be obvious that a Christian had stayed. Leaving little acts of kindness is like leaving bread crumbs that lead the way to sharing the gospel.

The Museum
I greatly enjoyed the museum! It was very faith strengthening! There was so much to see and do! It dealt with a lot of the popular oppositions to the Christian faith, and "evidences" for evolution. I could have spent hours just looking at the books and resources in the gift shop! I would highly recommend this museum  to all people of all backgrounds. It simply lays out the evidence for God in creation, and shows why we can depend on God's word.

The Aquarium
We also visited the Newport Aquarium! It was amazing to see God's fingerprint and master craftsmanship in his creation that he made to inhabit the water! The creatures were so vibrant, elegant,  and intricate! I knew also that  I was only seeing a small fraction of his creation, and I was blown away! I enjoyed seeing yet another part of God's creation!

My Overall Thoughts
I was very grateful to the  Williams family for inviting me to join them. At each stop, I was able to observe, explore, and enjoy God's glorious creation, but how much more glorious is the Creator! I have rich memories and my faith was enriched! I know that everything God has planned for me is to conform me to his image. This was one of the more exciting and pleasant things that he used! God does use unpleasant things too. He is working all things together for the good of those who love God. I'm just excited to see what He is going to do next on this journey of becoming more like Christ.

 

In The Image of God (Written 1/18/12)

Created in His Image
Genesis 1:27 "God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

Did The Fall Change That?
God created man in his own image, but since the fall is man still a reflection of it? There is no unrighteousness in God. If we are unrighteous, (Romans 3;10-18) how can we reflect his image? Eph 4:22-24 says that "in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." (Emphasis added) The old self which being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, is certainly not a reflection of God's character but is totally depraved, unable to even chose good (Eph 2: 1-2). Psalm 51:5 says "Surely I was sinful from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." We sin because we are sinners not vise versa. However, even though man no longer reflects God's character he is still made in God's image.

Image Bearers vs. Character Reflectors
Even though our nature is not a reflection of God's character, we still posses something distinctive that all other creation doesn't, and that is a soul. Even though our nature has changed, our substance (or being) hasn't. If a dog develops rabies he doesn't become another animal or thing; he just has an extremely aggressive nature. He is still a dog though. Despite the fact that our desires and impulses are naturally evil now, and we are totally depraved apart from God's saving grace; we are just a corrupted  form of what God designed us to be. We are still humans and posses a soul even after the fall. James 3:9 is one place where the New Testament mentions us being made in the image of God. So the fall did not nullify that fact. All humans bear God's image, but only Christians are a reflection of his character and are in the likeness of God. Isn't that interesting. In fact Satan told Adam and Eve that eating the forbidden fruit would make them like God, and doing so did just the opposite. He is the father of lies and cannot tell the truth.The new self "in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Those whom God saves are a reflection of his character. The unregenerate are not a representation of God's character, but they still bear his image.

Not Exactly
Ultimately Jesus is "the exact representation of His nature" (Hebrews 1:3). Even with our new nature, we are not the exact representation of his glory or nature because we are still putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the spirit and learning to walk by the spirit (Galatians 5:16,25). Ephesians 5:1 goes on to say we should be imitators of God. We should imitate God's love to those who don't reflect his character.


The Value of Human Life
The fact that humans posses a soul is an important fact. We aren't animals. If you are a human you have a soul and you've had one from the moment you became one. People argue over when a fetus becomes a human. I believe the moment they where created, just as it was from the beginning, that a man is human and has a soul. I believe abortion is murder and that it is a sin.  When we kill a fly or mosquito that is not a sin. Those insects do not posses a soul. It is the same as when we pull a weed out of our garden and kill it. That is not a sin. God does not say "thou shalt not kill", but "thou shalt not murder."
I have never heard of a man being executed for squishing an ant. However, many times it has happened for killing a human. For the same reason, I think killing an old person or dissabled person who no longer contributes to society, is wrong. I have compassion for those who have had abortions, and I know often the mothers are decieved into doing so. God's grace can cover any sin, even murder. God created man in his own image. That puts value on man. We should value man as well, reflecting God's character to a fallen world in need of God's saving grace.