A Christian Worldview
Over the course of the nearly two decades Ann and I have been Christian counselors, I have encountered an enormous diversity of worldviews held by individuals who all see themselves as “Christian.” What are the bases of each of these various viewpoints? Can they all be correct? How can a person know what is correct? Does it matter? Let me attempt to offer some clarity through the lens of what I’ve come to believe to be true.
Is a person a Christian just because they say they are?
No, they are not.
Research by the Barna Group has found that over two billion people worldwide profess to be “Christians” but not everyone has the same definition of what being a Christian means. God’s word says this about what it means to be a Christian:
There is a way that appears to be right to man, but in the end it leads to death.
Proverbs 14:12 NIV
Can all of the various views of Christianity and the Bible be equally correct?
No, they clearly are not.
Some people say they are Christians because they were born into a “Christian” family. Others say they are a Christian because they go to church. Others explain being a Christian in terms of a religious denomination (“I’m (insert denomination), so I’m a Christian”). Some claim to be Christians because they have done certain religious acts like praying prayers, having been baptized, or giving to charity. And still others believe themselves to be a Christian because they believe they are overall a pretty “good” person.
None of these definitions accurately and fully explains what it means to be a Christian, according to the Bible. There is only one view of Christianity that is a correct and acccurate understanding of scripture. All other viewpoints are incorrect and will not lead an individual to Christ or to an eternity spent with the Father in a place called Heaven
Can anyone actually know what the correct view of Christianity is?
Absolutely. God wants us to know.
God has definiitively spelled out the correct view of Christianity in the Bible. He leaves no room for misinterpretation or mystery. His word makes it clear what it means to be a Christian and to have a Christian worldview.
- God loves all people and sent Jesus to demonstrate His love (John 3:16-17)
- None of us is born a Christian; we are re-born a Christian (John 3:2-7)
- A Christian humbly acknowledges that he/she is not perfect, but God is (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:2)
- Christians believe in and accept Jesus’ perfect and complete payment for their sins (Romans 6:23)
- A relationship with God is a gift of His grace, received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Christians don’t just accept Jesus’ teaching in their head; they live it out in their life (John 14:23, James 2:14, John 13:34-35)
- A Christian follows Christ (Matthew 16:24-26)
Why does it matter if your Christian worldview is correct or not?
For life on this earth it matters largely because as a Christian, there is an expectation — both by Christians and the world — that a person will walk what they talk. That their life will be an accurate reflection of what they claim to believe.
Its the eternal significance you need to take seriously. Jesus made it very clear in the gospels that He is the only way to an eternal relationship with the Father in heaven
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
john 14:6 niv
On this earth, you can get away with beliving the truth, or choosing to believe any of the myriad false teachings about God and eternity. But, when your life comes to an end, there will be only one worldview that will be sufficient for us to be seen as righteous before an eternal God.
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