Colossians 2:6-9 "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
What belief systems do we face today? How does that impact us? How does worldview change our perspective and the decisions we make? As a counselor, I need to be prepared to address the impact of an ungodly culture and it's influence on our clients' lives. Like never before, technological advancement and social media accelerate the communication of these beliefs. In its many forms, distortions of the truth and false teaching lead people away from the true gospel and Jesus.
What is Worldliness?
I define worldliness as "a shared set of beliefs with certain unbiblical philosophies that drive culture", these beliefs go unquestioned by those that live in them. Our worldview is the eyeglasses in which we see life through, to perceive what is true about me, my life, my relationships with others, and God. Our family background, church, culture, peers, education, media, and entertainment impact and shape our belief systems. As the prince of the power of the air, Satan wants to keep people ignorant of the truth. Apart from Christ transforming our hearts and renewing our minds with the Word of God, we are blind to the world's influence.
Unbiblical Belief Systems We Face Today
The deception is very subtle because the philosophies of our day hide in the appearance of some moral good deceiving many. We witness these philosophies on a daily basis in some form or another. This post-modern humanistic worldview includes at least four fundamental religious and ethical ideals.
1. Religious Relativism
We all worship the same God; we only refer to Him by different titles. Jesus said many would come in his name.
2. Tolerance
The demand that we value the views and practices of others to the degree we value our own, regardless of any absolute moral standard in particular as defined by scripture.
3. Philosophical Pluralism
The denial of absolute truth is the hallmark of modern thinking. Your truth can be whatever you decide. It is summed up in the belief that any particular religion's claim to be intrinsically superior to another is wrong.
4. Moral Relativism
It is the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others. Meaning history can be redefined to adapt to the changing moral standards of a society.
Five Basic Elements of a Biblical Worldview
Romans 12:2— "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
What do you believe about who God is?
Christian Theism believes in a personal God who created rules and interacts with the world. The God of the Bible is personal. The God of the Bible is sovereign. The God of the Bible is Holy. The God of the Bible is the creator of the world. If God created the world, Secular Humanism is not even a remote possibility. If God created the world, then God created man. If God created the world, then our view of truth, knowledge, and ethics must be shaped by this single fact.
What do you believe about the origin of man?
Christian Theism sees man as a unique creation of God. The Bible teaches that man is created in God's image. As God's image-bearer, man has inherited dignity and value. In Adam, man fell into sin. Apart from the redemptive work of Christ, man remains in his sin.
What do you believe about what is truth?
Christian Theism sees truth as objective, absolute, and is rooted in the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."
What do you believe about real knowledge?
Christian Theism holds that God created the world and everything in it; therefore, our pursuit of knowledge must balance reason and revelation. We come to know the truth through God's revelation in creation. Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." Psalm 50:6, "The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge!" Romans 1:18-20 "For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their wickedness suppress the truth. What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them."
What do you believe about ethics?
Christian Theism views ethics as timeless and absolute. God determines what is right and what is wrong. Humanism begins with a man as the starting point and works its way out from there. Pragmatism (results rather than principles determine proper action) and Utilitarianism (the view that the happiness of the highest number should be the criteria of the virtue). God's Word gives us explicit instruction on ethics. 2 Peter 1:3, 4 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." Ethics transcends time and culture. Biblical ethical principles can be applied universally. If it is sinful to commit adultery in the United States, it is also sinful in any third world country.
The battle that comes from living in this world is something we all have to address. I have witnessed the impact of deception and how it brings destruction to people's lives. At IBCC, we desire to come alongside hurting people and lovingly help them make important life decisions based on the knowledge and wisdom that the scriptures teach.
What is Worldliness?