worldview

Part One:

The term “worldview” is a very vague term and can be defined many different ways. According to Weider and Gutierrez (2012), it means “a person’s philosophy of life.” (p. 51). A person’s worldview is what causes them to see things the way they do, and will impact most decisions they make in life.

Part Two:

The question of Origin, Identity, Meaning/purpose, Morality, and Destiny, are the 5 key questions that can help determine a person’s worldview. I will now answer these questions from a biblical/ Christian worldview. The bible answers the question of origin by stating that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). We are also taught in (Psalm 139:13-16) that God is the creator of all mankind and that we are all one with him. Moses also identifies God in (2 Peter 1:2) as the first cause. The question of Identity is answered by the truth that God created all of humanity in his image (Genesis 2:15) however; he did not create animals or the earth that way, nor are they to be worshipped. God does however make mankind responsible for his creation. (Psalm 8:5). The question of meaning/purpose is answered in John 17:3 which says that followers of Christianity should have a personal relationship through God and that we are here so that we may know him. Being Christian is “not simply following the tenants of a religion.” (Wieder & Gutierrez P.60) Christianity teaches that we are here to love one another just as we love ourselves (Deuteronomy 11:13). The question of morality is answered in many different ways in various areas of the bible, and basically tells us that because Adam and Eve allowed sin to enter the world, (Genesis 3) we are all in need for redemption. (Wieder & Gutierrez P.63) The bible tells us we can only receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and not by ones work (Ephesians 2:8-10). The question of destiny is my favorite of all questions because it promises that those who are followers of Christ will be saved and will forever live in heaven with him. (Romans 10:13). There is also another very real alternative for those who don’t believe, which is hell. In hell people are forever separated from Christ and will be punished for all of eternity (Revelation 21:1-7). A person’s eternal state depends on if they give their life to Christ while living here on earth.

Part Three:

How a Christian deals with different situations, should always reflect their biblical worldview. For example a Christian should think about, treat, and speak to others on a daily basis in a loving way. Just like it is stated in Deuteronomy 11:13, we should love one another the way we love ourselves, basically following the golden rule. That means speaking and treating to each other with respect, and keeping a positive mindset so that we only have positive thoughts. This is also true even when interacting with the environment and non-human creation. Genesis 2:15 reinforces the idea that even though the things of the earth were not created in Gods image we should still worship them and take care of them.
Sources

Weider, L. & Gutierrez, B. (2012) Consider:Virgina Beach: Academx Publishing Service, Inc.