The Importance Of A Biblical Worldview- Part 2 by Allan Turner (http://www.allanturner.com)
The Modern Church Has Changed Its Worldview
This change in worldviews has profoundly affected the modern church.
As a result, the modern church has become an intellectual and
spiritual disaster area. It no longer knows how to out-think,
out-live, and out-die the unbeliever, and its members are certainly
not the alien residents the Lord has called upon them to be (cf.
1 Peter 2:8-11; Philippians 3:20). Instead of being different,
modern church members blend in nicely with the materialistic world.
They yearn for and fret over the same things the modernists do.
In order to "make ends meet," members of the modern church have abandoned their small children to strangers while they (both father and mother) go off to the work place. They believe that "wanting what's best for their children" equates to the accumulation of as much of this world's goods as possible. The children of these members are forced to fend for themselves without the help and guidance of a parent in those long hours after school before their parents return from work. This ever-growing number of children has even been given its own special name. Consequently, the "latchkey" children of these modern church members learn to fend for themselves at an early age. It should be no surprise that when these abandoned children-and that's what they are-get older, they can hardly wait to reject true religion, wrongly thinking it to be that hypocritical mumbo-jumbo their parents practice.
In addition, modern church members are always ready to assert their "right" to personal happiness, as if this were a spiritual birthright from the Lord. Bent on building their own personal kingdom, rather than enlarging the Lord's Kingdom, modern church members are primarily interested in newer cars, larger homes, and nicer clothes. In their minds, the once-honored biblical virtues of sacrifice and conservation have been replaced with the hedonistic idea that "he who has the most toys when he dies, wins." On such, the warnings of Colossians 2:8 fall unheeded. Instead, such warnings are viewed as the shrill voice of one who has simply gotten "too fanatical" about his religion.
Because the modern church has abandoned its biblical worldview, "preaching as entertainment" is the only kind of preaching acceptable to its members. Like those spoken of in Ezekiel 33:31-32, members of the modern church are enchanted with spectator-worship. "Make me laugh, make me cry, make me happy, and make me want to sing," they say, "but don't you ever try to make me think, and don't you ever ask me to change!" These twist and mold the Bible to fit the "felt needs" of their "itching ears" (2 Timothy 4:3). To the modern church member, discerning God's will simply means learning about the things God has approved that they have already decided they want to do. Without a biblical worldview, the idea that one should submit his or her will to the Sovereign of the universe falls on deaf ears. Self-abasement and putting others before oneself have given way to pure selfishness. Without the proper focus, the modern church member looks inward rather than upward. Instead of being in an intimate relationship with the Lord, he thinks himself to be in a "limited partnership" with Jesus. This enables him to call himself a Christian, while being totally absorbed with the pursuit of "Self." Unless he can be "massaged" with "preaching as entertainment," then he is unhappy, uncomfortable, and will soon be involved in some effort to get the preacher to move. Or else, he himself will be moving to a church that will meet his "felt needs." In the modern church, the spiritual pygmies are giants, and they always win.
The Remedy
Despite what may be observed in the modern church, and in the
personal lives of many who claim to be New Testament Christians,
the gospel of Jesus Christ is truly a dynamic force that lives
in the hearts of all true believers. Its effect is so totally
radical, and the transformation it makes is so revolutionary,
that the Christian is actually called a "new creature,"
who, from a spiritual standpoint, has been "born again"
(1 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23). It is this life-changing gospel
that provides the only life-giving remedy for that which ails
the modern church.
The Bible makes it clear that the one who has been truly converted-i.e., the one who has been renewed and transformed in his mind (Romans 12:1-2)-will have no trouble understanding the absolute seriousness of his spiritual and intellectual quest. Accordingly, this true disciple of Christ will be willing to "gird u p the loins of [his] mind" (1 Peter 1:13). As he diligently pursues his study of the Word (2 Timothy 2:15), he will learn to consistently and effectively apply to his life the Bible's eternal truths. In doing so, he will be both "salt" and "light" to a lost and dying world (Matthew 5:13-16). Apart from this, nothing else matters. This, the Bible says, "is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Consequently, this alone is the ultimate importance-dare I say, focus-of developing a biblical worldview.
Paul enjoins regular intercession for all humanity, even those who aren't Christians. In this time of national tragedy, one good thing we can do to show our faith in God and love for other people is to pray for their welfare.
1. Prayerfulness. The early Christians lived lives soaked in prayers to heaven (Acts 2:42; 1 Thess 5:17, 1 Cor 1:2). Prayer is the voice of faith, the breath of the soul. Petitions to heaven show we believe God is real and alive, that He can hear and answer our cries. Prayers offered in faith can "move the Hand that moves the world," for it "avails much" (Ja 5:16).
We also see that early Christians came together in crisis for "prayer meetings," to jointly petition God's help and strength (Acts 4:24, 12:12). Perhaps we should restore the apostolic practice of "prayer meetings."
2. All Men. God's love and concern is as wide as all humanity (Jn 3:16). He causes the sun to rise on the good and evil, and sends the rain on the just and unjust (Matt 5:45). Abraham prayed for pagan king Abimelech's healing (Gen 20:7). The prophet Samuel said it was a sin to not pray for others' welfare (1 Sam 12:23). Paul prayed for his Jewish brethren, despite their savage persecution, for their salvation (Rom 10:1). Jesus even commands us to compassionately pray for and bless (not curse) our enemies, who mistreat us (Lk 6:28).
3. Government Officials. Paul teaches Christians, by our constant prayers, can aid our government in ruling righteously and peacefully. Our civil officials serve God's purpose in maintaining law and order (Rom 13:1-7, 1 Pet 2:13-17). We may pray that the government finds and punishes evildoers and murderers for the welfare of a safe society, "for it does not bear the sword in vain" (Rom 13:4). The Jews from Babylonian captivity were asked to pray for their Persian rulers (Ezra 6:10).
4. A Spiritual Goal. God is concerned about our physical suffering, but His highest aim for all men is their spiritual salvation. We may hate men's sin, even as God certainly does, but we should love their soul, like God most earnestly does.
Perhaps in this national crisis, the suffering and sad will see their morality and human weakness. Hopefully, men will see their need for their Creator and seek Him in obedient faith and repentance, to the salvation of their soul (Acts 17:27). God in patience delays the end of the world, so all who are lost in sin might have the opportunity to repent before it is everlastingly too late (2 Pet 3:9). Let us pray that God's providence will open opportunities for "the weary and heavy-laden" to come to Christ (Matt 1:28-30; cf. 2 Thess 3:1, Col 4:3).
Our sovereign God can bring good out of the worst of evils (Rom 8:28). We serve a great and awesome God, who guarantees that good will vanquish evil in the end. Prayer taps this divine power today for providential help in a wicked world.
PARABLE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY (excerpted from The Beacon)
I've been a sports fan all my life -- football in the fall,
basketball in the winter, baseball in the spring and summer.
But I'll never to go to another game because:
- they always asked me for money.
- the people I sat with weren't very frienddly.
- the seats were too hard.
- the referee made some bad calls.
- some games went into overtime and I was llate getting home.
- the coach never asked my advice.
- the band played some numbers that I didn''t know.
- too many games didn't fit into my schedulle.
- my parents took me to too many games whenn I was growing up.
- some people cared more about their looks than the game.
- I just read a book on sports and I know mmore than the coaches.
- I don't take my kids to any games so thatt they can make their
own choices as to what sports they like best.
Do you use the same excuses for not attending church? What keeps you from seeking God?
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
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BIBLE INSIGHT is published for the members of, and visitors to,
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THE BOTTOM LINE
"God so loved the world that He did NOT send a committee."