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A biblical worldview is one’s total conception of the world from a biblical standpoint. It’s a Christian’s fundamental belief system about the meaning of life, the nature of God, the source of truth, and other foundational concepts. Many Christians’ worldview is not biblically consistent. They may approach some issues from a biblical viewpoint, but not every issue.

There are many possible reasons why some Christians fail to have a consistent biblical worldview:

They lack knowledge of what the Bible says. They do not know the Word. If someone doesn’t know what the Bible says about what is right or wrong it will be difficult for him or her to form a biblical view on the subject. “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14: 5-6).

They reject what the Bible says on specific issues. The Barna Group conducted a survey asking questions about the Bible to determine if people truly believed what the Bible said. The results were startling: only 4 percent did. Professed Christians did not fare much better. If a professed Christian does not believe what the Bible says, it will be impossible for him to have an authentic biblical worldview. What does the Bible have to say about abortion? “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6).

They are more concerned with what the world thinks of them than what God thinks. A believer who views the world from a biblical standpoint recognizes that he is not of the world. Jesus said, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19; 17:14). When a believer starts making compromises with the world’s way of thinking, he loses focus on God’s perspective, and not only deceives himself but others as well. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).

They are lukewarm in their commitment to Christ. Like the church of Laodicea, they are “neither cold nor hot” (Revelation 3:15), unwilling to take a stand for Christ. It takes courage and wisdom to stand against the world. “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:25).

They are swayed by their circumstances and doubt God’s promises. In Matthew 14, when Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on water, he was demonstrating a biblical worldview: Jesus is the source of all power. However, when Peter focused on the storm-tossed sea, his worldview shifted and he began to sink! “So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14).

“A great problem in America is that we have an anemic and watered-down Christianity that has produced an anemic, watered-down, and spineless Christian who is not willing to stand up and be counted on every issue. We must have a virile, dynamic, aggressive Christian who lives Christ seven days a week, who is ready to die, if necessary, for his faith. We need Christians who are ethical, honest, gracious, bold, strong, and devoted followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Billy Graham