War of the Worldviews (Part 2)
July 12th, 2007
(By John MacArthur)
In a pluralistic age, it is critical that the Christian message be proclaimed with clarity and conviction.
Below I have outlined six distinct components of a Christian worldview, as promised in yesterday’s post. These components are especially important in a relativistic age – in which the very concept of absolute truth is under attack. In upcoming posts we will look at some of these in more detail.
1. Objectivity — Authentic Christianity starts with the premise that there is a source of truth outside of us. Specifically, God’s Word is truth (Psalm 119:151; John 17:17).
2. Rationality — A second key word that helps define an authentically Christian world view is rationality. We believe the objective revelation of Scripture is rational. The Bible makes good sense. It contains no contradictions, no errors, and no unsound principles. Anything that does contradict Scripture is untrue.
3. Veracity — Biblical Christianity is all about truth. God’s objective revelation (the Bible) interpreted rationally yields divine truth in perfectly sufficient measure. Everything we need to know for life and godliness is there for us in Scripture (2 Peter 1:3).
4. Authority — An understanding of the Bible’s authority is the fourth foundation-stone for a proper Christian world view. Because we believe Scripture is true, we must proclaim it with conviction and without compromise or apology. The Bible makes bold claims, and Christians who believe it ought to affirm it boldly.
5. Incompatibility — Scripture says, “No lie is of the truth” (1 John 2:21). As Christians, we know that whatever contradicts biblical truth is by definition false. In other words, truth is incompatible with error. Incompatibility is therefore a fifth essential key word in describing a biblical world view.
6. Integrity — Rounding out our list of essential principles for a biblical world view is the word integrity. This flows naturally from all the preceding principles. Since Christianity places such a high premium on truth, we must acknowledge that integrity is an essential virtue and hypocrisy is a horrible vice.
Unfortunately, the evangelical movement today is drifting from these fundamental principles and has already begun to embrace post modern ideas uncritically. Evangelicalism is losing its footing; people’s confidence in the Scriptures is eroding; and the church is losing its testimony. Fewer and fewer Christians are willing to stand against the trends of this generation, and the effects have been disastrous. Subjectivity, irrationality, worldliness, uncertainty, compromise, and hypocrisy have already become commonplace among churches and organizations that once constituted the evangelical mainstream.
The only cure, I am convinced, is a conscious, wholesale rejection of post modern values and a return to these six distinctives of biblical Christianity. We must be faithful to guard the treasure of truth that has been entrusted to us (2 Timothy 1:14). If we do not, who will?
“Christianity places such a high premium on Truth”………of course it does. It’s the foundation by which everything else flows (Colossians 16-18).
“BEWARE lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”….Colossians 2:8.
It’s interesting to observe all the religions of this world and you will find that all of them focus on man, a mere mortal, who is full sin and reproach, particularly catholicism. Only true Biblical Christianity that is fundamental focuses on Jesus Christ and His glory.
All these religions of the world that have the “beautiful” faces of Satan, are passing away with the rudiments of the world and all shall be cast into the lake of fire, so why would anyone who is truly regenerate make friends with the enemies of the Living God.
As far as courage goes. I didn’t have much courage or boldness until God allowed me to go through a “Joseph” experience, where all I had was Christ and my faith was stretched beyond what I thought I was able to bear but in the end, looking back, He alone saw me through, not my pastor, not my family, not even myself. I OWE it to Him to proclaim Him with boldness and courage for I found that people will fail you but God never will, so why on earth would I give my allegience to anyone but the Living God. I believe this is relevant to this post because this country is too wealthy, we live in a culture that is so indulgent that many harldy have anytime to make their relationship with God a priority. The early Christians were being hunted down and killed so they realized that had better exercise their faith because that was all they had. I believe God needs to shake this country up and out of it’s complacency and then perhaps we will see more boldness and courage and seperation from the world.
I always keep in my mind that life is a fleeting vapor…..it appears for a moment and then vanishes away (just like this world that is marred by sin), and the grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God shall stand forever (James 4:14).
Cindy,
This prosperous nation needs people like you to say just what you said, with boldness and conviction. While there is nothing wrong with wealth, even the Christians in this nation are far too complacent and there are too many Joel Osteen type churches out there. We should not hesitate nor flinch at persecution and even martyrdom if it arose but how many “abundant life” Christians would actually sacrifice for Christ’s name? Well said, Cindy.
Thanks alot David……that means alot to me!
I remember as a kid growing up in church, particularly Grace Presbyterian Church in Illinoise where my mom and dad both got saved that was pastored by Dr. Bruce Dunn, a man that Dr. James Kennedy knew (I don’t care for the fact that Kennedy has catholics at some of his conferences). Anyway my dad always tells me that Dr. Dunn used to say……”Folks, when we get to Heaven, we are sure going to wish we had done a whole lot more for the Kingdom” and that is why it is so important to speak the Truth unashamedly and boldly, for it glorifies God in the Heavens and it brings in a harvest of souls.
“Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven where moth can not destroy”
I never cease to thank the Lord for Dr John MacArthur. I’m here in South Africa and I’ve just received the copy of the book, “The Truth War”. I think these perilous times we live in requires Christians who’ll stand up and contend for the faith. I’ve witnessed how apostacy and post modernism thinking has crept into our churches even here in this side of the world. Thank you brother for your unwavering resilience in imparting your God given gift to teach and inform us.