Episode 10: What is a Biblical Worldview?

Having a Biblical Worldview is essential if we are to be women who are not gullible. In this evergreen episode we'll discuss the components of a worldview and how to determine if yours matches the biblical framework. I'll also share how you can grow stronger in this area of your life and put it into daily practice. 

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Transcript

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Welcome to Not Gullible. I'm your host, Vanessa Hunt, and each week we'll be discussing faith, news, and the stories that matter, all from a biblical worldview. This week I'm bringing you another Evergreen episode, which I will be doing from time to time. Because in order to help us to be women who are not gullible, we need to make sure that we have a solid foundation. This is how we are able to be discerning and to test everything against the truth of God's word. Growing up and even on into my adult years, I don't recall ever hearing the term worldview, but now it seems like it's everywhere, kind of like the word protein. Even when I attended a Christian university, I wasn't really taught how to define a worldview or how it shapes the way we think and how we live. And I don't recall ever being taught anything about worldviews at any of the churches I attended. Most importantly, we were never given instruction on what it means to have a biblical worldview and why that matters so much. So today I'm going to share with you what I wish someone would have shared with me and what has turned out to be one of my most requested topics when I'm asked to speak at women's events. It's more important than ever that we have a solid biblical worldview. Without it, we can't help the next generations formulate one, and it will be like sending them out into the world without a compass and a map. So here we go. What is a biblical worldview and why does it matter if we have one? One of the most important things that we need to understand at the outset is that there is no such thing as a neutral worldview. Everyone has a worldview that informs their decisions and choices. We've been lulled into thinking that there are institutions that are neutral. For example, for far too long, people thought that public schools were neutral places of learning. But hopefully, most of us recognize that not only is that not the case now, but it never actually was to begin with. So, what exactly is a worldview? I'll note here that some of the definitions I'm using today come from gotquestions.org, which is a wonderful resource and one that I highly recommend. A worldview refers to a comprehensive conception of the world from a specific standpoint. An individual's worldview is his big picture, a harmony of all of his beliefs about the world. It is his way of understanding reality. One's worldview is the basis for making daily decisions and is therefore extremely important. Every worldview, Christian and non-Christian, deals with at least these three questions. Number one, where did we come from? Or another way of asking that would be why are we here? Number two, what is wrong with the world? And number three, how can we fix it? A prevalent worldview today is naturalism, which answers the three questions I just mentioned, like this. Number one, we are the product of random acts of nature with no real purpose. Number two, we do not respect nature as we should. Number three, we can save the world through ecology and conservation. A naturalistic worldview generates many related philosophies such as moral relativism, existentialism, pragmatism, and utopianism. A Christian worldview, on the other hand, answers the three questions biblically. Number one, we are God's creation designed to govern the world and fellowship with him. Number two, we sinned against God and subjected the whole world to a curse. Number three, God Himself has redeemed the world through the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ, and will one day restore creation to its former perfect state. A Christian worldview leads us to believe in moral absolutes, miracles, human dignity, and the possibility of redemption. It's important to remember that a worldview is comprehensive. It affects every area of life, from money to morality, from politics to art. True Christianity is more than a set of ideas to use at church. Christianity, as taught in the Bible, is itself a worldview. The Bible never distinguishes between a religious and a secular life. The Christian life is the only life there is. Jesus proclaimed himself the way, the truth, and the life, and in doing so became our worldview. Sadly, what we're seeing now is that even most professing Christians don't hold to a true biblical worldview. In a shocking 2022 survey done of America's Christian pastors, only 37% held to a biblical worldview, and 62% held to a hybrid worldview known as syncretism. This study also found that only 12% of children's and youth pastors held to a biblical worldview. What this tells us is that it's not enough for someone to simply say that they're a Christian. We have to dig down deeper and have a clearly defined framework in order to determine if they agree with God's word. Syncretism is the blending of different religions, cultures, philosophies, or ideas into a new, distinct and often hybrid system. I'm seeing this everywhere right now within Christian ministries, schools, and churches. Far too many people have been left unable to answer some of the most challenging questions posed to them by those who adhere to other worldviews and aren't capable of rising to meet the current challenges of our time. So, how can we make sure that we have a biblical worldview and that it's being properly developed? Number one, the most important requirement is that we must regularly be in God's word. This is how we are able to test everything against its authority. This shapes and forms our worldview so that we can more easily recognize the things that don't fit within it. Number two, we need to carefully evaluate everything that we encounter, whether it's media, the values and ideas that other people hold, or entertainment, and ask if they align with the definition of a biblical worldview I shared earlier. Do they follow the creation, fall, redemption arc that we see in scripture? This includes evaluating what we hear from other Christians. And in fact, this is the most challenging thing we'll encounter right now because those ideas are so often couched in biblical language, and people will selectively use verses to attempt to prove their worldview. Now, I want to make it clear here that I'm not saying that we only ever need to watch or listen to things that explicitly align with a biblical worldview. That's not the point I'm making. What I am saying is that this is how we evaluate whether or not what we are consuming is coming from a biblical worldview. This way, we'll be better equipped to know how to process and engage with that content. Number three, we must be intentional about teaching and modeling a biblical worldview to the next generation. This doesn't happen by accident. It requires us as women, whether we're moms, aunts, grandmothers, mentors, simply women who love the Lord, to talk about these things openly in our homes and in our relationships. Ask your kids or the young people in your life the three big questions. Where did we come from? What's wrong with the world? How can it be fixed? Then gently walk them through the biblical answers and show them how those answers touch every part of our lives. Don't assume that because they sit in church on Sunday, they're automatically developing a biblical worldview. The statistics we looked at earlier should wake us up to the reality that many of the very people we trust to disciple our children are operating from a mixed or compromised foundation. So we have a huge stewardship responsibility here. Number four, surround yourself with others who are also pursuing a biblical worldview. It makes me think of the verse about iron sharpening iron. Find friends, Bible study groups, or even online communities where the word of God is honored as the final authority, not just for the spiritual things, quote unquote, but for how we think about marriage, parenting, sexuality, justice, science, education, and culture. Ask hard questions together, challenge one another lovingly. This is how we grow in discernment instead of staying gullible. Finally, remember that developing a biblical worldview is not a one-time event. It's a lifelong process of sanctification. There will be times when you realize an area of your thinking has been shaped more by the culture than by Christ. Try not to be discouraged by that, but bring it into the light, repent if needed, and let the Holy Spirit renew your mind. The goal isn't perfection overnight. The goal is faithfulness and growth. Why does all of this matter so much? Because a biblical worldview doesn't just protect us, it equips us to live with purpose, courage, and clarity in a confusing world. It helps us raise children who won't be tossed around by every new ideology that comes along. It allows us to speak truth and love to a culture that desperately needs it. And most importantly, it glorifies God by declaring that His word is sufficient for every area of life. Thanks so much for joining me today. If this episode encouraged you, I hope you'll share it with your own community. And if you are enjoying this podcast, please consider giving it a five-star review. Also, make sure you're following or subscribe to the show so that you never miss an episode. As we leave, remember to stay rooted in truth and test everything against the word of God so that you will be a woman who is not gullible.