Biblical Worldview: The Power to Transform the World Around Us
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Here at YWAM Mazatlan, we want to raise up leaders who influence the world to bring glory to God in all areas of society.
We believe that when God is glorified in a specific area, that area is able to be brought back to its original purpose, because all things were created by and for Christ (Colossians 1:16).
Learn more about our Online Biblical Worldview Seminar
When we bring back the original purpose, each area of society will work the way it was designed to. Since God designed all things good (Genesis 1), then we should naturally think that the results can only be good. Good for society, for families, for individuals, and most importantly, good for God (glorifying to him).
The 7 spheres of society
It’s pretty clear that not everything said or done in the world is good. Let’s take injustice for example: Corrupt politicians, compromised businessmen, starving families, mistreated children, and martyred Christians all show that we live in a broken world and that there are areas of society that aren’t working the way God designed them.
These areas of society are commonly referred to as “spheres” and can be split into 7 different categories: Family, Economics, Government, Religion, Education, Media, and Celebration.
Many people think that Christians simply have one area of influence: religion. Yet in reality, God's not constrained to the church building or only the religious sphere. He wants to break into every area of society—even the ones that have pushed him out.
Part of Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20) includes teaching his disciples to obey his commands. This means then that we can teach politicians to write just laws, influence businessmen to use God’s principles of being generous with their wealth, and fight systems of oppression that allow the atrocity of human trafficking to carry on.
We can prophecy to the nations—speaking righteousness, truth, and wisdom to kings, CEO’s, college deans, music producers, and other leaders and influencers.
The world presents solutions to problems which seem good, yet often they’re not grounded in the truth and eventually crumble. Of course, this isn’t God’s will. His will is clear:
“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” [Amos 5:24 NIV]
Read more: The Missionary Response to Injustice
The power of having a biblical worldview
Do you want to bring real and lasting change to the world? Then learn to fight how God wants us to fight.
In other words, you need a biblical worldview. This has the power to give you a renewed way of seeing the world through God’s word. With a renewed perspective it opens our hearts to faith. When we engage with God through faith, then all things are possible. Mountains are moved, justice flows, people are treated fairly, and societies are blessed.
Learn more about our Online Biblical Worldview Seminar
Jesus did promise that in this world we would encounter trouble, but it is possible that much of the trouble we encounter in the world is avoidable in some sense.
For example, when we as Christians unknowingly support an unjust cause or passively approve of something God has called us to stand against, we're causing unnecessary trouble for others and ourselves.
Read more: Can God Call Anyone to Fight Injustice?
When we identify lies in society and begin to fight them through the truth of God’s word and the power of his spirit, then we begin bringing positive change. We will encounter trouble this way too, but the trouble will not be our own making—it’ll be trouble from “spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12) and not just side-effects of bad choices.
Our hope is when we begin to engage the world with truth from God’s word, we’ll begin to restore spheres of society to God’s design. Then, the fear of the Lord will emerge in our families and cultures, people will not be held back unfairly, and God will be glorified.
Significance of worldview in daily life
Worldview is not only important at a high level but also for daily choices, too. For example, sometimes we don’t understand that God designed us individually to glorify him in our own unique ways.
Some people were given an artistic gift to show God’s beauty through paintings, others were given musical talent to sing God’s praise, and still others were given talent to build businesses and innovate to display God’s creativity and excellence. These are all aspects of what we call the “original design” of people.
Everyone was designed to use their gifts, not to bring themselves glory, but to shine brightly in ways that glorifies God:
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” [Matthew 5:16 NIV]
Learn more about our Online Biblical Worldview Seminar
Some of us are hiding our gifts because we don’t think God put anything good or interesting inside us. But when God created everything, he called it good.
Part of the gospel is understanding that God wants to revive within you the very thing that died when you first chose to live your own way over God’s way. Through Christ’s redemption, God restores us back to what we were first designed for—what God dreamed about us before we even existed.
Turning the world upside down
In Acts 17, some early Christians were accused of “turning the world upside down” because they proclaimed Jesus as king, not Caesar. It’s clear in this accusation that these disciples were seriously influencing the society around them through their simple message.
What if we began turning the world upside down once again for the cause of Christ? It starts by upsetting the worlds order of things by simply acknowledging Jesus as king.
For the businessman, it means running a business honestly and not only striving solely for more money. This is in contrast to much of the world that sees money as king.
For the actress, it means honoring God above all else, whereas the world honors the king of fame and success.
For the singer, it means singing for the glory of God, whereas the world sings for the glory of themselves.
For the school teacher, it means using God’s word as the foundation for all knowledge, whereas the world often teaches human reason and scientific evidence is the answer.
And for the politician, it means acknowledging God as the ultimate ruler of all governments, whereas the world often acknowledges government as God itself, the source of all blessing and provision.
Learn more about our Online Biblical Worldview Seminar
Oftentimes these simple acknowledgements cause turmoil in the world because it upsets the way things have happened before. The heart of having a biblical worldview is to acknowledge Christ as king in every sphere of society, and to participate in faith with God to bring transformation and blessing to people by countering lies with the truth of God’s word.
Would you like to know more about how to have a Godly worldview? Check out our Biblical Worldview page for upcoming training programs and seminars!
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