America's Deadly Popular Worldview

Well, as I mentioned last Sunday, we did observe the Day of Pentecost, one of God's holy days, that He commands us to observe. God's holy days, including the weekly Sabbath, are vital to our understanding of God's plan of salvation. Observing these days together in worship of God reminds us of God's love, His compassion, and mercy, not just for us, but for all humanity, all mankind. And He wants every human being to have a close and right relationship with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. And He wants every human being to receive eternal life, freedom from suffering, from sin, from death, from all that troubles us so much in these days.

Now, while we were observing Pentecost last weekend, I could say, meanwhile, or rather, four days before Pentecost on May 12th, Dr. George Barna, his name may ring a bell. He's been doing surveys of American religion, American Christian thought in this country for well over 25 years, a very popular author, best-selling author and writer. He's now the director of research for the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. Well, on May 12th, Dr. Barna released his third of a series of reports highlighting the results of the American Worldview Inventory 2021.

That inventory was undertaken in February of this month, February 2021, and this inventory of American worldview is an annual survey of the philosophy of life held by American adults.

Barna entitled that report, and this is an interesting title, he entitled it the Seismic Generational Shift in Worldview, Millennials Seek a Nation Without God, Bible, and Churches. The Millennials Seek a Nation Without God, Bible, and Churches. Now, based upon that survey, Barna found that the millennial generation, and if you can't keep up with all these generations, I'll tell you, the millennial generation are people born between 1984 and 2002. That tends to be the general range of ages. So, in other words, when this survey was taken in February of this year, he was surveying adult age 18 to... he's talking about adult age 18 to 36. He surveyed people all up in their way up from 18 to 19, but this particular report was regarding adults age 18 to 36. Now, the millennial generation in particular, he says, seems committed to living without God, without the Bible, and without Christian churches as foundations in either their personal life or within American society. It is hard to imagine a louder, clearer, or more direct challenge to the future of the Christian faith in the United States, Barna concluded. And so, I did read that report. I've read it. I read the various articles that came out. I saw some of them right after we observed Pentecost, and I couldn't help but thinking, what a contrast! What a contrast what we do on the Sabbath and Holy Days and Pentecost and what George Barna was reporting. Now, God's Holy Scripture foretells that in the last days of this age, before the return of Jesus Christ to earth, we will experience perilous time when people will increasingly reject God and His ways. For example, let's remind ourselves, let's turn back to 2 Timothy 3, verse 1 through 5. 2 Timothy 3, verse 1 through 5.

And here we read Paul's writing to Timothy. Paul writes, But know this, that in the last days, but in the last days, perilous times will come. Another word for perilous can be difficult times. Even dangerous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And then he adds, And from such people turn away.

Let's also read 2 Peter chapter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3, verse 1 through 5.

2 Peter chapter 3, verse 1 through 5. Here Peter writes, Here Peter's warning about the mindset of people in the last days.

Ties in wealth what Paul was writing. Peter writes, Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder. He's reminding us now, too.

That you be mindful, that you may be mindful, of the words which are spoken before by the holy prophets in the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lust, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they willfully forget, they willfully forget, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water, and in the water. He suggests in the end times, adding on to what Timothy has told us, that people will choose, willingly and willfully choose, to ignore God, to deny God, to deny God as creator.

So Peter warns us about the coming times when people will be following, largely following their own lusts, their own ways. And in verse 17 through 18, same chapter 3, Peter warns us the church to beware, to be on guard, that we ourselves do not fall away into such wickedness. He writes, You therefore be loved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

We're to be steadfast. Hold strong to God. Today I will share with you some of the latest findings about this significant shift in the worldview of Americans, mentioned earlier by, I mentioned to you earlier by George Barna. We're going to discuss this significant shift in how Americans see the world, how they see themselves, how they see God. In a conjunction, I'd like to give us keys to avoiding this terrible deception and the spiritual pitfalls espoused by what can rightly be called Satan's worldview. Satan's worldview. And I've entitled the sermon, America's Deadly Popular Worldview. America's Deadly Popular Worldview. Now, we probably recall Dr. Ward in the past years has talked to us about worldviews, but I'd like to be sure that we're clear on just what we mean by a worldview. It's going to be coming up often in my sermon. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a worldview is the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.

You might say we're up on a promontory, and from our perspective, this is how we see things.

It is also a collection of beliefs about life in the universe held by an individual or a group.

And so it's an overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. It can also be a collection of beliefs about life in the universe held by a group or person. Now, as members of God's church, we would be considered as holding a biblical worldview. I have a frog I need to get rid of. Excuse me. I try to drown it before I get up here, and it never seems to work.

Now you're all clear, and I hear you.

And so this worldview—what is it? This worldview that we hold as a church, if we were to take George Barna's inventory, we would be included in the category as a group of people holding a biblical worldview. And I'm sure you understand why that is. You see, we strive to see and interpret the world and its events—events in our own lives as well—from our understanding of God's holy scripture. The findings we're about to consider and confirm—the biblical worldview, however, is less prevalent than ever in the United States. It's decreasing. It's decreasing.

Now, in his second report of his findings from the American worldview inventory, he had three separate reports. In his second one, Dr. Barna identified and labeled this millennial worldview. Here's what he called it. He called America's most popular—most deadly popular—I've thrown the word deadly—America's most popular worldview, he called it moralistic therapeutic deism.

Now, there are a number of descriptors for this, and so I'm going to ask our Mr. Crawford in the back to man my PowerPoint. I need rearview mirrors here so I can see if it's up.

Yes, that's what it is. There you can write it down. It's a whole lot better than me spelling it to you. Moralistic therapeutic deism—it's also called M-T-D for short. Now, moralistic therapeutic deism was initially identified and named by sociologist Christian Smith and Melinda Denton in their book called Soul Searching. It was published back in 2005, almost 20 years ago now. In that book, their findings were based on national research among teenagers. This is based on what teenagers were telling them about religion, about their beliefs, about God during the turn of the millennium—probably, if I remember correct, around 2001-2002, right at 20 years ago. Now, at that time, Smith and Denton identified several core beliefs that characterized the thinking and behavior of this group in 2005. Again, they're talking about a group of teenagers. Next slide. There we go. Thank you. So here are some of the beliefs of this group.

Those components included belief in a God who remains distant from people's lives.

Distant from people's lives. They also believe that people are supposed to be good to each other, moral. Their idea of good would be kind and nice, those general things in that regard. Continuing on, the universal purpose of life in their minds was being happy and feeling good about oneself.

That's a purpose in life—to be happy and to feel good. They also believe, these teenagers said, that there is no absolute moral truths. Not surprising. We live in a world—they lived in a world of post-secular—that's not the right word—post-modernism. There, I had to go back to my literature catalog real quick, post-modernism. They also believe that God allows good people into heaven. It doesn't necessarily matter what you do. As long as you're just really a good person, you'll get in.

And their third ideal they had, third belief among these teens, was that God places very limited demands on people. God doesn't expect us to do a bunch of things for him. Some of these things may sound familiar to us. Now, 20 years later—it's 20 years later—in new findings from the American Worldview Inventory 2021—this is released in May and also in April—this review, this survey shows that nearly four out of ten adults—and I think I have this down. There you go.

This new survey, the findings show that nearly four out of ten adults now, or 38 percent of American adults, are more likely to embrace elements of MTD—moralistic therapeutic deism—than other popular worldviews, including biblical theism or a biblical worldview. I'll pause there and let you know, a biblical worldview used to be very high, especially among the builder generation—the generation after World War II—that has steadily dropped generation by generation.

The biblical worldview now, according to the findings, is at 31 percent. It's now at 31 percent of American adults. Other worldviews, compared with secular humanism, postmodernism, nihilism, Marxism, along with its offshoot critical theory—sometimes we hear it called critical race theory—and Eastern mysticism, also known as New Age, the New Age movement. Now, Barna concludes that the predominant moralistic therapeutic deism, which he describes as fake Christianity, is bad news for faith in America.

And he adds that—I think it's the next slide—he adds that this—there you—yes, thank you—he adds that of this 38 percent of American adults who lean towards the MTD worldview, just focusing on that 38 percent now, he says that most have beliefs that conflict with biblical teachings, even though they consider themselves Christians. For example, and as you can read above, 95 percent do not consider success in life to be described as consistent obedience to God.

You don't need to obey God to be successful. 92 percent do not believe that the wealth they have has been given to them by God to manage for his purposes. Other findings there indicate that it's their blessing, they will use it. 91 percent do not believe that people are born into sin and need to be saved by Jesus Christ. This point was really shocking to me. 91 percent of this group of 38 percent that follow the MTD worldview do not believe that people are born into sin and need to be saved by Jesus Christ. 88 percent, continuing on, 88 percent say they get their primary moral guidance from various sources other than the Bible.

87 percent do not believe that the ultimate purpose of human life is to know, love, and serve God with all their heart, mind, strength, and soul. 75 percent do not believe that God is the basis of all truth. 71 percent do not believe that the Bible is the true and reliable communication from God. Now, compared to our biblical worldview, this should be rather shocking to us. But this is the world you and I now live in.

And all indications are that the following generation that comes after the Millennials are going to be even higher in this persuasion, this worldview. Now, Dr. Barna also draws some specific conclusions about MTD in his second report, and we're going to continue looking at some of these bulleted items. So he says this, according to Barna, this is his opinion. He says, in this distorted version of Christianity, the emphasis is on self rather than God, and on emotion rather than truth. It's about feelings. They view God as a powerful but dispassionate observer who remains detached from human experience unless circumstances make him the solution of last resort.

In other words, it's somewhat the old idea of Deism from the 17th century, 18th century. God has wound the clock of the universe. He's placed it on his shelf. And now we want God to leave us alone. Except when we get in trouble. Then please help.

MTD going on. MTD is more about believing, Barna says. It's more about believing in and promoting the best interests of self based on currently popular cultural thinking. Its proponents are not likely to prioritize knowing, loving, and serving a transcendent God.

They're heavily influenced by what's popular in culture, the latest movement, the latest cause.

Barna adds that in their view, the local church exists primarily to offer supportive and upbeat community rather than worship, service, guidance towards holiness, or a genuine relationship with God. We may have heard something the fact that some churches, some people attending other churches, they want to be entertained for services. Also, and MTD, he says, is abundantly pluralistic, encouraging people to do whatever works or feels good rather than that which fits the biblical principles. They accept you as you are, and you don't need to change a thing about yourself. We see many of the groups that are pro-same-sex marriage, a lot of that ideal is very much supported. People that support that idea are very much a part of this worldview.

Another bullet, the fact he says that a greater percentage of people who call themselves Christian draw from moralistic, therapeutic deism than draw from the Bible says a lot about the state of the Christian church in America. In all its manifestations, and I love this last sentence, he says, or rather it makes me cringe, simply and objectively stated Barna says, Christianity in this nation is rotting from the inside out. Of course, he's talking about traditional Christianity. From God's point of view, there have always been issues with Christianity at large, but this is such that even traditional Christian churches and groups out there are being highly alarmed. And I think that's the end of my slides. Is that true? Yes. Okay. Thank you so much, Mr. Crawford.

So these are among the dominant beliefs, then, of MTD. This view of God and life first described among millennial teenagers, adolescents, roughly 20 years ago, and now Barna calls it America's most popular worldview. And it's especially most popular among adults 50 years old and younger.

Its popularity is increasing. The so-called Christian worldview is shocking in many profound ways, especially in its rejection of the concept of sin and the need of salvation through Jesus Christ. Adherents at MTD don't want to hear bad things. They don't want to hear about sin. They, frankly, don't really believe in sin, especially not as we understand it. They do not want to worry about changing their behavior, changing their thoughts. And it suggests, the report, what Barna found out, suggests that humanity doesn't even need Jesus Christ. This group is saying we really don't need Jesus Christ in our lives.

This worldview clearly appeals to the carnal human nature. It appeals to the desire for peace and comfort and ease and no need to change. Early on, 20 years ago, when they were asking the teenagers what they thought of God, what does God require, what do you think about God, and the common response from the teenagers was, whatever. Whatever. They weren't really concerned. And so we see something similar now among the adults. And the disturbing thing is these adults are having families of their own, and they're passing their same worldview down to their children.

Its tennis should remind us, this approach, I think, can remind us of several scriptures. Let's look back in Isaiah chapter 30, for example. Isaiah chapter 30, verse 9 through 12.

Isaiah 39 through 12. Let's recall God's condemnation of those in those ancient times who rejected His word. So those of ancient Israel and Judah who were rejecting God. Isaiah 30, verse 9. I get my right page.

Actually, verse 8, now go, God said, now go, write it before them on a tablet, note it on a scroll, then it may be for time to come forever and ever, forever and ever, for our day too. I'm sure it's safe to say to you in modern Israel that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord, who say to the seers, do not see, and to the prophets, do not prophesy to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Prophecy can also mean inspired teaching. They only want to hear taught what they want to hear, good things. And God says, get out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. They do not want to hear about God from the Bible. They do not want to hear about Jesus Christ from the Bible. More and more in our society, people don't want to hear about God. In fact, if I remember correctly, we had a national day of prayer recently where the name of God was not invoked. The word God was not invoked in that national prayer by the President of the United States. Let's also read Luke chapter 13. Luke chapter 13 verse 24 through 27.

Luke chapter 13 verse 24 through 27. Jesus himself instructed that he will reject those who are unrepentant and practice sin, despite what people might want to hear. He will reject those who are unrepentant and practice sin, even though they may claim not to know him. Luke 13 verse 24 then. Jesus said, teaching them, strive to enter through the narrow gate. That's the narrow gate, the narrow path that leads to salvation, eternal life. Strive to enter through the narrow gate. For many I say to you will seek to enter and will not be able to. They will have espoused the Christian name, the name of Christ, but they will not be able to answer, when once the master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and he began to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open for us. And he will answer and say to you, I do not know you. Where you are from? And then you will begin to say, well, we ate and drank in your presence.

That reminds us, maybe reminds you of what they want. They want entertainment. They want the eating, they want the feasting, they want the fun, they want the joy of a religious experience, it seems.

We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you, I do not know you where you're from. Depart from me all you workers of iniquity. They practice sin. They're not practicing righteousness, obedience to God. In Romans 16, verse 17 through 18, Romans 16, 17 through 18, Paul seems to be referring, he is referring to a similar attitude of the sensuousness, lawlessness, rebellion against God, and the self-seeking attitudes among some that he had come across even in the early church. Romans 16, verse 17 through 18, he wrote, Now I urge you, brethren, writing to the Romans, I urge you, brethren, note those who caused divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus, but their own belly, their own stomachs. That can also be expanded to mean their own appetites, their own wants, desires. They serve their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. They deceive people by telling good things, pleasant things, to make them happy and not to worry. Let's also look at 1 John chapter 4, verse 1 through 3. 1 John 4, 1 through 3. But clearly, if we adhere to John's instructions here, then we know that this moralistic, therapeutic deism, this new worldview, which really, we could probably argue, is actually not a new worldview. It's an old worldview with new clothes.

But this worldview is contrary to God. 1 John 4, verse 1. John wrote, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God.

I think it matches well what we heard in today's sermonette. Test the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

By this you know the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the Spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. And I think some of these beliefs held by those adherents of the NTD worldview, they certainly suggest that they do not believe in Christ. They do not think, many of them think, He was a man, but not God. He was a good person, a teacher, maybe a prophet, but nothing more. And so again, as I referenced at the beginning of the sermon, we are living in the last times, I think. I believe we are, and I think Scripture confirms that. We are living in the last times as prophesied when whether knowingly or unknowingly, the gospel of Christ is clearly being twisted by people who are lovers of themselves, lovers of money, who are unholy.

They are unloving in the way that God defines love. They are unforgiving in the way God defines forgiveness. They are slanderers. They have no self-control, wanting to do what they want to do.

They are brutal, despisers of good, the true good. They like being nice and kind.

I don't think we'll enter the kingdom just by being nice. Their traitors had strong, haughty lovers of pleasure, the good things of life rather than lovers of God. They don't really love God. They don't really want to know God. They've created, you see, they have created their own God, and He's in their image. He's nice and good and kind, and pitches in in a tight spot, just like they will.

I'm not trying to paint the picture of these adherents of this new world view as despicably wicked, evil people. We were among them. They're deceived. They're blind. They're blinded by Satan. They're blinded by their own appetites, their own weaknesses. They don't know that they don't know. Of course, we've been called out. We didn't do that of our own. Our father called us, and we welcomed him. We said, I believe you. I believe this. I want this. I want to worship you. I want to serve you, and I want to serve neighbor. And God worked with us. Through the laying on of hands after baptism, we received His Spirit. And His Spirit works with us and in us now. But this world view that Dr. Barnas helped to identify and described is the one we now live within, with Thou around us, and it's one in which we are our children. And it's one in which we make a living. It's one with which we interact. We need to know these things. We need to understand.

We have friends. We have family members. Many people we meet honestly believe that what they're doing is the good and right thing, but they're mistaken. But the question I'm wanting us to be concerned about today is, how do we keep from slipping? How do we keep from slipping, perhaps ever so subtly into a similar mindset? We're in the Church of God. This would never happen to us. We'd never go this way. I don't believe that. I believe if we stay close, we'll be okay, close to God. But we must be on guard. We must always be on watch. We must not slip into a similar mindset of self-centeredness or the wrong desire for what is easy in obeying God to seek what is easy and easiest in serving other people, serving our neighbor, our brethren. We certainly must be careful of the attitude that we only go to God when we got a problem, so to speak. When we need something, that should not be our approach to our God. So how do we resist? How do we reject and guard ourselves against this worldview in our lives and also in the lives of our families? I just have three points I want to share with you today. Three points. I can always come up with more points.

And that's where I usually get in trouble. It gets a little long. I'll save some other points for maybe another day. So what shall we do? How can we be on guard against this worldview in our own lives? We understand a little better today what it is. What can we do? Well, the first point I have to share with you is to stay on guard is that we need to stay faithful to God. Stay faithful to God and to the instruction of His Scripture. I think most of us have been around long enough to know that to be faithful takes courage, and it does take that commitment. And that conviction we often hear about. We must have the courage to be faithful to do what God says. Now to have and develop a biblical worldview, to see our life and ourselves as God wants to see us, and we must believe that God is. It's foundational. Let's look there. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6. Hebrews 11 verse 6.

Most people, it would seem, in the world.

And this worldview don't quite understand this. Hebrews 11 verse 6. But without faith, the author of Hebrews writes, but without faith it is impossible to please Him, to please God, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. I can't just think about Him now and then as an afterthought. Like the Bereans, we need to be studying God's Word. We need to be looking closely and evaluating ourselves.

Those who would cling to an ungodly worldview such as moralistic, therapeutic deism, they're never going to be happy. They're never going to believe God in the right way because they don't actually believe God. They don't believe God for what He says in Scripture.

They don't believe Him as He truly exists. One of the traits of this MTD, by the way, is that they do not believe that God is the Creator. They don't believe that. They don't believe in the creation story. They don't believe in the creation story, most of them.

When God calls us and we hear and commit ourselves to Him, we commit ourselves because we've come to believe. He's opened our minds so we can believe, and we've repented from sin. Whether we thought existed before or not, we come to understand sin because of God's law, and we repent.

We believe God exists, so we're going to do what He says, and we yield ourselves to submitting to God. Let's also notice, where in Hebrews, let's turn to Hebrews 3, verse 12 through 14. Hebrews 3, 12 through 14. Another scripture to check ourselves with is to make sure we are being faithful.

It's a warning. Hebrews 3, 12, beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily while it is called today. Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, for we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. While it is said today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, as in ancient times.

And so, every day as we study our Bibles, and I'm sure we are studying our Bibles, we're reading, we're putting it to heart, we're thinking about it, maybe we're listening to it on a podcast, recording, very convenient to do nowadays. We must be evaluating, do I believe this? Do I believe God? And if we come across something in the Bible, and it gives us pause, and we stop and think, I believe in God, am I doing this? We better investigate it. We better evaluate ourselves. And if it's something we need to change, we need to go to God and ask for His help to make the change.

Second point, second key. We must build, we must maintain, a biblical worldview for ourselves and our families. We must build a biblical worldview for ourselves and our families. Now, many of us, of course, we, probably everyone here, already has a biblical worldview, but we must keep expanding upon it. We must keep increasing our understanding, our perception of how God sees things, how we need to see things.

Now, when I read Barna's report, there's one part of his report I was struck by, by what he said about Americans in the proclivity to simply catch a worldview. And this is interesting to me. In other words, what he's saying, I'm going to read part of this to you. In other words, he says that most Americans don't really think about what they're thinking.

We don't really think about what we're thinking. That kind of sounds, does that sound crazy? I think you know what I mean. I'll speak for myself before I came, before God called me, and I, he opened my mind to understand his church, his Bible. I didn't know why we kept Christmas, why I kept Christmas as a kid. I never thought about it. It's just what we do.

It's just what we do. Most Americans never look behind the reason why they do something. And I'm not going to pick on Americans. That's a human trait. Here's what Barna had to say about catching a worldview. Quoting again from his report, Barna noted that in his more than 25 years of studying worldview in America, he has discovered that people generally adopt worldview beliefs and behaviors that they encounter in arts and entertainment vehicles. He means movies, music, video games, whatever's out there. They typically adopt worldview beliefs and behaviors that they encounter in arts and entertainment vehicles, in news reports, in political statements made by public leaders, and through conversations and experiences with people they trust. Worldview, he says, world view seems to be caught more than it is taught in the United States. Worldviews are caught more than they are taught in the United States. I thought that for me that was rather profound catchy thought. I think he's right. So what does it take to develop and maintain a biblical worldview? It requires a heart and mind that is conscientiously aware of God, believes in God, a heart and mind that is willing to focus, actively engage with God in his word, actively choose to do all that it takes to be more like God. That means we must choose to seek God, be taught and trained from his scripture.

We must practice living faith and keeping his commandments, trusting God, believing God, do what he says. To use the figurative language of scripture, we must choose to walk in the way, in the path of God. Let's notice back in Psalm chapter 1, verse 1 through 2, the introductory psalm to the book of Psalms, Psalm 1, 1 through 2, and it sets the tenor of the tone for the entire book of Psalms.

Psalm 1, 1 through 2, the psalmist writes, Blessed is a man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seed of the scornful, the mockers, but his delight is in the law of God, and in his law he meditates day and night.

24 7 365, we would say, perhaps today. We focus on God, we walk in his ways.

To have a biblical worldview, we must believe in absolutes.

God defines those absolutes for us. We don't get to define the absolutes.

God does. That means we have to learn and keep God's commandments. His commandments give us parameters in life that actually allow us greater joy, greater happiness, a greater, more deep goodness in our lives. Because with God's help, we can come to understand what sin is. We can understand that there is darkness and there is light.

And we really don't like darkness, and we really do want to grow in the light.

Psalm 19, verse 7-11. Psalm 19, verse 7-11. God's law is beautiful and wonderful.

Psalm 19, verse 7-11. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. It's key to our conversion to becoming more like Christ, to becoming immortal spirit beings one day.

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. And we are all simple before God. Verse 8, the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. It makes our eyes sparkle, our heart and spirit sparkle, so to speak.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold.

And they're sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

And moreover, by them, by them, your servant is warned. Your servant is warned. We are warned. And in keeping them, there is great reward. Great reward now in this life, even greater rewards. In the kingdom of God. God's law must become more precious to us than any wealth attainable upon this earth. Than any wealth attainable upon this earth. And whenever we do break God's law, and we do because we're weak, and our human nature is weak, and we're prone to sin. Whenever we break God's law, we must be quick to repent and to maintain that close and right relationship with God. God is not far away and distant. He's up close and personal. Through His Spirit, He is in us. He is living in us. Let's also read Proverbs 3, chapter 3. Proverbs 3, verse 3.

It's a little shorter. Proverbs 3, verse 3.

Those who truly follow God are told to do this very important thing. Proverbs 3, verse 3.

Here are the first nine chapters of Proverbs. It's actually a discourse of a father to his son, of a father to his son. And here in chapter 3, it says, My son, do not forget my law. I guess I'll start in verse 1. My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands. For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

And let not mercy and truth forsake you. Mind them around your heart. Write them on the tablet of your heart. And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

Of course, we read God's Word and through His Holy Spirit working with us and in us, we also understand that God is writing His law upon our hearts and minds that are very conscious. So we can meditate, practice, and live it day in and day out. Ezekiel 36. Let's look quickly there. Ezekiel 36, verse 26 through 27. Ezekiel 36, 26. The prophecy that began to be fulfilled on that very first Pentecost. Ezekiel 36, 26, 27. God states, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart to flesh. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my judgments and do them, not just hearing them, not just talking about them or around them, but actually doing them. And so God's commandments and instruction in His Holy Scripture are key. They are key to becoming an integral, indelible part of our belief, of our worldview, thoughts, emotions, our speech, our action, of what we are. And they will be if we truly believe in God, humbly seek Him and strive to do as He says. But to expand this idea of building a biblical worldview in our families, we have got to be diligent and dedicated to teach our children. And my experience is because I still have my mom, we still have our moms, and I still have my kids, even though they're grown. You never stop being a parent. You never stop having an opportunity to teach your children about God's law, about the commandments, about having a worldview. And something I also know as a parent and as a teacher, when you take time to teach your children, you're certainly teaching yourself as well. When you teach something, you learn it better yourselves. And any of us have had kids know that if we talk the talk, our kids will be looking to see if we're walking the walk. And we've got to. And perhaps that's where we all can do better. Let's look at Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 4 through 9.

Among the top 10 verses for parenting, and for all of us, Deuteronomy 6, verse 4 through 9.

And we do the best we can as parents, and it's not always easy. We get worn out, children are especially good at wearing us out.

Somehow we can dig deeper, we find a little bit more. Deuteronomy 6, verse 4 through 9, these critical verses remind all of us, especially the parents of our life's focus, that it must be on God. And then we must be instilling God's values, God's laws, God's worldview in our children. And it takes conscientious effort on our part. And so we read Deuteronomy 6, verse 4, Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall, this is not a suggestion, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. It's part of what God's writing in our hearts through Spirit. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You don't quit talking about God with your children, more or less. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, everything you do. They shall be as frontlets between your eyes, all your thoughts. And you shall write them on the door post of your house and on your gates, goings out and coming in, everything. It's literal, but it's also figurative. It's also figurative. And so it's a principle. The principle expressed here means, I think we would say this means more than just lecturing our children about God and His commandments.

Parents can be good at lecturing. I've had a little experience in that, too.

I've received a lot in my lifetime. I've given some, too. This means more than just lecturing, and sometimes there is time for a lecture. There is time just for rote memorization of Scripture, rote memorization of verses. They are very important. They come in very handy in time of stress, especially for kids. They don't know what to do, and suddenly a verse will come to mind, and they'll know what they need to do. But beyond lecturing, these verses suggest that God and His way of life must become and be a normal, everyday part of our lives. We should be able to talk about God and His way of life as easy as we can put on our shoes and take them off. As easy as when you make supper, when we're playing in the swing set, when we're teaching our son or daughter how to drive, we should be able not to harp or preach in that sort of way that maybe none of us really want to hear, but just naturally, because He is God. He's our Father. If we do that with our children, they won't think it's odd. Now, family members who do not have our approach or neighborhood kids may think it's rather strange how we talk about God naturally and readily and easily. When I visit my family, I think it's a little shocking how we talk about God. It comes off readily off our tongues. He's there. He is everything we could ever hope to be and are.

And so I know that may make others uncomfortable, but if that's what we do with our children, if that's how we are with our kids, we've already broken down a lot of barriers that may want to pop up years from now. We can talk. We can talk, and it's very important to talk about God.

Though many may believe God's law has done away, that we don't need to repent, that we don't need to change our ways, we, with our biblical worldview, our understanding of Scripture, we know better. And Jesus Christ, who some believe we don't really need to be saved, some who believe Jesus Christ doesn't really care whether we keep his or God's commandments or not, and as some think who only requires that we be good and nice and kind to others, Jesus himself, we know, was much more direct in stating his expectations of us, his children, of us, his children. Matthew 19 verse 17. Let's turn there. He is speaking for God, our Father.

What Christ spoke came from his Father, from our Father through Christ to us, as his brothers and sisters, children, the forgotten children and family of God.

Matthew 19 verse 17. Here's what Jesus himself said about the commandments. So he said to him, I think we remember the larger story here, so he said to the young man who asked, or called him good, good teacher, Jesus said, Why do you call me good? No one is good, but one that is God, kind of hinting perhaps of who he was. But here's the point, the last sentence, but if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. Again, this is not a suggestion.

This is not an option. This is not a menu choice.

This is a statement. Keep the commandments. And back in Revelation chapter 22 verse 14, Revelation 22.14, all the way in the back.

22.14. Here we find clearly stated the reward of those who willingly obey God, who listen to the Father, who listen to Jesus Christ, and keep the commandments of God. Revelation 22.14. Blessed are those who do his commandments, not think about them, not talk about them, not memorize them, not spew them down by rote.

Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. The main gist of what we need to do to build a world view, we need to immerse ourselves, you might say, we need to immerse ourselves in God's word. If you've ever tried to learn a foreign language, one of the best ways to learn a foreign language is immersion. To go there, live in that culture, speak their language, eat what they give you, do what they say. To get a biblical world view, we need to immerse ourselves as much as we can in the way of God. Not just us, but also our family, our children. My third point to develop, to counteract this moralistic, therapeutic deism, this ungodly world view, we must follow the example of Jesus Christ. And for that, I'd have us turn to Ephesians chapter 5, verse 1 through 10. Ephesians 5, verse 1 through 10.

Paul writing, Paul writing, we find this admonition, Therefore be imitators of God as dear children, for God's kids. Be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, there's the walking part, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, that self-centeredness, let it not even be named among you, is fitting for saints, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks for this you know, that no fornicator, no unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. And notice verse 6 next, and as we read this, notice what it says, it's reference to empty words. I think it's appropriate to what we've started talking about today with M.T.D. Let no one deceive you with empty words.

Empty means devoid of truth, devoid of truth like M.T.D. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, true goodness, righteousness, and truth. Those are absolutes. In finding out what is acceptable to the Lord, we must constantly always look to God's Word to to unknow ultimately what is true and acceptable.

There's always more to learn from God. We look to God for truth, the ultimate truth, not ourselves, and not other human beings. God and those who worship Him.

Now verse 15, See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, we might add here with wrong worldviews. See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Today is the day to get closer to God, to begin working on our worldview some more. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. So those are my three points to avoiding spiritually deadly worldviews, and this one in particular, that most popular worldview among Americans today.

And so we need to stay faithful to God in the instruction of His scriptures, build the true biblical worldview for ourselves and our families, and follow the example of Jesus Christ. American society is shifting, or has already shifted, and it's going to keep shifting to this worldview that rejects the biblical understanding, rejects God ultimately, and the fundamental teachings about God, about His law, about His way of life, and even the fundamental understanding about their Savior and our Savior Jesus Christ. We must not allow ourselves to be part of that. We must not allow ourselves to slip into that way of thinking. But sadly, in rejecting God and Christ, our neighbors and friends and family members, they are rejecting the only hope they and we have for salvation. Yes, we understand they do not know what they do. Usually, did they know what they were doing when they crucified Christ. But the good news is that just as God has called us out of the world's darkness into His marvelous light, so will all humanity come to see God's marvelous light when Jesus Christ returns and establishes His kingdom, God's kingdom on earth. That will be the start of the Great Awakening, that great revealing. Until then, brethren, let us do as God exhorts. I'd like to quote now from 1 Corinthians 16. I'll read it for you. 1 Corinthians 16, verse 13 through 14, Brethren, watch. Stand fast in faith. Be brave. Be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. Amen.