What Is Your World View?

The title of the sermon today, What is Your World View? One of the goals that we have is to try to lift ourselves so that we understand who we are, what we are, where we are, and that we are not just parochial, hidden away in the East Texas woods. Some people think, well, if you are in East Texas, then you must be about 100 years behind the times.

But if you attend services here and you hear the special music, you hear the young people who are coming along, like Neil Crane and many others, Brent Baker and I could name them all, what a wonderful sight to see. Very uplifting, inspiring messages. We have people here with doctor's degrees in various areas, well-educated people, people who really are on top of things in so many different ways.

And we're very thankful for that, but we want our children and everybody to come to understand who they are, why they're here, and a view of the world that is consistent with the Bible, so that they will never be deceived, so that they will know and know that they know, so that they will be free from fear, ignorant superstition, and the dogmas of man. A November 2003 survey taken by a Barna Research Group does a lot of research into religion and churches around the nation. Remember this is old three, eight years have passed now, and some of these statistics would be probably even more startling in the negative direction of the Bible.

Startling facts about how professing Christians view the world. Only 4% of adults surveyed have a biblical worldview. A biblical worldview has to do with how you view your life and the world in relationship to the Bible, and we'll talk more about what a worldview really is and how you should develop a worldview. Only 9% of professing Christians surveyed have a biblical worldview. Only 7% of Protestants have a biblical worldview.

Only 2% of mainline Protestants have a biblical worldview. Only 0.04% of Roman Catholics surveyed have a biblical worldview. Only 13% of non-denominational Protestants have a biblical worldview. See, they're more in the non-denominational churches are springing up more and more, and the O-line churches are dying. The mainline, like First Baptist and First Methodist and Presbyterian and all that, their membership is dwindling and some of these others are coming on. Only 10% of Pentecostals have a biblical worldview. Only 8% of Baptists surveyed have a biblical worldview. And Barnard's survey concerning a biblical worldview, the criteria were believing that absolute moral truth exists.

Do you believe that absolute moral truth exists? That it is based upon the Bible. It is not what so many believe today relative or what the existentialists believe that you are the one that must decide and no one else. Furthermore, participants were asked how they viewed six core beliefs that centered on, one, the accuracy of the Bible and its teachings, two, the sinless nature of Christ, three, the literal existence of Satan in the spirit world, four, the omnipotence and the omnipissence of God.

That is, God is all-powerful and God is all-knowing. Five, salvation by grace alone. Of course, we understand law and grace. Hopefully we understand it. That it is through God's grace that he has ordained a plan of salvation.

His care concern for humanity and his love for humanity is why there is a plan of salvation, that he wants to share who he is and what he is with everyone who's ever lived or ever will live. There was a concordant signed back a few years ago between the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutherans. Of course, you know, the Lutherans were the first ones in the Protestant Reformation to break from Catholicism.

Martin Luther led that break in Germany. And that concordant was by faith alone. By faith alone, if you really understand what faith is, you might be okay with that. But it is God's grace in combination with other things. As the Bible says, by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves.

It is a gift of God. I want to get sidetracked on that right now. And six, the personal responsibility to evangelize. In other words, to share the Gospel message with other people, which it seems that we have been somewhat reluctant to do.

The data revealed that people did not get a biblical worldview simply by regularly attending church. If you think you're going to get it all here, think again. Those of us who have studied and labored in the Word of God for decades now know that you don't get it in church. You can get some things. One of the things that we hope you get in church are tools to teach you how to study and to dig that goal mind for yourself. You have to dig and you have to mind the goal for yourself with the goal being analogous to the truth. You have to dig for yourself. So, the data revealed that people don't get a worldview consistent with the Bible just by attending church. A biblical worldview must be taught and caught.

Are we teaching our children a biblical worldview? And if so, are they catching it? Are they internalizing it? Is it becoming a part of them?

One of the great challenges that parents have in rearing their children during this critical juncture in human history is to teach them a biblical worldview so that they know and know that they know who they are, what they are, why they're here. Let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 4, the famous what the Jews call the Shema, which some use to try to justify monotheism. There is only one God, the one God theory, and I'm not going to get sidetracked on that today. But we'll begin in verse 4. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Some translations translate that, Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is God alone. In other words, combating polytheism that the God is the only God to be worshiped. It is not a—and even some of the Jewish scholars today admit that it is not a statement about a numerical numbers in the Godhead. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might. So that's in the Old Testament. Remember when Jesus Christ was asked what are the two great commandments? He said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your soul, heart, and might. Seconds like to it, love your neighbor as yourself. That's also found in Deuteronomy later on. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently unto your children. Shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk in the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up, you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And they shall write them upon the post of your house and on your gates. So to have a plaque of the Ten Commandments in your house, I would say, is a good thing. Of course, there have been arguments in recent times. You remember the famous case over in Alabama where they finally had the Ten Commandments moved from a public place.

I love the 23rd Psalm. And our daughter, one time through, what do they call it, needle stitching, whatever it is, did the 23rd Psalm for us. And we have that displayed in our house. It is a good reminder. The Lord is my shepherd. The research also points out that even churches where the pastor has a biblical worldview, most of the members do not. Once again, it has to do with whether or not the members understand whether or not they're motivated to really get in there and dig for themselves. He says, this is not surprising since, according to Barnard, less than one in ten professing to be Christians have the doctrinal convictions to support their contention. I mean, they show up, but they're really not convicted of it. This is the fulfillment of Timothy, 2 Timothy 3 verse 5. Let's go there. And oftentimes, see, Paul is writing to the church, writing to this young man, Timothy, who is an evangelist, and he's instructing him in what he should do. And this first part of 2 Timothy 3, actually, 2 Timothy 3 and 4 are powerful prophecies. The first four verses talk about conditions that will be extant in the world at the end of the age. There's no also, then in the last days perilous time shall come, and all of those behaviors that are listed there, verses 3, 2, 3, and 4, you see today in today's world, you read about them in your newspaper every day, you see them live and in color on television. Verse 5, having a form of godliness, they may go to church and may show up, may do all kinds of things that appear as if they are really convicted. I think we have seen over the past few decades the level of conviction of so many that claim to be members of the body of Christ. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. What is the power thereof? The power thereof is the Holy Spirit working in your life so that you become a new creation and we become conformed to the very image of His dear Son, Jesus Christ.

Now, I have preached the three C's for over three decades in the Church of God. Conviction, commitment, and courage. I began teaching the three C's when I was teaching and coaching in high schools, public schools, and later in a public university. I used it in the classroom, I used it in coaching, and it is a valid principle. Conviction, do you really believe what you profess to believe and are you committed to it and do you have the courage to act on it? That's what our children need to be taught. We need to do more, and it's not just our children, it's all of us. We need to do more than just learn about. We need to have it inculcated into our very lives and the very essence of our being.

The startling fact shows that very few pastors really engage their audiences in expository preaching. For several years, when I was on the council and even later, we began to write articles. In fact, I did a series of lectures, regional conferences, on expository preaching. Expository preaching has to do with preaching in the Word, not just out of the Word, but really explaining what the Word means and how it can be applied in our lives. Expository preaching is really explaining the scriptures, the meaning, and how it should be applied. Much of our preaching and teaching is descriptive and not prescriptive. So in Sabbath school, in Bible studies, in sermons, and once again, we began to approach this subject in council meetings this past month, in August, about how our preaching should be expository to a large degree. Prescriptive means you prescribe a way to get there, not just describing. We can all describe the conditions of the nation and the world. Virtually everybody you want to talk to says, this world is going downhill. Everybody's quick to say that, and people know that something is wrong. We teach about such and such, but we also need to preach and teach internalizing and practicing what we claim to believe. In every opening night fee sermon, which I will have in Galveston this year, one of the points that I will have is we need to close. Why are we here? We are here to close the gap between what we know and what we do. And all of us, every one of us, needs to meet that challenge. If we could close that gap between what we know and what we do, what a difference that would make. If we don't, we're no better off than the Gnostics of Paul's day who think that knowledge alone will get them into the kingdom of God. Let's go back now to 1st Corinthians 8. 1st Corinthians 8 verse 1. 1st Corinthians 8 verse 1. Of course, the context here has to do with meat offered to idols. Some were saying that it's all right to eat meat offered to idols, and some were offended by that.

Paul says the onus is all that weighs on those who have knowledge, but I want to focus on the first three verses here. This has been a few years ago. I don't know how many years ago meeting up there in Gilmer. It must have been 10 years ago or something. I gave a sermon, are you on a knowledge trip or are you on a conversion trip? 1st Corinthians 8.1. Now, as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies. And if any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet, as he ought to know. But if any man loved God, the same is known of him. Look at that. The same is known of him. God knows those that are his. That means he has a relationship with them. They don't just know about God the Father and Jesus Christ. They know God the Father and Jesus Christ and have a relationship with them. It's not just knowledge about it. It's not just being able to quote the Ten Commandments. It's not just about being able to list or name the books of the Bible. It's about the meaning and about relationships. That's one of the things that we really want to emphasize.

God knows those that are his. And so many people who attend church services are not there really to learn and master the Word of God. We know that's true in the world, but it must not be true of us. So it's not surprising that six out of every seven attendees in the typical church do not share the biblical worldview of their pastor even when he has one. Research is now showing that even preaching good sermons, offering occasional programs, does not necessarily provide a person with a scriptural and practical base for shaping a consistent worldview. A lot of people are never even brought to their attention. It's like, well, I'm here in this world and I'm just sort of like a ball in the pinball machine. You know, that thing is slanted back toward where it came from, and gravity is always pulling it back. And it bounces around, bounces around, bounces around, bounces around, and then goes into the pit. So we don't want to be like that, tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, not really knowing what we stand for. We have to have a scriptural base, be convicted of it, committed to it, and willing, having the courage to practice it. Barna's research shows that developing a biblical worldview requires a lot of purposeful activity. Purposeful. You know why you're there. You know what you're doing. Purposeful activity. It includes teaching and preaching, conversation, and accountability.

So I asked each one of us, what is your, what is our worldview, and why is it important? So let's zero in on worldview for a moment. Your worldview defines your core values determines how you view yourself in relationship to the peoples of the world. Are you your neighbor's keeper? Were you placed here for a special purpose? Or are you just a product of some kind of blind evolutionary process that somehow mystically, magically brought forth life and eventually evolved into what we call human beings? Or is there something much greater and grander? Your worldview shapes how you think about the facts of life and the responsibilities you have in fulfilling your reason for being. Your reason for being. Your raison d'etre, as the French call it. Your reason for being. Why are you here? You know, I grew up in a religious community. I had uncles who were deacons of the Baptist Church. One uncle was a minister, preacher. My daddy wasn't religious at all. My mother was. But he went to church, as we all did, virtually every time the church doors opened, to show you how religious he was. Back then, you'd have the closing hymn, and at the end of the closing hymn, the song leader would just say, Brother, so and so, will you lead us in the closing prayer? You didn't have a clue who he's going to call on. So, one day he asked my daddy, Brother Ward, will you lead the closing prayer? And he pointed to my mother and she gave the closing prayer. Yeah, women gave the closing prayer to the Baptist Church. But anyhow, in growing up in a religious community, so much of that is pointed toward just, all you gotta do is give your heart to the Lord. Just be a good person, give your heart to the Lord. You don't really understand what the world is about. You don't really understand what life is about. And by the age of 20, I was teaching adult Sunday skill. But I was still searching, searching, because I had read so many things in the Bible that I couldn't explain. Then, eventually, I came across The World Tomorrow on the radio, and immediately was convicted. And then I got that booklet, Why Were You Born? And then that just opened up the whole world, as it were. To know why you draw breath. Do our children know that? Do we really understand it?

Arthur Holmes, he's an author, states that the need for a worldview is fourfold. The need to unify thought and life, have a consistent philosophy of life, not helter-skelter all over the place. The need to define the good life, most people don't even know what the good life is. Find hope and meaning in life. So much of the activity in today's world is meaningless.

The need to guide thought, the need to guide action. Another person, Jerry Solomon, writes, we are challenged to sort through a vast mixture of worldviews on a daily basis. And of course, the news programs today are basically designed to present conflicting points of view. Conflicting points of view, and then you are to sort that out. And people just pick bits and pieces, sort of hear a little this, a little that, but don't really focus on developing a consistent philosophy of life and view of the world. He goes on to say worldviews are so much a part of our lives that we see and hear them daily, whether we recognize them or not. For example, movies, television, music, magazines, newspaper, government, education, science, art, and all other aspects of culture are, by definition, they are interwoven into our worldviews. If we ignore their importance, we do it to our detriment. Every year, citizens of youth from the United Church of God families graduate and leave home. The majority pursue some form of higher education. They go out into the colleges and universities of the world. Basically, higher education is designed to advance a worldview that denies the spirit world as revealed in the Bible. If they are not grounded and founded, the sad reality of so many of our youth is that even before they graduate, they are counting the days that when they graduate, they're out of here. Because somehow, it hasn't clicked with them who we are, what we are, why we're here. The oil you go to college, they may talk of the human spirit and spiritual experiences, as Oprah Winfrey does, but they will not advance the worldview of Jesus Christ, nor will they admit that the evil spirit world is led by Satan and the demons. To them, that world doesn't even exist. To them, that world doesn't even exist. So let's examine, for example, two Greek words that are translated into English as world in the New Testament. There are two Greek words translated world in the New Testament, cosmos having to do with the order and arrangement of the universe, and aeon meaning the age. Let's go to Matthew 13 verse 39. Matthew 13 verse 39.

The enemy that sows them is the devil. That's the tares.

Maybe we should go back and read down into this. Let's start in verse 36. Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and the disciples came unto him saying, declaring to us a parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world.

The good seed, in this particular case, the world here, this age, the good seed are the children of the kingdom. But the tares are the children of the wicked one. You know, I wondered from time to time, do the tares really know that they are tares?

Do they know that they're tares? Are they so deceived that they don't know that they're tares? Or, on the other hand, do they know that they are tares? I haven't settled that totally in my mind as to whether or not one knows. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. In this case, the age, the Aeon. And the reapers are the angels. Therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end, the Aeon of this world, into this age. So if the tares are gathered and burned, we can go back and examine this again and say, if they are gathered and burned, they must have had some opportunity to know. And if they ever knew, and how would they be burned at the end of the age if they had not known and then rejected?

So the seed falls onto various sorts of ground, the stony ground, the thrown and thorny ground, the good ground. And to a large degree, it's up to us to cultivate the ground that they fall on. And to a large degree, the ground is in mind, our minds, the minds of our children. And to a large degree, our minds are in mind, our minds are in mind. People who are not schooled in what the Bible says might think that the cosmos is going to end. That is, the world, the whole universal structure.

In Matthew 16, let's go there forward a bit, verse 26. In Matthew 16, verse 26, the Greek word is cosmos, meaning the literal physical world. Matthew 16, 26, for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, the whole cosmos, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? In Matthew 28, let's go there, the Great Commission, Matthew 28, verse 19. Chapter 28, verse 19, go you therefore teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you, even unto the end of the age. Now, in John's Gospel, in John 12, verse 31, John 12, verse 31.

Now, what John 12, 31 will show us is that there is the world structure, the world view of a common person is really that one that is fostered off by Satan the Devil, because he is a god of this present evil world. He is a ruler of this present evil world as much as God and Christ will permit it. And so the world is structured according to what Satan wants done to a large degree until you're called into his marvelous light. You remember what it says in Ephesians 2, that at one time we were all children of disobedience, walking according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now walks, works in the children of disobedience. So here, notice what Christ says in John 12, 31. Now is the judgment of this world, the cosmos, the world order. Now, cosmos can mean the world order as it is structured in the sense there are four main divisions, I guess you could say, of the world order. There could be more, but the four basic ones, the social order, the political order, the economic order, and the religious order.

To a large degree, Satan, it is Satan's society.

To a large degree, Satan is in control of the political system. To a large degree, Satan is in control of the economic system. To a large degree, Satan is in control of the religious system. So that order that Satan is imposed upon the world can also be referred to as the cosmos, because what it says here, and once again, let's read 12, 31. Jesus answered and said, no, verse 31. Now is the judgment of this cosmos. Now shall the prince of this world, the ruler of this world, be cast out. The second Corinthians 4, 4 says that Satan is the god of this world. And so he has basically controlled those four dimensions of the world order. Now we hear continually, we've heard it now for almost 20 years. In fact, it is about 20 years. The first one had to do that really it became out in public. It was already for two decades. I was giving term was on it back in the 70s about the New World Order. And then when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, and Kuwait was basically helpless, the United States jumped in, and Herbert Walker Bush, Bush 1, began to talk about now the nations of the world can band together, and we have the opportunity to develop a New World Order. Direct quote from Herbert Walker Bush. I guess you heard about the presidents. You had Bush 1, and you had Bush 2. Bush 1, and you had Bush 2. And then you had Bill Clinton, who played between the Bushes. But anyhow.

But a New World Order is coming. Let's go to Revelation 21, verse 1. Revelation 21, verse 1.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. Now some debate whether or not there's literally no more sea, or whether sea represents the troubled masses of the humanity, as it does symbolize in other places. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride, adorned for her husband. Now let's go to 2 Peter, chapter 1, verse 10. 2 Peter, chapter 1, verse 10. The first part here of 2 Peter 1, Peter admonishes us that we make our calling and election sure, and he gives us several points. He says, if you do these things, you can make your calling and election sure. Then he comes down to verse 10, of which salvation the prophets—I'm in 1 Peter, 2 Peter 1, verse 10—wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, and things suggest enumerated above, you shall never fall. For so an inheritance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So a new world order is coming. Now what Satan is going to try to do is to counterfeit, and most of the people of the world are going to be deceived by the new world order that he's going to eventually unveil.

Now to 2 Peter chapter 3.

In 2 Peter chapter 3, in verse 13, nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens at a new earth where he indwells righteousness. See, the knowledge of God and the Word of God will fill the world as sand fills the seashore. So this world order is going to be overthrown at a new world order wherein Doyle's righteousness is going to appear. But in the meantime, Satan's influence is worldwide. Do we understand it? Do our children understand there is a spirit world? In Revelation 13 verse 8, we see that this deception of this pseudo-new world order is going to be so great that all the nations of the world are going to be deceived by it. Revelation 13.8. And all that dwell upon the earth, it didn't say sun, but it said, all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of a lamb slain from the foundation of the world. God revealed at the tower of Babel that his plan for the nations of the world is to have sovereign nations. None of them would be allowed absolute control over all the earth. Remember Nimrod built the great tower, the nations were all of one language. They said, let us build a tower that reaches into heaven. We won't ever be destroyed again. It was in rebellion against God who said, be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, go to your various inheritances. And God had to come down and confound the languages. Now the language barriers have been overcome.

Virtually all the world, to some degree, and especially the leaders, speak English. Over 70% of the world's business is conducted in English.

This dictatorship will encompass the four main domains of human activity, as we've already noted. Political, religious, economic, and social.

Both small and great are forced to take the mark of the beast. So we know that this world order, as it now stands, is going to be changed. Now we come back again to our question. What is your worldview? A worldview provides a model of the world which will guide you in correctly assessing the state of the world. Remember Jesus' words, John 8, 32, You shall know the truth, the truth shall make you free.

Freed from fear, ignorant superstition, and the dogmas of man. You can know and know that you know the answers to the great questions of life. I keep emphasizing those. Does God exist? Who is God? What is God? What is His purpose? Who is man? What is man? What is His purpose? If we don't know those things, how do you think you're going to be able to stand? If you're not convicted and committed to that, to the very depth of your being, your worldview will determine what you believe and why you hold certain assumptions. In other words, what is your authority for believing what you believe? Is it because Uncle Joe said it? Is it because some great philosopher said it, scientists? Or is it because you know from the Word of God? For example, a true Christian believes in a personal Creator God. So here we're beginning to develop our worldview from the Bible. Let's go to Isaiah 64, verse 8. Isaiah 64. Isaiah 64.

Isaiah 64, verse 8. But now, Lord, You are our Father.

We are the clay. You are our potter, and we all are the work of Your hands. We believe in a personal Creator God. Jesus Christ is the agent of creation. Let's go to Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1.

And one of the great things that scientists are now trying to do is to try to understand how this world and the universe came to be.

One of the missions of a recent probe that was launched by NASA is to try to view the underbelly, I guess you would say, of the moon, the dark side of the moon, to try to determine what the material there is made of, because the theory is that the moon was made as a spin-off from when certain things came together to create the earth. So if they can determine what these elements are in the moon, maybe they can determine how these other planets and heavenly bodies were created or came to be. Maybe they would call it born. In Colossians chapter 1, verse 16, For by him are all things created, speaking of Jesus Christ, for by him are all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible, invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning of the first born from the dead, prototichos, that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it please the Father that in him should all fold as well. The Father and the Son planned out the universe and the life that exists in the universe and the matter that exists. On the other hand, you notice Psalm 14.1. Psalm 14.1. Somehow on the computer today, and I don't know how this these things happen, it came through the ucg.org an invitation to hear Richard Dawkins speak somewhere. Do you know who Richard Dawkins is? Richard Dawkins, the so-called great atheist, he's an Englishman who has written several books and made several arguments that there is no God. In Psalm 14 verse 1, the fool had said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt. They've done abominable works. There is none that does good. So the Bible makes it very clear if you have a biblical worldview, you know and you know that you know that God created the universe and all that is through Jesus Christ. You know that.

Those who embrace evolution believe that man evolved from lifeless matter, whereas the Christian believes that man was created by God and God, of course, his spirit, but he created us physical. And the reason he created us physical. Think about this for a moment. He created the angels. They are not physical. They are created beings, created spirit. Now, somehow that spirit is, I don't know exactly what the difference is between the spirit that is in God and Christ that is in begotten Christians, but they were created spirit beings, a creation of God. A creation of God is not in the family realm because it didn't come out of the essence of God. You follow what I'm saying? I hope you do. Whereas we were created physical, subject to sin and death, but God ordained a plan whereby and he knew that man would sin, that a redeemer would be there, and that your sins could be forgiven, and thus you would be viewed as sinless upon repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. And then, after being baptized, repentance, faith in God, baptism, you receive God's spirit. And so it is we are partakers of the very divine nature of God. So we are then begotten and born into the family of God. So we were created physical and go through that process so that we are members of his family. And there's a lot of difference. Go to Hebrews chapter 1. I think oftentimes we in the church don't even grasp this. In Hebrews chapter 1, verse 5, For under which of the angels said he at any time, their created beings, You are my son, this day have I begotten you. When did he ever say it? He never did. He inserts the Bible cover to cover. And again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And again, when he brings the first begotten into the world, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him. Then he summarizes verses 13 and 14 and gives a purpose of angels. Recently, there was a while I watched this past Sunday television program beyond today. And I think there's a good news article also, angels among us. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't really emphasize in that program the purpose of angels. Verse 13, But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? And those heirs of salvation that you and I, that is all who have received the Spirit of God, and who have died in the faith or will die in the faith or will be caught up in the air when Christ returns.

So a Christian will assert that they base their beliefs on the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Others may say that they base their belief on other religious figures. The Buddhists may say, well, I base my beliefs on the teachings of Buddha. The Hindus might say, well, I base my teachings on Krishna. Or the Muslims might say, I base my teachings on Mohammed. The Jews say, well, I just accept the Old Testament, the Torah, especially the first five books. Hopefully, Christians know and understand that they base their teachings on the Word of God. The New Agers say that they base their teachings on—and you begin to name various human beings— Benjamin Krim or Madame Blatsfy, however you pronounce her name. In discussing our worldview with others, we need to understand why people hold opposing views. The principal factors that shape your worldview center on the culture you were reared in, how you were taught, what you were taught, and what you practice in relating to other people. So one of the first questions we should ask ourselves and others is, why is there something rather than nothing? Why do we even have a universe?

And why is there life? Do you know why God created what he created?

Moreover, do you know why you were created? If there is no God, why does anything exist? Well, all of us, I think, can quote John 3.16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever should believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God created the universe, and he created life, and he created angels and human beings in order to bring sons and daughters to glory in his family, to share his very being so that we could become partakers of his divine nature.

Do we teach our children that? Do we really grasp it to the depth of our being?

Notice Psalm 8, verse 3. David, the shepherd boy who spent a lot of time out on the hills of Judea, doubtless at that time it was a beautiful country, could look up at night into the starry skies. It would seem that maybe the stars were so close that you could pluck one out of the sky. Psalm 8, verse 3. When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have ordained, he says in view of that, what is man, that you are mindful of him and the Son of man that you visit him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, you have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet. Now, I might just parenthetically apprise you of something here. I think we have a commentary on the website about dominionism. One of the sermons being given at Galveston by Mr. DeMoor will be on dominionism. There is a theology extent, and it's very popular among some conservatives and the war hawks, especially, that based on the scripture in Genesis 1, when man was created, you shall have dominion over the earth, over the fowls of fishes, and so on. And you read this verse here, that he shall have dominion over the works of your hands. What they believe is that before Christ can return, that the world has to be, in essence, brought under the dominion of Christ. And so it plays into fundamental republican politics. And that's one of the things that are really going to hit Perry on in his campaign. Is he a dominionist? And others, in which they say, okay, warfare, as long as it's like the United States is always right when they go to war, because they are just in their warfare.

And your goal is to bring all nations under the rule of Christ before Christ comes. That's a very elementary sketch of dominionism. You could go on the web and just put dominion or dominionism theology, and you'll be able to read and detail what it's all about.

Now to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2.

In Hebrews chapter 2 verse 6, but one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man? So here Paul is quoting from Psalm 8, that you're mindful of him or the Son of man, that you visit him. You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet, dominionism. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, and bring him many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. So once again, we come back to what is man. Well, God made him a little lower than the angels at this point. But as I've already explained, he has the potential of eventually ruling over everything in God's new world order.

And to have that worldview and understanding of what is to come and the role that you're going to play in it. Verse 11, for both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one, the same spirit that is in God as in Christ as in each one of us, by the same spirit that he resurrected Christ from the dead. He will also quicken our mortal bodies. That's Romans 8, 11. For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he's not ashamed to call them brethren. So that's that family relationship that I was talking about.

Now, one of the things that you could answer when someone says, well, why is there something rather than nothing? Well, if you had no other proof, you could and should truthfully say nothing else makes sense. Peter Hawkins, aside and all the other doubters of our day, Peter Hawkins has this book in which he claims to have answered the God question. They cannot explain how something came from nothing. They speak of the laws of physics, but who created those laws and why do those laws exist? Now, we're here in Hebrews, so let's go to Hebrews 11. We'll see how things were created.

In Hebrews 11, verse 2, for by the elders obtained a good report, for by it the elders obtained a good report, through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. And no matter how much they probe and try to get to it, they will never be able to explain it apart from a creator. Of course, they want to ask the question, who created the creator? The creator is eternal. Another question the worldview needs to understand, your worldview, is how do you explain human nature? If God's creation is good, why is there evil in the world?

So, three principle reasons here. Even though humans were created neutral, having not done good or evil, they were created subject to vanity. That is, wanting their thing now. Secondly, humans were given good or evil. Secondly, humans were given the prerogative of choosing for themselves. See, humans want the freedom to choose, and yet blame God if their choice is wrong. Satan the devil, the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. So we were created neutral, having not sin. God is not the author of evil. But we were created subject to vanity and created subject to our own lust, created subject to sin and death. Go to James chapter 4, James chapter 4 over just a few pages. In James chapter 4 verse 3, He asks and receives not, because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your own lust. Now that word for lust is hedonae in the Greek, H-E-D-O-N-E. It's the word from which you get hedonism, which means eat, drink, be merry, live it up, give it to pleasure, pleasure is the greatest good. So this says that you may consume it upon your own lust. You adulterers and adulterers know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do you think that the scripture says in vain the spirit that dwells in us lust to envy? Now that word for lust is different. It's not hedonae, it is epipothae, and it means to long for, to desire, to pursue, to long after, to harbor forbidden desire. So something is like innate within man almost that he lusts for things that he shouldn't have.

And we're familiar with Romans 8-7 that the carnal mind is emited toward God, not subject to it, neither indeed can be. But glory be unto God that through the Spirit of God, you go to Romans 8, you can defeat what is called human nature or the carnal mind.

Now don't, once again, be very clear that you understand that God is not the source of evil. God did not create man with, in sin, he created him, gave him a perfect environment and perfect teaching, but he gave him the prerogative to choose. And when Satan came along, Adam and Eve chose the wrong way. You cannot blame God, perfect creator, perfect specimens, male, female, perfect teaching from their creator, perfect environment, but they were subject to their own lust, to sin and death. They had been warned in the day that you disobey, you'll begin to die. Romans 8, 1, there is therefore now no condemnation to those which are in Christ Jesus, who walk after the flesh, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. So it is possible then to rule over, crucify what we call human nature. Is that in your worldview? Do you understand it? Do you understand Romans 7 about the warfare that is waged between the carnal mind and the spiritual mind? It'll always be there. Verse 24 of Romans 7, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of sin. So there is a thing of pulling in the wrong direction of just the fleshly mind. But with the Spirit, I serve the law of God. And in verse 13, or if we live by the flesh, we shall die. But if we, that's verse 13 of chapter 8, or if we live after the flesh, we shall die. But if we, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. Another thing that we should know and know that we know is what happens to a person after death. When we do television programs along that line, you get a tremendous response. See, we know what happens to people after death. Man does not have an immortal soul. Virtually every false religion in the world is inextricably linked to the notion that you have an immortal soul. We know that when you die, you go in your grave. Paul likens it to sleep. And then there is a potential of resurrection to life or resurrection to judgment. Another great question in the world view, how do you know right from wrong?

The Bible is very clear on that. If they speak not according to the law and testimony, it is because there is no truth in them. That the Bible defines very clearly what is right and what is wrong. Another question, what is the meaning of history? What is the meaning of history? One answer is that history is determined as a part of a mechanistic universe. Another answer is that history is a linear stream of events linked by cause and effect but without purpose. We know there are laws of cause and effect. But is there a grand design and a grand plan that is being worked out by one who knows the beginning and the end?

Of course, there is one who knows the beginning and the end. Let's go to Isaiah 45 and verse 9. We begin to get some idea of what your world view needs to encompass. I'm going to fill in more details in weeks to come on some of the, I guess you would call it, twiggy-er matters of this. Today is somewhat the basic core and foundation in Isaiah 45 and verse 9.

Woe unto them that strives with his maker. Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it? What made you or your work? He hath no hands. I mean, it's incredible that man would strive with his maker, the one who made him, who gave him life.

Woe unto him that hath says unto his father, Why did you beget me? Or to the woman? What have you brought forth? Thus says the Holy One of Israel and his maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of my hands. Command you me. I have made the earth and created man upon it. I even my hands have stretched out the heavens and all the hosts that I command. I've raised him up to in righteousness. I will direct his paths. God, he has perfect knowledge. He knows the beginning from the end.

Another question that might be asked, How do you know that you know? And, of course, we have answered that. We know that we know because of Revelation, the revelation of God. Of course, it involves the other methods of learning, empirical knowledge, the knowledge that comes through the five senses, the knowledge that comes through the five senses, the knowledge that comes through human reasoning. But human reasoning, apart from the word of God, will never answer the great questions of life.

So, once again, as we conclude here, I ask how important is a worldview in directing human behavior? People should be guided by a strong core of values. One of the great hallmarks of the Church of God in Ambassador College, this great motto of recapturing true values, and the word of God is a foundation of knowledge.

So, one of these things we need is a strong core of values through the moral and understanding the moral consequences of our behavior, not only for ourselves, but to our neighbors, to our children. When mother and daddy can't get along, and they separate and go their different ways, almost always it is because in one form or another, selfishness. Not always, but too often times it is, because each one wants their own thing now, not willing to give and sacrifice and to submit themselves under the mighty hand of God and obey God so that their children will not suffer.

Yes, we have been called to a life of sacrifice and giving up self, and it is so hard to give up self.

Sound moral behavior begins with right thinking, and one of the things you need to teach is not just about things, but how to approach things and how to think and how to come to sound conclusions. The greatest teachers teach people how to learn, not just the facts, but how to learn. So I'm hoping that each one of us will dig into the Bible, into the gold mine of truth, that we will dig for ourselves, and that we will come to understand and be able to answer all of the great questions of life. Barnard concludes from his research on developing a biblical worldview that churches must do more than teach biblical perspectives and hope that people will figure out how to connect the dots. They must also help people connect the dots at the very core of the principles that are taught. And I'm hoping that we can understand from the creation of the material universe, the creation of the angels, the creation of man, that whole gestalt, as the Germans call it, the whole picture of why we're here on the earth and why we draw breath and what life is all about. And we teach this to our children to the point that they know and know that they know, and also that we inculcate it into our lives. And it is internalized in such a way that is a very hard core of our being that we're so convicted and committed to it, that we will always have the courage to stand for it. So if we really want to develop a consistent worldview, we have to open the pages of our Bible, be led by God's Spirit. So let's begin to do that and develop a worldview that will stand the test of time.