On the Christian Worldview
How one's faith in Christ should inform their choices
While this essay stands on its own, it is intended to function as a primer for the Currents of Conviction series launching on January 28, 2025, where we will explore a topic each week for ten weeks. Read an overview of the series here.
Choices define us, for better or for worse. But what drives the choices we make? The answer is simple: our understanding of right and wrong, good and evil, and our place in the universe.
For Christians, the Bible shapes our worldview. Understanding the big story of Scripture—Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation—contributes substantially to how we make choices and evaluate the world around us.
The Foundation of Everything
At the heart of the Christian worldview is the belief in one God existing in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. This is the Trinity.
God the Father: He was neither created nor begotten, and He is the creator of heaven and earth. He is sovereign, working all things according to His good plan.
God the Son (Jesus Christ): He is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, not created but begotten in time by the Virgin Mary.1 He lived a perfect life, died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins, and rose again, conquering death. Through faith in Him, we are forgiven and reconciled to God.
God the Holy Spirit: He is the one who empowers believers, convicts us of sin, and guides us into all truth. He indwells every believer, uniting us to Christ and one another.
This Triune God is not a distant, uncaring force. He is intimately involved in His creation and works to accomplish His purposes.2
The Brokenness of the World
God created a good world, and man lived in harmony with Him. He created man in His image, giving us inherent dignity and worth. However, Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Thus, sin, death, and suffering entered the world.
Our world is no longer as it should be. Injustice, pain, and brokenness have become the norm. This brokenness is not God’s fault but the result of human sin. It also means that we are all born with a sinful nature, inclined to rebel against God and those whom God places over us. Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, the world is a mess, and we need a Savior.
The Rescue Plan
God did not abandon us even though we abandoned Him. Because of the brokenness brought by sin, He initiated a rescue plan to restore us to Himself, which centers on Jesus Christ.
Penal Substitutionary Atonement: Jesus, fully God and fully man, lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and rose again, defeating death.
Justification: Through faith in Jesus, we are forgiven of our sins and declared righteous in God’s sight.
Adoption: We become God’s children and co-heirs and siblings with Christ.
Sanctification: The Holy Spirit makes us more like Christ, day by day until we are with Him in glory.
This understanding of redemption is crucial to the Christian worldview because it shows us that God is gracious and merciful to those who humble themselves before Him. He withholds judgment, which we deserve, but grants what we do not deserve: forgiveness and eternal life.
The Covenants
God’s unfolding plan throughout history can be seen through various covenants—binding agreements between God and humanity.3 These covenants—Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and the New Covenant in Christ—reveal God’s progressive revelation. Each covenant builds upon the previous one, culminating in their perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The New Covenant will know no end and will result in the complete restoration of all creation. This perspective helps us to see the unity and coherence of the entire Bible, demonstrating how God’s plan of redemption has been unfolding throughout history.4
The Church
The Church has never been a building. The Church is the body of Christ composed of believers in Jesus Christ. The Church is called to be a light to the world, proclaiming the gospel of Christ. It is a foretaste of the kingdom of God, where people from every tribe and tongue will one day worship God together.5
The Consummation
The Christian worldview includes a hope for the future. We believe that Jesus will return again to judge the living and the dead and to establish His eternal kingdom. So, just as there is a consummation of a marriage between a bride and groom, so, too, will this return of Christ be the consummation of the reunion of the Church with her LORD. There will be no more sin, suffering, or death. All things will be made new. This hope motivates us to live faithfully in the present, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.
For the Ploughman
Why does all of this matter for the everyday Christian? Because our worldview shapes how we live.
It gives us purpose: Knowing that we are created by God, redeemed by Christ, and empowered by the Spirit gives our lives meaning and purpose.
It guides our ethics: Our worldview informs our understanding of right and wrong. We are called to live lives that are pleasing to God, reflecting His character in our actions and words.
It gives us hope in suffering: When we face trials, our worldview reminds us that God is sovereign, working all things for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28), and that we should throw a party (James 1:2).6
It motivates us to share the Gospel: Knowing the good news, forgiveness, and love of Jesus Christ compels us to share it with others.
Therefore, understanding and living according to a Christian worldview is not an intellectual exercise but a way of life. It is about living a life of purpose, guided by God’s Word, and filled with hope for the future. It is a worldview that transforms our lives and the world around us, as we live as salt and light in a flavorless and dark world.
In my next post, I will begin working through a series on intersections between theology and society. As my framework, I will use What Do I Say When…? by Andrew Walker and Christian Walker.7 While this book is written to help parents navigate challenging cultural and ethical conversations with their children, the content is succinct. It offers thought-provoking questions for people of any age. I would recommend you check it out as you follow along.
Until next time, keep your hand on the plow and break up the fallow ground!
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While Roman Catholics adhere to the doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity because of Church tradition, Scripture suggests otherwise: Matthew 1:25 says that Joseph had no relations with Mary until she bore a son. Matthew 13:55-56 speaks clearly of Jesus having siblings (half-siblings, of course): James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and unnamed sisters.
The Church's historical creeds—the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed —are particularly helpful in understanding God concerning creation and salvation.
The covenants were all initiated by God because He alone bears the power and authority to create such contracts. Some of the covenants were one-sided, depending on God alone (e.g., Noahic, Abrahamic, Davidic, New), while others (e.g., Mosaic) required the faithfulness of the people to honor them.
As I state on my About page, I hold to the theological framework known as Progressive Covenantalism. Go there to find a brief synopsis of this view and links to two articles giving a fuller explanation.
A note on the composition of the church. The emphasis is on the believers making up the body rather than anyone baptized into the church. Progressive Covenantalism differs from Covenantal Theology in that the former always holds to credobaptism (baptism based on faith). In contrast, the latter holds to paedobaptism (baptism of a child born to Christian parents incapable of faith). I mention this only for clarity on my position as it relates to the composition of the Church.
My father-in-law always reminds my wife and me that counting our trials as joys involves actively celebrating Christ and His grace in hard times. I will likely write about this at some point, but this practice has been formational in our faith.
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