In my first post I laid out a brief definition of what a Christian World View (CWV) is and is not. I also pointed out that Judeo-Christian morality and not a CWV is the historic moral belief system for Western Civilization. This may have been a surprise to some. There is often the assumption that the United States is a Christian Nation, whatever that means. We are not. If we ever were, we have not been in my lifetime (over 40 years).
So what does any of this have to do with "Developing a Christian World View"? Great question! Glad I asked. 100 years ago most people would have understood, because they had been taught, basic principles of Christianity. That doesn't mean they believed in it or practiced it as a religion. They would have understood two things that are not understood even among people calling themselves Christians today. Christianity is a faith that is about 1). Believing and 2). Doing.
I know, some of you where just amazingly underwhelmed by my revelation. Reality is that if you are not living (or at least making an effort) your faith, it is a reflection of the fact that maybe you don't believe what you profess. Another possibility is that you don't know what you believe or why you believe it. This brings us to our topic.
To Develop a Christian World View you have to:
- Be a practicing Christian.
- Be committed to reading and understanding BOTH the Old and New Testaments.
- Be committed to seeking God's will for your life and doing it.
- Be committed to seeking understanding of how God views events in BOTH the material and spiritual worlds.
- Believe that the Bible is true.
- Believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
- Believe that the Bible is accurate in literal and figurative information that it transmits.
- Believe that the Bible has data relevant to you today.
- Believe that spiritual truth and material truth are both true and that the truth is objective, not subjective.
- Believe that it is possible to find application of scripture to understand todays events.
- You have to be reading your Bible.
- You have to be in a prayerful relationship with the Lord.
- In order to be successful you also have to be striving for righteous living.
- You have to open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
- It helps if you ask the Lord for a mature CWV. For some reason things aren't always automatic, and it seems that while God is willing to give us blessings, He likes to be asked.
This has become such a fascinating topic for me lately as I read on various supposedly Christian sites. I am more and more surprised when I read supposedly Christian men who are actually embracing the idea of what they call "civil war II" and fighting their own brothers to somehow fix what has become a rather corrupted society. I wonder what their view of society would be if they would look at events through God's eyes, instead of their own.
ReplyDeleteI would rather let it all go and say publicly, Come Lord Jesus as quick as you can. This is just all mortal toil and dust Res. I want to live well while I am here yes, but to save this and continue it? No. I don't believe I am being defeatist in any way either. I just prefer to look at things through the God filter than my own mortality.
If this makes me sound like a nut, I am sorry about that. But those are just impressions I get when I am reading at Nate's and VD's.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteGod designed men in a certain way, as He did with women. The two will never understand each other instinctively because our minds don't work the same way. When men see danger approaching they start looking for ways to fight it. Good sincere Godly men, that would literally give the shirt off their back, will take up arms.
God will bless them in battle. He will hear their prayers. He will give them the strength to keep going "just a little longer" and to Keep fighting.
God also gives some men a special calling to peace. There are men who are called to pacifism in the name of Christ. There are men who the spirit asks and encourages to totally avoid violence in the name of Jesus.
As odd as it may seem, each man may be doing according to what he has been called.
As far as it depends on me, I choose to live at peace and I will avoid conflict when it is safe to do so. I don't know how long you've been reading here. Do you remember the post where I had a teenager enter my house and I held him at gun point till the sheriff arrived?
I haven't shared this before. In the middle of the situation, with me being on the phone to 911, shouting orders to the kid, my gun vigorously aimed at his head, safety off, him a fraction of a second from death, I was praying. In the heat of battle I was praying. When the cops came and got the boy and had left. I was praying. I thanked Him for was delivering the boy from my hand.
We are men, don't judge us to harshly.
Western civilization is going away. I don't know if its going to go with a bang or a whimper. With any luck it will go with a trumpet sounding and the dead rising first and those of us that are alive meeting Him in the air. This world is not my home. I'm ready and wanting to go home now. That may not be God's plan for me. Until He comes I'll do each day what He requires. Hopefully that is raising my children to love and serve Him in peace.
I wouldn't mind a little more fishing though.
I vaguely remember that post about the intruder. I also remember thinking how happy I was that it turned out well for you.
ReplyDeleteBoth my hubby and I are very ready for this world to go away. But until then, its one foot in front of the other until God says otherwise.