A Biblical Worldview

Having a biblical worldview

Viewing the world and its concepts through a biblical perspective provides the Christian with a secure and time-proven guideline to measure and evaluate all situations, concepts, and information. In understanding and applying biblical concepts in life situations, we can be certain that our decision-making processes are sound, based on the true words of Christ. “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him” – James 1:5 (Complete Jewish Bible).

1. What would you say is the main theme of the bible?

With the opening lines of scripture, we encounter the Creator, forming heaven and earth, creating an intricate universe

through His mere words (Gen 1(NIV)). As we move through the pages, reading page after page, we encounter an almighty God whose love is absolute and perfect. The love story unfolds, painting the picture of a creator God willing to stop at nothing to redeem His creations that He made in His image. The character, perfection and beauty of the holy Creator unfold like a beautiful flower with every passing story. That perfect love is seen in direct contrast to the sinful, unfaithful human race that generation after generation, makes all the same mistakes in new and different ways, making their helpless state painfully evident.

Bickel and Stanz(Bickel & Jantz, 1998, p.

60) states that “”Christ is not only the theme of both Testaments of the Bible, “writes Norman Geisler in A General Introduction to the Bible, “but He may also be seen as the subject in the sequence of each of the eight sections of Scriptures.” Through the pages of Scripture, it becomes evident that to be reconciled with the Creator, the human race needs a Savior that is holy and blameless. Upon closer inspection of scripture, we see Christ woven like a golden thread through each book as the one true savior, willing to give up His life for sinful humans.

However, Rev. Ralph Allen Smith makes an interesting case that “the covenantal kingdom of God is the central theme of Biblical revelation” (Smith, n.d, Chapter 1). In his essay, “The Central theme of the bible”, he discusses all the relevant themes which include the redemption of the human race, the covenant, as well as Jesus Christ as the central themes of the bible. Yet, he states

that:
In the kingdom of God, all of the other suggested major themes are included and given proper place. In addition, the kingdom of God includes other themes important for our understanding of the Bible, such as creation, the Biblical teaching about angels and demons, the doctrine of final judgment and everlasting punishment. Christ Himself remains a central theme of the Bible because as the King, He is the center of the kingdom, it’s very essence. Redemption as a central theme is understood as the drama of God’s restoring the kingdom to its original purpose. (Smith, n.d, Chapter 1)
The narrative of the kingdom of God captured in the scriptures, unfolds like a flower. Each different theme, love, forgiveness, redemption, covenant, etc., developing into a single petal surrounding and attached to the core, Jesus Christ, forming an exquisite flower called the covenantal kingdom of God.

In conclusion, viewing and investigating both of the viewpoints, I would have to agree with Bickel and Stanz, that the main theme of the bible is Jesus Christ. Even though Rev. Smith makes a strong case, the center point of the flower will always be our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Have you ever considered the bible from this perspective before?
In every season of my life, I would see an overwhelming theme leaping out at me. Redemption, when God is working and focusing on His redemptive plan in my life and giving me the promises of redemption, beauty from ashes(Is 61:3(NIV)). Forgiveness, when I am in need of forgiveness or when I am in desperate need of grace to forgive. Regardless of the theme for the season, Jesus was always the core and the essence, as all of these aspects revolved around the love relationship and intimacy I have with Him. Whether it is on a personal level or on a global level, He has always been the central theme of golden thread working its way through the scriptures. Sometimes, at a deeply intimate level, other times as a knowledge base, broadening my understanding and insight into the world around me. For this reason, I would say that I have viewed the bible from the perspective of Jesus being the core for most of my journey as a Christian. I cling to the Deut 6:3 that pronounces: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might “(ESV).

3. How can understanding this big picture help you as you seek to apply scripture to course content?

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10:31(NIV)).

As a Christ follower, my life and core beliefs are centered in Jesus Christ. Understanding the overall picture of who Jesus is, provides us with a guideline as to how we are to view all scripture and, it provides us with understanding and insight, which in turn, enables us to apply the scriptures effectively to everyday life, and in this case, to course content. Knowing the character of God opens our eyes to marvel at the intricate designs and vastness of His wisdom and creativity when it comes to science. It leaves us in awe when the beauty and wonder of communicating with a fellow human are on display.

Furthermore, breaking down the high-level view to one lover level, Bickel and Jantz’s(Bickel & Jantz, 1998, Chapter 3) breakdown of the bible, provide us with an overview of the narrative of scripture. These so-called five acts, enable us to pinpoint the section or topic in scripture that needs to be applied to the course work with greater ease. In turn, this creates more efficient use of the bible, enabling us to still have a high-level view of the main areas of scripture, but to give enough detail to identify where in the narrative we would have to start delving into finding specific

scriptures.

Finally, understanding who Jesus is gives us perspective and understanding to apply scripture effectively in the right context. Breaking the narrative down into the five acts gives us the oversight where to start looking, creating a more efficient and effective search of the scriptures.

Conclusion
It is crucial for the Christian of today to have a biblical worldview, regardless of what field of expertise he or she is specializing in. To be an effective leader, a biblical worldview serves as corrective glasses, coloring our decisions, evaluation of information and the world around us in a true and balanced manner. In conclusion, it is a vital for each Christ follower to have a high-level understanding, as well as a technical understanding of the scriptures to round out the individual’s scriptural knowledge.