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Bible Study Title: Defining a biblical worldview—according to Seven C’s of History Everyone has a worldview. But, sadly, research has shown that very few people view life from the biblical worldview. In fact, a December 2003 study conducted by George Barna showed that only 9% of born-again Christians possess a biblical worldview. So, why has the Bible lost its influence in our culture today? Why don’t more Christians have a biblical worldview? How is a biblical worldview defined? Stacia McKeever answers these questions in the final chapter of War of the Worldviews. Central to a truly biblical worldview is an understanding of the major events of the past (and even the future)—the “7 C’s of History.” Understanding the implications of these events in history “enables believers to view the world from a biblical perspective,” McKeever says. Sadly, the history as recorded in the Bible has been attacked by a culture that has become increasingly evolutionized and secularized. As a result, McKeever writes, many people look at the Bible as a book that contains many interesting stories and religious teaching. Others claim that the Bible contains “religious” truth, while scientists offer us “scientific” truth. But the Bible is more than just a collection stories—it is the history book of the universe. By understanding the correct view of history, a person can reconnect the Bible to his world. A brief explanation of the 7 C’s of History (from this chapter) follows. Creation God created the heavens, the earth and all that is in them in six 24-hour days around 6,000 years ago. His completed creation was “very good” (Genesis 1:31), and all the original animals (including dinosaurs) and the first two humans (Adam and Eve) ate only plants (Genesis 1:29–30). Life was perfect and not yet affected by the Curse—death, violence, disease, sickness, thorns and fear had no part in the original creation. In Genesis, God explains that He created things to reproduce after their “kinds.” And this is what we observe today: great variation within different “kinds” (e.g., dogs, cats, elephants, etc.), but not one kind changing into another, as molecules-to-man evolution requires. Corruption After God completed His perfect creation, He told Adam that he could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8) except one—the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He warned Adam that death would be the punishment for disobedience (Genesis 2:17). Instead of listening to the command of his Creator, Adam chose to rebel, eating the fruit from the tree (Genesis 3:6). Adam’s sin ushered death, sickness and sorrow into the once-perfect creation (Genesis 3:19; Romans 5:12). God also pronounced a curse on the world, changing it completely (Genesis 3, Romans 8:20–22). As a result, the world that we now live in is merely a decaying remnant—a corruption—of the beautiful, righteous world that Adam and Eve originally called home. The good news is that, rather than leave His precious handiwork without hope, God graciously promised to one day send a Redeemer who would buy back His people from the curse of sin (Genesis 3:15). Catastrophe As the descendants of Adam and Eve married and filled the earth with offspring, their wickedness was great (Genesis 6:5). God judged their sin by sending a global Flood to destroy all men, animals, creatures that moved along the ground and the birds of the air (Genesis 6:7). Those God chose to enter the Ark—Noah, his family and land-dwelling representatives of the animal kingdom (including dinosaurs)—were saved from the watery catastrophe. This earth-covering event has left its mark even today. From the thousands of feet of sedimentary rock found around the world to the “billions of dead things buried in rock layers” (fossils), the Flood reminds us even today that our righteous God cannot—and will not—tolerate sin, while the Ark reminds us that He provides a way of salvation from sin’s punishment. Confusion After the Flood, God commanded Noah and his family—the only humans left in the world—and the animals to fill the earth (Genesis 8:17). However, the human race once again disobeyed God’s command and built a tower, which they hoped would keep them together (Genesis 11:3–4). So, around 100 years after the Flood waters had retreated, God brought a confusion (a multiplicity) of languages in place of the common language the people shared, causing them to spread out over the earth. The several different languages created suddenly at Babel (Genesis 10–11) could each give rise to many more. Today, we have thousands of languages but fewer than twenty language “families.” All the tribes and nations in the world today descended from these various groups. Despite what you may have been led to believe about our seeming superficial differences, we really are all “one blood” (Acts 17:26)—descendants of Adam and Eve through Noah and his family—and all, therefore, in need of salvation from sin. Christ God did not leave His precious—but corrupted—creation without hope. He promised to one day send Someone who would take away the penalty for sin, which is death (Genesis 3:15; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). God killed at least one animal in the Garden of Eden because of the sin of Adam; subsequently, Adam’s descendants sacrificed animals. Such sacrifices could only cover sin—they pointed toward the time when the One whom God would send (Hebrews 9) would make the ultimate sacrifice. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ (the promised Savior)—completely human and completely God. The Creator of the universe (John 1:1–3, 14) became part of His creation so that He might save His people from their sins! Cross Jesus is called the “Last Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:45. While Adam disobeyed God’s command not to eat the forbidden fruit, Jesus fulfilled the Creator’s purpose that He die for the sin of the world. The first Adam brought death into the world through his disobedience; the Last Adam brought eternal life with God through His obedience (1 Corinthians 15:21–22). Because God is perfectly holy, He must punish sin—either the sinner himself or a substitute to bear His wrath. Jesus bore God’s wrath for our sin by dying in our place on the Cross (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things (John 1:1–3; Colossians 1:15–16), was not defeated by death. He rose three days after He was crucified, showing that He has power over all things, including death, the “last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26). When we believe in Christ and understand what He has done for us, we are passed from death into life (John 5:24). The names of those who receive Him are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 13:8; 17:8)—when they die, they will go to be with Him forever (John 3:16). Consummation God, in His great mercy, has promised not to leave His creation in its sinful state. He has promised to do away with the corruption Adam brought into the world. He has promised to remove, in the future, the curse He placed on His creation (Revelation 22:3) and to make a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). In this new place there will be no death, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). Those who have repented and believed in what Jesus did for us on the Cross can look forward to the consummation of God’s kingdom—this new heaven and earth—knowing they will enjoy God forever in a wonderful place. In the future, God will take away the corruption that was introduced in the Garden of Eden, giving us once again a perfect place to live! What is needed to combat our society’s evolutionary propaganda? For every Christian to have a worldview based on a proper understanding of the history of the world, as revealed in the Bible. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread |
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