“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” This old maxim reminds us of the importance of self-education. It’s not only true for physical skills; it also applies to personal belief systems, as well.
It’s great to have a pastor or mentor to tell you what to believe, but it’s important to work out one’s own biblical worldview on any subject. A pastor or mentor may not always be there. Or there might be a hidden sin that taints his view. Or what if the person you trust is just wrong?
This chapter is going to teach you how to fish for your own biblical worldview. I have to admit, it’s very practical and clinical, so it might be a little dry at times. The “good stuff” starts in the next chapter where we address specific issues.
But before we can do that it’s important to explain what a worldview is and how to conduct cultural and biblical research.
What is a Worldview?
Simply stated, a worldview is the way each of us interprets the world. A worldview starts with a set of fundamental beliefs, and all decisions and opinions are built from that foundation.
A worldview is often described like a pair of glasses. Depending on the color or shade of the lenses, different people see the same world in different ways.
Fundamentally, there are only two worldviews—one sees God in control, and the other sees man in control. For Christians, the God-centered view is called a biblical worldview, and the Bible is the ultimate authority.
A biblical worldview is based on the Bible as the source of truth, and we interpret everything in the world from its teaching. We look to the Bible to tell us how to live, govern society, and determine what is right and wrong.
The other worldview is called secular-humanism. A secular humanist worldview is based on man’s authority, and God either doesn’t exist or doesn’t matter.
This worldview is rooted in the idea that man is basically good and he determines the fate and purpose of the world. It has no written down, agreed upon “right and wrong.” The only measurement is what most people agree to at any point (i.e. “culturally appropriate”). In this worldview, nothing is standard, permanent, or sacred. Standards change as the culture changes.
These two worldviews are fundamentally opposed to one another. They can’t be combined because they are opposites. There can be only one standard of authority—man or God.
Have you ever tried stacking two pairs of glasses and trying to see through them? It makes your vision worse, not better. In the same way, to see the world clearly, each of us must decide which pair of glasses to use.
What about Neutral?
Some insist they have a neutral view, usually pointing to “science.” But the scientific community also interprets its findings through a worldview. Early scientific pioneers like Isaac Newton and Galileo had a biblical worldview. But most scientists in our day have a secular humanist view.
A completely neutral worldview isn’t possible because beliefs require a base, just as a person standing requires a base to stand on. A person without a base isn’t standing but falling.
Moral judgement also requires a base. A biblical worldview gets its moral guide from scripture. Otherwise, we are “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14).
Sadly, this wind-blown way of thinking is the definition of secular humanism. They change their morality according to the popular beliefs of the day. But by no means are they ever neutral.
Survival of the Fittest
Secular humanists will say a moral base isn’t necessary because it’s obvious what is and isn’t moral. But without a base, morality is fluid. Abortion, homosexuality, and euthanasia were once agreed by “everyone” in America to be heinous—but not anymore. In addition, all the world’s most terrible dictators—Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Mao—justified the murder of millions of people on secular humanist “moral” grounds.
According to Darwin (the secular prophet), evolution requires the strong to overpower the weak and the strongest to survive. So, why shouldn’t powerful men overcome the weak? What standard do they have to make this judgement?
The Judeo-Christian worldview can say it’s wrong because we have a standard provided by God that doesn’t change. His rules defined for us what is and is not good.
Rules Subvert Chaos
Every society has to have a set of agreed-upon rules to live by. Otherwise, you have chaos. That’s why God provided the Ten Commandments. This is his basic set of rules that determine right and wrong (Exodus 20:3-17):
You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s [property].
God gave us these rules to govern society (see Romans 5). Israel was founded on these standards, and America was, too. That’s why Moses and the Ten Commandments are displayed in the Supreme Court building. Our government is based on the Judeo-Christian tradition—a biblical worldview.
God’s Purpose: Human Flourishing
Many people don’t like the idea that God gave us rules. As an atheist friend of mine once lamented: “That’s what’s wrong with you Christians. All your rules take away the fun.” But God’s standard of morality is not arbitrary. His rules make life better! That’s why Jesus said he came to give us an abundant life (John 10:10).
God gave us basic rules to help us thrive. By allowing these rules to guide us, we will inherit the benefits of physical, emotional, and spiritual strength.
But we have to be able to discern how God’s rules apply to our lives. Like the Supreme Court interprets the constitution, we must also learn how to interpret God’s will for our lives through scripture.
I’ve provided five principles to help Christians interpret the world through a biblical worldview. Let’s start by understanding the source of your beliefs.
Principle 1: Know What You Believe and Why You Believe It
A Christian friend once said, “I never like it when people say God is their ‘first priority.’ God should never be labeled as a ‘priority,’ like an item on a list. Faith is better described as a golden thread, holding all our priorities together.”
She was right. All other priorities of life—family, career, politics—are built on the foundation of our faith, so if we want a strong biblical worldview, we need education in biblical knowledge.
Know the Bible for Yourself
When I was 15, I decided to read the entire Bible for myself, and so many of my questions were answered. My faith came alive!
If the Bible is the basis of your worldview, then it requires a familiarity with scripture. God said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Sadly, we find this is America today. According to a 2022 survey, most Americans have never read the Bible.1 How can Christians be confident in their beliefs if they don’t know what the Bible says?
The Bible isn’t just a collection of stories. It’s where faith comes from. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” It provides wisdom, power over evil, and strength of conviction.
Scripture can discern between matters like a sword. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) says the word is “cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
The Bible is “God breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). It has power (1 Corinthians 1:18). The word is God (John 1:1), and Jesus is the embodiment of the word (John 1:14).
Scripture should be part of our lives every day. Deuteronomy 11:19-20 says, “Teach [the word] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates…”
Memorize it, listen to it, sing it. Read passages to your kids at bedtime, use scriptures in your decor. There are plenty of ways to access it. If you don’t like to read, listen to free audio versions on the internet.
Principle 2: Focus on Truth, not Feelings
The second principle of forming a biblical worldview is to focus on truth, not feelings. We women are a compassionate group. God made us that way. And that’s a good thing.
Compassion makes us good mothers and wives. It enables us to encourage our family members through good and bad and listen to friends for hours. Our inescapable connection with feelings is a God-given blessing of womanhood.
But as I often remind my kids, our greatest strength is usually also our greatest weakness. Satan knows how to manipulate our strengths to achieve his goals. And he often uses emotional manipulation to sway Christian women in cultural matters.
Every television anchor, writer, and politician knows emotions are the magic button for female viewers. They aren’t shy about using this power. I’ve seen cases where tearful impassioned stories made Christian women question their long-held beliefs. Whoever pulls the heartstrings of women can change the world.
This is why it’s especially important for us to be aware of how a message is affecting us emotionally. We shouldn’t shut down our emotions. They are good in their place. But they can’t stand alone.
Don’t Follow Your Heart
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Follow your heart.” I wonder how many times I heard that in a Disney or Hallmark film. As nice as it sounds, it’s bad advice. To follow your heart is to follow your emotions, and as every woman knows, our emotions can be unreliable.
The Bible warns us about this problem, saying, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). If we aren’t prepared to use our minds in conjunction with our hearts, then we’ll be controlled by anyone who can sway our emotions.
Jesus—Compassion and Truth
Jesus was famous for his compassion. He took pity on the poor; he healed the sick. But compassion wasn’t Jesus’s only emotion. He felt anger and rebuked wrongdoers, like the hypocritical religious leaders. He even once used physical force to drive money changers out of the temple (Mark 11:15-17).
Jesus experienced the full range of emotions (Hebrews 2:17), but he showed us how to use them appropriately and without sin (Hebrews 4:15-16). Jesus used his emotions to elevate and communicate truth. Sometimes the truth came through compassion, and sometimes it came through righteous indignation.
Whenever I discuss this topic, someone inevitably brings up love being greater than truth. But love and truth are not opposed to one another. Truth is loving.
Yes, truth must always be spoken with love as a motive, as Paul explained in Ephesians 4:15. But love will never drive us to hide truth. Because of our love for others, we should want to speak truth.
Jesus said, “I am the truth,” (John 14:6), so if we call ourselves followers of Christ, then we must follow what is true, even if it temporarily hurts. It would be ideal to live in a world where truth makes everyone happy. But we are a fallen people, so truth isn’t always easy.
That leads us to the third principle of a biblical worldview: Sometimes love is painful.
Principle 3: Sometimes Love is Painful
The word “love” has been hijacked by secular humanists. Their slogans declare, “Love Wins,” and “All you need is love.” But how do they define “love”?
From what I can tell, love has become synonymous with “being nice, supportive, and agreeable.” And to be “loving,” they suggest we must give a person whatever he wants when he wants it, and never disagree, even if you think it’s harmful.
But any mother who disciplines her children knows that’s not love. To be “loving” and “nice” are not the same. Love is always loving, but it isn’t always “nice.”
First Corinthians 13 defines biblical love. It gives a detailed description, including, “Love is patient. Love is kind …” But this “kindness” is not a tone of voice. It’s not unquestioning acceptance. It’s a deeper kindness that puts the needs of others above one’s own, even when it isn’t wanted.
In other words, a loving-kindness treats others with a selfless concern. It means we must be willing to speak hard truths to pursue what’s best, even if it costs relationships.
Sometimes Love Disagrees
It has become almost criminal, literally, to disagree with someone’s life choices. The secularists call this “hate speech.” But is “hate” the real motivation?
Is it “hateful” to point out the truth that a person who can have a baby isn’t actually a man, but rather a woman who wants to be a man? Is it hateful to point out that young women who compete in sports can’t have fair competition with a person who has male chromosomes, no matter how badly he wants to be a woman?
No, of course it’s not hateful. If anything, it’s hateful not to point it out. Perversions of truth only create chaos, confusion, and injustice. To really love someone is to want what’s best for that person, even when they can’t see it.
Principle 4: Think Critically
The fourth principle of a biblical worldview is to think critically. Critical thinking means applying common sense, questioning the experts, and doing research. Basically, it’s a search for truth.
This used to be the model for journalism, until sensationalism took over. Sadly, professional journalism is no longer reliable. All the major news organizations display glaring prejudice. Headlines are not written to be accurate but to get attention.
With the failure of journalism, it’s up to each person to think like journalists used to. This is how it works.
First, when you open an article or watch a news segment, observe if the reporter got the information first- or secondhand. For example, did this reporter go to the scene? Did she personally interview the witnesses? Or did she get the information from a secondhand source?
Next, verify information with other news sources, and listen to opposing views. Fox News or Newsmax may have one side of the story, but what does CNN say? Every story has more than one point of view. To be fully informed, it’s important to hear all points of view and compare the information.
Third, always read original sources of information. Many reporters will cite scientific studies, statistics, or quote another source. We used to assume reporters would interpret data accurately, but now reporters often manipulate the data to support their own worldview.
We often hear, “Numbers don’t lie,” or “Trust the science.” These statements imply data and scientific studies are straight forward. But that’s not the case. Data must be interpreted. That’s why it’s important to go the extra step and read and interpret cited material for yourself.
Most news outlets will include a link to the source material. All you have to do is click on the link and read it. Usually, the information is not as cut and dry as the writer suggests.
The same is true for videos. Before you trust a title, watch the video. I once read the headline, “Joe Biden Lands in Airport to Chants of ‘Let’s Go, Brandon.’” I imagined hundreds of people shouting in unison as the embarrassed leader slinked away.
But the video actually revealed one guy near the camera blurting out, “Let’s go Brandon!” Not exactly crowds of angry mobs, even though that’s what the title implied. They were hoping the reader wouldn’t watch the footage.
Fourth, ask yourself about motives. Who does the story benefit? Who will it hurt? What worldview does the reporter reveal?
Finally, if the story deals with a moral issue, ask yourself, what does the Bible say about it? Modern technology has made searching the Bible easier than ever. My favorite Bible searching tool is OpenBible.org which curates a list of scriptures on hundreds of topics. I also like the website GotQuestions.org. They tackle many hard topics and answer with thoughtful biblical responses.
Being a critical thinker helps you discern between true and false information, and it gets easier the more you exercise this skill.
But there will be times when the line between truth and deception is too close to tell. That’s when you need wise people in your life to help you figure it out. That leads us to the last principle of a biblical worldview—talk to trustworthy people.
Principle 5: Talk to Trustworthy People
Even though it’s ideal to do our own research, most women don’t have that kind of time. So, it’s good to have likeminded friends with a biblical worldview who are also looking out.
Matthew 18:20 says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Believers need each other. Satan knows if he can isolate and discourage us, we’re more likely to give in. He wants us to believe we’re losing our battles. But standing together makes us stronger.
Many times, a friend will call and ask me to help her understand a political or cultural issue from a biblical perspective. She always leaves the conversation with more confidence and a sense of peace, knowing she is equipped to talk to others.
But remember, don’t use this step as your main source of information. Humans are fallible, and sometimes we get things wrong, even with the best intentions. So this step should be used in conjunction with the others, not as a crutch.
Gifts of God
These five principles serve as a guide to help you think through any issue. But these aren’t the only tools we have. As Christians, we can combine these principles with the discernment of the Holy Spirit, prayer, and studying God’s word.
Having a Biblical worldview is not difficult. When the Bible is your foundation, you already have the answers to all life’s questions. The answer may not always be obvious or easy or the ones we hoped for. The right answer might even be the hardest option, but it’s always the best option.
End Notes:
- Amy Watson, (2022, May 23). Frequency of reading the Bible among adults in the United States from 2018 to 2021. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/299433/bible-readership-in-the-usa/#statisticContainer
- Tiana Lowe Doescher, (2022, May 17). The Buffalo shooter was an eco-socialist racist who hated Fox News and Ben Shapiro. Washington Examiner. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/754520/the-buffalo-shooter-was-an-eco-socialist-racist-who-hated-fox-news-and-ben-shapiro/