BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
Pastors, the Church, and the Bible teach us 'Thine word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.' And that is so very true and so very necessary. But, I believe it means so much more. I have come to believe that it means that we are to digest the complete Bible, the story of man, his fall and his restoration through salvation of Jesus Christ. This story in its entirety, helps us to know what we believe, why we believe it, are able to articulate it, and are able to defend it.
You make an excellent point that deeply studying Scripture is so important - hiding God's word in our hearts helps us know what we believe, why we believe it, defend it, and keep from sin. The Bible tells the overarching story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration - digesting this full narrative shapes our understanding of the human condition and God's saving work through Christ.
I agree that internalizing biblical truths and principles equips us to articulate and stand firm upon the biblical worldview when it is tested. As Psalm 119:11 states, treasuring God's word provides wisdom and keeps us from straying from His precepts. As we behold the beauty and sufficiency of Scripture, we become convinced of its divine origin and transforming power. We gain confidence to winsomely communicate its message of hope to others. Its doctrines shape our perspective and behavior in all of life's spheres. Immersing ourselves in God's word renews our minds and lives to align with His kingdom purposes.
Thanks, could you expound?
Certainly, I'm happy to expound more on the importance of internalizing Scripture from the biblical worldview. A few key reasons come to mind:
It renews our minds: The Bible teaches that before we came to Christ, our minds were conformed to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2). But as we fill our minds with God's word, the Holy Spirit transforms us and renews our thinking to align with God's will and truth. This equips us to discern truth from falsehood.
It guides our actions: Hiding Scripture in our hearts doesn't just impact our thinking - it shapes how we live. As Psalm 119:105 says, God's word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, giving wisdom for decisions and direction for life's journey. Immersing ourselves in the Bible protects us from wandering from God's ways.
It guards our souls: Scripture memorization and meditation fortifies us from temptation and equips us to resist the enemy's attacks with the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Just as Jesus defended Himself from Satan's lies by quoting Scripture, so God's word hidden in our hearts is a defensive weapon against spiritual attack.
It aids evangelism: When sharing our faith, recalling the right Bible passage or story can draw someone to the truth of the gospel with power. Scripture helps point people to salvation in Jesus Christ. The Bible alone holds this life-changing message of redemption that the world desperately needs.
These key biblical reasons demonstrate why saturating our minds and hearts with God's written word is so vital for believers. Let me know if you would like me to elaborate on any area further! There is profound depth to this topic.
Maybe more so from the Biblical story in its entirety also.
You're right, looking at the entirety of the biblical story also illuminates why internalizing Scripture deeply matters. Walking through the overarching narrative from creation to new creation gives greater insight. Here are some key reasons:
It unveils the truth about humanity: Reading Scripture holistically allows us to step back and see the bigger picture of the human condition. We understand that mankind was created good in God's image, but willfully rebelled against Him. This helps us make sense of the sin, suffering, and evil we see around and within us.
It displays our need for redemption: The persistent failures of Old Testament characters and nations reveals that on our own, no one meets God's perfect standard. All have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Understanding the sweeping story of human failure creates urgency around our deep need for rescue and redemption.
It magnifies what Christ accomplished: With the entrance of Jesus onto the biblical stage, we clearly recognize Him as the long-awaited Savior. As the true Hero, his sinless life, atoning death for sinners, and defeat of death through his resurrection are the pivot points of history. Internalizing this story magnifies His undeserved grace toward us.
It anticipates full restoration: Scripture begins with creation of a perfect world, but ends with God restoring and redeeming fallen creation completely. Living expectantly in light of Christ's future return and the coming new creation fuels our hope. This climactic ending can shape our perspective and priorities even now.
In summary, absorbing the full biblical narrative from creation to new creation gives contour and depth to our understanding of life and godliness as we walk with Christ day to day. It allows Scripture to have its fullest, most life-giving impact upon us.
The biblical worldview stands firmly upon six foundational pillars of belief that Scripture clearly teaches. However, researching the views of Americans reveals only a small minority of adults affirm all six tenets that the Bible puts forth.
The biblical worldview unambiguously puts forth six key doctrines. Surprisingly, research shows only 9% of American adults fully embrace all six tenets together. Many Christians seem to pick and choose among them. However, Scripture allows no cherry-picking of essential truths. All six pillars intrinsically connect to tell the complete story of creation, fall, salvation, and restoration. Thus the Bible leaves no room for anything less than full affirmation of each doctrine simultaneously. Believers must strive for total consistency rather than compartmentalization of biblical truth.