Worldview for teens

Introduction

Two days ago, a man by the name of Stephen Hawking passed away. He was 76 years old. I’m not sure if you knew of him, but he was a English theoretical physicist. Hawking had a rare form of ALS that eventually paralyzed him, even taking away his ability to speak. He had to use a computer to communicate for the last portion of his life. Even so, he essentially was a super genius capable of doing extremely complicated theoretical math in his head. He is considered to be one of the most intelligent men of modern history, and is compared to Albert Einstein in his contribution to physics. Hawking said some memorable things. When asked what is IQ was, he replied:

I have no idea. People who boast about their IQ are losers

People won't have time for you if you are always angry or complaining.

“When people ask me if a god created the universe, I tell them that the question itself makes no sense. Time didn’t exist before the big bang, so there is no time for god to make the universe in ... We are each free to believe what we want, and it’s my view that the simplest explanation is; there is no god. No one created our universe,and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realization; There is probably no heaven, and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe, and for that I am extremely grateful.”

It should bring us nothing but sorrow to think of how wrong Mr. Hawking realizes his is now on the other side of eternity. But is also makes us ask a question: how could such an intelligent man miss something that to us is so obvious? I think the answer is that he had faulty worldview. The assumptions he had about how the world worked made it so the idea of God made no sense to him.

This morning, I would like to to propose that for us to keep from making the same errors the world does, we need to have a biblical worldview.

Body

Worldview

Let’s make sure what we understand what we mean by a worldview. They are a collection of assumptions, about anything and everything , that you most likely have never thought about. They are the really basic ideas you have about life and the universe, they are the ideas you use to think with. That may sound mystical, but its not.

The chair you are sitting in, does it have feelings? If i got out a sledge hammer and smashed it, would i have spiritual consequence from that? These seem like silly questions to us, why? Our really basic assumption that inanimate objects are just a collection of matter. suggesting it has personhood or spiritual properties seems absurd. A person who grew up in an animistic culture would not think this a silly question. To them, every object has a soul, and you would find many answers to what spiritual consequences might come of the unwanten destruction of the chair, but it’s not an absurd question.

Are they just ignorant and you are enlightened? Well in this particular case maybe, but the reason they believe is because is because they grew up that way, it is all that they have ever known or been told. nothing in the experience has ever made them question the validation of this assumption.

As Christians growing up in Secular Naturalistic culture, we may have some assumptions we hold that have never been challenged, and contradict what the Bible says. The results can be devastating. this is exactly what means when it says:

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 12

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Let’s take a look at 3 examples of false ideas from our culture we may be unaware of, and what their consequences might be...

Assumption of Origin

Where did everything come from?

The world would like us to believe:

Assumption: Everything has its origin in chance.

Attitude: “Everything i see was an accident, it will all be gone one day.”

Resulted thinking: All of the beauty in nature is empty.

What does the bible propose in contrast to this? (v. 1 & 31)

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.

Assumption: Everything has its origin in design

Attitude: “Nothing is truly random, I expect to see beautiful design.”

Resulted thinking: The beauty of nature reflects its designer.

Pay close attention to the difference between the assumption and the attitude. It is entirely possible to know a biblical truth, and mistake that knowledge for belief. If you know God designed the world, but find yourself having the same attitude or thoughts as the world, it should be a flag that you should really examine if you have internalized that knowledge as a belief. belief by definition influences behavior.

Lets look at another example...

Nature of Freedom

What is freedom? What does it mean if you as a person are free?

Here is what the world would say:

Assumption: Freedom is complete autonomy. (absolutely no restrictions)

Attitude: “Rules/Boundaries restrict my potential happiness”

Resulted thinking: See how far i can go without crossing the line.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 1

The fear of the LORD

is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 6

Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

Assumption: Freedom is operating according to design

Attitude: “Rules/Boundaries enable me to enjoy God’s blessings”

Resulted thinking: Keep well away from that line!

One Final example...

Nature of truth

Is it possible to know anything for sure?

Assumption: Truth cannot be known for certain.

Attitude: “doubt is rational”

Resulted thinking: Don’t commit to fully to any belief system, just to be safe.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 12

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

God can speak and tell us about himself - not exhaustively, but truly [What the writers of the bible heard] was verbalized propositional truth from God to man in a definite, historic space-time. It was not some kind of contentless existential experience or an anti-intellectual leap. - Francis Schaeffer

The Bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years In times of war and in days of peace By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers Fishermen, singers and shepherds. The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive Could have been produced by such a diverse crowd over a period of time which staggers the imagination. Jesus is its grand subject, our good is designed and the glory of God is its end. -James McDonald

Assumption: Truth can be known for certain.

Attitude: Faith is rational

Resulted thinking: live confidently in well thought through convictions.

Conclusion

These are only a few examples of how biblical thinking challenges the way our culture thinks. I would challenge each of you to consider what assumption you have that are keeping you from seeing the world that way God sees it. Also conciser any attitudes or behaviors that don’t line up with what you believe. Take the time to challenge yourself, ask yourself if you need to study what God says about that subject and solidify your belief.

The book of Proverbs is a good place to start. It has many things to say of what the foolishness of the world brings. In order for us to keep from making the same errors the world does, we need to have a biblical worldview.