How We, As Christians, Should Relate to Non-Believers

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Understanding Worldviews

In order to properly and effectively interact with non-believers, we must understand the concept of worldview.

Ask: What is a worldview? How does it impact our lives and the way we see and interact with the world?

Definition: the assumptions and presuppositions that impact the way we see the world; the philosophy of life we live by.

Worldview has been misunderstood to just mean religious view. Worldview encompasses secular trains of thought as well.

Atheism, Naturalism, and Secularism are worldviews (or at ;east components that make up worldviews) because the beliefs that there is no God and that there is nothing outside of the physical universe absolutely impact the way people conceive the world and interact with it.

Worldview, Culture, and relevant Communication

In order to share the Gospel and relate to non-believers in the most relevant way, you must understand their worldview.

Understanding worldviews and their logical outworkings and implications is imperative. For example, it’s important to understand that meaninglessness and purposeless are implications of an atheistic worldview (because we are the byproducts of time + matter +chance). Another implication and understanding is that homosexual marriage doesn’t matter to an atheist. If you weren’t a Christian you would have no good reason to take a stand on that issue. It’s important to understand that so you can better relate to and communicate with people of different worldviews.

Using knowledge of worldviews to communicate the Gospel more relevantly has been a tactic used for multiple millennia. The apostles were particularly good at this. Take Paul for example.

Ravi Zacharias on Communication https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jducnSx0b_0

Understanding worldviews means that we must find ways to appropriately interact with culture to better understand worldviews and the backdrop of people’s beliefs.

“So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”- Acts 17:22-34

Paul quotes Epimenides of Crete when he says, :In him we live and move and have our being” and he quotes another notable figure, Aratus's, poem “Phainomena” when he says, “For we are indeed his offspring”

Paul also quotes Epimenides in Titus 1:12 (“Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons”) and Menander in 1 Corinthians 15:33 (“Bad company corrupts good morals”).

Paul understands the water in which the people he is speaking to are swimming. By using his knowledge of the culture and worldviews of the people Paul becomes more relatable and establishes a level of credibility with his audience.

As Christians, we should understand culture and interact with it without letting it corrupt us. If we didn’t relate with culture, we would be utterly unrelatable to people.

Basic Worldview Understanding and the Gospel

Most people won’t ever be experts on other religions. The good news is that you don’t have to be in order to spread the Gospel to people of different beliefs. Even a basic understanding of another worldview can help you share the Gospel in a more relevant way. Use your understanding of the Gospel and these basic points of various worldviews to present the Gospel in a relevant way to each separate worldview. We have to understand the logical outworking of worldviews.

Islam

Notable beliefs

Denies the death, deity, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

Holds to the Old Testament by not the New Testament

Claims that Jesus is merely a prophet, not the Messiah

Your good deeds must outweigh your bad deeds to enter Heaven

God is monadic rather than Trinitarian

New Age Spirituality

Notable beliefs

The is a spiritual reality but we must individually find it for ourselves

New Agers often partake in meditation

There is no one real right way to be “spiritual”

Hinduism

Notable beliefs

Must pay for the karma (sins) of your previous life

Moksha, or the release from the world and cycle of rebirth

Only Brahmans (the highest caste in the social system) can achieve Moksha or truly understand the Vedas (the Hindu sacred texts)

Polytheistic gods in the world (up to 330 million deities)

Hindus gain Moksha and become one with everything in the universe

Buddhism

Notable beliefs

Must pay for the karma (sins) of your previous life

Must extinguish all desires

Many different paths to enlightenment

Reincarnation

Buddhists gain Nirvana by detaching from everything until nothingness remains

Believes in a life full of suffering to achieve Nirvana

Atheistic (some sects of Buddhism believe that there are gods but that they are power beings of the world and can’t help guide anyone to Nirvana)

Mormonism

Notable beliefs

God came from another planet

We can become gods

We can become like God and rule over our own planet

No real belief in the Trinity.

Hold to the Bible but also to other documents

Judaism

Notable beliefs

Holds to the Old Testament but not the New Testament

Claims that Jesus was merely a powerful rabbi rather than the Messiah

Still waiting for the promised Messiah to return

Still holds to many of the Old Testament ceremonial laws

Atheism

Notable beliefs

Believes in no god or supernatural reality

No objective morality (though some will try to establish and objective morality)

Life is meaningless

Naturalism

Sometimes believe in Scientism

Agnosticism

Notable beliefs

Doesn’t hold to one particular religious belief

Questions and investigates various beliefs

Open to various beliefs and evidences

Proper Use of Apologetics in Relating to Non-Believers

Apologetics is important and encouraged by the Bible.

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”- 1 Peter 3:15

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.”

“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks”- Acts 18:4

“And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.[c] 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”- Acts 19:8-10

Every believer should be able to do basic apologetics.

Apologetics can help us to be more confident in sharing the Gospel.

Apologetics is important because if Christianity isn’t true, then we shouldn’t believe in it.

Apologetics is a great way to “clear the brush” to make evangelism a little easier.

No one has ever come to Christ on arguments and evidence alone. You will never argue someone into salvation.

The Importance of Relationships

The best way to relate to non-believers is through relationships.

Build relational capital.

The best forms of evangelism and relation to non-believers takes years, not minutes.

Slow and steady wins the race. Talk about how you handled your architecture studio.

Don’t feel like you have to start with the Bible because the reality is, many people don’t put any real stock in the Bible. You have to slowly convince them of the Bible’s truth and authority before you can really use it effectively.

Show non-believers how the Gospel is the solution to they every problem and yearning.

Judging non-believers (verse below) explain

“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’”- 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (ESV)

If someone doesn’t believe in the Bible or even objective morality, then of course they won’t hold to the same set of morals that we will.

Relationships are the most effective and important ways to be there for non-believers. Salvation isn’t our job but rather the Holy Spirit’s. We are just the instrument in God’s hands.