Leading an Unexamined Life
Notes
Transcript
What Shapes Your Life?
What Shapes Your Life?
40 Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!
After all is considered, the number one shortcoming of man is that we tend to lead unexamined lives. Most men have not carefully chiseled their worldview by a personal search for truth and obedience to God. (p. 45).
Why do men think the things they think, say the things they say, and do the things they do? Each of us has a worldview. For most of us, our worldview results more from where we were born, who our parents were, and what schools we attended than a careful examination of issues. Yet our worldview influences every thought we have, every word we speak, and every action we take. (p. 46).
As we grow and mature, our worldview develops from our many experiences and relationships. There are two predominant worldviews in America today. One view, the secular worldview, believes man is the central figure in shaping events. The second view, the Christian worldview, believes God is sovereign and active in everyday life. (p. 47).
These two worldviews, secular and Christian, are on a collision course. They inevitably produce opposite results. To understand the differences between the two is the key first step to resolving the questions of the unexamined life. (p. 48).
The choice between a Christian worldview and a secular worldview is a choice between God’s race and the rat race. (p. 48).
Yes, these two predominant worldviews exist, but how many of us have drawn a sharp contrast between the two? How many of us have carefully chiseled ours by a search for truth? Or is our worldview more the product of our environment and circumstances? (p. 50).
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Christ aches for us to turn to Him and follow His plan. But we are the ones who must decide to do it. The first step to knowing God’s plan for our lives is the commitment to see ourselves as we really are. (p. 51).
The visible you is the known you. It is never the real you. We have learned to speak and act in ways that allow us to cope with our world and peacefully coexist. We work hard to project a certain image of ourselves to others. The real you is the you that is known by God. We are who we are in our minds first, before we speak or act. Our speech and actions are the result of our thinking. (p. 52).
The main reason we lead unexamined lives is that we do not take time to “look at the fish,” carefully looking for more and more. We can always see so much more, if we will only take the time to look. (p. 55).
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!