| Five Foundations Of A Christian Worldview |
| Written by Walter Lindgren | |
| Sunday, 20 June 2010 | |
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Christian believers typically adhere to five traditions that form a worldview that shapes the nature of their beliefs. This outlook may also contain characteristics that other individuals perceive as factors which, in fact, identify a person as a Christian. The article that follows is not intended to be a creed or the final statement on the matter, but a dependable outline of Christian beliefs.
Christian believers typically adhere to five traditions that form a worldview that shapes the nature of their beliefs. This outlook may also contain characteristics that other individuals perceive as factors which, in fact, identify a person as a Christian. The article that follows is not intended to be a creed or the final statement on the matter, but a dependable outline of Christian beliefs. The first point of such a worldview is belief in a single God, monotheism, and an over-arching love of the deity who is specifically accountable for all creation. With this as the foundation of a Christian worldview, for example, an individual's opinion of concepts that do not acknowledge God or that do not recognize the origin of creation will lead to a lack of agreement with these ideas. The second factor in a Christian worldview is acceptance of Jesus as the son of God and the only salvation for humans, in the sense that Jesus is the path to everlasting life in heaven. In order to be a "Christian," the meaning of the term requires literal faith in Jesus as a personal savior. This affects an individual's worldview in several ways, primarily in the contexts of knowing that others who believe in Jesus are also saved, that those who reject this belief are not part of the church community, and that there may be a need for educating others about the Christian faith. The third element of outlining a worldview for the Christian faith is a belief in the Holy Ghost (or Spirit) as the working presence of God's power, especially as demonstrated in the acts of the apostles. This leads to the need for good works, or positive actions, through the church and within the community. A Christian approach to living will develop active expressions of one's faith to affect other individuals. The fourth factor of such a worldview would be the idea of Christians as people of the book, biblios, the Bible. The Bible acts as a source of inspiration and specifically defines the point of view that each Christian should use to evaluate the events of their lives. The New Testament demonstrates for people how to believe, think, and act in order to be Christians which, in turn, leads to one's worldview. And the fifth element is the exhortation that Christians are to reveal their "love" for other people in every part of their lives. From the basis of choosing to love one's fellow human beings, a Christian worldview accepts that all things will in due course demonstrate God's love for his faithful, that belief in Jesus is the road to everlasting life, and that Christians can express that love through their actions toward others. A worldview developed from these five Christian principles may lead to the personal observation that God will take care of all things in good time, and that belief in Jesus, faith in the community of the church, and actions that express love toward others will result in a calm, peaceful, joyous life, though not without sufferings of the faith and physical world. And it is the promise of salvation through Jesus that gives genuine meaning to the Christian worldview. The Article Author: W. H. Lindgren is a published writer currently working on a fiction novel. For an in-depth review of today's Christian news and views, visit http://www.FreeChristianPress.com. |
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