Posted on 06/09/2005 12:03:02 PM PDT by Rytwyng
Radio evangelist Chuck Baldwin, WorldNetDaily, and Whistleblower magazine have recently revisited findings by Christian opinion researcher George Barna that only 9% of born-again Christians have a Biblical perspective on life. “The problem with America’s Christianity today is that, for the most part, it doesn’t exist!” Baldwin said, in a June 1 broadcast.
We should revisit these figures too. They first appeared in a Barna Update December 1, 2003: “A Biblical Worldview Has a Radical Effect on a Person’s Life.”[1] Barna defined a Biblical worldview as belief in eight propositions:
Absolute moral truths exist. The Bible defines moral truth. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life. God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and He rules it today. Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned. Satan is real. Christians have a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with others. The Bible is accurate in all its teachings. What Does It Mean? “People’s views on morally acceptable behavior are deeply impacted by their worldview,” Barna wrote.
In general, he found, people who do not have a Biblical worldview are much more likely than those who do have a Biblical worldview to condone or engage in immoral behavior: cohabitation, drunkenness, homosexual activity, adultery, profanity, voluntary exposure to pornography, abortion, and gambling. For example, those who held a non-Biblical worldview were 31 times more likely to accept cohabitation than the Biblically faithful.
Nondenominational Protestant churches yielded the highest percentage of persons with a Biblical worldview (13%), with Pentecostal churches next (10%), and Baptists third (8%). Mainline Protestant churches (2%) and Catholics (1%) brought up the rear.
“The results are shocking!” Baldwin said.
Given the prevalence of the non-Biblical worldview — in a country in which 80% of the people call themselves Christians — is it surprising that our entertainment industry cranks out smut? That our public schools teach moral relativism and hold “workshops” to teach children how to perform aberrant sex acts? That our politicians, judges, and business leaders aren’t much better?
Shocking, maybe. Distressing, to be sure. Thou Shalt Not Panic Let’s not panic. As bad as these statistics are, we who do have a Biblical worldview know that Christ sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father. All power in heaven and earth is given to Him (Matt. 28:18). His enemies shall be made His footstool (Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34–35). Every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess Him Lord (Phil. 2:10–11). That is the end to which God has directed all of history. That is the message of the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.
God’s Word is about truth, not self-esteem. Rather than be demoralized by findings like Barna’s, we should take them as indicators of where we are as a nation and where we need to go.
Acquiring a Biblical Worldview If America wanted to be a Godless nation, there would not have been such a decisive “values vote” in the 2004 election. Support for abortion would not be slipping in poll after poll. Eleven out of 11 states would not have amended their constitutions to block “gay marriage.” Mainline denominations would not be losing droves of members to Biblically faithful churches.
These are indications that more Americans would like to adopt a Biblical worldview. Speaking as someone who for much of his adult life did not have a Biblical outlook, my biggest problem was that I didn’t know I had a problem.
How do you acquire a Biblical worldview?
Read the Bible every day, making it an indispensable part of your daily routine — like getting dressed. It’s good to read about the Bible, to take a Bible study course, and to listen to Bible teachers, but there’s no substitute for the Bible itself. God will speak to you through His Scriptures — if you listen. Get into the habit of measuring all things by how they stack up against the Scriptures. To be able to do that, you have to acquire the familiarity with the Bible that comes with daily reading. Don’t ask, “What would Jesus do?” You don’t know because you’re not Jesus. Ask instead, “What does the Bible say?” This is the standard used by Jesus Himself and by His apostles (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 4:30). Strengthen your prayer life. Prayer is how you connect with God, person to Person. “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10; Ps. 53:3); this means you, and everyone. We need God’s grace in our lives. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). No one else can pick us up when we stumble. No one else can help us to do better. There’s Hope Barna has reported one sign that more Americans are already trying to acquire a Biblical worldview. In an April 11, 2005 Barna Update, he found that 45% of adults in America read the Bible during a typical week — “a significant rise from the 31% measured in 1995,” he reported.[2]
A level of 45% still means there’s 55% left to go, and “during a typical week” can be improved to “every day.” Nevertheless, it’s progress — the kind of progress that, in time, ought to mean changes in the more distressing figures.
They have been and it is driving them insane. We can expect the frustrated rage to rise to even higher levels in the coming years especially since their Lie Machine is no longer capable of hiding the truth and its lies are not accepted any more.
The reason for this is your worldview.
No, the reason is that at that time of my life I did not, in fact, know any.
Please note the PAST TENSE in my statement..."encountered"... I was referring to a certain time of my life. Since then I have indeed encountered Catholics with a real Christian walk.
"Without Gods word, we wouldn't even know HOW to pray."
First, thanks for the kind reply.
I agree that Scripture reading, for prayerful purposes, is conducive to a strong relationship with Christ. However, I think we should define what "Word" means. Your verses that you cite discuss "Word", which generally means "spoken word", not "written word"! We receive faith through HEARING, says Paul. That applies today, as well.
How does a person generally come to the church? By the witness of others who speak to the non-believer. I don't know too many people who come to Christ ONLY by reading the Bible! It also takes a person preaching the Gospel, if I may use St. Francis again, we are to preach the Gospel, and sometimes, we are to use our mouth! We preach by our actions. And this "fruit" comes from a prayerful life in union with God. This does not exclude Bible reading. However, the first 1400 years of Christianity has shown us that one can be a very holy person without actually reading Scriptures. (no printing press yet).
As to the above verse you cite, consider that Christ did not hand out pamphlets of the Lord's Prayer and say "hear, read this and study it." No, He taught them by His preaching, by His actions. Our Lord prayed all night before undergoing an important action, such as the selection of His Apostles. He didn't take up the OT Scriptures with Him and read them.
Regards
You wrote:
1) God indeed reveals Himself through Scripture
2) There is no "Apostolic Tradition"
A contradiction...Where did we get Scripture from, if not the Tradition of the Apostles?
And at what point did "hold fast to the TRADITIONS that you were taught, either by ORAL statement or by a LETTER of ours" (2 Thess 2:15) become abrogated? If you follow the Word of God as you claim, and nothing more, tell me where the Bible ALONE says that oral teachings are no longer valid?
Regards
"Christ's blood NOT "suffering" offer the believer a chance at "redemption."
The fact that God "emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave" to enable Himself to suffer, has infinite merit, since God cannot suffer while in a divine nature only. God could have saved us by merely being born as a child, or whatever method He chose. Your distinction between blood and suffering is needless.
Regards
>I agree that Scripture reading, for prayerful purposes, is conducive to a strong relationship with Christ. However, I think we should define what "Word" means. Your verses that you cite discuss "Word", which generally means "spoken word", not "written word"! We receive faith through HEARING, says Paul. That applies today, as well. <
Peter would disagree with you.
2Pe 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2Pe 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Peter believed scripture was a more reliable than his experience hearing the voice of God.
"Paul most certainly knew he was "saved."
His "race" was run to encourage and teach the Word -- under the direction of the Holy Spirit."
"Being saved" has more meaning than you appear to be giving it. It is more than "confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord".
"Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:13,14).
No mention of Bible preaching there.
One example of many of Paul knowing that the future was only something he could hope for. He knew he was saved in the past tense, that his journey towards God had really just begun. Paul also speaks of salvation as a current event:
"Through the Gsopel, you are also BEING SAVED, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain (1 Cor 15:2)
And finally, being saved is also described as a future event that will ONLY be experienced by those found faithful to Christ at the end of their lives:
"...the one who perserveres to the end will be saved (Mark 13:13)
"...whoever endures to the end will be saved (Matt 10:22)
Writing to the "saved" Christians in Corinth, Paul writes "don't you not know that the unjust will NOT inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters....will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10).
If "saved" Christians are involved in such matters and don't repent, they could lose their inheritance. Thus, salvation is not an absolute assurance. Paul teaches this again and again. And he did not see himself as exempt from this.
"See, then, the kindness and severity of God; severity toward those who fell, but God's kindness to you, PROVIDED YOU REMAIN IN HIS KINDNESS; OTHERWISE YOU TOO WILL BE CUT OFF (Rom 11:22)
Regards
I was referrring to the strong faith of exProtestants who swam the Tiber (like you). In fact the loudest and most visible "Evangelically Catholic" voices out there, seem to be ex-Evangelical Protestants.
When I was a lost, broken soul --where were the Catholic radio networks? Where were the Catholic campus evangelists? Why weren't Catholics sharing their faith with their friends and neighbors? The Evangelicals did all that -- they were out there in the highways and hedges trying to save lost, broken souls, and Catholicism didn't seem to care - or, perhaps they assumed that because I had some Catholic schooling, I was okay -- in which they were dead wrong.
If ONE Catholic - priest or layman -- had dared stand in front of Tommy Trojan (the statue in the center court of USC), and preach to the hostile crowd -- everything might have been different. But it didn't happen. The people who did that, were Evangelicals. I recall when I first saw it, I thought it was the book of Acts come to life again before my very eyes, and the spiritual reactions (positive and negative) from the crowd seemed to confirm it. The Evangelical preachers braved angry mobs of fornicators, drunks, homosexuals, and socialists -- I saw some ugly scenes -- to bring the Word of God to us. Where were the Catholics?? Where were they, when I was dying inside, and those Evangelical preachers had the very words of life?
I gotta stop remembering all this. I'm starting to cry.
Oh, now that I'm an evangelical Protestant, sure there's a full court press to get me back into the Catholic church -- and to be fair, I am honestly considering their arguments -- but my cynical side suspects that that the reason that the Catholic Church wants the evangelicals back so badly, is because they NEED our evangelical zeal, yet cannot produce it on their own. (Just like the Protestants need a Bible, but have to rely on the 4th Century Catholic councils to provide one?... )
Maybe this will all be moot soon. Perhaps the great reunification will take place in our lifetime. Imagine a church with the Catholic hierarchy and unity, that incorporates Orthodox mystery and Evangelical zeal.... it would be unstoppable, the gates of hell shall not prevail...
Ah, the road to flame wars is paved with good intentions. *sigh*
Believing in evolution is a good example of a nonbiblical world view.
"Peter believed scripture was a more reliable than his experience hearing the voice of God."
I respectfully disagree, and your citation backs me up.
Read it more carefully. It says NOTHING about writing or Scripture.
Unless you subscribe to the idea that the Apostles handed out pamphlets to the first would-be Christians, this verse does not support your view. The problem is your definition of "word". Since when does "word" mean ONLY written word? Scripture refers to Word more often as spoken, not written. What part of Isaiah was burned by the angel before he was to preach the word? His hand or his mouth?
Regards
"Imagine a church with the Catholic hierarchy and unity, that incorporates Orthodox mystery and Evangelical zeal.... it would be unstoppable, the gates of hell shall not prevail..."
That is an interesting thought. Of course, all is part of God's plan, the Great Schism and the Reformation. You commented on Evangelical zeal. Lately, the Catholic Church has seen a large number of Protestant ministers who are quite active in evangelization. I like to think of it in Pauline terms - the Spirit gives to the Church many gifts - all with different uses, but the same Spirit. Catholics DO need all the gifts of the Spirit, and if that means He brings zealous persons from outside the visible church, who can question where the Wind will blow next?
Regards
"Believing in evolution is a good example of a nonbiblical world view."
I would generally agree with that. Behind EVERY secular effort to remove the Christian faith from the public eye is the theory of material evolution. Without it, the attack on Christianity, at least the current one, is largely emasculated.
Good point
Regards
I'm glad you agree but I think there is a newer and more raw attack occuring. This Howard Dean type attack of simply saying "Christians are kooks" is new. I don't think the heathen could have gotten away with that 50 years ago but I'm speaking as a person who is not even 50 years old.
"If ONE Catholic - priest or layman -- had dared stand in front of Tommy Trojan (the statue in the center court of USC), and preach to the hostile crowd -- everything might have been different. But it didn't happen."
To who has been given much, more will be expected...
You are correct, Catholics as a group are not setting a good example, a scandal, considering they have been given the full truth of Christ. I am sure many "Catholics" upon judgment will be punished more harshly, as they should have known better. Unfortunately, the "real" Catholics are stretched pretty thin. I see it in my own parish - it seems like I see the same 5% or less doing all the volunteer work. We can only do so much without destroying our own vocations to our wives/husbands. I think the parish priests are going to have to start preaching the REAL Gospel, the Gospel of the Cross, that calls people to repent. Not the sugary feel-good gospel that secularism wants to hear. When the Gospel is truly preached, in places such as Denver and St. Louis, you will find many more active Catholics. That's how God works - the power of the Cross - dying to self draws people to God. Interesting paradox, isn't it?!
Consider Paul's words to the Romans concerning food and scandal in Rom 14. Try not to be scandalized by weak Christians, brother. Just continue to preach the Word of God to others and let God take care of the rest.
Regards
"This Howard Dean type attack of simply saying "Christians are kooks" is new"
Actually, Biblewonk, it isn't, if I may be so humble as to bring back Paul's teaching to the Greeks in Acts and in 1 Corinthians (foolishness of the Cross...)
It is a common ploy to paint your enemy with a broad brush, using a few arguments of some of our extreme brothers and implying that all Christians are the same. All we can do is continue to preach Christ risen through our actions of Love to others - this will refute (in time) these ridiculous arguments that we are nutty. We rejoice! This is how the saints brought people to Christ - through their extraordinary faith in God, even in the face of adversity.
Regards
A fair criticism. To which of these to the Orthodox take exception to, or interpret so differently that they might answer "No"?
Absolute moral truths exist.
The Bible defines moral truth.
Jesus Christ lived a sinless life.
God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and He rules it today.
Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.
Satan is real.
Christians have a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with others.
The Bible is accurate in all its teachings
>Read it more carefully. It says NOTHING about writing or Scripture.<
Better go back and read it again in context.He is writing them an epistle because as he says in the preceding verses he is desirous of giving them something that will put them in "rememberance" always of what he has taught them.
Then in vs 20 he says:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
He is clearly speaking of scripture as the written word.
Can you explain what the "more sure word is if not scripture?
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