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.
"...I never encountered ANY Catholics who...had a real, personal, life-transforming walk with Christ until I'd been immersed in Evangelicalism for a good many years -- and it seems like most of them are converts fact."
Now that I think about it, " most of them are converts " is too strong. Let's just say that the Protestant converts are disproportionate in numbers and impact.
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I don't see that as a negative, but rather that it opens the possibility that they may someday return to the Church.
***Just because it's posted at Chalcedon doesn't make it untrue.****
Like the stopped clock!
:)
I'm sure they have many things right. It's what they have wrong that gives me the creeps.
Indeed. A man who repents while bleeding to death at an accident scene, or locked up for life in a dungeon, may never have the chance to receive baptism. Like the thief on the cross, such a man can be saved without baptism. (Our Catholic friends call it "the baptism of desire" -- he would have been baptised if he could.)
But someone who CAN get baptized, but WON'T, is denying God. Faith without works is dead.
It's probably more the case that the Protestant converts can explain their faith in terms that you understand and appreciate as a Protestant. After all, they started out Protestant, then had to fight their way -- intellectually -- to Catholic belief, so they are going to understand in detail how to communicate their faith in Protestant terms, and how to cogently answer Protestant objections, because they were their own objections at one point.
Protestantism tends to be very "left-brained" and doctrinal. Catholicism tends to care more what you do with your will then what you understand about doctrine. A famous sentence from "The Imitation of Christ" sums it up: "I would rather weep in compunction for my sins, than understand the definition of 'compunction'."
That's one cradle Catholic's opinion, anyway.
That's true. The downside is that, while they bear a Christian label, and sin boldly, "the name of God is blasphemed among the heathen" because of them.
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I would see it more from the perspective that they are a bad influence on others, and Catholics in particular. As Catholics, it is our responsibility to not lead others astray by our bad example.
Just the opposite my friend.
Protestants in general abide in the simplicity of Christ's message and belief in the redemption of the soul through His blood sacrifice...
Catholicism is steeped in a litany doctrines that not even Catholics are sure they understand.
Nope, you just confirmed my point. "Message" and "belief" are doctrinal references.
Catholicism is steeped in a litany doctrines that not even Catholics are sure they understand.
That's how Protestants view it from the outside, but that's not how Catholics experience it. The kernel of a Protestant service is a sermon expounding on the Scriptures. The kernel of a Catholic Mass is the prayer of the priest and people to the Father through Jesus Christ to consecrate the Eucharist. The sermon is an afterthought (optional except on Sundays and high holy days!), and any doctrinal content to the liturgy (and it's possible there isn't nearly enough) is ... well ... not an afterthought, but certainly not central.
It's funny that you say "not even Catholics are sure they understand". It's a very Protestant thing to say. All human doctrines are a created intellect's attempt to understand an infinite God. From my Catholic perspective, if you -- as a created intellect -- are "sure" you "understand" just about any Christian doctrine ... you almost certainly have it wrong.
And the Orthodox say that that's not nearly going far enough.
Okay I am now confused. These people who have a strong faith are they former Catholics now strong and faithful Protestants or former Protestants now strong and faithful Catholics?
"Saying that the Bible is the Truth doesn't help much since few sects agree on what that truth means. If the Bible was some sort of magical method for arriving at the truth there would not be hundreds of sects which differ as to what it means"
Excellent point. I am sure that those who supposedly have a "Biblical view" within the poll would disagree to WHAT exactly that meant.
Regards
I understand that Elsie. I actually believe that MOST people who claim to be Christian are not actually following Christ.
But something is odd about this. Because if you were to ASK most people (who claim to be Christian) questions like, "Do you believe the Bible is accurate" or "Is Satan real" they would say yes, even if their actual lives reflect something different. I just find it very difficult to believe that such a large percentage of people wouldn't even claim to believe these things, yet do claim they are Christian.
For example, some claim that Catholics believe salvation is earned through works. Whether or not that is the effect of what Catholicism teaches, that is NOT what Catholics would say they believe, is it? Wouldn't they say they believe it is a free gift, even if others may think their religious practices contradict that?
Then again, Mary Carey (adult film star) was quoted as saying she is a Christian but she doesn't believe in moral absolutes. So I guess it is possible for a lot of people to actually be open about such an obvious contradiction.
"In fact I never encountered ANY Catholics who (as far as I could tell), had a real, personal, life-transforming walk with Christ"
That is probably because you yourself didn't take seriously the teachings of the Church. I have seen numerous Catholics who have had a conversion experience. The thing is that you have to become more active in the Church than merely going to Mass on Sundays to see them... When I started volunteering, I then began to see the same faces over and over and found that they had a conversion experience and were taking their faith seriously. But how would I have met them if I just did my one hour a week?
I would venture to guess the same can be applied to you.
Regards
"Read the Bible every day, making it an indispensable part of your daily routine
You responded "...That is THE most important thing a Christian can do."
Wow, I would say the vast majority of saints would disagree with that statement. Praying to God is more important than reading in of itself. I am aware of Scripture scholars who are quite competent on phrases and verses in Scripture, but don't apply it to their lives. Reading itself is not the single most important thing we can do.
According to such as St. Francis, prayer, not Scripture reading, is what leads us to humility and obedience to God.
Regards
"The kernel of a Catholic Mass is the prayer of the priest and people to the Father through Jesus Christ to consecrate the Eucharist."
Good point. The climax of Catholic Worship is when the priest, in the person of Christ, lifts up the consecrated Body and Blood and offers it to the Father, where we, the community, join our own sacrifices to the Father...
"THROUGH HIM (Christ), IN HIM, WITH HIM, IN UNITY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, ALL GLORY AND HONOR IS YOURS ALMIGHTY FATHER, FOREVER AND EVER"
Protestant worship is all about the preacher expounding on Scripture. Certainly a truncated form of praise - as it seems the focus is more on the preacher than on God Himself.
Regards
True. But that kernel in it's simplicity is exactly what Christ Himself taught.
" The kernel of a Catholic Mass is the prayer of the priest and people to the Father through Jesus Christ to consecrate the Eucharist. The sermon is an afterthought (optional except on Sundays and high holy days!), and any doctrinal content to the liturgy (and it's possible there isn't nearly enough) is ... well ... not an afterthought, but certainly not central.
True again.
"It's funny that you say 'not even Catholics are sure they understand'. It's a very Protestant thing to say."
No, it's an observational "thing to say," one many Catholics I know will admit to. Btw, as well as a former Catholic, I'm not exactly wingin' it.
"All human doctrines are a created intellect's attempt to understand an infinite God.
They may begin that way, but eventually (as in the RCC -- facilitated most dramatically through Constantine -- embellish and recreate through the assumptive spectrum of man.
"From my Catholic perspective, if you -- as a created intellect -- are 'sure' you 'understand' just about any Christian doctrine ... you almost certainly have it wrong."
The only "Christian doctrine" is indeed Scripture.
Exactly! We are Blessed in America to be able to read, and I think anyone who wants a Bible can get one. I have bought many Bibles for new converts to Christianity.
Yes, and they should. I was amazed to discover that all pastors are not saved. I was saddened to realize that his "flock" was not being filled with the truth. IF he didn't even know how to get himself to Heaven, how could his flock? I can't remember off hand, what Scripture says that God will judge the pastors/preachers/priests harshly because they have led people into destruction.
How interesting. Sounds like something out of the CPUSA readings
When I first scanned over that I saw it as PCUSA.
(For them's as don't get it: CPUSA --> Commies. PCUSA --> leftish Presbyterian denomination.)
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