According to the American Worldview Inventory 2021, only 6% of American adults possess a biblical worldview. The majority “substitute a patchwork of conflicting, often irreconcilable beliefs and values as they navigate life.”
This correlates with research conducted by The Barna Group. This market research firm specializes in studying the religious beliefs and behavior of Americans and the intersection of faith and culture.
Barna’s research suggests that 88% of American adults embrace an impure, unrecognizable worldview. One that blends ideas from multiple perspectives.
“Knowing a few Bible verses, attending church services, and praying won’t get the job done. Attending a Christian school that offers a chapel service and a Bible class won’t accomplish the task. Going to church services that feature sermons drawn from biblical content is not sufficient to build a biblical worldview. Parents expecting their children to follow the Ten Commandments is not enough for developing a full-scale biblical worldview. All of those are token efforts that have proven inadequate toward developing an integrated body of beliefs and behaviors that enable someone to think like Jesus so they can then live like Jesus.”American Worldview Inventory 2021 Release #01
According to the AWI202, the majority of individuals who call themselves Christians espouse unbiblical beliefs such as…
95% do not consider success in life to be described as consistent obedience to God.
92% do not believe that the wealth they have has been given to them by God to manage for His purposes.
91% do not believe that people are born into sin and need to be saved by Jesus Christ.
88% say they get their primary moral guidance from various sources other than the Bible.
87% do not believe that the ultimate purpose of human life is to know, love, and serve God with all of their heart, mind, strength and soul.
76% contend that good people earn a place in heaven through their good behavior.
75% do not believe that God is the basis of all truth.
74% believe in Karma.
73% say that having some type of religious faith is more important than which faith is embraced.
71% do not believe that the Bible is the true and reliable communication from God. American Worldview Inventory 2021 Release #02
The result?
The Christian Church in America is overflowing with individuals who are…
Building personal kingdoms, not Papa’s.
Seeking personal happiness, not Papa’s righteousness.
Studying the bible, not for enlightenment and transformation but for divine confirmation of self-centered agendas.
Dismissing biblical teachings that contradict personal paradigms or are categorized as teachings of the past— no longer relevant in today’s culture or are only for spiritual giants— those in ministry.
What can be done to demolish these unrighteous paradigms?
A non-negotiable biblical worldview must be taught along with the expectation that as a Christian you are to process all information, experiences, relationships and opportunities through the filter of Papa’s moral absolutes.
These basic moral absolutes include…
Papa is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe, and He stills rules it today.
The universe was not created spontaneously but at the command of Almighty God. Its very existence testifies to the awesomeness of its Creator.
It was Papa’s words, “Let there be light” that created order from confusion— life from nothingness— light from darkness. Like in the beginning, it is His righteousness— truth that has the power today to create in His children new hearts. Hearts that heed His commandment. Repent— change your way of thinking and turn away from all your transgressions so that sin may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed against Me and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why should you die? Ezekiel 18:30-31
Scripture is accurate in all its teachings.
Paul perhaps knew better than anyone the innate power that resides in Scripture when Jesus is its cornerstone. The advice he gave to Timothy is advice all should heed.
Continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, holding tightly to the truths. Knowing from whom you learned them. How from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness.
All Scripture is God-breathed. Given by divine inspiration and is profitable for instruction— for conviction of sin— for correction of error and restoration to obedience— for training in righteousness. Learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately. Behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
The devil is real, and his name is satan.
Don’t let anyone deceive you about this. When people do what is right. It shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning. It shows that they belong to the devil who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.
Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God, and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. 1 John 3:7-10
So submit yourselves to the one true God and fight against the devil and his schemes. If you do, he will run away in failure.
Come close to the one true God, and He will draw close to you. Wash your hands. You have dirtied them in sin. Cleanse your heart because your mind is split down the middle— your love for God on one side and selfish pursuits on the other.
Since the beginning, our loving Creator has been pursuing us, drawing us closer to Him. He invites us to move closer to Him so we can be fully His.
Now is the time to lament, to grieve and to cry. Dissolve your laughter into sobbing and exchange your joy for depression. Lay yourself bare, facedown to the ground in humility before the Lord. He will lift your head so you can stand tall. James 4:7-10
Salvation is a gift from Papa that can’t be earned.
Jesus is the Son of God and is the only path to Papa. It’s Jesus where Papa and mere mortal become one. Jesus, the Son of God and the son of man, is Papa’s one and only redemption plan.
We have cause to celebrate because the grace of God has appeared, offering the gift of salvation to all people. Grace arrives with its own instruction. Run away from anything that leads us away from God. Abandon the lusts and passions of this world. Live life now in this age with awareness and self-control, doing the right thing and keeping yourselves holy.
Watch for His return. Expect the blessed hope we all will share when our great God and Savior, Jesus the Anointed, appears again. He gave His body for our sakes and will not only break us free from the chains of wickedness, but He will also prepare a community uncorrupted by the world that He would call His own. People who are passionate about doing the right thing.Titus 2:11-14
For far too long Christians’ expectations regarding their ability to resist sin and live a holy life has been too low. This has been reinforced by many teachers of the Gospel. Instead of challenging believers to live a sinless life, many have taught that all will continue to sin this side of heaven.
Jesus had to battle the desires of His flesh so He could obey Papa’s precepts and commandments. Papa didn’t shelter Jesus from sin. Instead He provided His grace— His power to resist sin.
If Jesus could be holy and undefiled, so can Christians. Because the Spirit of the living God who lived in Jesus lives in repentant believers.
Christians have a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with others.
So many today are hopeless and discouraged. Their public persona is one of happiness and contentment, but in reality their souls are dying a slow, agonizing death. I was once counted among the terminal. If it had not been for individuals telling me how Jesus had changed their lives, I would still be in the darkness, alone and afraid.
For many, witnessing— evangelizing is intimidating. Something only spiritual giants can do successfully— another lie of the devil. It’s not eloquent words, a seminary degree or a title that makes your witness powerful. It’s your heart. A heart that is sold out, totally surrendered to Jesus. A heart compassionately extending Papa’s love in word or deed to the lost, the hurting, those imprisoned by sin.
Christians today would be wise to imitate Paul, the master evangelist.
Pray, and keep praying. Be alert and thankful when you pray. While you are at it, add us to your prayers. Pray that God would open doors and windows and minds and eyes and hearts for the word. So we can go on telling the mystery of the Anointed. For this is exactly why I am currently imprisoned. Pray that I will proclaim this message clearly and fearlessly as I should.
Be wise when you engage with those outside the faith community. Make the most of every moment and every encounter. When you speak the word, speak it gracefully as if seasoned with salt. So you will know how to respond to everyone rightly. Colossians 4:2-6
Beloved, if your love for Jesus has waned or never been, don’t despair. Much can be learned from the seven churches in the book of Revelation— both the good and the bad. In the process discovering the exquisite love that is Jesus.
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