Right from the beginning, the human family has been divided in its response to God. Adam and Eve had two children, and the world’s first brothers set the rudders of their boats in totally different directions.
A “worldview” is a set of core beliefs that determine how we think on any given issue.
Two worldviews, one centered on God and the other centered on ourselves, have been with us since the earliest times…
What you believe about yourself
“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” Genesis 2:7
If you believe that God created you, that He has absolute rights over you and that every good gift in your life comes from His hand, your deepest joy will be to know Him and your highest calling will be to obey Him.
If, on the other hand, you believe that all religion, including the Bible, is a product of human thought, experience and imagination, then you will conclude that every good gift in your life has come by chance, and your deepest joy will be to discover yourself, and your highest calling will be to be true to yourself.
What you believe about the world
“Cursed is the ground because of you.” Genesis 3:17
If you believe that the world is under the curse of God, and that God has determined to destroy all evil, then you will know that the single greatest issue of this life is to be ready for that day when God will judge the world.
If, on the other hand, you have chosen to believe that God is a product of human imagination and experience, then you will feel that all talk of judgment is outdated. You will feel that the whole point of life is to find personal fulfillment, and if you find it by loving Jesus that is fine, but if you find it through drugs or sex that is fine too.
Grasp the rudder!
“They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator.” Romans 1:25
The reason people choose different lifestyles, is they operate on different worldviews.
But two entirely different worldviews cannot both be right…
…One has God at the center. God is the Creator who gives us life and His commandments. God will destroy evil, and you are accountable to Him. Your greatest need is to find peace with God.
…The other places man at the center. You are an accident of history. So, you must write your own rules and you must find your own way. You are accountable to nobody but yourself, and your greatest need is to be at peace with yourself.
The fundamental convictions you hold will determine the direction you take in your life. These convictions are like a rudder on a boat. Set them one way and the boat will tend in one direction. Set them the other way, and the boat will go in another direction. The convictions you form in your heart today will determine where you will be tomorrow.
Men and women who don’t know what they believe about God and the world around them are like people sitting in a boat with no hand on the rudder! Their boat will go wherever the prevailing winds and currents are going. If your boat is headed for the rocks, the first thing to do is to stretch out your hand and grasp the rudder
This week's Scripture: The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. Genesis 4:4
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This LifeKey is based on the message “Salvation,” by Pastor Colin S. Smith, delivered on January 16, 2000, from the series “Unlocking the Bible.” Colin currently serves as Senior Pastor of the The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He is committed to preaching the Bible in a way that nourishes the soul by directing attention to Jesus Christ.
