CHC Business Breakthrough Word

Breakthrough Word 2004 Issue 18

World-Shaking Worldview (Part 3)

By John Gagliardi

Christians are told to keep their religion in the church and out of the marketplace and the public square—that there should be clear and total separation between the sacred and the secular. Because many have believed this, and let the enemy lead us, we see Christian symbols, values and practices being steadily marginalized and removed from government, business, education, entertainment and society generally.

The Reality of Christianity

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "There are not two realities (sacred and secular) but only one, and that is the reality of God." According to Noebel, "Christianity works better in the real world, because it is based on reality. Jesus Christ is the key to reality, not Karl Marx, John Dewey or Shirley Maclaine ... Only the Christian worldview accounts for the unique character of man.

"No compromise can exist between the worldviews on a fundamental level. Christianity and other ideologies are mutually exclusive at ground level. Either the Christian correctly describes reality when he speaks of a loving, just, personal God, and His incarnation and resurrection, or he is talking nonsense.

"We cannot blend the basic claims of the Bible with the non-Christian claims that man is inherently good and requires no other savior other than himself. Only one worldview properly—and adequately—describes the cold, hard facts of a universe that Christians believe was created by God.

"In every discipline, the Christian worldview shines brighter than the competition. It is more realistic, better explains man and the universe, is true to the Bible, is more scientific, is more intellectually satisfying and defensible and best of all, is in keeping with and faithful to the one Person Who has had the greatest influence in heaven and earth—Jesus Christ!"

Just because, as James Dobson says, "the humanistic system of values has now become the predominant way of thinking in most of the power centers of society," we as kingdom business professionals have no excuse to step back and go into retreat and denial.

Practical Christianity

The truth is, we have great opportunities to impact our society and our culture as we go out and "do business" until He comes. A "great and effective door" is open to us, but as Paul says, there are "many adversaries" (1 Cor. 16:9). But like the 200 leaders of Issachar, we must understand the times, know our worldview and the God Who inhabits and permeates it, and then go out and change the world around us.

Our worldview is based on the claim of Jesus to be "the way the truth and the life," no more and no less. We are to be "salt" and "light," purifying and illuminating, to be the leaders in society, not the followers, the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath (Deut. 28:13).

So in practical terms, what can we do? Here are some thought starters:

Understand the times (1 Chro. 12:32) and take the offensive in leadership and in the power centers of our culture, in government, business, media, entertainment, education and law.
Repent, humble ourselves, seek God and pray (2 Chro. 7:14; Col. 1:9-14).
Look at ourselves and our testimony. The Bible says judgment starts at the house of God (2 Pet. 4:17) and we need to look at our own marriages, business practices, lifestyles and the things we say, watch and listen to because the world is watching us to see whether we "walk the talk".
Study the Word. The Bible is at the very heart of our worldview, so get to know it. Read it daily, consistently and intelligently (2 Tim. 2:15).
Rebuild the foundations. Get back to basics, the "fundamentals" of what we believe and on which we base our lives (Ps. 11:3).
Spread the Word in every way possible. Understand modern media and its techniques, and look for doors to open to speak, whether it be to one person or a thousand; truth is our greatest weapon in the marketplace of ideas (Eph. 6:17).
Model love. Jesus gives us a Great Commission—to evangelize the world, but also gives a "Great Commandment"—to love one another (John 13:34, 35). God's justice and moral absolutes command us to oppose abortion, homosexual behavior etc, but God's love commands us to do something about it. If we stop abortion, then we must offer an alternative for the babies not aborted. If we turn a homosexual away from a deviant lifestyle, then we had better be sure he or she finds love and acceptance in our churches, counseling, and whatever else is needed. Actions always have consequences, and when we act in God's name to oppose the sin of the world, then we had better be sure we are ready to accept the practical consequences.
Show compassion. Jesus, who is the center of our worldview, consistently showed compassion to the orphans, the widows, the foreigners, the poor, the dispossessed and the oppressed in His ministry (2 Cor. 1:3; Ps. 146:5, 6).
Offer a consistent, compelling and authentic personal testimony of integrity; there is nothing more powerful and overcoming than a personal testimony (Rev. 12:11). As the old saying goes, a man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument. We are the only "Bible" many people will ever read, so our integrity and consistency in words and actions are crucial. We should be people of our word, and people of THE Word.

"Follow Me"

David Noebel concludes: "It will take a rebirth of morality, a revival of spiritual interests, a renewal of intellectual honesty, and a recovery of courage. It will take a shoring up of the family, and a reawakening in our churches. It will take blood, sweat and tears to reestablish the influence of Christianity in our culture, but it can be done.

"Perhaps most importantly, Christians must shore up our worldview and teach it to young people. We must immerse ourselves and our children in Christian theology, Christian philosophy, Christian ethics, Christian politics, Christian economics, Christian psychology, Christian sociology, Christian biology, Christian law and Christian history.

"The first and last words Christ spoke to Peter were, 'Follow Me.' He speaks them to us still.

"To follow Christ entails, at the minimum, taking every idea captive for Christ (2 Cor. 10:5) and not allowing humanistic worldviews to take us captive (Col. 2:8)."

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