What is a biblical worldview?

"A biblical worldview is more than simply seeing things through the 'lens' of Scripture. For as perfect as that lens is, because of our sin nature the 'seeing' is inherently flawed. A biblical worldview takes this into consideration, through which Scripture becomes both the lens and the transformative power necessary to see clearly – that we would comprehend how GOD sees Himself, the world, and His people." (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 119:18; John 16:13; Ephesians 1:17-18, et al.)

Let’s look at this more closely.

The lens of Scripture through which biblical Christians see the world is also a mirror:

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." (James 1:22-25)

Possessing and living out a biblical worldview involves an abiding connection to God’s Word – both Living (Jesus Christ) and written (the Bible). To the extent we limit connection to or stray from the Word, our "seeing" becomes distorted, even deceived, and unable to process the world around us as God would have us. A biblical worldview requires that we know what God has declared – for how can we know His will if we don’t know His Word?

Too often we replace God’s Word with presumptions or habits that may or may not be rooted in that Word. Some build their entire theology on the recall of a handful of Bible verses without respect to context or application, leaving gaping holes of ignorance into which the world, and Satan, can take residence. Like the Bereans (Acts 17:11), we must compare every influence in our life, even this blog post, to God’s Word.

Finally, a biblical worldview is not merely one’s opinion about Jesus or the Bible – it is a foundational, informed, intentional expression of God’s Kingdom. It is the rule and authority of God having precedence over self-interests. It is the acknowledgment that the Bible is indeed “… breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)