Developing a Biblical Worldview 1 The agenda of nearly every TV program is to dismantle biblical worldview and replace it with relativism. In conjunction with this problem, more and more people are settling on a worldview gained from the media, while fewer are imbibing a worldview through reading. False worldviews cannot make sense of God, of the world, or of human experience. Thus, when you share the gospel with unsaved students, be aware of their dilemma. You can show them that if they want meaning and purpose, it can only come from an all-wise intelligent divine Designer and not from an accidental universe in which people are but a cosmic coincidence. Christian worldview answers the question, “What does it mean to be a person in God’s world?” This is foundation from which we operate. We are affirming that biblical worldview teaches that ultimate reality is not the physical universe (matter and motion), ultimate reality is God Himself and His blueprint for His creatures (Acts 17:22-31). NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ OBJECTIVES: NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ This lesson not only unfolds the reasons why Christian worldview is strategic in evangelism, but also how to use Christian worldview in evangelism. The student will learn: I. The value of using Christian worldview in evangelism, II. How to develop a worldview mindset for evangelism, III. How to identify the philosophies that have taken unbelievers captive, and IV. How to use worldview question in order to form a starting point for evangelistic dialogue. I. The value of a Christian worldview in evangelism 2. In worldview evangelism, you can have confidence that the unbeliever’s worldview does not match or explain reality. A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen 1. When using worldview evangelism, faulty and shallow worldviews are exposed. 3. In worldview evangelism, we invite the unbeliever onto the “turf’ of biblical worldview. “What does it mean to be a person in God’s world?” This young woman looks puzzled because her faulty worldview is unable to answer this question. [Page 1]
2 Developing a Biblical Worldview But our ability to deconstruct the unbeliever’s objections is not based upon our own confidence—we rely upon the power of the gospel in the hands of the Holy Spirit. We sanctify the Lord Jesus in our hearts as Lord of all, and then we make a defense of the faith (1 Pet 3:15). That’s our normal way of preceding (2 Cor 10:3-5). The goal of this lesson is to instill the confidence that Biblical worldview totally matches reality in every single area of life. You have to build a foundation, a framework for the gospel. The gospel makes no sense in a chance universe in which there is no sovereign Lawgiver and Judge. When dealing with the biblically illiterate we can do no better than to emulate the Apostle Paul. In Acts 17 he began his sermon with the nature of reality—that reality is the Creator’s relationship to the creation. He made it, He owns it, He rules it, He upholds it, He defines it, He is the focal point of reality. This is how we begin. The whole job of doing Christian apologetics is most effective when it uncovers the unbeliever’s worldview. Remember unbelievers are receiving their worldview from the media. A few common assumptions are: • There cannot be one true religion to the exclusion of all others. • The condition of a free society is that each person determines right and wrong for him or herself. NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 1. Describe the connection between sanctifying Christ as Lord and finding courage to defend the faith. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Read 1 Peter 3:15 (along with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible.) A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen 4. In worldview evangelism, we are simply tearing down the strongholds behind which unbelievers hide. II. A worldview mindset for more effective evangelism. 2. With a worldview mindset, we can learn to raise and answer ultimate questions in order to expose assumptions. 1. A worldview mindset can help us build a framework for the gospel by using the doctrine of creation. NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ This scientist is attempting to study love, truth, and morality in a beaker. Of course, it is impossible to research love by means of science. These three ‘transcendentals’ are not made of molecules, yet they are as real as the sun, moon, and stars. [Page 2]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 3 The unbeliever may pose as a neutral truth seeker, but according to Scripture, he wants a worldview that will not cramp his imagined autonomy. The truth is, he hasn’t chosen his worldview by careful reflection and cognitive examination—he has landed on a worldview which will let him run about as a fugitive under God’s moral government. I know that about him—but he doesn’t know that I do. So, when I am involved in campus evangelism, I already know where the worldviews of unbelieving students originate – from heart commitments. A worldview mindset will help us understand why unbelievers pose as unbiased truth-seekers but are actually controlled by a heart commitment of enmity against God (Col 1:21). My job as a faithful Christian apologist is to gently bring to the surface the ethical hostility of their false worldview—so that I may bring their dilemma before God to light. The Word of God tells me that they have chosen Satan’s definition of freedom. NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. This summary of our apologetics ministry focuses upon tearing down false worldviews. 2. In this text how does Paul describe a false worldview? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Colossians 1:21-22 “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach” A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen 4. A worldview mindset will help us understand why unbelievers pose as unbiased truth-seekers. 3. A worldview mindset can serve as a diagnostic tool to uncover the assumptions of the unbeliever. Unbelievers worldviews originate from heart commitments that are at enmity against God (not from careful reflection or examination of the truth). 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…” [Page 3]
4 Developing a Biblical Worldview Colossians 2:8 speaks of the world’s philosophies; it is a continental divide so to speak in that it divides all peoples into two groups: those freed by Christ and those yet held captive. Once a person is redeemed by Christ, his entire worldview changes. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not something you can add to your life; the gospel believed is a radical overturning of your former views. As a ‘new creation in Christ’ there is a new re-ordering of everything under His Lordship (2 Cor 5:17). Repentance is not merely a change of mind and a new life direction; repentance is also intellectual — involving a complete jettisoning or abandoning of false worldviews and an accompanying elevation of Christ to His proper prominence in all things. They are like prisoners who ‘check the locks before bed’. When sharing the Gospel, keep in mind that you are dealing with a person who does not want the Gospel to make sense (lest it penetrate the idol factory of his heart). Because the unbeliever does not desire God’s rule over his life, he wants to believe that God has not spoken clearly and infallibly in His Word, the Bible. Jesus described this response as ‘the love of darkness’ in John 3:19-21. Though the unbeliever pretends to be an unbiased truth- seeker, he has an axe to grind, he is prejudiced against the light. His need, therefore, is not merely proofs, data, and more information—he needs the convicting work of the Spirit and the truth of Christ in the gospel. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen III. The world’s philosophies have taken unbelievers captive. 2. Unbelievers barricade themselves inside erroneous worldviews in order to ‘lock out’ the Gospel. 1. Colossians 2:8 divides all peoples into two groups: those freed by Christ and those yet held captive. A man who is newly saved by Christ, in obedience to the reality expressed in 2 Corinthians 5:17, he is discarding his old, faulty worldviews, much like taking out the trash. John 3:19 “This is the judgement, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” [Page 4]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 5 One way the tempter tries to kill our boldness in evangelism is to suggest that if we press the antithesis between truth and error, people will be insulted. But that is to suggest that the sinner has no more reason to believe in Christ than in Buddha. Not true, God has written the knowledge of Himself in the creation and in the mind and conscience of man. “God made it evident to them…so that they are without excuse” (1:19-20). That means that what you are proclaiming to the unbeliever about the existence and character of God—they already know in a rudimentary or basic manner. Verbally they may protest that Christianity is but one of many options, but in the conscience, it is a different story. Try as he may, the unbeliever cannot quiet the witness of his conscience, nor extinguish the knowledge of God (Rom 2:14-16). What a cause for boldness, we come into every evangelistic situation knowing God has written on that person’s soul the knowledge of Himself and the knowledge of His law. This Biblical fact instills confidence— knowing that the truth of God’s Word proclaimed finds a perfect correspondence with what God has already written upon minds, hearts, and consciences. Thus, I am introducing God to someone who already knows of His existence. NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen 4. God has written on that person’s soul the knowledge of Himself and the knowledge of His law. 3. Though unbelievers are ‘captive’ to false philosophies, they are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20). What we really need today is a “worldview clash” so that the person is able to see the infinite difference between two worldviews – like a train wreck. The biblical worldview and unbeliever’s worldview cannot coexist. Therefore, we want to create a ‘quiet train wreck’ to show the person just how radically different his worldview is from what the Bible says it is. The ‘train wreck’ is a metaphor for the collision of Biblical worldview with faulty erroneous worldviews. A ‘wreck’ occurs when the unbeliever’s worldview is scrutinized by God’s truth; faulty worldviews cannot explain human existence or experience. [Page 5]
6 Developing a Biblical Worldview There are only two possible starting points for knowledge, either God or self. In this author’s experience, every unbeliever I talk with always starts with self. In using worldview evangelism, we show the unbeliever that to begin with self means that he will not be able to arrive at truth. We must start with God’s revelation. If one does not fear God, as Author of His book, it will be impossible to find the truth. We must begin with the fear of God (Prov 1:7). The New Testament version of this epistemological maxim (standard for determining what is true) is found in John 7:17, “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.” How can a person know for certain that Jesus is divine and is from God? He must be willing to do God’s will (i.e. fear and obey God). That is the criterion given by our Lord in order to know the truth. As a consequence, the unbeliever’s faulty frame of reference (self) leaves him unsure about the existence of absolute truth. But, through the care and compassion of worldview evangelism, we can show him that his faulty frame of reference (his own opinions) is what is keeps him from the truth. The Biblical events of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration (the future) form a diagnostic test to examine every worldview. These questions are a form of pre-evangelism. They can help us get past the unbeliever’s fortified walls of defense: fortifications such as, • “There can’t be just one way to God.” • “Religion causes wars.” • “No one knows for sure.” Consider beginning by asking, “May I ask you a few worldview questions that will reveal your own worldview?” (This is not threatening, you are listening to them.) IV. Use worldview question as a starting point for dialogue. 2. There are four worldview questions which can be used to bring the unbelievers underlying assumptions to the surface. 1. The unbeliever pretends to be an objective truth seeker, but his actual aim is to continue living with his back to his Creator. A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen Read Hebrews 11:1-6 (along with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible). 3. Explain what the text means in v. 6, “…[you] must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 5. The unbeliever’s ‘captivity’ finds it source in his starting point (Col 2:8). NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ [Page 6]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 7 Here are the four ultimate questions to test a person’s worldview: 1.) Where did we come from? (Who made you and me?) Sometimes it is useful to state, “be careful about suggesting that mankind is merely an evolved primate, ‘an ape with trousers’, or merely a biological machine, because your answer to question one will affect how you answer the second question.” The Biblical answer: The Almighty Creator made the universe out of nothing. He upholds it; He has a perfect plan and purpose for it which He is executing with faithfulness, goodness, and wisdom. We can ask the unbeliever, “Is the real world the kind of world described by your story—that we are merely a coincidence of nature in an impersonal, chance universe?” 2.) Who are we? (What is the value and purpose of a human being? Why is life sacred?) In attempting to define what a human is, public university students tend to give a functional, utilitarian answer to the value of human life. In other words, they base the source of human value on what a person could do, the contributions he or she makes to society. The Biblical answer: We are created in God’s image in order to know God. He made us in His likeness so that we might have fellowship with Him. Our worth, dignity, and purpose are bound up in the fact that we are created in His image. God has an absolute claim upon us and a perfect ‘blueprint’ for us. Scripture declares that our built-in worth and dignity as God’s image is the basis for rights and moral obligation towards God and towards one another (James 2:8). 3.) What has gone wrong with the world? How did the world get broken, what went wrong? One’s answer quickly reveals whether one sees the world as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. Christianity is the story of how the world began, and why it is the way it is. In a ‘world gone wrong’, there is a hunger to return to civility, but Christianity was the source of civility. If you imagine that a perfect society can be gained by utopian engineering, then you have a faulty anthropology (doctrine of man) —you don’t understand man’s fallen condition.i The Biblical answer: In the paradise of Eden, when our first parents broke faith with God, sin entered as a destructive principle; it caused idolatry, death, suffering, ignorance, fear, and separation from God. Thus, sin is ‘abnormal’—it is not part of the original creation. Sin is behind war, injustice, oppression, and greed. A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ I met a doctoral candidate with degrees in Russian and Political Science. Her answer to the question “What has gone wrong?” was: “Nothing at all, everything is proceeding on schedule.” All her studies had only further distanced her from reality. When I asked, “If the progress of humankind is right on schedule, why do you think that the 20th century was the bloodiest in history?” Then I asked, “Would you regard yourself as capable of moral outrage at the victimization of children?” Quite puzzled, it was clear that her worldview did not match reality. Skeptics hold their hands up against the message of Scripture. [Page 7]
8 Developing a Biblical Worldview 4.) What can we do to fix the world? Why can’t the atheist answer the previous question, “what is wrong with the world?” The reason why is that, ‘broken’ implies a non-broken standard, but the atheist has no basis for a standard of ‘not wrong’. We all have a deep concern that the world is not right—not the way it is supposed to be. But this argues strongly for a proper goal (telos)—that there has been a vast deviation from the goal —which is why the world is not right. What is the solution? The world’s great problems cannot be addressed by human ingenuity, for that does not deal with goal for which the world was created.ii The Biblical answer: God has a perfect plan to restore man to his created purpose of knowing God, loving Him, worshipping, obeying Him, and serving Him. The only begotten Son of God came to earth 2000 years ago to explain God to man; and to lay down His life in crucifixion as a perfect sacrifice and substitute. Only by Christ’s death is sin put away and forgiven. And only by Christ’s death are men and women forgiven and restored to their created purpose to enjoy fellowship with God. If your only solution to the human condition is social engineering—you have an enormous problem because an environmental solution won’t reach the heart. Only a new heart given by the Redeemer can avail—then you will have a good tree with good fruit. After letting the unbeliever go out on a limb, then I ask if anyone has ever shared the Biblical worldview with him. “May I share the Biblical answer to these four questions?” Now that they have given their speculative false views, it presents the perfect opportunity to show how their answers stand in stark contrast to God’s truth. When they see what a vast, ‘Grand Canyon’ of distance there is separating their view from the Word of God—it can be convicting and humbling for them. Keep in mind that behind every false worldview are the assumptions and heart commitments of a person who is attempting to live independently of God. But we know from Scripture just how dependent this person actually is upon God for all light, life, love, meaning, and blessedness (their every breath and heartbeat, even the hairs on their head are numbered by their Creator). We know how dependent upon God they are—they don’t. Our strategy is to bring them in touch with this truth of their dependency on God and their created purpose. NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 3. After listening to the unbeliever’s answers, ask if you may share the Biblical response to the four worldview questions. A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen When I ask high school and college students, “What can be done to fix the world?” Each unbeliever I have met to date has given an answer akin to social engineering—or re- education stating: “We need a government mandated program that teaches people not to be selfish, etc.” After hearing that common answer, I never fail to mention the disastrous ‘re-education’ programs of Stalin, Pol Pot, and Chairman Mao. Then, I take them to Matthew 15:19-20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” [Page 8]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 9 Share with them: • who God is, and • who they are in God’s sight, and then • what their predicament is due to personal sin. We begin with the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God. For example: • “You were created in God’s image in order to know God, love, obey, serve, and enjoy Him.” • “God has clearly revealed Himself to us in His Word, in creation, and in the conscience—but because of our wayward hearts, we do not want anything to do with Him.” • “The truth is, that you desperately need Him, but your sins have separated you from your Creator.” Remember, the unbeliever is surrounded by the ‘sermons’ God has placed in creation. He is swimming in a sea of divine revelation (Ps 19). Does the person need more light? We know from John 3:19-21 that he is running from the light out of a love of darkness. What he needs is to face his rebellion—that he is against the light he possesses. In our politically correct climate, it can be daunting to engage in conversation which contrasts right and wrong and which contrasts truth with lies. We fear (or have been told) that debate will scuttle (or destroy) meaningful dialog and will kill open-ness. But according to the examples of evangelism given in Scripture—this is just patently false. When handled with gentleness—people actually are grateful for the antithesis you bring to light. The Lord is saving people through a collision between worldviews. This is how Jesus preached—this is how the Apostle Paul preached. We open the Word and what do we see? We see Jesus contrasting truth with error in John chapters: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. Our Lord was adept at establishing the contrast between truth and error in order that His hearers might know that they are NOT of the truth, but may become of the truth through faith in the truth and through repentance. In worldview evangelism, we go forth convinced that the Word of God is utterly sufficient to reach below the surface of the unbeliever’s defenses and bring him to Christ should he be called by God (Acts 13:48). May the Lord give us more boldness in our compassion for the lost. Let our faith be shown in our willingness to share the gospel with the lost, so that our gospel sharing becomes a habit, a lifestyle. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Read Ephesians 4:17-19 (along with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible) 4. What phrase(s) in this passage suggest that the unbeliever’s spiritual ignorance is willful? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen 4. As in question one, our first point of contact with the unbeliever is his or her created identity. 6. God has set up an antithesis or contrast between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world (1 Cor 1:18-22). 5. Begin with the confidence that the unbeliever already knows that the God of Scripture is the only true God (Rom 1:18-23). [Page 9]
10 Developing a Biblical Worldview R14.1 We agree with the unbeliever: yes, the world is a mess, but we state that to assert it is a mess is to suggest that there must be a standard for order and harmony. Where does that standard for order and harmony come from? (4.2.4) ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ R14.2 Explain what it means that true repentance is also intellectual. (3.1) ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: R14.3 In worldview evangelism, we share that any possible proposed solution to this problem-filled world will not come by getting rid of God. Mankind has proven that he cannot fix it. How can this broken world possibly be fixed? (4.2.3 and 4.2.4) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R14.4 Christ preached a message that was absolute and exclusive—that He alone is the truth incarnate. As such, He is the divider of all men (Mt 10:34-39). To reject Him who is the truth is to remain excluded from the life of God. We defend an exclusive gospel by proclaiming how Christ, the God-man alone fixes evil. Describe the connection between Christ’s death and the reality of forgiveness. (4.2.4) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R14.5 Why can’t an atheist answer the question, “What’s gone wrong with the world?” (4.2.4) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ A Christian Worldview in Evangelism Lesson Fourteen Matthew 10:37a, 38 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me… And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” [Page 10]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 11 • Our gospel message must have at its core the glory and majesty and exaltation of God. He is the offended power. Without the knowledge of the God, whom he has offended, the sinner will not see himself in opposition to God.iii • The gospel is about God’s moral majesty and righteous justice. God cannot be made to fit the sinner’s instincts and carnal ideas of deity. All conviction of sin and remorse for sin begins with the character of God as He is revealed in Scripture. • Begin with God as Creator—who God is in relation to all else (His absolute claims upon His creatures). Do not assume the culture has an accurate view of God. False evangelism tries to attract by focusing on divine love while excluding God’s holiness, sovereignty, and righteous justice (Rev 15:4). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ OBJECTIVES: Read 1 Samuel 2:2-3. 1. What does it mean in verse 3: “And with Him, actions are weighted?” _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ In this lesson, students will learn the following: I. Essentials of the biblical gospel, II. How to use God’s moral law in evangelism, and III. How preaching the moral law of God is essential to repentance. I. Essentials of the biblical gospel. All conviction of sin and remorse for sin begins with the character of God as He is revealed in Scripture. 1. Who has the sinner offended? Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen Revelation 15:4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed.” [Page 11]
12 Developing a Biblical Worldview • Man must experience a degree of devastation about personal sin. There must be an awakening in the individual as to the fact that all sin is against God and His holy character. There is no repentance until the sinner says the same thing about his sin that God does: - sin opposes who God is, - sin makes one an enemy of God and His glory, and - the sinner deserves divine judgment (Rom 3:23; 5:10) • Jesus took the rich young ruler back to the Law of God (Lu 18:18-23). The sinner must be shown how he has specifically offended God. You cannot make the cross personal without making the sinner’s depravity personal. The transgressor must be shown that who he is and what he has done in his person has offended God. The preaching of the law is the tool for identifying sin (Rom 3:20; 5:20). • In our culture, people hear the gospel through a therapeutic ‘self- help’ grid. They assume that the gospel is about them, about their self- therapy, about the possibility of gaining a better life through personal improvement, not about God who is glorified in judging sin at the cross (Jn 17:1-2). • God’s law stops every mouth that all may become guilty before God (Rom 3:19). Apart from the Bible, man cannot be trusted to assess the seriousness of sin and its verdict of death and separation from God. Only by proclaiming the character of God and the immutability of His law will sinners conclude that they are lawbreakers in God’s sight who deserve eternal condemnation (1 Jn 3:4). • The law is the identifier of sin—without the law, how does a person know what to repent of? Apart from the law of God, the gospel is emptied of the essentials of sin, hell, conviction, and repentance. • God has born witness to man’s moral and spiritual condition. God is just and fair to shut impenitent sinners out of the enjoyment of His glory forever (Mt 10:28). Sinners, who reject God’s authority, who do not fear God or believe God, are liable to death and judgment (Mt 12:36). They will experience God’s just verdict, the separation of their souls from God forever in eternal punishment (Rom 6:23). Read Philippians 2:1-11 along with notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 2. Why did the Father exalt Christ? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen 2. How has the sinner offended God? 3. What are the consequences of offending God? Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen The Scriptures identify sin as real legal guilt before God like a ball and chain. [Page 12]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 13 • Sinners must be told that they need to be saved not only from the consequences of sin (death and separation from God in hell), but also from the power and rule of sin itself. This is absolutely vital. Deliverance from the reign of sin is a truth inherent in true repentance (Lu 13:5; 24:47). • The fact that God will lay bare every heart is stated in a gospel context (Rom 2:16). Jesus felt a love for the rich young ruler, then told him that he must be saved from his covetousness (Lu 18:22ff.). • Sinners must be told that they must be saved from the wrath of God. For the wrath of God will justly come upon all who do not believe the gospel and repent of sin (Rom 2:1-10). • Without a knowledge of God, who the sinner has offended, and without a knowledge of God’s law, which the sinner has trampled— there will be no grasp of what God has done to save. Grace only makes sense to those who see themselves as condemned lawbreakers. • The good news of the gospel is that the Son of God has taken on flesh and dwelled with mankind. Christ, the God-man, died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:1-4). By His substitutionary death, He fulfilled the long-awaited promise of a perfect redemption (Heb 10:10, 14). He established the new covenant in His blood (Mt 26:28; 1 Cor 11:25). • The atonement Christ has made exalts divine justice. Because of the cross, God is glorified in extending forgiveness full and free to believing sinners (Rom 3:23-26). For Jesus’ resurrection from the dead conquered sin, Satan, and death (Col 2:11-15). His rising from the dead is proof that the Father has accepted the Son’s sacrifice on behalf of all who believe. God is ready to receive even the worst sinner who believes and repents because Christ has provided the all- sufficient sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:14). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen 4. What are sinners to be saved from? 5. What has God done about the sinner’s dilemma? In Ray Comfort’s gospel ministry, Living Waters, numerous videos of his gospel outreach show just how apathetic unbelievers are about eternity until something unique happens. Ray takes them to the law of God, asking them if they have ever lied or stolen or cursed or lusted or hated etc. Then he describes God’s perfect holiness and justice. The change in these individuals is remarkable, suddenly they are far more interested in the purpose for which God sent His Son as Savior. The blood of Christ, is the basis of the new covenant (His shed blood is pictured here by His blood-spattered crown of thorns.) [Page 13]
14 Developing a Biblical Worldview Turn from your sins and follow Christ – take hold of eternal life! • The promise of eternal life is offered to all who believe and repent. “Turn from your sins and follow Christ—take hold of eternal life!” God is focusing His mighty power in the gospel—in saving sinners (Rom 1:16-17). The good news is that man may have certainty about forgiveness of personal sin and about eternal life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Jn 3:36; 5:24, 25; Jn 10:27-29). • God desires you to be saved. He even commands you to come to Him and be forgiven; be reconciled to Him on the basis of what He has done in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:19-21). You do not need to remain an enemy estranged from Him—He has promised to receive all those who come to Him by faith in His only begotten Son (Jn 1:12, 13; Acts 17:30-31). • Christ is calling sinners to repentance and faith. These twin graces of faith and repentance are present in the regenerate person; they enable the sinner to flee to Christ, taking hold of Him as Savior (Phil 1:29; Eph 2:8-10). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life.” Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen 6. How are sinners to be saved from ruin? Review the six gospel essentials (numbered 1-6) along with their descriptions 3. Using these gospel essentials, write out a thorough evangelistic conversation or possible scenario that you could have with your unsaved friend. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen [Page 14]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 15 1. Can a man understand the gospel with no grasp of the divine economy of the Law? Modern evangelism offers a false diagnosis of the sinner’s dilemma. Without a correct diagnosis of the sinner’s condition in God’s sight, men will resent and resist the gospel. Apart from the Holy Spirit’s use of the Law, men tend to hide from the exposure and judgment of their sin (Jn 3:19-21). By God’s Law sinners come to understand that God is the Moral Governor of the universe. • The Law now has both a precept role (commandments of God) and an evangelical role. Its gospel role is to make sin exceedingly sinful (Rom 5:20; 7:7). We are to therefore preach the law “killingly” to the end that the sinner loses all hope of contributing to his own salvation. There is the danger of “short-cutting” the gospel by offering free grace, before the conscience is afflicted by the Law.iv • The moral law is an unchanging expression of the holy majesty of God’s Person. Since God’s moral government is founded upon His Law, the ineffable principle of moral cause and effect reveals God’s righteous character. The moral Law is built into the very fabric of the universe and creation.v • Under the new covenant, the evangelical role of the Law in eliminating self- righteousness is summarized in Galatians chapters two and three. The moral law can be likened to a “bulldozer” that removes human merit from the earth. Thus, the Law prepares the sinner for the gospel (Rom 10:4). Galatians passages refuting self- righteousness are: (Gal 2:15-21; 3:10-14; 3:23-29; 4:8-10; 5:1-9). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. Learn to use God’s moral law in evangelism. Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen Joseph Lister, the father of antiseptic surgery lived in the late 1800’s. He was appalled that his fellow surgeons operated without sterilizing their surgical instruments. His peers would merely wipe their scalpels on their aprons, then operate on the next patient! Death from infection was over 50%. Lister was nearly driven mad as he witnessed these practices; his critics called him ‘an old maid’ for insisting upon sterilization of instruments. But once the high-powered microscope was invented, Lister was vindicated, for the microscope revealed a teeming microscopic world. The law of God is like a microscope, it reveals the deadly sin in our hearts which we tend to excuse and justify. Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen God’s law is pictured as a bulldozer, scraping away the possibility of human merit. [Page 15]
16 Developing a Biblical Worldview 2. What is the use of the Law in apologetics and evangelism? 3. A suggested procedure for using the Law in Christian apologetics. • There are four aspects related to God’s Moral Majesty which must be grasped before the gospel can be understood: a. the existence of God’s Law, b. man’s sin against God’s Law, c. the guilt of sin incurred by breaking God’s Law, d. the eternal wrath of God poured out in judgment against sin.vi • The Holy Spirit utilizes the preaching of the Law to produce a state of conviction of sin (Jn 16:8-11). Once in that state of conviction, the awakened sinner recognizes the guilt of his sin and the absolute authority of the moral government of God, and he comes to understand the hopelessness of reforming himself in order to work his way out of condemnation.vii • Establish the very concept of moral law. Our culture separates the Person of God from moral law. But when ethics (morals) are “orphaned” from the Person of God, they are easily debauched.viii Today we see vices that have been legislated as if they are virtues: homosexual partnerships become accepted as marriage, abortion is accepted as reproductive care, and transgenderism as personal expression (see Isaiah 5:20, calling good ‘evil’ and evil ‘good’). • Establish that God’s moral law is a direct reflection of God’s unchanging moral character. It is impossible to love God without submitting to and valuing His commands as the expression of His righteousness (Deut. 30:19, 20). Only the man or woman who “imitates God” in righteousness will enter the Kingdom of heaven (Eph 5:1-6). God’s standard never evolves because the Lawgiver never changes. His standard is eternally binding upon all civilizations.ix • Establish the existence of God’s moral government. Moral cause and effect are administrated by God (Deut 10, 11, 13, 27, 28). By obedience to God’s commands believers manifest that they are God’s possession and are willingly subject to His moral government. Paul preached the gospel against the backdrop of the coming judgment of God’s moral government (Acts 17:30, 31; 24:15, 16; Rom 2:16). NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen Read John 16:8-11 along with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 4. What does it mean in verse 10 that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of righteousness? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ [Page 16]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 17 4. Questions which can promote the recognition of God’s moral government. 5. The Apostle Paul states that the human condition is made known by God’s Law. • Upon what basis can we know right from wrong? By cultural norms and standards or by God’s laws? • Is right from wrong a matter of personal opinion? Or is it based upon the constant standard which flows from the holy character of the one, true, and righteous God? • Has God revealed His standard of right and wrong in the Ten Commandments found in the Holy Bible? Is God’s standard absolute, universal, and unchanging? • Is God authority expressed by the Ten Commandments? As moral Governor does He rule over His moral creatures by means of his righteous laws found in the Ten Commandments? • Does God’s righteous character require that He thoroughly punishes all evil? Will God someday judge every person by this righteous standard of His commandments? Does God have a record of each person’s transgressions of His laws? • Romans 1:18-32 is God’s indictment upon man as a creature in sin. Paul is describing God’s attitude toward His creatures that find themselves in sin and outside of Christ. Creation by God’s hand demands conformity to God’s law. The sins listed in Romans one are violations of the Ten Commandments.x • Man is responsible to God for his conduct and is held to a standard of conduct even if he has never read or heard of the Bible. God’s testimony in creation and conscience means that man has: - an innate knowledge of God’s attributes (Rom 1:20), - an innate knowledge of God’s Person (Rom 1:21), - an innate knowledge of God’s law (Rom 1:32; 2:14-15), and - an innate knowledge of God’s judgment (Rom 1:32).xi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Romans 1:32 “….although they knew the ordinance of God; that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen [Page 17]
18 Developing a Biblical Worldview 6. The conscience of man must be reached first. In our apologetic “reasoning” we must remember the conscience of man must be reached before the sinner is ready to abandon his cherished intellectual fallacies. • Arguments against Biblical theism come from the unbeliever’s fallen intellect. The ungodly mind is like a brick wall. It has been built to keep God out.xii It is at enmity against Him. It refuses to bow to the Law of God, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so” (Rom 8:7). • The unregenerate human mind spins off arguments and attacks against God. The carnal mind is the place of battles against God; it is a place of great opposition against the knowledge of God (Col 1:21). The wall of antagonism is hard and immovable, so make it a habit of going around it. Learn to speak directly to the conscience.xiii • The conscience is the part of human nature that is not an enemy of God. The conscience is God’s ally and speaks for the law of God. It bears witness (Rom 2:15). As God’s witness it points out the guilty party in the courtroom. Therefore, bring out our star witness of conscience and put it on the stand to give it a voice. We want to stop the mouth of the criminal and that’s what the lawful use of the Law is able to do (Rom 3:19; 1 Tim 1:7-11). It condemns the guilty and drives him to give up his defense, so that he will be forced to look solely to the Judge for mercy.xiv NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen The natural man (not born again) lives behind the wall of unbelief. Yet there is a ‘spy’ from God inside the wall – it is the law of God on the conscience. Romans 3:19 “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God…” [Page 18]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 19 1. Only the person prepared by God’s Spirit goes to war against his own sin. Preaching the Law of God and preaching repentance toward God is necessarily joined to the Holy Spirit’s preparation of the sinner. • The sinner prepared by the Holy Spirit takes God’s side against himself. In order to be brought to true repentance, a man must be taken beyond the fear of punishment to hatred of sin and love of Christ. Repentance begins with sobering thoughts of eternity then proceeds to conscience-crushing contemplation of personal sin laid bare in the sight of God.xv • The sinner will come willingly if the Spirit of God has prepared him by crushing his conscience over sin and by bringing him to the end of self. Unbelievers stop short of saving faith and repentance when they place their trust in their efforts of personal reformation and improvement. Therefore, it is the Spirit’s convicting role to bring the sinner to utter bankruptcy of soul and despairing of all self-help. • True turning from sin has a desperate-ness about it. The prepared sinner longs for forgiveness and deliverance from sin. The cost of discipleship lived out under the absolute lordship of Christ appeals only to the person who is desperate to be delivered from sin. The prepared person is willing to pay any cost and part with anything in order to have Christ and deliverance.xvi • The man or woman who is genuinely converted never outgrows amazement at divine forgiveness. The mind and affections are now a servant and instrument of God’s Word and grace. He continues to glorify God for His grace as considers what he deserves outside of Christ (Eph 2:1-16). This is why we preach the Law, for it is the beginning of understanding our legal guilt before God, and thus, it is the beginning of preparing the sinner to appeal to the throne of grace for mercy. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen III. Preaching the moral law of God is essential to repentance. The law of God examines and reveals the human heart – like a divine x-ray! Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” [Page 19]
20 Developing a Biblical Worldview 2. God’s law is the divinely appointed mean of “X-raying” the human heart. • The First Commandment: Have no other gods before Me. We haven’t loved God supremely—we haven’t treasured Him and valued Him and pressed on to know Him. We have chosen things in place of God and disregarded Him—despising His ownership of us. We have regarded His loving rule over us to be an intrusion. We have made other gods out of our own will, our own way, and our own cravings. • The Second Commandment: You shall not make for yourself an idol. We have set our affections on the world—we have worshipped and served the creature and creation instead of God. We have made idols of our lusts and desires. We have refused to love God by a life of continual thanksgiving to Him. • The Third Commandment: Do not take the Name of the Lord God in vain. We have not sanctified and set apart the Name of the Lord—we have used God’s Name casually and irreverently. We have dragged His Name into our conversations without reverence. We have lacked passion and sentiment for His honor and glory. We have been too cowardly to defend God’s character when others have dishonored His Name in our presence. • The Fourth Commandment: Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. Though not a New Testament ordinance; the principle of setting aside time to draw near to God is timeless. We have failed by not leaving our pursuits and pastimes to actively seek God. We have not made it a priority to come away from our schedules to know Him and to make Him known, and to give Him the best of our thoughts, conversations, and worship. We are by nature Sabbath- breakers. • The Fifth Commandment: Honor your father and mother. We have disobeyed by dishonoring our parents countless times. We have deemed them unworthy of our obedience and respect. We have talked back to them and undermined their authority. We have promised obedience and withheld it. We have been ungrateful and have disregarded their God- appointed authority in our lives. • The Sixth Commandment: You shall not murder. To hate your brother is murder because it is a spirit of murder (1 Jn 3:15). Have you despised and resented those who have mistreated you? Have you wished for their downfall, misfortune, failure, and destruction? Have you entertained violent thoughts against those who have offended you or lashed out in angry words? (Mt 5:22). Do you harbor unforgiveness? Have you sought your own vengeance by backbiting, gossip, and slander? • The Seventh Commandment: You shall not commit adultery. This encompasses all sexual sin. We have allowed lusts to rule us. We have looked upon others as sexual objects of desire in our minds. Jesus said that to do that can be adultery in the heart (Mt 5:28). We have entertained discontentment with our state and allowed imaginary lovers to enter the mind. We have loved our lusts above God’s honor. We have not cared to reflect God’s purity in our thinking, desiring, and looking. • The Eighth Commandment: You shall not steal. We have many times taken what is not ours. We have robbed employers of a full day’s work. We have cheated on tests and homework. We have robbed God by using our resources for our pleasures without a thought of giving to His Kingdom and the spread of the gospel. We have stolen the reputation of others by gossip and tale-bearing. We have borrowed from others and not returned; and we have cheated others out of fairness by our greed. Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ [Page 20]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 21 3. The biblical gospel produces true conviction of sin – the condition for the new birth. • The Ninth Commandment: Do not bear false witness against your neighbor. We have lied and covered our sin. We have altered the truth to protect ourselves. We have exaggerated, embellished, and distorted the truth to make ourselves look more favorable. We have misrepresented the character of others. We have not sought the truth in the inward man but have lied to ourselves about God’s faithfulness. • The Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet. We have desired what is not ours but another’s. We have believed it should be ours and not our neighbor’s. We have envied and been jealous of what others have. We have been secretly happy at the misfortune of those around us and have been saddened by the promotions and prosperity of those around us. We have complained and grumbled— indulging in self-pity and discontentment. We have compared ourselves to others instead of living in gratitude to God for His grace and love. • Without exposing the human condition in a convincing way that afflicts the conscience, people have little idea what they are to be saved from. Modern presentations of the gospel tend to emphasize the benefits of salvation rather than the character of God and the sinner’s condition.xvii • When Christ preached the gospel, He removed all middle ground. He eliminated all gray areas. He emphatically stated that there is no territory between truth and lies, between heaven and hell. Christ’s words made a very clear division between men. If a person is not following Christ with all his heart and seeking to build His Kingdom and involved in gathering souls, then according to Christ, that person is scattering and is “against Me” (Luke 11:23). • Christ and the Apostles preached the Law of God, original sin, the need of repentance, and the need for a new nature. When the gospel is preached biblically, the soil of the heart will be “plowed up” in order to receive the good seed (Matt 13:1-23). Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen NOTES _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 5. Perhaps you have only confessed to God your outward sins. Now that you have seen that the decalogue of the Ten Commandments addresses sins of the heart as well as outward sins, how ought that to affect your confession of sin? _____________________________________________________________________ In law enforcement, recruits in the police academy get to experience what it is like to be pepper-sprayed and to be tasered. That experience gives them a greater understanding of what a suspect undergoes when being restrained by either of these methods. As a parallel, genuine believers need to understand how the Ten Commandments, when properly explained tend to lacerate the conscience of an unbeliever. 6a. Based on the Ten Commandments, what would it be like to have all of one’s moral failures read publicly on judgement day? _____________________________________________________________________ 6b. Describe how the Ten Commandments as described reveal how God sees into our hearts (Heb 4:12-13)? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ [Page 21]
22 Developing a Biblical Worldview R15.1 What does God say about the consequences of sin? (1.3) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R15.2 What is the sinner to be saved from? (1.4) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: R15.3 What is the value of preaching the law of God ‘killingly’? (2.1) ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ R15.4 What does it mean that the Spirit produces ‘conscience crushing’ conviction over personal sin? (3.1) ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Gospel Essentials Lesson Fifteen Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” [Page 22]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 23 The church has been napping amidst this drift away from Biblical cosmology (Biblical worldview). In the recent past, believers have not had to make a full cosmological (worldview) response to the unbeliever’s objections, but now it is essential—for the worldview base for the gospel has disappeared in our culture. As a consequence, nothing can be taken for granted anymore— the Creator-creature distinction cannot be assumed in our dialog with the un-churched.xviii Unlike evangelism in the recent past, our struggle now involves a ‘worldview clash.’ The unbeliever’s faulty worldview must ‘collide’ with the timeless truth that God is Creator, Upholder, Lawgiver, and Judge (Acts 17:18-31). It is only the Word of God that is capable of deconstructing the unbeliever’s faulty worldview. This ‘clash’ between worldviews is necessary in today’s world because knowledge has been privatized into personal opinions without absolute truth. Without authoritative absolute truth claims anchored in God’s self-revelation, there can be no objective understanding of sin or evil—one is left with a ‘domesticated god’ who does not judge, govern, or redeem.xix Paul begins his epistle to the Romans with an analysis of pagan thinking (nature worship). This is intensely relevant in our own world which has lost its Biblical worldview. We must understand the world into which we are called to speak the gospel.xx NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century OBJECTIVES: In this lesson, students will learn how to use the book of Romans in presenting the gospel. Students will study: I. The need for a 21st Century ‘Romans Road’, II. The conversational guidelines for the ‘Romans Road’ presentation, III. How to use the ‘Romans Road’ gospel presentation itself, and IV. How the ‘Romans Road’ confronts and answers the sinner’s dilemma. I. The need for a 21st Century ‘Romans Road’ gospel approach. Acts 17:24-25 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things…” [Page 23]
24 Developing a Biblical Worldview Regarding man’s suppression of the knowledge of God—people actually welcome the blinding that Satan performs; they want no authoritative revelation of God (Jn 3:19-21; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 4:17-21). Therefore, it is jarring and deeply disturbing for the sinner to discover that he is a ‘studious’ truth-suppressor (Rom 1:18-23). The one true God whom you know of, is Ruler of the universe. Sinners want a God of love, care, grace, and forgiveness, but they do not accept a God of justice. The conscience must be instructed concerning the character of God and educated with the standards of God’s Word. The moral Law of God is that instructional tool (Rom 2:1-16; 3:10-20).xxi We saw in Lesson Fifteen that the Holy Spirit utilizes the preaching of the Law to produce a state of conviction of sin (Jn 16:8-11). We also saw that there are four aspects related to God’s Moral Majesty (His justice) which must be grasped before the gospel can be understood: a.) the existence of God’s Law, b.) man’s sin against God’s Law, c.) the guilt of sin incurred by breaking God’s Law, d.) the eternal wrath of God poured out in judgment against sin.xxii The conscience is a faculty of judgment given by God by which we examine our own behavior, motives, and decisions. The Bible says that the heart of man is the source of evil thoughts and deeds (Mt 7:21-23; 15:19- 20; Gen 6:5). The conscience is God’s inner witness of our true thoughts and motives. God’s witness in the conscience alone is enough to condemn men, but not enough to save them apart from the gospel (Rom 2:1-16). There is no salvation unless a person is convinced of the depth and seriousness of personal sin. There is no mercy unless a person trembles at God’s threats. The Spirit’s conviction reveals to a person the state of his or her heart before God. Christ came for the ‘sin sick’ (Mk 2:17). Christ came for the spiritually blind (Jn 9:39-41). Jesus warned about casting pearls before swine (those who openly hate the truth) (Mt 7:6). Because the Western world has an extremely permissive attitude toward sin, the rock-hard soil of the American pagan’s heart must be ‘cultivated’ before it is truly ready to receive the good seed of the gospel (Mt 13:23). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 1a. Write out a sample scenario (conversation) which communicates that God’s moral order expressed in His Law establishes right and wrong. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Read John 6:44-45 along with the comments in the MacArthur Study Bible. 1b. What is meant by the phrase ‘heard and learned from the Father’ in v. 45? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century II. The conversational guidelines for the ‘Romans Road’ presentation. [Page 24]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 25 Salvation involves dealing with the Person of Christ Himself. The Romans Road is a kind of map. There can be no movement to the final ‘destination’ if one does not fully acknowledge one’s present location (as a truth-suppressor, as unrighteous, a helpless sinner, etc.). Check along the way as you are sharing with the unbeliever—enlist feedback. Ask if your listener understands the consequences described in the passage—ask the person to put it in his or her own words. Do not start with the gospel offer of forgiveness. Educate the conscience until you detect some fear of God (some reverence for God’s justice). Remember that irresponsibility before God goes with ‘sinner-ship’—in other words, sinners practice self-justification and self-deception. The unbeliever covers, defends, and excuses himself—true conviction has not taken place until a person pronounces God’s verdict of judgment upon himself (Lu 18:13). True evangelism includes the endeavor to enlist a response: • “You have to face God whose laws you have violated.” • “You have no ability to ‘cut a deal’ with God—only God can get you out of your predicament.” • “I beseech you by the mercies of God to respond to what you have heard.” • “It is because I care for you that I am telling you that you are in deep trouble.” • “What will you do with the knowledge you have?” • “Do you know what you are rejecting?”xxiii The reception of the gospel must be a cognitive experience—its content must register upon the illumined intellect, heart, and conscience (Rom 10:8-10). The awakened sinner must become convinced that his dilemma will not be solved by a new set of resolutions (by turning over a new leaf). Christ Jesus alone is the life and possesses the life the sinner desperately needs. Salvation involves dealing with the Person of Christ Himself. The truths of the Gospel must be driven into the conscience of the sinner until he is no longer flattered by appeals to his self-interest. Only when the Spirit grants regeneration does the sinner equate a true conversion with knowing God (Titus 3:3-7). Then and only then is there an apprehension of and affinity for God’s holiness.xxiv NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century Reading the ‘Romans Road’ map – You must know your present location in order to move to the final ‘destination’. [Page 25]
26 Developing a Biblical Worldview God formed us as His creatures and the entire creation for His glory, but mankind has turned away from God. All men know that God is Almighty Creator, yet they suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness which exposes them to His wrath. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Rom 1:18-20). “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures” (1:21-23). The ERRORS refuted by this text: • “There is a lack of proof that the God of the Bible exists.” • “The cosmos and everything in it is solely the result of blind natural forces.” God created man’s conscience that we might know that God is just and that He requires righteousness. All men make moral judgments about the moral failures of others yet fail to repent of personal sin. All men have God’s standard written upon the conscience, and they constantly make ethical judgments about their own behavior and motives. “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus” (Rom 2:12-16). The ERRORS refuted by this text: • “The conscience is but a product of social conditioning and not a faculty of the soul.” • “Each person has the freedom to choose right and wrong for himself.” NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. The Creature’s Conscience (Romans 2:1-9, 12-16). Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century 1. The Creator’s Creation (Romans 1:18-23) III. How to use the ‘Romans Road’ gospel presentation. [Page 26]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 27 God gave us His moral Law; we owe absolute obedience to it. Our failure to keep the Law reveals our sinful state and our separation from God. No one is righteous in God’s sight, no, not even one individual. “As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God…’” (Rom 3:10-11). “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:19-20). The ERRORS refuted by this text: • “It is possible to be a good enough person to be accepted by God.” • “Living a sincere life will not keep a person from heaven.” God’s character is holy and just, therefore, He must judge all sin. No one will be saved by law-keeping; the law reveals sin, removes every alibi and excuse, and establishes the guilt of every person before God. “Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?” (Rom 2:1-3). “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds…” (Rom 2:4-6). “I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’” (Rom 7:7b). The ERROR refuted by this text: • “If one sincerely tries to keep the Ten Commandments, God will accept that person because of his or her effort and sincerity.” NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. The Creator’s Law identifies our sin (Romans 3:19-20). Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century 3. The Creator’s moral Law - The Ten Commandments (Romans 3:10-18). Romans 3:20 “…because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” [Page 27]
28 Developing a Biblical Worldview Death and separation from God is the just penalty for sin. Sin is against God Himself, for it opposes who He is. Sin entered through one man and death to all because all sin. God is just; He cannot excuse sin. All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory; original sin resulted in a forfeiture of the knowledge of God and His glory. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned…” (Rom 5:12). “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (Jn 8:24). “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jn 1:8). “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 Jn 1:10). The ERRORS refuted by this text: • “Death need not be feared, it is a normal part of the cycle of life.” • “God may be conceived of as a higher power, but not necessarily as a divine Person.” God manifests His love by sending the Lord Jesus Christ to die for sinners. God’s gracious gift of salvation from sin is through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. As our perfect Substitute Christ gives believing sinners ‘right standing’ with God. Justification was purchased by Christ’s obedience and substitutionary death upon the cross. “…being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Rom 3:24-26). “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” (Rom 4:5-8). The ERROR refuted by this text: • “Because God is merciful and loving, His compassion allows Him to excuse our sin, turning a blind eye to it.” NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century 5. The Creator’s justice again sin (Romans 3:23; 5:12, 2:1-12). 6. The Creator’s great love (Romans 3:24-26). 2. Why does “death need to be feared?” Does death need to be feared by the Christian as well as the unbeliever? Use the verses to support this. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ [Page 28]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 29 God gives eternal life in Christ as a free gift to those who believe the gospel and repent of sin. Christ suffered as a sin offering on behalf of all who would believe. Christ Jesus was sent to be both the believer’s sin-bearer and righteousness. God gives eternal life in Christ as a free gift to those who believe the gospel and repent of sin. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Rom 5:8-10). “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:3-4). The ERRORS refuted by this text: • “There are as many ways to God as there are religions.” • “Christianity is one of many spiritual ‘paths’.” God commands that we repent of breaking His laws and repent of trusting in our self-righteousness; we must trust in Christ alone for righteousness. God only justifies those who abandon all hope in their own works and righteousness. “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:2-4). The ERRORS refuted by this text: • “God knows we are flawed; He will accept our efforts at righteousness.” • “It would be unfair for Him to require perfect righteousness.” Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 7. The Creator’s Son accomplishes salvation through His death and resurrection (Romans 5:6-11, 8:2-4). 8. The Creator’s gospel brings salvation in Christ by grace alone through faith and not by works (Romans 10:1-4). [Page 29]
30 Developing a Biblical Worldview We come to God by coming to Christ as guilty sinners, bowing before Him as Lord, and entrusting our souls to Him as merciful Redeemer. The Creator is calling sinners to believe the gospel and repent of their sin. There is a necessary response of faith and repentance in order to be united to Christ. We come to God by coming to Christ as guilty sinners, bowing before Him as Lord, and entrusting our souls to Him as merciful Redeemer. “…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Rom 10:9-10). “…being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24). “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5). The ERROR refuted by this text: • “Because salvation is all of grace by faith, repenting of sin and submitting to the Lordship of Christ are not required for salvation.” The believer is set apart to God in a holy relationship. The gift of a new heart and of forgiveness through Christ puts believers on a path of obedience and freedom from sin’s rule. “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:20-23). “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom 8:16-17). The ERRORS refuted by this text: • “No one really knows for sure what awaits them after death.” • “A person’s spirituality and relationship with God may come and go, may be developed, or may be lost through sin and neglect.” Lesson Sixteen 10. The Creator adopts the believing sinner as His own beloved child and possession (Romans 8:14-17, 19). 9. The Creator’s is calling sinners to Christ so that they might be forgiven and accepted (Romans 6:21-23; 2:4-5ff, 10:9-10). The Romans Road for the 21st Century NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 30]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 31 The rejection of the knowledge of God is not an error in judgment, it is open rebellion. Fallen man is still under the influence of the original lie in Eden. As a result of the fall, total depravity has skewed the intellect of man away from the truth. Thus, there is a: 1. normalizing of the abnormal—evil, death, suffering, injustice, and decay are regarded as normal, rather than what they really are: cruel intruders resulting from the effects of the entrance of sin, 2. a desacralizing of the sacred— (i.e. a denial of what God has designated as sacred) all manner of sexual and gender anarchy is now not only accepted, but advocated and, 3. a naturalizing of the supernatural— Everything in the universe supposedly originating from blind, mindless forces. IV. How the ‘Romans Road’ confronts and answers the sinner’s dilemma. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Lesson Sixteen There has been much self-congratulation when scientists have engineered a robotic spider or a robotic dog that can move about and climb over obstacles. But what has actually been done? They copied some of the Creator’s thoughts on a creature’s locomotion. But they did not write any of the remainder of the program in a creature such as an integrated organ system of digestion, sight, metabolism, reproduction or mate-recognition, ability to reproduce, to hunt prey, avoidance of enemies, ability to dig burrows, etc. Therefore, it is absurd to suggest that scientists are pioneers in their ability to design robots after patterns of creatures that were ‘not designed’—the contradiction is obvious. The Romans Road for the 21st Century The scientist controlling a robotic dog as if the scientist is a pioneer. This “created” dog is an extremely poor and incomplete copy of what God has created for His glory. [Page 31]
32 Developing a Biblical Worldview Man’s studious suppression of God’s truth in creation and conscience is deplorable; it exposes man to the wrath of God (Rom 1:18). When Psalm two speaks of this human revolt against God, the psalmist is actually targeting civic leaders (including educators) as those who help foment (or stir up) the rebellion. “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” (Ps 2:2-3). Thus, Psalm two explains what that heart commitment actually is—"we will do anything to escape God’s moral government—including embrace absurdity.” If a farm boy walking home from school saw a turtle on a fence post, he immediately would wonder who put it there. For turtles do not have the anatomy to climb fence posts. But in terms of God’s creation, He has filled it with evidences of His majesty, wisdom, power, and goodness. God’s fingerprints are everywhere, ‘turtles on fence posts’ all over. The natural man is without excuse, without an apologetic (a defense) (Rom 1:20). This begs the question, why don’t the majority of scientists seek to give God the glory for His power and wisdom which are so evident in His creation? Answer: the human heart has bought the definition of freedom propounded by the Edenic lie. “We will not be restrained by the moral government of God.” The love of darkness governs the hearts of unsaved scientists as much as it does drug dealers and corrupt politicians. Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ A sad and puzzled turtle on top of a fencepost because turtles are not made to climb. God’s fingerprints are everywhere in His creation. Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” [Page 32]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 33 God wills to be known through the satisfaction of His unchanging standard of righteousness by means of the work of the perfect Substitute He has appointed. God can only be known in this way. That is the way of the cross of Christ, by which His righteousness is demonstrated and vindicated by the sacrifice of Christ. The massive guilt- exchange at Calvary was the cost of peace with God and the knowledge of God (2 Cor 5:21). The message of Christ’s work and Person is the means by which God, by His sovereign power, shines the knowledge of His glory into dark hearts (2 Cor 4:6). This is amazing, though the sinner has a bitter controversy with God concerning his Creator’s rightful rule—God is the party who puts aside His wrath in the work of reconciliation! “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18-19). The manner in which God wills to be known is by means of the revelation of His righteousness. Thus, we should not be surprised unbelievers have trouble finding God. The unbeliever has an impossible criterion for finding God. We hear ridiculous things such as: “I might be inclined to believe if God appeared to me.” Is it any wonder then that the atheist can’t find God? For the means by which God is made known is by the revelation of His righteousness. In the gospel, God’s righteousness is revealed. Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Two people being reconciled, restored to full friendship is a picture of our relationship being restored to God through the work of Christ on the cross. Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 and the associated notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 3. How is reconciliation explained? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ [Page 33]
34 Developing a Biblical Worldview The Scriptures reveal that we were created to have a love relationship with the God who formed and upholds the cosmos. For He loves us and gave us His Son to make us His own (Jn 3:16; 1 Jn 4:10). God does all things for His own glory—this is the great purpose for which He ordains the meaning of the ages. Paul says in Ephesians chapter three: “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose (the purpose of the ages) which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him” (Eph 3:8-12). Is the aim of your life to see God glorified in your life, in and through all of your relationships? That is the true life direction of every genuine Christ-follower. They live to know Him, and to make Him known— confessing Christ as their Lord. If that does not describe you, then you must know that you are not in some safe, neutral zone. Scripture regards all of those who are not passionate for God’s glory to be God’s adversaries. When it comes to God’s glory, apathetic hearts reside in the bosoms of those who reject God’s plan. We are to proclaim that God’s reconciling love and mercy received produces new creations, with totally new eternal values. One’s functional worldview is a revealer of one’s heart commitments or affections. Who or what has first place in your heart? Do you know why the cosmos exists? Why you exist? Our created purpose is to know the love, wonder, majesty, goodness, and holiness of our God. That is our created purpose. Christ came to restore sinners back to their created purpose. Those who belong to Christ are part of God’s forever family. A place of endless, love, delight, purpose, community, and belonging. But for those who reject the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, their eternity in everlasting hell will be one of unspeakable torment. For there is no greater tragedy than rejecting one’s created purpose. The plot is about God, not about you. To get that wrong is misery. Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Scripture regards all of those who are not passionate for God’s glory to be God’s adversaries – not neutral. Read Psalm 17:14 4. What preoccupies the mind of the unbeliever? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ [Page 34]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 35 R16.1 What is one of the reasons a ‘21st C. Romans Road’ is needed today? (1.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R16.2 Name some of the things that unbelievers regard as ‘normal’ even though they are not normal. (4.1) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R16.3 The rebellion of society leaders is captured in the wording of Psalm 2:2-3: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!’” Describe the attitude of these civic leaders towards Christ’s Lordship. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: Lesson Sixteen The Romans Road for the 21st Century 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R16.4 True believers have a passion for God’s glory in everything. Examine your own heart commitments in accordance with the last two paragraphs under section 4. Can you honestly say that your purposes in life are in agreement with God’s overarching purpose to make His glory known? And if not, what is holding you back? (4.end) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ [Page 35]
36 Developing a Biblical Worldview Situational Ethics: Ethics/Moral laws that are flexible in their application based on the circumstances. This is in opposition to the immutable character of God. According to Josh McDowell, our children are being raised in a society that has largely rejected the concepts of truth and morality. In a survey taken a decade and a half ago (2006), 72% of Americans agree that, “There is no such thing as absolute truth.”xxv When people trust in their own autonomy, then nothing is transcendent and absolutely true (no transcendent truth, no transcendent divine law, and no transcendent Law-giver). Ethics become relative to the individual, based on perceived advantage, upon the pragmatic and the situational. Ethics become as malleable (moldable) as clay and can be adjusted to fit each circumstance. The ‘situational approach’ to ethics is the polar opposite of fixed boundaries and immutable laws which flow from the character of our Creator who is the immutable Lawgiver. In his book, Right from Wrong, Josh McDowell offers hope and provides families and the church with a sound, thorough, Biblical, and workable method to clearly understand and defend the truth. Consider that the public schools are desperately trying to teach moral character to their students. Their purpose is education, but they are realizing that without sufficient character qualities in their students, such as honesty, they are not able to educate them. Many educators are now promoting character education and encouraging student-led character clubs.xxvi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen OBJECTIVES: In this lesson, students will study the foundation for Christian ethics and how these ethics are most effectively taught. The concepts covered are: I. Searching for ethics is futile in a landscape without truth, II. This is a moral universe because God’s character is the law of the universe, III. In order to teach right from wrong, one must teach the truth, IV. The character of God is the basis for discerning right from wrong. I. Searching for ethics is futile in a landscape without truth. 2. Society has largely rejected the concepts of truth and morality. A person’s hands molding ethics like clay in order to make them fit any situation. 1. Situational approach to ethics is the polar opposite of fixed boundaries and God’s immutable law. [Page 36]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 37 Our culture is being devoured by a ‘hideous beast’ known as lawless love. ‘Lawless love’ is the patent denial that justice is inseparable from Christian love. Lawless love says that impulses and erotic desires are permissible outside of marriage because we call it ‘love’. By contrast, Scripture demands that human dignity, life’s sanctity, and love’s boundaries are founded upon God’s laws. “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8). Christian love says, “I must act and speak truth in love. So, if I see someone in a destructive belief or lifestyle, I will stop to speak truth in love.” Christian love makes a moral judgment: “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose (reprove) them” (Eph 5:11). Jesus exposed the lifestyle of the woman at the well (John 4) as a sinful lifestyle— what He did in confronting her was love! Postmodernism, with its affinity for relativism, says there is no such thing as knowable absolute truth and thus, truth is only the creation or construct of the human mind. With this way of thinking, there would be no religion superior to anyone else’s. Right and wrong would not be based on theology, but “what I believe is right for me.” In other words, truth would now become preference, and these preferences would be determined by a perverse and wicked human nature. “For the pragmatist [postmodernist], true sentences are not true because they correspond to reality, and so there is no need to worry what sort of reality, if any, a given sentence corresponds to—no need to worry about what ‘makes’ it true” (Richard Rorty).xxvii In postmodern thinking, confident faith is demonized while skepticism is enthroned. Strong convictions are equated with intolerance. If a person has strong convictions he may even be compared to terrorists because he wants to persuade people to adopt his own convictions. Postmodernism leads its proponents into extreme irrationalism (attempting to reconcile two contradictory claims). To know absolute truth is considered arrogant. Dogmatism about the truth is regarded as bigotry and pride. By contrast, the Word of God indicates that whatever contradicts truth is error. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Our culture is being devoured by lawless love. 4. Postmodernism says there is no such thing as knowable, absolute truth. Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen • To love, trust, and obey God is life (Deut. 30:19-20). • God’s character and holy perfections are the basis of His governance over creation. Thus, the fear of the Lord is to turn from evil (Job 28:28). • It is wisdom to love and fear God, by contrast, all who hate divine wisdom actually love death (Prov 8:36). 1. Read the bold verses above. Explain why the choice of trust, obedience, & wisdom is a choice for life and blessedness. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Read 1 Timothy 6:3-4 along with the MacArthur Study Bible notes. 2. What is the ethical consequence of making truth claims which disagree with Scripture? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ [Page 37]
38 Developing a Biblical Worldview In our culture of self-referential ethics (instead of God-centered ethics), people slip quickly into situational ethics asking, ‘does this feel advantageous to me?’ The decisive question should be, ‘What does God require in this matter?’ not, ‘does this feel right or comfortable?’ Thus, in relation to ethics, ‘I felt like doing it’ is one of the most dangerous statements one can utter. For it suggests that ethical choices are weighed by self-interest in every situation. Everything is up for grabs; choices are made based upon impulses rather than truth. Our youth have grown up with the idea that morals are a set of personal values, not unlike personal preferences or private convictions. Our culture has indoctrinated our young people with the idea that we are to communicate acceptance of every person’s values (morals/ethics) no matter what those values are. This affirmation of all values is considered an important condition of a free, fair, inclusive, and tolerant society. History is filled with a record of the tragic consequences of attempting to establish ethics apart from God’s truth. Oppressive regimes have always sought to set aside the truth of God’s moral government in order to gain uncontested power. Love not established upon the foundation of truth will fail to be ethical in God’s sight. When all values, truth claims, and beliefs are equal (postmodernism), you lose the ability to choose right from wrong. This is because if all views are equal, then it doesn’t matter which one you choose. Today there is no connection between belief and behavior. There is a gaping chasm between theology (Christian beliefs) and behavior. 6. Our youth have grown up with the idea that morals are a set of personal values. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen 5. In our culture people slip quickly into situational ethics. 7. Truth and morality cannot exist separately. Pol Pot of Cambodia taught the theory of evolution in order to do away with the concept of God. The dictator’s motive, by his own admission, was to make state the supreme authority (a ‘god’)—the holocaust known as the “killing fields” was the result (1975-1979). Moral chaos, anarchy, and sexual perversion thrive in a climate of “ethics” without truth. Josh McDowell brought the brightest students to the front of a large church he was visiting. He asked, “Would you lie to get out from under a situation?” 204 of the 209 said that they would lie. But here is the shocking part, 99% of the young adults said lying was wrong, but said, “I’d do it anyway.” It is devastating to have young people say that something is wrong merely because mom says it is wrong. It is inadequate moral preparation for adult life.7 [Page 38]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 39 Ethics are from God, not from pragmatism. When we talk about discerning right from wrong, we are dealing with the subject of ethics. Ethics is the study of the good, the study of right and wrong actions and attitudes. In simple terms, ethics is the study of how to relate to God, others, and ourselves. Ethics govern the creature’s relationship toward God, they govern the creature’s relationship to fellow creatures, and they govern the creature’s relationship to the creation itself. The foundational ethic to all others is the command to glorify God. In the New Testament “to glorify” is to extol, praise, and honor God by acknowledging Him as to His being, attributes, and acts. God’s glory is the revelation and self-manifestation of all that He has and is.xxviii Believers glorify God by bearing much fruit—that is spiritual fruit, the fruit of the Spirit in our relationships (Jn 15:8). To live for God’s glory is only possible when we seek to imitate Him in holiness, honor, and righteousness (Eph 5:1). “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10:31). “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Faith is not a feeling; it is reliance upon God’s truth. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mt 6:33). So, the Christian ethic, the only real ethic, is to glorify God by having faith in Him and giving His kingdom priority in our lives by pursuing what is righteous. God has given us His revelation, His Word, to guide us in ethics, in knowing what we should and should not do. The book of Proverbs was given to us to teach us proper conduct. “To know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding, to receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity; to give prudence to the naïve, to the youth knowledge and discretion, a wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel… the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov 1:2-5, 7). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. This is a moral universe because God’s character is the law of the universe. 1. Ethics are from God. Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen 2. How can we glorify God? A fool trusting in himself and despising wisdom and instruction. The fool’s pride sets him up for stumbling and destruction (Proverbs 16:18). [Page 39]
40 Developing a Biblical Worldview Discernment: The ability to distinguish between right and wrong, truth and error, and God’s thoughts/ways and all others. Antithesis: Two opposing or contrasting ways of looking at life – a right way and a wrong way. Because God is Creator and sovereign Ruler of all creation, moral law is built into the very fabric of the universe. Human beings are the only creatures made in the image of God; therefore, every action man takes is either an affirmation or a denial of God’s moral government. These two moral directions are described in Scripture as two paths—one of life, and the other of destruction (Jer. 6:16- 19; Mt 7:13). That means our words and actions either conform to who God is (to His character), or our speech and deeds oppose who God is. The book of Proverbs, as the rest of the Bible, teaches us to think in terms of antithesis—that there are two opposing ways of looking at life, a right way and a wrong way. We need discernment to be able to distinguish between right and wrong, between truth and error, and then we need to conform ourselves to the truth or the right way. In fact, we are commanded in Scripture to do exactly that: “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:21-22) In the Bible, where antithesis is so important, discernment is essential. Indeed, God says that “the wise in heart will be called understanding (discerning)” (Prov 16:21). Regarding the contrast, or antithesis, between right and wrong, Jay Adams says concerning antithesis: “From the Garden of Eden with its two trees (one allowed, one forbidden) to the eternal destiny of the human being in heaven or in hell, the Bible sets forth two, and only two, ways: God’s way and all others. Accordingly, people are said to be saved or lost. They belong to God’s people or the world. . . There is the narrow way and the wide way, leading either to eternal life or to destruction. There are those who are against us and those who are with us . . . There is life and death, truth and falsehood, good and bad, light and darkness, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, . . . spiritual wisdom and the wisdom of the world. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one may come to the Father but by Him. His is the only Name under the sky by which one may be saved.”xxix NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Discerning the path of life and the path of destruction. Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen 4. It is time to recover Biblical antithesis and discernment. In Proverbs we find right and wrong contrasted, and often these occur even in a single verse. Here is one for example: “In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Prov 14:23). 3. List at least two other verses from Proverbs which set up a contrast, or antithesis, between right and wrong. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ [Page 40]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 41 People who study the Bible in depth develop antithetical mindsets: they think in terms of contrasts or mutually exclusive opposites.”xxx This idea of antithesis is as old as human history. There are two ways, one of life and of death, and there is a great difference between the two ways.xxxi Jesus clearly taught this idea of two ways in His famous Sermon on the Mount: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mt 7:13-14). All of us are either on the narrow way that leads to life, or we are on the broad way that leads to death. There is no other alternative. There is no gray area. There is no neutral ground to stand upon.xxxii 5. Those who study the Bible in depth develop antithetical mindsets. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen The ‘broad road that leads to destruction’ (Mt 7:13) is often comprised of the predominant views of a culture. Social media giant, Facebook, recently attempted to justify its censorship of Christian truth by stating that what certain Christians had posted ‘did not agree with community standards.’ The broad way to destruction versus the narrow gate that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). [Page 41]
42 Developing a Biblical Worldview Culture has changed, relativism has ushered in a deadly perspective which suggests we no longer have morality, only differing opinions. Morality has been separated from who God is. When we as believers teach morality, we tend to start with a precept. But if you stop there with a precept, you may find that you are left with bare moralism. So, we must communicate the fact that behind every precept is a moral principle (a broad standard or norm), and that God’s moral principles are grounded upon His absolute truth. What is absolute truth? Answer: • It is true for all people, in all places, at all times. • It is constant and unchanging. It has an objective basis outside of self. God and His Word are an unchanging (immutable) reference point external to us. • Truth is to be distinguished from personal standards. (Ex. Different sets of parents have different policies for their children when setting the time of curfew.) • There are two models of truth. Absolutism: God establishes absolute truth or Relativism: man determines truth. Something is right or wrong because it is true in God. Why does the Bible say, “You shall not murder?” The reason is because God is life. He is the source and giver of life. The command flows from, and is the expression of, God’s very Person and nature! It is the life of God that gives sanctity to life. Similarly, we are to pursue sexual purity because God is pure and holy. The following paradigm offers how to present moral truth: Level One – is PRECEPT (a specific moral command, ‘do this,’ or, ‘refrain from…’). Level Two – is PRINCIPLE (a broad or general moral principle that touches all aspects of life). Level Three – is PERSON (behind every principle is the Person, character and nature of God). Without this Biblical, full-orbed approach which includes level three, you can easily be left with moralism.xxxiii When asked to give the definition of truth, only 4 out of 7000 Christians could do it. Truth is that which corresponds with reality. Webster’s Dictionary definition is: “Truth is that which has fidelity to an original” (fidelity: demonstrating faithfulness, exactness, and accuracy to an original). For example, if I say that I have a one-liter container, and someone says, “No you don’t!” Truth can settle the matter. “Fidelity to an original” comes into play when I take my container and my friend to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures to measure my liter against the original liter. There is fidelity if my container is equal to the original. The “original” is the unchanging reference point. Ethics cannot operate properly without truth, the absolute ‘reference point’ (situational ethics demonstrate that ethics divorced from truth cannot provide an immutable standard).8 1. Morality has been separated from who God is. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen III. In order to teach right from wrong, one must teach the truth (2 John 4). 2. Right from wrong is nothing less than the revelation of God’s righteous character. Read Hebrews 1:1-3. God’s character is perfectly revealed in Christ. 4. What words in these verses communicate that Christ, who is the truth of God incarnate (shows fidelity) or perfectly expresses who God is (as the ‘original’)? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ [Page 42]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 43 • Our moral foundation has a truth foundation. “Fidelity to an original” is fidelity to the very nature and character of God. • God’s commands are not for Him, but for us. They are for our good. They are to protect us and to provide for us. They are the safeguard of love. EX: Like an umbrella, if you remove yourself from obedience, you remove yourself from God’s covering of protection and provision. • We must teach that God’s moral absolutes flow from His love to us. He is trustworthy. He wants to provide for us and protect us.xxxiv He is the unmovable, unchanging fixed reference point for what is true, real, right, wrong, loving, and beautiful. Therefore, when we seek to please Him by obeying His commands and choosing what is right, we are making choices that will ultimately glorify God and serve us and our freedom. On a hot summer night, a high school athlete who had been drinking walked past a sign that said, ‘no entry, danger, no trespassing’. He left the protection of the posted ordinance and climbed over a fence with a girlfriend. In the dark she saw his silhouette as he dove off the diving board into an empty swimming pool. He was paralyzed for life. God has given us His Word to protect us from danger. 1. Right and wrong do not change, because God’s character does not change. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen IV. God’s character is the basis for discerning right from wrong. 2. Ultimate reality is God Himself. Skim through Psalm 119 5. Locate and list at least five of the benefits of obedience to God’s commands. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a “So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him...” [Page 43]
44 Developing a Biblical Worldview • There is a paradox associated with moral choices: Most right choices have immediate “negative” consequences (sacrifice, planning, delayed gratification, self-denial, peer disapproval, etc.) Most wrong choices have immediate “positive” consequences (temporal pleasure, peer acceptance, false sense of freedom, etc.) • In the long run, there is a total reversal of consequences. Wrong choices bear more and more bitter fruit and right choices produce ongoing well- being. • The reason for the above truth is the character of God. This is a moral universe ruled and ordered by a holy God. Therefore, the universe is built upon delayed gratification not indulgence. • Purity and chastity are power because self-control and love are virtues solely found in those who are living free. It takes God’s truth and God’s strength in order to live free. • Our identity is bound up in the fact that we were created in the moral image of a holy God. Sin is deadly because it is a distortion of God’s image. Instant gratification by indulgence of our lusts destroys love of God and neighbor. Therefore, we are commanded to put to death our sinful passions (Rom 6:11-13; 8:12- 13; Col 3:5). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen 4. Because we live in a moral universe, love is impossible apart from delayed gratification. 3. Young people tend to make choices that are based on immediate return. Two persons from (Galatians 6:7-8): One is finding that his choices for obedience are serving his eternal interests. The other finds that he must serve the consequences of his sinful choices. Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” [Page 44]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 45 • In order to make the sacrifices that are inseparable from right moral choices, believing young people must be taught that God loves them in Christ and that His commands are trustworthy. • This is the only way that they can be equipped to make consistent right choices. We must show them that they are to walk through the maze of life by the precepts of a trustworthy God, even when they cannot see the immediate results. Though we cannot see the results of right choices in the immediate, God sees the end from the beginning. • When instructing and counseling, we must not stop at level one or two. We must move from precept to principle to the Person of God. Each moral choice needs to be anchored in the Person and character of God. • We must now show how beliefs are consequential in the real world, that there is a cause-and-effect relationship between beliefs and behaviors that have good or bad consequences (Gal 6:7-8). God’s moral standards are not only based on truth; they apply to our lives in a host of practical ways. We must show the blessed benefits of walking in the truth (see Ps 103). • We show the practicality of the truth when we explain how God’s standards protect us from harm and provide for our well-being. “Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?” (Deut. 10:12-13). The apostle John declared, “…and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 Jn 5:3b). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 5. Because youth lack wisdom, they often cannot see the long-term result of their choices. Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen 6. We must strive for teaching that connects belief and behavior. 6. Using all three levels (precept, principle and Person), how would you respond Biblically to the phrase, “If you loved me, you would sleep with me.” ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ [Page 45]
46 Developing a Biblical Worldview We teach morality by relationship, by example, and by truth. “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one [Truth]! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might [Example]. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart [Example]. You shall teach them diligently to your sons [Truth] and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up [Relationship]. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” [Truth] (Deut. 6:4-9). It is important in Christian education to make sure students learn to connect the following three ‘dots’: • Moral truth is God’s truth: When we speak of morals, we do not speak of them as values, but as moral truth that is certain. We do not want to give the false impression that morals are merely values chosen much like personal preferences. • Moral truth is based on God’s character: Moral truth is fixed and immutable because it is anchored in the unchanging character of God. • Disobedience to God’s moral commands opposes the truth because it is opposed to who God is. To choose wrong is to choose behavior which does not conform to God’s character. Therefore, it is not merely an error in judgment, but rather the practice of falsehood. It is a departure from absolute moral truth. God’s plan for the recovery of fallen mankind involves the writing of His laws on the hearts of those saved by Christ (Heb 8:8-13). This not only means that the conscience is tuned to God’s moral will; it also means that the desire to obey God’s law is stamped upon the hearts of the redeemed. Right moral choices become a function of having been set apart by and in Christ (2 Thess. 2:13-14). God-glorifying ethical living is the expression of a new nature that is empowered by God’s Holy Spirit. Christians are not establishing their identities by right moral choices, instead their ethical conduct is the manifestation of who they really are in Christ: ‘new creations’ (2 Cor 5:17). Thus, their transformation by God’s truth and daily righteous living is a function of them becoming what they really are in Christ, sanctified by truth: I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth (Jn 17:14-19). 7. Scripture shows us how to teach moral truth. Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 8. God is building a Kingdom of people He has enabled to choose right from wrong. (Titus 2:11-14). [Page 46]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 47 R17.3 In the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7:13-14, what metaphor does our Lord incorporate in order to contrast right and wrong? (Sect. 2, part 5). (2.5) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R17.4 Describe the relationship between antithesis and moral discernment (2.4) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R17.5 What are the three ‘P’ words used in teaching Biblical morality and how do these three words relate to presenting moral truth? (3.2 and 3.5) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R17.1 Why would the same standards of right and wrong apply even if we colonized another part of our solar system? (1.5) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R17.2 Read John 5:44 and 12:43. What does it reveal about a person’s spiritual condition if that individual prefers the approval of people more than the approval of God? (1.6) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christian Ethics: Right from Wrong Lesson Seventeen [Page 47]
48 Developing a Biblical Worldview We live in an age in which a massive redefinition campaign is taking place—the murder of the unborn is renamed women’s health care or reproductive rights. The sanctity of life has been discarded and replaced with the ‘quality of life’. Morality has been sold to the highest bidder; it has become a matter of situational ethics. Man, himself becomes the self- centered basis for morality and law. In Holy Scripture the penalties were very clear for those who gave their children up to be sacrificed to Molech. The people were to stone that person to death. In historic Israel, if the people of the community close their eyes when a man gives one of his children to Molech and fail to put him to death, God will bring judgment on the entire community as well as the man who sacrificed his child (John O. Anderson). “You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD” (Lev 18:21). “Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones” (Lev 20:2). “I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his offspring to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name. If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death, then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech” (Lev 20:3-5). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ OBJECTIVES: In this lesson the student will study the following concepts: I. Abortion is the culture of death being ‘marketed’ to our nation. II. A ‘re-definition campaign’ is being waged against innocent lives. III. Why do so many women choose to have an abortion? IV. What do the Scriptures say about the preciousness of life in the womb? V. God’s righteous character demands He avenge innocent blood. VI. Believers need to equip themselves to stand up for the sanctity of life. VII. Innocent lives can be saved if Christians will speak for those who cannot. VIII. In Christ, eternal hope is offered to those who repent of having or performing an abortion. I. Abortion is the culture of death being ‘marketed’ to our nation. 1. The massive redefinition campaign. Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 2. In Scripture, penalties are clear for those who sacrificed their children. Read Leviticus 20:3-5 along with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible 1. Why would the sacrifice of a baby be considered ‘playing the harlot’? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ [Page 48]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 49 In our society’s materialistic idolatry and spiritual apostasy, the shed blood of the innocent is on our hands. It is shed by official sanction (or permission) of a society that we citizens control. Therefore, our passivity in the face of this slaughter is culpable; for that blood is shed by our complacency. It cries to God for vengeance and vindication.xxxv The death of the innocent has been ‘sold’ to our culture as a necessary condition of personal freedom. Our responsibilities to God have been replaced with our “rights”—but these are ‘rights’ which God never bestowed. These pseudo-rights are: the “right” for a woman to control her body by killing her baby, the “right” of sexual license, the “right” of homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle, the “right” to change one’s gender. A pro-abortion bumper sticker reads, “Stop the long war against choice.” In that slogan, the word, ‘choice’ is associated with the freedoms that belong to a democratic society. But does the word ‘choice’ absolve one of moral culpability or responsibility? Of course not, yet this kind of foolish reasoning is endemic (or “normal”) to the state of moral madness we have entered. For personal autonomy is now deemed more important than protecting the lives of the innocent. Those who oppose abortion are portrayed as a group of inflexible hard-liners who may even have leanings toward fascism. This sentiment has been relentlessly pushed by the media, and so much so that most public university students believe they are defending ‘women’s rights’ when they advocate abortion on demand. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 4. ‘Choice’ and responsibility. 3. In our society, the shed blood of the innocent is on our hands. Sacrificing an infant to the ancient idol Molech and following false religion is giving oneself to evil instead of to God. [Page 49]
50 Developing a Biblical Worldview • ‘Choice’: The slaughter carried out by Hitler was a ‘choice’, and it was sanctioned by the citizens of Germany. Did ‘choice’ make the horror of the holocaust any less evil? Not for a moment. • ‘Chance’: Today’s Godless creation myth, Darwinism, in exalting chance, has stripped life of meaning, purpose, and value. Thus, the same worldview used to justify sexual immorality also justifies the murder of the unborn. For Darwinism leaves us only with a mechanistic, impersonal universe to contend with. As a consequence, life has no value except as determined by self-interest. This has birthed the culture of selfism: • “What do I want?” • “What is good for me?” • “I am valuable to me, but you are not, except that I can use you to achieve my goals.” This crass pragmatism makes sexual immorality and the murder of the unborn perfectly acceptable. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ In ancient Israel, as the nation departed from God and fell ever deeper into pagan worship (8th century B.C.), cruelty abounded. The prophet Hosea records the social conditions of his day.12 In our own culture (though driven by secular humanism and not pagan spiritism), we are manifesting many of the same sins. Read Hosea 4:1-2 2. Name some of the evils Hosea lists that are common in our own land today. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen II. A ‘re-definition campaign’ is being waged against the lives of the innocent. In his gospel outreach, Ray Comfort uses the following scenario: picture yourself in WWII Germany, you are horrified to see Jews rounded up and killed. Yet what the Nazis did, was done ‘legally’ in terms of national support. In light of that, fill in this sentence: Killing a baby in the womb is ok when________. Wouldn’t you rather give that baby up for adoption than kill it? Is it morally rational to say, “It is never right to kill Jews—BUT a government should have the right to kill Jews be because it is a ‘choice’.” No, that would be an absurd statement. Yet, the pro-abortion position advocates that killing a baby in the womb is justifiable because it is a ‘choice’ legalized by our government.”11 [Page 50]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 51 In our own nation, the murder of the unborn has been cloaked in terminology associated with women’s rights, as if those who wish to protect the unborn are ‘anti-woman’ and ‘anti-reproductive rights’. This represents a breathtaking exhibit of ethical self-deception. Why do women have abortions? Even though half of women having abortions believe it is morally wrong, they yield to the pressure to have an abortion. If more people advocated for them, including the man in their life, many babies could be saved. Almost 80% who have an abortion feel guilt afterwards, and over half report feeling sadness and loss.xxxvi Many women choose to have an abortion because of societal pressure. In the feminist perspective, pregnancy is viewed as tragic, as a devastating interruption to the woman’s career path. “Women have been bullying their bodies with chemicals in order to comply with the secular, feminist expectations of the university and the marketplace” (Nancy Pearcey). Our society has lost its conscience: consider that it requires an incredible state of mind to regard human life so casually as to kill it. Abortion on demand is killing, but our culture does not speak of it as killing. The ceaseless drumbeat of feminism’s propaganda has imbued (or permeated) us with the idea that women are to find satisfaction outside the home—they have been conditioned to think that they are trapped by their children. This deplorable mindset feeds the justification of killing the unborn because every child should be a ‘wanted child’. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ III. Why do so many women choose to have an abortion? 1. Abortion is cloaked in terminology associated with women’s rights. Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 2. Our society has lost its conscience. At first blush, ‘being a wanted baby’ sounds like a caring statement, but it is a subtly demonic concept. For to designate a child in the womb as ‘unwanted’ has proven a death warrant for millions of innocent babies.1 Titus 2:4-5 “…that they [older women] may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” [Page 51]
52 Developing a Biblical Worldview The following quote by British journalist and feminist Antonia Senior has breathtaking moral implications, “Yes, abortion is killing but it is the lesser evil. You cannot separate women’s rights from their right to fertility control. The single factor in woman’s liberation was our newly founded ability to impose our will on biology. The nearly 200,000 aborted babies in the UK each year are the lesser evil no matter how you define life. To defend women’s rights, you must be prepared to kill.”xxxvii Women are being encouraged to kill their offspring in the interest of guarding personal autonomy. What worldview explains such a drastic devaluation of life? A godless concept known as personhood theory is in part to blame. That theory radically devalues the human body by suggesting that being biologically human does not alone qualify the individual as a person—true ‘personhood’ requires that a number of traits be present (such as intelligence, self- awareness, self-control, a sense of time, curiosity, concern for others, communication, etc.). In commenting on the devastation caused by personhood theory, pro-life apologist Scott Klusendorf says that the idea of basing legal protection on traits that vary among the population “relegates the proposition that all men are created equal to the ash heap of history.”xxxviii The implications of personhood theory is that the body is not an aspect of the true self; instead, the body is a mechanism that serves the needs and desires of the mind. This dualistic worldview taught that a human was a free subject connected to a deterministic machine (one’s body). So, if nature is but a ‘biological machine’ then mind or person could manipulate the body as a mechanism. Thus, in personhood theory the promise is that the mind would become independent of the body and its limitations. This dualism dates back to Rene Descartes. We can see how the history of this philosophy explains the arguments for abortion. The mind is regarded as the authentic self—the body has been reduced to the sub-personal, functioning solely on the level of biology and chemistry. If the fetus is just a clump of cells as Planned Parenthood states, then fetal eyes, lungs and brains may be harvested as impersonal tissue. “Yet virtually no professional bioethicist denies that life begins at conception.”xxxix NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The baby in the womb would say, “I choose life!” Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 3. ‘Women’s rights’ now demand the willingness to kill. 4. Women are being encouraged to kill for personal autonomy. [Page 52]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 53 Advocates of abortion like to remind Christians that the Bible doesn't say anything about abortion directly. “Why the silence of the Bible on abortion, they ask?” The answer is simple. Abortion was so unthinkable to an Israelite woman that there was no need to even mention it in the criminal code. Abortion was an unthinkable act because children were viewed as a gift or heritage from the Lord. “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD” (Ps 127:3a). Jews believed what Scripture claimed, namely that God opens and closes the womb and is sovereign over conception. “Now the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren” (Gen 29:31; 30:22; Ruth 4:13). In addition, childlessness was seen as a curse.xl One of the most important Scripture passages to understand, in developing a Biblical view of the sanctity of human life is Psalm 139. This psalm is the inspired record of David's praise for God's sovereignty in his life. He begins by acknowledging that God possesses omniscient knowledge and therefore, knows what David is doing every single second of his life. David adds that wherever he might go, he cannot escape from God, for the Lord is in the remotest part of the sea and even in the darkness. And God knows David’s thoughts even before he forms the words to express them. Finally, David contemplates the origin of his life and confesses that God was there forming him in the womb. “13For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. 15My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them” (Ps 139:13-16).xli The description here is not of a piece of protoplasm that becomes David: this is David already being cared for by God while in the womb. In verse 13, we see that God is the Master Craftsman fashioning David into a living person. In verses 14 and 15, David reflects on the fact that he is a product of God's creative work within his mother’s womb, and he praises God for how wonderfully God has woven him together. This is crucial to our understanding of the sanctity of life in the womb. David utilizes figurative language in verse 15, he refers to his growth during gestation, “I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.” This poetic allusion harkens back to Genesis 2:7 which indicates that Adam was formed from the dust of the earth. David also notes that, “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance.”xlii Our unformed substance conveys the thought of the smallest particles of the earth composed of the basic elements of oxygen, nitrogen, calcium, etc. And, that these basic chemical elements were to become the building blocks of the human body.xliii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ IV. What do the Scriptures say about the preciousness of life in the womb? 1. Abortion advocates say the Bible is silent about abortion. 2. The sanctity of human life in Psalm 139. Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 3. In Psalm 139, the Bible does not speak of fetal life as mere biochemistry. God formed our inward parts and wove us in our mother’s womb. [Page 53]
54 Developing a Biblical Worldview The fundamental biblical issue in abortion is that it constitutes the shedding of innocent blood. The real question today is not when people’s lives begin, but what is the value and sanctity of human life? The blood of millions of aborted children cries to God for vengeance. Their silent screams are heard loudly by Almighty God. America’s hands, and most of the nations of the world are covered with the stain of innocent blood. “That innocent blood cries to God for vengeance. Those cries are reaching a thunderous crescendo, and God will answer in judgment just as he did with Israel and Judah” (John O. Anderson).xliv God’s holy, just, and righteous character demands that He avenge the blood of innocent victims. “And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged, for the LORD dwells in Zion” (Joel 3:21). “He said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground’” (crying to be avenged) (Gen 4:10). “For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer cover her slain” (Is 26:21).xlv As committed Christians we must equip our fellow believers to defend the sanctity of life. What makes us equal as persons is that we each possess the same human nature and are created in God’s image and likeness. Every individual had this human nature from the same moment he or she began to exist. In terms of our genetic code, the normal baby has all forty-six chromosomes at conception. His or her heart is beating at twenty days, and at forty-five days, brain waves can be detected. He or she has all the organs by eight weeks old, and by thirteen weeks, the baby recoils from pain and sucks his thumb.xlvi How absurd to suggest that late-term abortion is not killing. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen V. God’s righteous character demands He avenge innocent blood. VI. Believers need to equip themselves to stand up for the sanctity of life. 1. We must equip fellow believers to defend the sanctity of life. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Regarding the need to be equipped to give an answer: At a Summit Worldview Ministry camp, only 12 out of 180 Christian students had ever heard a sermon about how to defend the pro-life position against abortion. The vast majority of students who attended had never heard a message about the link between abortion and the gospel. God is life and the Author of life: It is wrong to intentionally take a human life. ”Abortion is intentionally killing of an innocent human being, that is why abortion is wrong” (Scott Klusendorf) 15 [Page 54]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 55 Embryology: The branch of biology focused on the study of the embryo, which states a fetus has its own distinct DNA and thus, a unique and distinct human. In regard to the sanctity, dignity, and worth of a person’s life, God in speaking through the Psalmist tells us what man is. Twice in Psalm 8 the question is asked, ‘what is man. . .?’ The answer comes that man has profound dignity—he is created a little lower than the angels and is crowned with glory and majesty (Ps 8:5). Man’s dignity derives from his being created in the image and likeness of God.xlvii Murder is high- handed crime, for it strikes down a person formed in our Creator’s image: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man” (Gen 9:6). Believers need to learn a strategy that will enable them to defend the unborn. Christians ought to be equipped to persuasively communicate that the unborn are fully human. Many assume that the unborn are not fully human. And then, from that assumption reason that a woman’s choice is about her body, her reproductive freedom, and her health. A poisonous toxic ‘cocktail’ of humanism and feminism has convinced us that everyone deserves the right to fulfill his or her dreams at any cost. Thus, with this mindset, it is permissible to set aside one’s responsibility before God in order to pursue one’s passion. Therefore, out of expedience, the assumption about the fetus is that it is not fully human, thus not a part of the population, not one of us. Ultimately the issue is not about choice! A few foundational questions are: • What is the unborn? Consider that pro-choice people agree that one cannot justify abusing a two-year old child in the privacy of your home. The reason why is because they are human persons and therefore possess dignity and moral worth. We must learn to make the case that the unborn are fully human like the toddler.xlviii Embryology states that as a fetus, you are distinct, a whole human being, with each of your cells containing the genetic coding that makes you uniquely you—there will never be another you, possessing the same DNA. We once were embryonic human beings. Is that hard to believe that the little cluster of embryonic cells was once you? Even in the earliest stages of development, you were already there. • What makes a human valuable? Not our functions, or our I.Q, or our physical ability, or our self- awareness. These are not the basis for equality and dignity. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. Man’s dignity is derived from being created in the image of God. Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 3. Believers need to learn how to defend the unborn. [Page 55]
56 Developing a Biblical Worldview The S.L.E.D. acrostic is a useful memory device to show why it is morally irrational to kill an innocent human being. • S. – Size. Is a smaller body size an adequate reason to kill the unborn? No, of course not. • L. – Level of development. Is a lesser level of development a just reason to kill an unborn human? No! • E. – Environment. Can an infant inside the womb be justifiably killed a minute before it is born in late-term abortion—even though it will be outside the womb a minute later, and then protected? No! Learn to press the issue: how does where you are determine what you are? Consider that advances in fetal surgery commonly operate on the baby within the fetal sac – even partially placed outside the woman’s body—once the surgery is completed, the baby is then placed back in the womb. • D. – Degree of dependency. A toddler (who is of course dependent) is regarded as fully human, and is thus, fully protected by the state. In summary, the S.L.E.D. (Size, Level of Development, Environment, Degree of Dependency) acrostic is useful to understand the justifications given for killing a baby while inside its mother, and yet not permitting the death after the baby is born or living. These do not add up! Pro-choice assumes the unborn are not fully human persons, but the pro- choice position does not even attempt to prove the ‘non-human’ assumption. Why not grant the ‘right’ to kill an unwanted two-year old toddler? Should an unborn be killed for lack of social services? How about a two-year old facing similar challenges? Utilizing the S.L.E.D. acrostic helps cut to the chase by demonstrating that even when all four of the excuses for killing the unborn (S.L.E.D.) are present together, they cannot justify murder.xlix The medical arguments against abortion are compelling. For example, at conception the embryo is genetically distinct from the mother. To say that the developing baby is no different from the mother’s appendix is scientifically inaccurate. A developing embryo is genetically different from the mother. A developing embryo is also genetically different from the sperm and egg that created it. A human being has 46 chromosomes (sometimes 47 chromosomes). Sperm and egg each have 23 chromosomes. In the womb, the fetus even develops fingerprints unique from its mother. A trained geneticist can distinguish between the DNA of an embryo and that of a sperm and egg. But that same geneticist could not distinguish between the DNA of a developing embryo and a full-grown human being!l NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. The S.L.E.D acrostic is a useful memory device. Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 5. Compelling medical arguments against abortion. If you are asked, why are you pro-life, your answer will not only be that every person is created in God’s image and bears a fully human nature. But you also can answer that the science of embryology says that from the beginning of a baby’s formation, that child is a distinct human being. In terms of a person’s uniqueness and genetic identity, there is no essential difference between the embryo you once were and what you are today that would justify killing you. [Page 56]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 57 Another set of medical arguments against abortion surround the definition of life and death. If one set of criteria have been used to define death, could they also be used to define life? Death used to be defined by the cessation of heartbeat. A stopped heart was a clear sign of death. If the cessation of heartbeat could define death, does it not make sense that the onset of a heartbeat would certainly indicate life? The heart is formed by the 18th day in the womb and begins beating by the 21st day. If heartbeat were used to define life, then nearly all abortions would be outlawed. Opponents to abortion also raise the crucial issue of fetal pain. Does the fetus feel pain during an abortion? The evidence seems fairly clear and consistent that it does feel pain. Consider this statement made in a British medical journal: “Try sticking an infant with a pin and you know what happens. She opens her mouth to cry and also pulls away. Try sticking an 8-week-old human fetus in the palm of his hand. He opens his mouth and pulls his hand away. A more technical description would add that changes in heart rate and fetal movement also suggest that intrauterine manipulations are painful to the fetus.” The development of sonography (the image of an ultrasound) has provided us with a “window into the womb” showing us that a person is growing and developing in the mother's womb. We can discern eyes, ears, fingers, a nose, and a mouth. Our visual senses tell us this is a baby rapidly growing and maturing. The point is simple: medical science leads to a pro-life perspective rather than a pro-choice perspective.li Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 7. Fetal pain. 6. The medical definition of life and death. Physicians now use a more rigorous criterion for determining death: brain wave activity. A flat EEG (electroencephalograph) is one of the most important indicators used to determine death. If the cessation of brain wave activity can define death, could not the onset of brain wave activity define life? Individual brain waves are detected in the fetus in about 40-45 days. Using brain wave activity to define life would outlaw at least a majority of abortions.17 Evidence shows that a fetus feels pain and responds in a similar way that an infant would. [Page 57]
58 Developing a Biblical Worldview Innocent lives can be saved if Christians will step forward and open their mouths, and “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Prov 31:8a, NIV). No man or woman has the ‘right’ to shed innocent blood. God’s purpose for us as His image and likeness involves the powerful and wonderful capacity to procreate life in His image by an act of the will in cooperation with Him. But the twin sins of immorality and murder continue to attack this beautiful gift and privilege of bringing new persons into the world. Our culture of murder today is filled with idolatrous humanistic reasonings such as pro-choice, the non-viability (unable to survive) of the fetus, the alleged right of the woman to her body, and the sanctioning of the shedding of innocent blood. Lest we forget for even a moment, those whom God was about to judge were described as swift to shed innocent blood (Is 59:7; 1:21; 26:21).lii The womb ought to be the safest place in the world, yet it has become the site of a silent holocaust. Our timid plea for truth and repentance is so weak and harmless to the kingdom of darkness, it could be compared to a sorority pillow fight. Are we to ignore this country’s slide into judgment? Consider the message of the Word of God through the prophet Ezekiel as he proclaimed disaster upon impenitent Judah: “Make the chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence” (Ezek 7:23). “Then He said to me, ‘The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!’” (Ezek 9:9). “Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to idols to be devoured. Were your harlotries so small a matter? You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire” (Ezek 16:20-21). “Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God, ‘Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to idols’…Thus I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy” (Ezek 16:35-36, 38). Repentance will involve the recapturing of the great privilege of procreation. For human reproduction is a part of our uniqueness as God’s image. God has planted a human nature and character in us which includes a moral, intellectual, and spiritual likeness.liii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ VII. Innocent lives can be saved if Christian step forward and speak up for those who cannot. Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen 1. Abortion reveals moral bankruptcy and a prominent worldview of a God-denying culture. 2. Believer must earnestly call our society to repentance. [Page 58]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 59 The blood of the innocent defiles those who shed it as well as those who sanction its shedding. The only hope of mankind is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Women and men who were persuaded by the abortion script, that the fetus is a mere thing with no moral worth, need the mercy and grace that is found only in Christ Jesus.liv It's difficult to think of a bloodier Jewish king than Manasseh who sacrificed his infant sons to the idol, Molech. “He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, “provoking Him to anger.” Yet, when Manasseh was afflicted, we read: “When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God” (2 Chron 33:13). How marvelous this is! When we as believers advocate for the lives of the unborn, we ought also proclaim the gospel—that to those who repent, the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses from all sin.lv Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ VIII. In Christ, eternal hope is offered to those who repent of performing or having an abortion Several years ago, this present author had a unique opportunity to repeatedly meet privately with a medical doctor who had assisted in the most live births within his state, but he also had performed countless abortions. This physician had terminal lung cancer. As we talked within the privacy of his home, he would ask, “Tell me again what will happen to me when I die.” I shared the passages on judgment as well as pleading with him to repent of his sin and entrust himself to Christ. At times he seemed deeply sobered. But, at the end of each visit, he would give a concluding statement suggesting that he saw life much differently than I. During one appeal, I implored him to consider again the infinite value of the blood of God’s Son. For, according to Scripture, the blood of Christ speaks infinitely ‘louder’ than the shed blood of the victims. This has a profound application for those who have received abortions as well as those who have performed abortions. This marvelous truth had the physician’s attention for a moment, but he was not ready to repent of his crimes. Think of it, I pleaded with him, the blood of Abel cried out for justice, but the blood of Christ cries out for mercy upon the repenting sinner! “. . .and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (Heb 12:24). 1 John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” [Page 59]
60 Developing a Biblical Worldview R18.1 What Scripture verse in the book of Genesis teaches us that God is sovereign over human conception? (“He opens or closes a woman’s womb.”) (4.1) _____________________________________________ R18.2 What does it mean in Isaiah 26:21, that ‘the earth will reveal her bloodshed’? (5) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R18.3 What does the S.L.E.D. acrostic stand for? How can the S.L.E.D. argument be used to defend the lives of the unborn? (6.4). ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R18.4 Give some of the reasons from biology and genetics which show that the embryo or fetus is not a part of the mother’s body like her appendix or some other organ. (6.5) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Addressing Social Issues with Scripture Lesson Eighteen Isaiah 26:21 “For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.” Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” [Page 60]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 61 When debating unbelievers of what is true, real, right and wrong, Christian scholarship is frequently pressured to put aside commitments that are distinctly Christian “in the interest of neutrality.” But because this is God’s world, neutrality is a myth. For we live amid God’s handiwork, thus, all is common ground, but none of it is neutral ground: we have a Creator in common, the image of God in common, a world in common, but NOT a worldview in common. How should this inform our apologetics? ANSWER: We must not concede neutrality, for that would deepen the unbeliever’s spiritual dilemma, concealing the fact that the unbeliever is separated from God by reason of his sin and love of darkness. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ OBJECTIVES: This lesson exposes the myth of neutrality in apologetics. Students will examine the following concepts: I. Unbelievers pressure believers to be “neutral” in their apologetics. II. The nature of human reason makes neutrality impossible. III. The nature of the sinner makes neutrality impossible. IV. The nature of God’s revelation makes neutrality impossible. V. The nature of the debate makes neutrality impossible. VI. Apologetics questions that can be used in gospel conversation. I. Unbelievers pressure believers to be “neutral” in their apologetics. 1. When debating unbelievers, Christian scholarship is pressured to put aside Christian commitments. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen Unbelievers are on the treadmill of the world’s philosophy – getting absolutely nowhere. Saying “No one knows yet” is a rebellious flight from God’s truth. Believers and unbelievers have a Creator and a world in common but NOT a worldview in common. [Page 61]
62 Developing a Biblical Worldview Presupposition: Something assumed ahead of time. For example, naturalism presupposes that laws of nature alone account for all reality. We are told, “Christianity must pass the test of science.” But that truth criterion is built upon faith in human autonomy (the mind can accurately determine truth and reality apart from God).lvi Sometimes unbelievers suggest that Christianity lacks support because ‘it does not pass the test of science’. But to make such a claim is to confuse philosophic naturalism (a system that denies God as Creator and supposes everything arises from natural causes apart from God) with empirical science (science backed with concrete evidence). The presupposition behind naturalism is that natural laws and forces alone account for reality. But genuine science (demonstratable science) is limited to an operational framework. In other words, operational science is the study of repeatable events in the present. We see operational science especially in chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy, and geology. Non-neutral conversation: Christianity starts with first verse in the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1). Christianity is a comprehensive account of reality; the unbeliever’s worldview is fragmented and cannot give an account of reality.lvii There is an unbridgeable “gulf” between the believer and the unbeliever’s methods of knowing (epistemologies). Disagreement over what one claims to know is in reality due to a conflict in worldviews. Believers and unbelievers are both analyzing reality from within their worldviews – Biblical theism (belief that God is Creator) versus naturalism (belief in natural causes apart from God). These two worldviews are completely incompatible. Therefore, there is no neutral ground.lviii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 1. Facts and evidences are interpreted from one’s worldview. Operational science gives us information about universal laws, the knowledge of which is needed for technology. Outside of an operational framework, we are left with unproven speculation.20 1. Which of the following is operational science? (Abiogenesis (original evolution of life), evolution, internal combustion, aviation, multiply universes, life on other planets, aerospace, philosophic naturalism, genetics.) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen 2. Christians are pressured to leave the Bible out of the discussion. II. The nature of human reason makes neutrality impossible. [Page 62]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 63 Facts cannot stand alone. When reasoning about facts, they are always understood in terms of a broad, unified whole or system. The question is, “which system gives meaning to the facts?”lix Without a unified system or whole, facts are meaningless. One cannot reason, live, nor deal with truth apart from presuppositions. Without them, attempts to reason would take place “in a vacuum.” It would be like attempting to string beads that have no holes. In that analogy, beads are facts, that the string which holds them together is one’s worldview. Non-neutral conversation: All thinking begins somewhere—at a starting point or presupposition. Reliance upon one’s presuppositions enters at the very beginning of the process of selecting and organizing facts. By the nature of the case, presuppositions are held to be self-evidencing and self-authenticating. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. Facts are inseparable from their interpretations. Let’s say I show you ‘a fact’ in the form of a fossilized fish. We may agree that the skeletal system we see is that of a fish preserved in rock. But does the fossil tell the story of a catastrophe which quickly buried the fish OR does the fossil provide part of the story of the origin of life? The answer depends upon the system by which one interprets facts. 2. If the nature of reality is but matter and chance, how can one account for rationality? Does science have a definition of truth or of reality? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Presupposition enters at the beginning of this process. Man selects “facts” to develop and organize within his system of thought. [Page 63]
64 Developing a Biblical Worldview When viewing reality, there are only two possible reference points: either the Sovereign Creator is ultimate, or chance is ultimate – both cannot be absolute.lx Non-neutral conversation: Today’s audience does not know who God is or what went wrong with our world. They cannot answer: why is there a moral law in the first place? And why are there moral consequences to sinful choices? The ethical nature of all of life argues for a moral Lawgiver, which is why there is accountability (or ‘ought’ in matters of moral law). If chance and the impersonal are ultimate, you will not be able to get reasons for the way things are—you will ‘normalize’ everything—holocausts, leprosy, victimization, cruelty, injustice, war, etc.—all is considered ‘normal’.lxi Due to the fall in Eden, every unbeliever is committed to anti-Biblical presuppositions about the nature of reality. These presuppositions oppose the knowledge of God. The non-Christian assumes that like himself, the creation is autonomous, existing independent of an almighty, personal Creator. Because of this prejudice, human reason cannot be relegated to some neutral category or unbiased authority. Why? Because man’s intellect and powers of reason are not ethically neutral. Man’s intellectual sin reveals itself in the field of knowledge. The answer to man’s intellectual idolatry is God’s power in salvation, for Christ died to subdue us to Himself holistically—that begins with the intellect.lxii Non-neutral conversation: In order to reveal the presuppositions that make up his worldview, ask an unbeliever, “Is there anything in creation that CANNOT happen by itself? If so, what is it, and why?” 3. Believers and unbelievers are in total disagreement about the structure of reality. 4. Unbelievers’ presuppositions oppose the knowledge of God. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen In salvation, the mind’s ability is restored to receive the absolute truth of divine revelation. The believer is enabled to bring his mind under the Word of God. Read Matthew 18:3-4 along with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 3. In regard to conversion (salvation), how does the Study Bible describe this child-like faith Jesus spoke of? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ The original temptation of Adam and Eve was a solicitation for man to become his own god by becoming his own source of truth, justice, morals, meaning, and beauty. The devil offered a worldview with mankind at its center. That means that in Eden, Satan offered a temptation which would enthrone man’s reason above God, His Word, and above all that is holy.22 [Page 64]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 65 When men take a neutral approach to knowledge, it is characterized by a vain, darkened mind (Eph 4:17-18). A neutral approach in philosophy is condemned by Scripture because it does not begin with the truth of God. “Neutrality” takes its direction from the accepted principles of the world’s intellectuals. But Scripture warns us not to be trapped by the world’s philosophies: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Col 2:8). “Vain” thinking is thinking that is not in accord with the Word of God. It is philosophy which operates against the truth of Christ (Rom 1:21). All thinking that begins with the presupposition of autonomous reason is vain and condemned by God. “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph 5:6). When the non-Christian insists upon neutrality in the world of thought, he is operating upon principles of unbelief.lxiii The unbeliever’s spiritual blindness eliminates the possibility of common ground in respect to the truth of God (2 Cor 4:3-4; Eph 2:1-3; 1 Jn 5:19). To allow the unbeliever to set debate ground rules of neutrality only delays the exposure of his sin. God’s grace must first confront the sinner in his unbelief so as to convict his heart of the infallible truth of Christianity.lxiv The non-Christian’s heart disposition of enmity involves a satanic principle that is opposed to God (Col 1:21). Yet, the natural man is not fully conscious of his own position toward God and His truth. He poses as an objective truth- seeker, but his mind raises up fortresses against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:3-5). In reality, he is an enemy of God with a conflict within him—he possesses an inescapable sense of deity within him (he cannot extinguish his innate knowledge of God), and yet he suppresses the truth of God (Rom 1:18-23). Granting neutrality only serves to conceal his autonomy lie.lxv Non-neutral conversation: There are reasons for the way things are—your ‘reasons’ comprise your picture of reality (your worldview). Unlike other stories, God’s story requires His self-revelation because His infallible perspective is foreign to us. Yet, because we are made in His image and have departed from our created purpose, His self-revelation touches the things we know deeply in our hearts. We know something is terribly wrong with the world. The brokenness of the world and the uniqueness of Jesus are connected in the story of redemption. This story reveals how humans went bad—caused the world to go bad, and how both are only fixed by God’s work through Christ.lxvi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ III. The nature of the sinner makes neutrality impossible. 1. A neutral approach is characterized by a vain, darkened mind. 2. The unbeliever’s worldview is hostile at every point to the Christian philosophy of life. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen Vain thinking, that suggests we can be autonomous (live apart from God), is like a court jester on the throne of ignorance. [Page 65]
66 Developing a Biblical Worldview When a man sets up his own authority for what is true and what is not, he becomes the epistemological authority (the authority for what is true or not) and not the Bible. Neutrality turns authority over to the unbeliever by placing God on trial. But the Scripture never submits to another standard of truth other than itself. If Scripture did so, then the authority of Scripture would rise no higher than some extra-biblical standard. Note the absurdity of Eve running her own ‘empirical’ test to see if God or the Serpent is the truth-teller. It is inconsistent for a Christian to claim that the Bible is the ultimate source of authority, and then for the sake of debate, be neutral toward it. All facts are God’s facts; they must be interpreted as God has interpreted them. Only the Holy Scriptures are the ultimate intellectual standard.lxvii Opposition to Christianity is not merely confined to doctrinal points contained in Scripture, nor is it merely the natural sciences opposing supernaturalism. Those who oppose Christianity war against the whole Biblical manner of conceiving of the world and man’s place in it. The Word of God infallibly answers every ultimate question. Granting neutrality constitutes an unnecessary surrender of absolute truth. The believer has submitted to Christ’s epistemic authority (Christ’s authority over all truth and knowledge). It is disloyal to Christ to set aside His authoritative answers to ultimate questions for the sake of debate. Christ is the believer’s philosophy for every ultimate question (Col 2:8). He is God’s light to the world. To reject His illuminating authority in the realm of knowledge is to trust in the candle of the human mind in order to find the sun! Non-neutral conversation: How did the world get broken; what went wrong? One’s answer quickly reveals whether one sees the world as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. Why can’t the atheist answer, “what is wrong with the world?” Answer: Because he has ‘normalized’ everything; he has no basis for a standard of ‘not wrong’. A ‘broken’ world implies a non-broken standard. God’s perfect standard is His own righteousness. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Christ has many titles referring to His illumining role as Lord of all knowledge. Read Luke 1:78-79; Eph 5:14; John 1:4-5, 9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46. 4. In Luke 1:78, why is Christ referred to as the Sunrise from on high? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. It is inconsistent to claim the Bible is the ultimate source of authority & then be neutral toward it. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen IV. The nature of the God’s revelation makes neutrality impossible. 3. Neutrality constitutes a surrender of absolute truth. 1. Neutrality denies the authority of the Bible. Rejecting God’s illuminating authority of knowledge is like trusting a candle to try to find the sun. [Page 66]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 67 When the unbeliever is allowed to set the terms of the debate, the Christian loses the authority to challenge the unbeliever’s imagined autonomy. To set aside distinctly Christian commitments in the interest of neutrality is immoral. It constitutes a form of thinking of which the world approves. ‘…A friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God’ (James 4:4). The Biblical point of contact stresses God’s claims on the sinner and how the unbeliever is misusing his intellect as a ‘weapon’ against the knowledge of his Creator. Do not assume that all the sinner needs is religious information, rather than antithesis (something directly opposite).lxviii The commonality Christians share with unbelievers is that both are made in the image of God and both are surrounded by God’s creation—God has made it evident to them (by creation) and in them (by conscience). Thus, it is all common ground, but none of it is neutral ground. Our obligation to deny neutrality actually secures commonality rather than destroys commonality. Why? Because we have a Creator in common, the image of God in common, a world in common, but not a worldview in common. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ V. The nature of the debate makes neutrality impossible. 1. In debate, do not set aside Christian authority. 2. Christians and unbelievers have some commonalities but not a worldview in common. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen Antithesis means that the truth is the very opposite of what the non-Christian believes. Read Colossians 2:8. 5a. What phrase emphasizes antithesis in Colossians 2:8? _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Read Proverbs 8:36; 12:15; 14:12. 5b. What are the consequences of rejecting the wisdom of God? ______________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” When a man assumes the position of the ultimate authoritative reference point, he puts himself in a position to NOT understand God’s truth. [Page 67]
68 Developing a Biblical Worldview The Christian apologist cannot leave the unbeliever’s controlling presupposition unchallenged (the unbeliever’s mind cannot be the final reference point for what is true and real). You will find in your evangelism efforts that either God or the sinner is regarded as the ultimate reference point. When in the interest of congeniality, the Christian apologist concedes to the pressure to assume neutrality, he erases the antithesis between the believer and the unbeliever’s method of knowing. This we cannot do, for the Scriptures constantly emphasize the antithesis between the believer’s and the unbeliever’s worldviews.lxix How can a person be sure that the Bible and Christianity are true? Is it not his responsibility to investigate carefully the validity of Christianity in comparison with other possible alternatives before making a final decision? The answer is NO! Man is not an unbiased neutral observer in spiritual matters, capable of sitting in judgment as one religion after another passes before him in review, waiting to find one that is logically coherent, historically and scientifically factual, and personally satisfying, before adopting it as his own! Quite to the contrary, from the Biblical standpoint, sinful men have no right to demand “proper credentials” when the Creator says to them: repent, believe the gospel, obey Me NOW! To give an unbeliever the impression that he has a right to investigate all the problems before he repents of his sin and turns to Christ for forgiveness is to set him up on a pedestal of intellectual and spiritual pride. The so-called intellectual excuses of sinners will vanish in the day “when God shall judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ” (Rom 2:16). Consequently, the Christian who will be most effectively used by God in winning others is not the one who knows the most about philosophy, history, archaeology, and science, but the one who knows most about God’s Word and who humbly seeks God’s help in obeying it (John Whitcomb).lxx In Christ, man finds the true wisdom and knowledge he lost in the fall (1 Cor 1:30; Col 2:17). In Christ, man finds reconciliation in that Christ was offered up as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice. Like Paul in Acts 17, we bring the gospel to men unproven. We avoid the disaster of seeking to prove the Bible before men are called to believer the Bible. Our apologetics methodology should be governed by our Biblical doctrine of man and the nature of saving faith. We must start with the facts of the Bible on the need of man—that he is hopeless as far as human help is concerned. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. The unbeliever’s mind cannot be the final authority. 5. In Christ, man find true wisdom and reconciliation with God. Antithesis emphasizes that the opposing worldviews are mutually exclusive. Therefore, the difference between believer and unbeliever’s worldview is NOT a matter of degree. If neutrality were really possible for an unbeliever, he would not hate those who are of the truth. The world’s antipathy (dislike or aversion) toward the Christian is because the believer is of the truth, and the unbeliever is not of the truth. Read John 14:16-17; 15:18-19; 1 John 4:5-6. 6. Give three reasons from these texts why unbelievers oppose those who hold to truth. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen 4. Why shouldn’t a person compare all possible alternatives to Christianity? NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 68]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 69 Give the unbeliever the gospel, if he disagrees, ask some of the following questions. • Do you know what you believe? THEN: • Where are your answers coming from? Mine are rooted in the Word of God, the Bible. • What is the basis for your claim against Christ and His testimony? THEN: If he subscribes to naturalism, you can ask the following question: • Do you believe that chance produced knowledge, personhood, conscience, consciousness, the laws of non-contradiction (logic), uniformity in nature, and an ethical/moral code? Take him back to Scripture and show him the passages about futile thinking (Rom 1:18-21; Eph 4:17), show him that wisdom and knowledge begin with the fear of God (Prov 1:7). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ VI. Apologetics questions that can be used in gospel conversations. 1. After giving the unbeliever the gospel, ask questions. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen If you set out to map Mount Everest with a flashlight, a 12-inch ruler, a pencil and pad; why would you fail? Your tools are inadequate! So also, because God is transcendent, we are utterly dependent upon His self-revelation in order to know Him as He truly is. As finite creatures made of dust, we do not possess the “equipment” to take His measure, nor the measure of reality, nor ourselves. Attempting to map Mt. Everest with inadequate tools is like trying to know an infinite God using our finite minds apart from God’s self-revelation. [Page 69]
70 Developing a Biblical Worldview The Christian apologist can utilize questions to bring the unbeliever’s presuppositions to the surface so that they may be discussed. And, as the unbeliever ‘owns’ his presuppositions which underlie his worldview, he can be shown in light of Scripture his commitment to autonomy (self- governing opposed to submitting to God) and its resultant darkness and futile thinking. • How does the world operate? By chance or by the perfect plan of an all-wise and good God? • What is man’s place in the world? What is the source of man’s purpose, calling, dignity, and worth? • What is man’s nature? An advanced animal or a being designed in the image of his Creator? And, thus, fully accountable to his Creator? • What are the criteria for truth? (Consensus, science, common sense, or the ultimate authority of God?) • What are the proper methods of knowing? (Human reasoning or God’s authoritative self-revelation in Christ and the Holy Scriptures?) • Is certainty about the truth possible? What is the source of epistemological certainty? • Is there a truth standard outside of God? What is that truth standard; what is the test that standard? • What is your god like; can you describe his attributes and character? How does you god differ from the God of the Bible? • What is your source of certainty regarding unseen things? (i.e. “there is no judgment day”, “man has no eternal soul”, “there is no hell”, “there is no heaven”). • Can you explain how your position differs from the Word of God? • Do you know what God says about your worldview? • What is the solution to mankind’s moral failure? • Is God’s love of mankind expressed in His distinguishing of truth from error, and good from evil? NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. Apologetics’ questions can bring an unbeliever’s presuppositions to the light of day. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen Christianity addresses why things are so messed up, and it addresses evil as a huge biblical theme. Christianity is the story of: 1) how the world began, 2) why it is the way it is, 3) what role we play in the drama, and 4) how the plotlines of the story are resolved in the end. “True,” is not true to me, but true to reality as defined by God.27 For a worldview to be true and accurate, it must be able to give an account of the way things are, the reason they are that way.28 [Page 70]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 71 Since the unbeliever has a faulty method of knowing (his reliance upon autonomous reason), the following questions can be used to demonstrate that his worldview does not match reality. • Why is evil in the world if God made the world? The answer to this question is one of the major themes of Scripture— make sure you can answer this. • Did you know that God has made it very clear in His Word, the penalty for disobeying God is de-evolution, not evolution? Because of human sin, the creation has been ‘dragged down’ into decay, death, disease, injustice, suffering, extinction, and intellectual and moral darkness. • There is evidence for design! Consider a piece of wood shaped into a boomerang – now this does what wood does normally do – come back! Why does it come back when you throw it? What is the evidence in a boomerang for a designer? This practical, simple question can turn the conversation to the subject of God’s plan and design for all He has made. • What categories in creation are admissible as support for an Intelligent Designer or Creator? What kinds of things give evidence of design? If they say, “None!”, you can point out that they have a core assumption of naturalism which they have made on faith alone without proof. • The ingredients in DNA (sugars, phosphates, amino acids) do not make codes by themselves. The code is in the messaged arrangement of these compounds. The longest ‘word’ we know of is the DNA molecule which has 3.5 billion characters as well as the ‘software’ to read its own code! Consider how complex the DNA program is that is responsible for the construction of the human eye. • Do you know what you believe happens to a person after death? Do you have a reason for rejecting Christ’s testimony concerning this question? Has anyone ever shared with you what the Bible says about your conscience and your soul? • If you were to set out to find God how would you proceed? Do you know why God’s initial contact point with us is our sin and rebellion? The reason why is because that is the condition in which God finds us, rebellious and unable to help ourselves. • Has anyone ever shown you from the Bible why you are accountable to God? Because you are made in the image of God, you have been designed by God for a specific purpose: to know and reflect your Maker. You will only come to know and recover that purpose through the Lord Jesus Christ. • May I show you from Scripture why death is such a serious issue (Hebrews 9:27)? Explain that the sting of death is sin (1 Cor. 15:54-57). Christ’s resurrection demands that there is an eternal existence. His resurrection is the Father’s endorsement of His cross-work for sinners. You are dead without His resurrection— death will destroy your soul forever in hell apart from Christ’s work. (1 Cor. 15:55-56) • What do you think of Christ? Who is He and why did He come to earth? May I show you from God’s Word? The Lord Jesus Christ is the only means of knowing God; He is God’s message to sinners. Christ is the manifestation of God. (Heb 1:1-3) Christ is the only Mediator between God and man. (1 Tim 2:5) NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Apologetics’ questions can provide an internal critique of the unbeliever’s worldview. The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” [Page 71]
72 Developing a Biblical Worldview R19.1 What do believers and unbelievers have in common and what is different between the two? (1.1) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R19.2 Name three areas of operational science from the lesson and name one or two more areas of operation science not mentioned in the lesson? (1.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R19.3 Describe what Satan’s lie in Eden offered mankind in terms of autonomous reason. (2.3) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R19.4 If a non-Christian were to ask you this apologetics question: “Is there anything in creation that cannot happen by itself?” What would you say? (2.4) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R19.5 Why can’t an atheist give a sensible answer to the question, “What has gone wrong with the world?” (4.3) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The Myth of Neutrality Lesson Nineteen Luke 11:23 “He who is not with Me is against Me; And he who does not gather with Me, scatters.” [Page 72]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 73 The subject of Point of Contact seeks to answer the following question: As a Christian bringing God’s truth to the unbeliever, what is the Point of Contact between Christian truth and the unbeliever? The following points form an introduction to the topic: What are the weaknesses of Christian apologetic systems which rely primarily on proofs and not upon the Biblical Point of Contact? Answer: They tend to credit man’s mind with the ability to understand the things of God. Evidentialism (proofs for the integrity and truthfulness of the Bible), without a call to believe the Gospel and repent, can leave the person with the assumption that self is still the ultimate reference point and final arbiter (or judge) for truth. Scripture makes it clear that when self remains at the center in the evaluation of gospel truth-claims, that person puts himself in a position to NOT understand divine truth. The Gospel states that any worldview with self at the center makes that man an enemy of God’s truth (Prov 1:7; 3:5; Col 1:21; Rev 14:7). Therefore, the Point of Contact cannot be man’s autonomous reason. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ OBJECTIVES: Students will explore the following concepts: I. Introduction to the Biblical Point of Contact, II. In repentance, the sinner’s mind is brought under the Scriptures, III. The Point of Contact is at the point of man’s rebellion, IV. The sinner’s real problem is not intellectual, but moral, and V. How to bring the Biblical Point of Contact into a Gospel conversation. I. Introduction to the Biblical Point of Contact 1. The natural man’s mind does not have the ability to understand the things of God. 2. Evidences without the Gospel can leave a person assuming self is the ultimate reference point. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty Scriptures says that man’s ability to understand was lost in the Fall. Read Romans 3:11, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Ephesians 4:18. 1. Isolate the phase in each of these verses which indicates that fallen man has lost the knowledge of God. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 73]
74 Developing a Biblical Worldview When reason is put ahead of revelation, the result is darkness, futility, vanity, and folly. But in our defense of Christianity, we do not cast reason and revelation as adversaries (that would be a false dichotomy!). But its processes have been radically corrupted by the Fall. Reason unaided by divine revelation always results in a distorted view of life, of self, and of God. If the mind does not become the tool of divine revelation, it will be used as a weapon against the knowledge of God. Until the sinner repents, he will do the same thing with special revelation (Scripture) that he does with general revelation (God’s witness in creation and conscience)—suppress it and hold it down in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18-23). The mind set on the flesh is death (Rom 8:6). If we do not challenge him (asking him to renounce his view of self as the final authority), he will continue to view himself as the final authority for what is true, what is real, what is right, and what is wrong. If the sinner is to find God, there must be a point at which he surrenders his thought processes to the mind of God, which is the Word of God. It is impossible to have both the sinner’s mind and God’s Word as the final authority. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. In our defense of Christianity, reason and revelation are not adversaries. 3. Reason is not sinful in itself. 5. The natural man uses reason to judge the credibility of Christian revelation. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty Saving faith is not a leap in the dark in which reason is cast aside. It is not an intellectual freefall in which one hopes that God may be there to catch you. No, the sure Word of God is directed at the mind, the will, the conscience, and the affections. Our God-given faculties of thought, will, and rationality were created by God to receive divine revelation (that we might know, love, believe, obey, & enjoy God). Pastor Voddie Baucham notes that his faith in God’s Word is not an irrational leap: “I choose to believe the Bible because it is a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They report supernatural events that took place in fulfillment of specific prophecies and claimed that their writing is divine rather than human in origin.” Read Matthew 12:38-40 and John 10:37-38 with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. Jesus condemned the unbelief of the Jews and their demand for signs in Matthew 12:38-40. 2. Explain the meaning of John 10:37-38 in light of Matthew 12:38-40. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ John 10:37-38 “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” [Page 74]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 75 Because man’s reason has been radically corrupted by depravity, it is impossible to be neutral toward the truth of God. If one falsely assumes that the natural man is neutral toward God, one’s apologetic method will fall short of what is needed. The Biblical Point of Contact involves confronting the unbeliever’s supposed right to challenge God. You really haven’t taken on the unbeliever at the point of his rebellion until you have exposed the fact that he sits in judgment upon God and His Word. When utilizing the Biblical Point of Contact, we challenge the unbeliever’s use of his mind to think independently of God— showing him that by placing reason ahead of revelation, the unbeliever proves that he worships his own mind as the final authority for what is true, real, and moral. When dealing with the unbeliever, make sure to reason from the Gospel. Only the Word of God can do the work at the depth at which the labor needs to be done. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 6. The natural man is not neutral toward God’s Word. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty 7. Make sure to reason using the Gospel. Evidentialist arguments are like using a ‘weed whacker—they may strike at the weeds that are above ground level, but only the Word of God goes deep enough to reach the ‘root tips’ of human depravity. The Word of God states that the unbeliever is ‘hostile in mind’ (Col 1:21); he defies God’s authority and requirement of perfect righteousness. Therefore, the unbeliever opposes God’s justice. You must know that your unsaved friend resists God’s justice yet is haunted by a defiled conscience that is constantly testifying concerning God’s moral authority (Rom 2:1-16).31 Using evidences, without utilizing the Biblical Point of Contact is like using a weed whacker that only cuts surface weeds but leaves the noxious roots of human depravity untouched. By placing reason ahead of revelation, the unbeliever proves that he believes his own mind is the final authority (and not God’s Word). Romans 8:6 “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace…” [Page 75]
76 Developing a Biblical Worldview Christianity cannot be added to one’s life—the Gospel in not ‘additional information’ to what someone already knows. In true conversion there is intellectual repentance—that means that when a sinner repents, his entire worldview is turned upside down (2 Cor 5:17)—self is dethroned— autonomous reason is abandoned—God becomes the center—Christ becomes Lord of one’s life (including one’s reasoning). Faith in the Lord puts a halt to judging God and His Word. The unbeliever does not understand the depth of his depravity, his rebellion, and his spiritual darkness. He remains hopeless as long as he clutches onto a philosophy which has self at the center. Therefore, we must press the conscience; for only the Biblical Point of Contact can overturn the natural man’s view of himself. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. In repentance, the sinner’s mind is dethroned and brought under the Scriptures. 1. True repentance is both moral and intellectual. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty 2. True repentance is inseparable from the exercise of faith. A group of Christians had befriended a Scuba Dive shop owner. The diver was willing to listen to some gospel conversations but set a policy in his home: “There will be no discussions about origins or creationism.” He would not allow the subject of God as Creator to be discussed on his home turf. Because he was not born again, he still regarded self to be the final authority, and therefore, thought it perfectly reasonable to pick and choose which truth claims made sense to self. The forgiven sinner immediately begins thinking God’s thoughts after Him and lives in accordance with the desire and the activity of bringing every area of his or her life under the commands of God (2 Cor 10:3-5; 1 Pet 2:1-3). Read Romans 11:33-36. 3. Why is it only possible for a true believer to have these kinds of thoughts of God? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The sinner’s assumption of human autonomy cannot remain intact if that person is to repent and assume his or her rightful place as a dependent creature of God. Read Psalm 33:6-12 and Psalm 94:8-11. 4. Describe the creature’s ‘rightful attitude’ toward God according to these verses. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ [Page 76]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 77 There is great value of knowing and using the Biblical Point of Contact—it keeps us from the error of assuming that the natural man merely needs information (or evidences). Utilizing the Biblical Point of Contact guards against the error of viewing the sinner’s mind as neutral toward religious truth. We are not being faithful to Scripture if we assume that the natural man will be swayed by proofs when he hears the reasonable-ness of Christianity’s claims. As if, by showing him enough reliable data he will stop putting God on trial in the ‘courtroom’ of his mind and will conclude that the God of the Bible exists, and Christianity is credible. Repentance involves abandoning the cherished heart commitments which have always permitted self to be at the center. The truth is the sinner needs immediate radical ‘heart surgery’ by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-6). Therefore, to supply him with a few little pills of proofs or evidences fails to provide the needed diagnosis of his actual spiritual condition.lxxi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty 3. Do not assume that the natural man merely needs information. The evidentialist apologist avoids the Biblical Point of Contact and instead, tries to make the stack of proofs high enough to convince the unbeliever of the credibility of Scripture. Repentance involves abandoning the cherished heart commitments that permit self to be at the center. [Page 77]
78 Developing a Biblical Worldview § It is God’s claims upon His creatures; what He requires— "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8). “Let all the earth fear the Lord” (Ps 33:8a). § It is man’s rebellion against God, man’s sin and love of darkness (Jn 3:16-21; Rom 3:9-20). § It is the image of God—man’s God-given identity as image bearer (Ps 8). § It is man’s inescapable sense of deity (his innate, knowledge of the divine) (Rom 1:18-23). His habitual breaking of God’s law, his condemnation, his legal guilt, and his moral failure must be stated. When the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, He “shows the sinner his chains and the weight of his guilt.” Men are not ready for the good news of the gospel UNTIL their consciences have been educated concerning the seriousness of God’s claims upon them (Gal 3:23-24; Jn 16:13; Rom 10:1-4). The unbeliever’s arguments may sound “rational” until he is taken back to his worldview and presuppositional starting point. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ III. The Point of Contact (of God and His truth) with sinful man is at the point of man’s rebellion. 3. Men are not ready for the Gospel UNTIL they understand the seriousness of God’s claims upon them. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty 2. God makes Himself known to the unbeliever by FIRST setting forth man’s predicament. We find it useful in campus evangelism to ask this question, “If God were going to make Himself known to you, what would be the first thing He would do?” “The answer may surprise you.” God first discloses Himself by means of the truth of the gospel. The unbeliever needs to hear that his sin has separated him from the life, truth, favor, and fellowship of God. Students may be surprised to hear that God calls people to Himself by showing them their sin. 1. What is the Point of Contact with the sinner that is established by God in Scripture? [Page 78]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 79 The Bible establishes a Point of Contact that exposes the sinner’s faulty epistemology, or method of knowing—Romans 1:18-23; 1 Cor 1:18-25.) The following erroneous elements are found in the unbeliever’s life perspective: • The unbeliever operates upon the assumption that he is autonomous and not accountable to God. “Why has the wicked spurned God? He has said to himself, ‘You will not require it’” (Ps 10:13). This core commitment to autonomous self drives the unbeliever’s studious suppression of God’s truth (Rom 1:18-23). • We cannot allow the natural man’s assumption of himself as ultimate reference point to remain unchallenged. If we do not challenge his assumption that his reasoning processes are normal and reliable, he will interpret Christianity in naturalistic terms. Naturalistic terms means that the unbeliever will trust his fallen intellect, and therefore attempt to explain away God’s almighty power in creation as well as man’s absolute accountability to God and need of redemption (Lu 19:10). Remember, the unbeliever assumes that his mind is ‘working reliably’ apart from God’s Word. • The believer and the unbeliever can have no common area of knowledge UNLESS they agree between them on the nature of man as the very image of God. No such agreement exists. They have a world in common, but not a worldview in common. Therefore, Scripture affirms an antithesis (a mutually exclusive contrast between two opposing truth claims). Why is being created in the IMAGE OF GOD so important: • It answers the questions: What does it mean to be human? Where did I come from? Why do I exist? What is my destiny? How can I know God? • It sets forth our morally accountable to God—we were created to reflect God’s righteousness through a love relationship of obedience (Rom 2:12-16). • It says we were made to commune with Him; to share His purposes. This assures us of our created design—we were made to know, love, obey, and enjoy God (Gen 1:26-28). • It means that man’s mind and heart are designed to receive divine revelation (the Word of God). • It has profound significance for ruined sinners—we can only be redeemed by Jesus Christ: the perfect image of God (Col 1:13-15, 1 Pet 1:17-18). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. Scripture exposes the unbeliever’s faulty method of evaluating God’s truth. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty Make sure you don’t argue with an unbeliever on the ‘turf’ of his worldview. In other words, when it comes to the things of God, do not imply that his mind is in fine working order – This is not so! Ask him to step into the Christian worldview, then explain what Scripture says about God, the world, and your friend. 5. The image of God is central in bringing truth to the unbeliever. The image of God is the key truth in understanding our purpose, identity, and existence. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” [Page 79]
80 Developing a Biblical Worldview • As a hostile enemy of God, he denies his need of divine revelation (Scripture) in order to understand the world and man’s place in it. A truly Biblical apologetic emphasizes the division (antithesis) that exists between the mind of the believer and mind of the unbeliever. • The antithesis is not merely one group of propositions contrary to another; it is about the whole life of a man. It is about the conflict of the ages between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the wicked one. The antithesis between kingdoms centers upon the matter of the recognition of the lordship of Christ (Col 1:13-14). Every unbeliever rejects Christ’s rightful lordship. • Believer and unbeliever live in antithetical realms of thought. Practically speaking, they live in different “universes” of discourse. They have no point of contact epistemologically (or in their method of knowing). The epistemological gulf is humanly unbridgeable—it is like yelling across the Grand Canyon and expecting to be heard by someone on the other side. Only by God’s Spirit can the sinner attain to a true knowledge of God and a true knowledge of himself as the image of God (1 Cor 2:16). • Unbelief does not change the metaphysical reality that all men will never be anything but image-bearers of God. The antithesis is ethical in nature. Sinners know that they are covenant-breakers; they know they have broken God’s law, they know they suppress the truth, and they know they should obey God. Sin does not create a new reality. Las Vegas may advertise itself as a destination for a moral holiday—“What happens here, stays here,” but such a holiday is impossible under God’s moral government. “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds” (Rev 20:12) See also Matthew 16:27. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ IV. The sinner’s real problem is not intellectual but moral. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty The believer and unbeliever have a divide between them that is humanly unbridgeable – like yelling across the Grand Canyon and expecting to be heard. [Page 80]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 81 In other words, they need to be alert as to where a person’s answers are coming from. As defenders of the Christian faith, apologists need to exhibit with greater clarity, the great divide that exists between the believer and the unbeliever’s espoused systems of thought (or method of knowing). When presenting his apologetic argument, the Christian should begin by emphasizing the absolute opposition in which the natural man stands in relation to God (stress the implications of being created in the image of God). The apologist must not “tone down” the confrontation between truth and error. By emphasizing the antithesis, the apologist guards against arguing with a fool on the “turf” of his worldview. The Gospel is designed to ‘flush’ the sinner out of his false hiding places and startle him in his imagined security.lxxii “Sense of Deity” refers to the fact that every sinner knows that God is his Creator, God is good, and God will judge him someday (see Romans 1:18-23). The weakness of evidentialist apologetics is that it permits the natural man’s view of self to stand. • Our Point of Contact is man’s rebellion against God’s claims upon him (as a creature created in the image of God). • We press the claims of God upon men and women without apology. Ask the natural man how his system differs from the Word of God. Listen to his objections. Present him the opposite of what he claims to believe. “God says this about your worldview, ‘You are suppressing the truth of God’” (Rom 1:18-23). • The unbeliever does not have a legitimate reason why the Christian worldview is not true. The Christian apologist challenges the sinner to take his faith out of himself and put it in God. • In the book of Ecclesiastes, God’s absolute sovereignty is a just cause for fear and reverence for God. The fear of God underlies wise decision-making (Eccl 3:14). The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. • A true understanding of who God is inspires worship, even trembling (Ps 55:5-6; 90:11). The fear of God inspires moral conduct (Gen 20:11; Neh. 5:15). Such fear is imparted to God’s people in order that they might not sin (Ex 20:20; Jer. 32:40). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. We must find the Point of Contact in the natural man (his sense of deity). The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty V. How to bring the Biblical Point of Contact into a Gospel conversation. 1. Apologists need to be epistemologically self-conscious. Read Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. 5a. Why is it rational to fear God and to keep His commandments? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Read Deuteronomy 31:12-13, Isaiah 63:17, Romans 3:18, and Luke 12:5. 5b. Describe how the fear of God serves as a Biblical Point of Contact. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ [Page 81]
82 Developing a Biblical Worldview The highest, ultimate standard and criterion for truth, which validates all other proposed authorities for truth, is the Word of God.lxxiii God interprets everything definitively—if we want to know something, we must think His thoughts after Him. God plans, knows, and sees all— therefore the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7). He has the right to command, to tell us to obey, and to tell us what to believe. God commands you to repent and to begin fearing Him. “’Do you not fear Me?’ declares the Lord. Do you not tremble at My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot cross over it” (Jer. 5:22(-24); Is 8:13ff.) Without the fear of God, men ‘bribe’ their consciences into a false peace (1 Thess. 5:1-3, 2 Pet. 3:3). Do you tremble at His Word? (Is 66:1-2). “So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us” (Heb. 6:18, Ps.18:1-2). Sinners who do not fear God are dull to the Word of God—they are like birds nesting in a church steeple; they no longer are startled when the bells chime. Another example of not fearing God could be pictured by fish blithely swimming down the Jordan River; they are oblivious to the burning death in brine that awaits them when they reach the saline waters of the Dead Sea. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. The highest, ultimate standard for truth is the Word of God. The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty 4. Authority is part of God’s Lordship. 5. Those who truly fear God flee to Christ for refuge. A person who does not fear God is pictured as a fish swimming complacently in the fresh waters of the Jordan toward the saline waters of the Dead Sea where imminent death awaits. [Page 82]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 83 R20.1 What is a major weakness of evidentialist apologetics? (1.1, 1.2) ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ R20.2 What does it mean to place reason ahead of revelation? (1.6) ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ R20.3 What is intellectual repentance? (2.1) ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R20.4 Name at least three aspects of the Biblical Point of Contact. (3.1, 3.2) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ R20.5 What is the value of emphasizing the antithesis (the sinner’s opposition to the truth) which exists between the unbeliever’s espoused system of thought and the Word of God? (5.1) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ R20.6 Why do those who truly fear God, flee to Christ for refuge? (5.5) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ The Biblical Point of Contact Lesson Twenty 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…” [Page 83]
84 Developing a Biblical Worldview Biblical cosmology includes man as the image of God, with the sub-themes of male and female and the dominion mandate (the command to be a steward of the earth including family life). At the heart of biblical cosmology is the Creator-creature distinction. Biblical cosmology states that God is the ‘Definer’ of what He has made—as Creator, He has structured reality by giving us designations, definitions, categories and relations of what He has made.lxxiv God’s defining role over His creation has established the creation structures of male and female and marriage and family. These creation structures are foundational and ontologically real, which is why social contract theory and sexual perversion constitute a radical overturning of biblical cosmology.lxxv Biblical cosmology is essential in correctly interpreting the universe.lxxvi God’s relation to the creation is the ordering principle of the universe and of reality. Because God is the Sustainer and Definer of all that He has made, there is no such thing as a reality greater than God or a reality in which God is only a component. Biblical cosmology is about the origin and nature of the cosmos, and especially about God’s relationship to what He has made as Maker, Upholder, Ruler, Definer, and Owner of the universe and its contents. Thus, biblical cosmology is inseparable from God’s purposes for His creation and His rule over creation. Cosmology touches teleology—God’s created design and goal for all that He has created. God intends a specific function and purpose for all the things He has made. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ OBJECTIVES: Students will study the following concepts: I. What is biblical cosmology? II. What is the evidence that the West has changed cosmologies? III. Why has the West decided to change to a pagan cosmology? IV. What are the consequences of the ‘devil’s cosmology’? V. How do we use biblical cosmology to confront today’s apostasy? I. What is biblical cosmology? 1. Cosmology is a branch of philosophy which deals with the origin and structure of the universe. 2. Biblical cosmology is about God’s relationship to His creation. Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One Irrefutable evidence of God’s wisdom and power are shown in the design of the butterfly and rose. The wisdom and goodness of God are manifested in rainfall and in renewable food sources for billions of people and animals. It will only take a single butterfly, rose, or honeybee to condemn the unbeliever on Judgment Day. When the biblical cosmology taught in Scripture is ably wielded, it is able to dismantle every single assumption and facet of paganism’s lie that we live in a self-made, divine universe. God is Creator and Definer of the things He has made. [Page 84]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 85 Without biblical cosmology, worldview has no foundation. Consequently, biblical cosmology is the foundation of the gospel—for the gospel only makes sense in a world in which our omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God is Creator, Owner, Upholder, Lawmaker, Redeemer, and Judge. The gospel has no interface in a world in which pagan cosmology has replaced biblical cosmology. That is why there is a vital need to define categories as God does—for He is Ruler, Sustainer, Owner of His creation. In the designations God has made concerning creation, He has established His ‘blueprint’ which is not only our moral map, but also our ‘metaphysic’—our fixed point of reference which provides our understanding of the nature of reality. Only by what God has said in His infallible Word do we know beyond a shadow of a doubt what is true, real, right and wrong.lxxvii We could say that God creates by ‘separating things’: • heaven and earth, • dry land and sea, • animal and plant, • day and night, • good and evil, • man and woman (from Genesis chapters one and two). The creation structures formed by God are: • male distinct from female, • parent distinct from child, • human distinct from animal, • animal distinct from plant, etc. These ‘binaries of two-ness’ constitute boundaries or divisions established by the Creator. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Biblical cosmology is a totally unified ordering principle. 4. Biblical cosmology is expressed in the distinctions which God has made. Hebrews1:3 “And He [the Son] is the radiance of His [God’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power...” Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One By exalting choice as the liberation of self, of self-expression and self- identification, it is clear that just beneath this idolatrous autonomy is a pagan cosmology which gives tacit permission to worship the self. To rail against the distinctions which God has established is to oppose Almighty God who formed them for His glory—war on God’s created distinctions is war against God Himself, who is the ‘distinction Maker’. Genesis 1:17 “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” [Page 85]
86 Developing a Biblical Worldview Pagan cosmology: A philosophy that wrongly teaches that our universe is self-originating and consequently possesses divine properties. This is directly opposed to Biblical cosmology with God as Creator. Our public universities are teaching that the essentials of human flourishing are grounded in pagan cosmology. Education is inescapably religious; one’s conception of the world and of human existence is of necessity religious in nature. Public schools today in the Western world teach a pagan cosmology. The secular academy is determined to separate Christian students from their biblical worldview and replace it with a pagan one. But denial of the Creator-creature distinction constitutes a plunge into absurdity—for it is impossible for the creature to set up an alternative rationality in defiance of his Creator who is the source of all rationality.lxxviii The secularists have used the philosophy of materialism to attack the divine ‘blueprint’ by which we are to interpret the world and order our lives. Consider that the two moral-social issues which presently divide our nation politically are: 1) abortion on demand, and 2) LGBTQ ‘rights’.lxxix By enshrining choice for both abortion and erotic ‘freedom’, it is clear that the political left is now advocating a pagan worldview or cosmology in which man is not the image of God. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. What is the evidence that the West has changed cosmologies? 1. Public universities are teaching pagan cosmology. Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One A new level of human rebellion is reminiscent of the Lord’s words through Jeremiah addressed to apostate Judah. Read Jeremiah 5:22-24 1. What would the proper response to God be? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 2. Two mutually exclusive worldviews (biblical cosmology and pagan cosmology) are driving the culture war. In biblical cosmology we define the creation as God does. Just as in Acts 17 in Paul’s sermon to the Athenian philosophers, we cannot know the creation as it truly is, nor our place in the creation apart from knowing God’s relation to the creation. For the entire cosmos is a theater of God’s glory. According to Romans 1:18-23, the creation is a sacred teaching device which infallibly reveals God’s divine nature and attributes. [Page 86]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 87 Thus, as Christian worldview recedes in the West, the culture of death (abortion, perversion, euthanasia, etc.) will enthusiastically claim every square foot of territory that has been abandoned by biblical theism. And with this eagerness to ‘liberate’ our culture from the remnants of its ‘Christian harness’ comes the wholehearted rejection that our human identity and dignity rest upon our being image-bearers of our Creator. The progressive left’s pagan cosmology constantly telegraphs that the priority of ‘choice’ overshadows any assertion that the dignity and sanctity of life that are at stake in these matters. Nevertheless, the rejection of our creational identity as the image of God is primary in the ploy to justify the moral revolution. Consider how the following terms are utilized in a frontal attack on religious freedom while being placed in the service of defending erotic freedom. Here are some of the most common modifiers and nouns that are incorporated in the narrative of the progressive left: diversity, peace, tolerance, inclusion, justice, equality, self-affirmation, civil rights, equal protection, compassion, non-discrimination, personal empowerment, unity, and human flourishing. lxxx The vast majority of these terms, in their original meaning, are derived from Christian values. Their origin cannot be traced to Darwinian, secular, humanistic, or pagan sources. Yet, the left has no compunction of conscience for its ‘theft’ of Christian values—which they then label as values inherent in erotic freedom! NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. As the Christian worldview recedes, the culture of death takes over. Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One The new, progressive leftist ‘dictionary’ of the latest redefinitions. With eyebrows raised, a man examines the dictionary and is shocked that the words have been assigned new meanings. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 87]
88 Developing a Biblical Worldview This pagan cosmology is a reconfiguration of the way we think, especially about our sexuality. People are imagining that they can create their own reality, as if law emanates from them. The deconstruction of gender and sexuality is welcomed as pure self- expression without restraint.lxxxi This self-justifying deception is flowing from a demonic cosmology. The radical nature of this moral revolution would not have found traction thirty plus years ago, for the ‘fumes’ of Christian worldview still held that heterosexual marriage constituted the building blocks of a civilized society. The breaking down of the gender binary (male-female) is central to the whole new vision for society—a vision which intends to usher in a new moral order with new laws and ethics. The deconstruction of the fixity (permanence) of male and female lays the groundwork for a new morality in which laws are made to ‘prevent discrimination against alternative lifestyles.’ This pagan cosmology rejects the divinely created order. The outcome is a new set of ethics which enforces homosexual politics (including laws about transgender pronouns).lxxxii In pagan spirituality, the male-female distinction is erased, making homosexuality appear ‘natural’ within that worldview. As this devilish cosmology is applied, Christianity will increasingly be regarded as the adversary of progress and liberty. Today’s ‘scientific paganism’ proposes a non-teleological man—a human who is not designed by God. This lie has become the state- sponsored creation myth and cosmology. Corporate technologies are playing their part in cancel culture—openly disapproving of the binaries in biblical cosmology. The progressive left has virtually pronounced itself the victor in this culture war. The divinely ordained structure of the universe spelled out in biblical cosmology has been written off as myth and relegated to the realm of hate. Those who hold to God’s created binaries are labeled intolerant bigots. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 5. The breaking down of gender distinction is central to the “new” vision for society. 6. Scientific paganism proposes that humans are not designed by God. And because the male-female binary is foundational to biblical cosmology, Christianity is regarded as the single greatest threat to public acceptance of homosexuality. 33 2. Write down your understanding of the word ‘binary’ in reference to male and female. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One 4. Pagan cosmology is a reconfiguration of the way we think. [Page 88]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 89 Pagan cosmology has appeal because it proposes, explains, and justifies progressive ideas about behavior that can be adopted in ‘good conscience’lxxxiii What exasperates the ardent materialist (secularist) is that all the permanent things that God has ordered are not up for discussion. Thus, the secularist is waging open war on the fixed structures in biblical cosmology. For the secularist attempts to usurp God’s role for himself as absolute definer. God created the world and all that is in it, including people, in a way which gives it a fixed nature. This means that by the will of the infinite personal God, He willed your gender before He created a single atom. There is nothing you can do to change it. There is nothing that can be done to undo it. You can deface it, vandalize it, surgically mutilate it, cross dress it, but you cannot erase the image of God as male and female. The infinite gulf between the Creator and the creature is a truth that is inseparable from the cosmic order which God has fixed. We sometimes refer to this order as the furniture of the universe. Pagan cosmology desacralizes or profanes the creation by suggesting that the cosmos is self-originating, self-sustaining, and self-defining. This is the scoffer’s premise that God’s book of works is unreadable, having no clear message or Author. By contrast, the truthfulness of biblical cosmology asserts that our Creator has an absolute claim upon us, His creatures. And central to His claim upon us is that God requires holiness from His creatures and that holiness means honoring the creation structures and distinctions which He Himself has formed and hallowed. This absolute claim is inseparable from the fact that among the innumerable orders of creatures which God has formed, there is but one order of creatures, humans that exist to bear God’s image and likeness (Gen 1:26-27). The strident (harsh) narrative of erotic freedom continues to cast aspersion (or doubt) upon proponents of biblical worldview as being guilty of homophobia, trans-phobia, etc. There is an underlying cruel agenda beneath the surface when these insults are flying about (classist, racist, xenophobic, sexist, hetero-sexist, etc.). For the goal of pagan cosmology is the ushering in of a monolithic (or powerful/indivisible) worldview of egalitarianism (all people have equal rights). This is an all-embracing cosmology of homo-cosmological sameness. Everything must be deconstructed; any notion of sexual morality must go. All sex and genders found within the ‘rainbow of options’ are labeled good or permissible. This comprehensive ‘leveling’ is done in the name of equality so that the culture is fully ‘rinsed’ of all of the distinctions that God has made. But this is the fast track to a spiritual holocaust; the carnage will be immeasurable (Rev 9:15- 21). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 1. Pagan cosmology has appeal because it permits sinful behavior. 2. Pagan cosmology profanes the creation. 3. Erotic freedom attacks the integrity of biblical worldview. Read Psalm 39. This Psalm pictures us as ‘tenants’ on the planet and tenants in our own bodies. 3. Write down the psalmist’s attitude about his creaturehood (especially verses 4-6). ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One III. Why has the West changed its cosmologies? [Page 89]
90 Developing a Biblical Worldview The natural man, because of his sin and sin nature, is separated from God. He is created for communion with his Maker but is estranged from Him. Nevertheless, he ‘normalizes’ the abnormality of this separation even while bringing his needs to created things. This is why he selects a cosmology which normalizes a broken rebellious world in which the divine is but a category contained within the creation. He chooses this ‘Gentile cosmology’ (Eph 4:17-19) in order to placate his conscience. Philosophically speaking, the natural man needs a worldview which authorizes him to serve sin and self with impunity and without the irritations of conscience and righteous requirements of God interfering. The love of darkness dulls and numbs the conscience, granting tacit permission to the sinner to serve his sinful appetites. This ‘callousness and hardness of heart’ has become a very accurate description of the dominant cosmology of the present age. This is why Bible-believing Christians need to hear on a regular basis, not simply that they are right and correct in exposing a culture of deceit, but that because our Savior is the truth incarnate, we are going to win. We are going to win because we have the truth. Stupidity cannot win. Imagine an engineering department that says from now on, everything will be assembled of nuts with nuts, and bolts with bolts—that stupidity will guarantee failure.lxxxiv NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ IV.What are the consequences of choosing the ‘devil’s cosmology’? Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One 1. The natural man is separated from God. The apostle Paul vividly summarizes this connection between futile thinking and immoral license in this passage. Read Ephesians 4:17-19 with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 4. List the four characteristics of those with ungodly cosmologies and their resultant sinful lifestyles. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 2. Callousness and hardness of heart characterize this age. A frustrated mechanic trying to join nuts to nuts, and bolts to bolts—that is a picture of society attempting to make life work when they have discarded God’s blueprint. [Page 90]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 91 A great problem in the church today is that millennials have been blind-sided by a pagan worldview so heavily politicized they are unable to discern its heretical nature. The present rising generation is the first one in western history to be presented with a comprehensive pagan worldview.lxxxv What the progressive left demands, erotic freedom by means of an underlying worldview of pagan cosmology, is tantamount to open war on the knowledge of God. For when the ordained boundaries, creation structures, and distinctions which God has formed are regarded as obstacles to ‘freedom’—it should be obvious to true believers that war has been declared on the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:3-5). The proponents of erotic freedom would have us believe that we in the West are continually gaining new freedoms as time passes. This is the myth of endless democratization—as if someday we will arrive at ultimate freedom in which there will be absolutely unhindered self- expression. This myth underlies the lie that is being fed to parents: your little boys may become girls, and your little girls may become boys. Nancy Pearcey reminds us in her book, Love thy Body, that secular morality blows apart the connection between scientific and moral knowledge.lxxxvi Now corporations having taken up the mantle of pagan cosmology and are using their media visibility to participate in the ‘moral signaling’ embraced by the left. Their hope is that by showing that they are full participants in the moral revolution, the buying habits of the populace will be sure to follow. Our young adults are being torn in two: either they go with the flow of popular culture or face the consequences of being ostracized. The most common choice they make is to keep their Christianity ‘under the radar’. But the appearance of neutrality can only be maintained for a limited period of time. Consider what is lost in terms of the knowledge of God when the LGBTQ agenda is unopposed and unexposed. There is the loss of: • the hatred of sin, • the fear of God, • the fight for purity and virtue, • the purpose of the cross of Christ, • the ability to train up the rising generation, • the exaltation of God’s moral government, and • the education of the conscience by God’s commandments. These are but a few transforming truths that disappear into the background when sin is normalized by a culture’s cosmology. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. People are led to believe that they can arrive at ultimate freedom Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One 5. Corporations and media are proponents of pagan cosmology. 3. The rising generation is unable to discern heresy. 5. What is the connection between the push for ‘erotic freedom’ and holding to a false cosmology? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ [Page 91]
92 Developing a Biblical Worldview Christians ought to boldly stress that cosmology in general revelation (God’s creation) is as R.C. Sproul has said, “Infallible and inerrant.” Creation is God’s general revelation, it is the ‘book of God’s works’—it infallibly reveals God: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Rom 1:18-20). To reject God’s testimony in the physical order of creation is a devilish ploy to conceal one’s rejection God’s testimony in the moral order. The noetic (or intellectual) effects of sin on human reasoning have so tainted the intellect of man, that he uses what light he does have to pursue futile thinking with greater abandon. Why? Because He is a ‘studious’ truth-suppressor, living intellectually with his back to God. He uses his faculty of reason to explain away the God who created that faculty. “Who has put wisdom in the innermost being or given understanding to the mind?” (Job 38:36). In Jonathan Edwards magnum opus sermon, entitled “The End for which all Creation Exists,” the author poses this rhetorical question: shall God, for His own glory create a vast universe out of nothing and then be thwarted in His goal to bring glory to Himself? God shall surely achieve the end for which His creation exists. Human and angelic sin will not deter or thwart God from achieving the goal of His creation. V. How do we use biblical cosmology to confront today’s apostasy? Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. Cosmology in general revelation is infallible and inerrant. 1. God will achieve the goal of His creation: His glory. Read Job 38-39. 6. Select an aspect of creation or a creature that is described as functioning due to God’s wisdom and power. Write down the phrases which attribute its existence to God. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ God describes the hawk in Job 39:26-30. God’s testimony in creation is clear, our Creator is the One who designed this hawk to soar, to build a lofty nest, to be able to see its prey from afar. [Page 92]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 93 Therefore, critical to biblical cosmology is the fact that to know God is to know that the chief end of all things is the revelation of His glory and perfections. This truth extends to touch all things. For the uniting force that makes all knowledge a whole is the glory of God. Knowledge and truth exist for the glory of God. That means that every planet, twinkling star, chirping bird, or flowering plant has a particular goal or intended function; we call this purpose, teleology—the goal of making God’s perfections known (see Col 1:15-17). But the darkness of the Edenic lie is alive and well—we see it in the rejection of teleology. How does biblical cosmology address today’s runaway apostasy? Biblical cosmology asserts that the government of God is inseparable from the binaries He has created by His sovereign power and declaration. For, the binaries He has established within the cosmic order: male-female, parent-child, man-animal, good-evil, etc. are inseparably tied to His glory. Genesis 1:31 is a kind of benediction or doxology where God blesses the cosmological order He has established with its beautifully ordered binaries. Thus, to know God truly, is to know the ‘cosmic furniture’ or binaries He has ordered which point to His wisdom and goodness. This inescapable truth sheds light on the human rebellion of our age. When a person rejects the distinctions and the binaries God has created, Satan gains not only a follower, but a proselyte to advance his lying worldview and cosmology. In 1948, author Richard Weaver saw the nihilistic consequences of a cosmology which reduced man to a cosmic accident, a soul-less creature born of chance, a biological robot made in the image of an animal.lxxxvii We look at the moral madness of our current age and often fail to see the perverse logic that Richard Weaver foresaw. For as Paul states, a ‘Gentile cosmology’ underlies the current moral revolution (Eph 4:17-19). Our nation has changed cosmologies. True believers need to know that the progressive left cannot win a debate when their moral idiocy attempts to take on God’s infallible truth. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. The chief end of all things is the revelation of God’s glory. 5. We oppose nihilistic views (views that devalue human life). 4. God’s creation and order are inseparably tied to His glory. Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One As an example of the absurdity of pagan cosmology, consider a cosmological quote from Stephen Hawking: “The human race is just a chemical scum on a moderate size planet.” Let that nihilistic statement sink in. How might a reductionistic sentiment like Hawking’s have ramifications on politics? We are already seeing the impact of this worldview politically everywhere we look. If humanity is but ‘chemical scum’ then killing a baby is without moral implications or consequences. Ephesians 4:17-19 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” [Page 93]
94 Developing a Biblical Worldview The world’s cosmology rejects the foundation Creator-creature distinction. In godless worldviews, the fabric of reality lacks created distinctions because the Creator-creature distinction is absent, thus all is connected, and all is evolving, and all is in one circle of reality. Anything can morph into something else. For all phenomena is the result of time and chance acting upon matter. The implication of that is that there are no fixed categories, anything can become something else. Therefore, opines the modern pagan, “What’s your quarrel with a sex-change operation? After all, if a bird and a harbor seal are related through the same ancestors, what’s the big deal?” But biblical cosmology teaches that the distinctions God has created are fixed. Biblical cosmology ought to play a key role in our apologetic strategy. God the ‘Definer’ gives us the correct categories to understand our world and to engage our world. Professor James Herrick of Hope College highlights the role of biblical cosmology in our Christian apologetic, “We must revive Christian cosmology in all its comprehensiveness.”lxxxviii That ‘comprehensiveness’ includes the Christo- centric elements of our biblical worldview— namely that Christ is epistemic Lord, that He, as Logos, is the source of rationality in the universe, that He unifies all knowledge, that He is the embodiment of God’s wisdom, that He alone bridges the gap between Creator and creature, and that as ‘Lord of all,’ His rule is both personal and cosmic—He governs the individual and the universe.” The disastrous consequences of pagan worldview are cataloged by Paul in Romans chapter one. Those who subscribe to pagan worldview are judged by God. They experience three areas of being given over—they are: • given over in their minds; • given over in their spirits; • given over in their bodies.lxxxix By contrast Christ as Lord of the cosmos and Lord of the Church is truth and life incarnate. “. . . [He] abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim 1:10b). He is sovereign over all knowledge—in His ‘epistemic lordship,’ Christ answers and delivers from, by His own Person, every version of ‘the lie’ (Rom 1:25). Thus, at the center of Christian worldview is Christ the ‘Savior of the World.’xc 6. We must support the Creator-creature distinction. 7. Christ as Savior is at the center of the Christian worldview. Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ A skeptic claiming that he sees no evidence of design, beauty, and wonder in creation—even though God’s witness of Himself in the creation is unmistakable. [Page 94]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 95 What is missing in today’s modern gospel is God’s absolute holiness and justice, and that the Savior Himself is Lord of the cosmos—the Logos, the source of the beautiful order in our cosmos. Therefore, those who appeal to Him for a cleansed conscience also bow the knee to Him as their Creator and Lord, and from then on, find their life in being ruled by His infallible Word, the Holy Scriptures. How can the rising generation resist the ploy foisted upon them by the progressive left, namely that the social values they enshrine (that were actually birthed by Christianity), must be protected from Christianity. Think of it! Students are being told in order to protect social values, they must reject Christianity in order to safeguard and champion those ideals.xci It is generally assumed by humanists that erasing distinctions will usher in pure democracy and its reign. But this is not so. The Bible’s teleology rejects freedom from being limited by design in favor of freedom to live as designed. What dominates today is the romantic fallacy of what freedom is.xcii How can we bring biblical cosmology into our proclamation of the gospel? We will have to take our cue from the apostle Paul who began his sermons to Gentile hearers with a brief theology (see Acts 14 and 17). For the gospel only makes sense in a world in which God is Owner, Ruler, Redeemer, and Judge. That most basic beginning is not the least bit redundant. In fact, few Westerners even consider the ramifications which flow from the fact that God created out of nothing, every atom and molecule (Heb 11:3). That fact alone establishes that God is Owner of all, and everything we have is ‘on loan’—we are but temporal stewards of what belongs to Him. At death, the human spirit will report back to God and our bodies will return to dust. Our pride will literally be placed in the dust as our bodies decompose (Gen 3:19). The Edenic lie of human autonomy will be dismantled in a moment of time. At that time the impenitent sinner will realize too late what he owed God (worship, service, and reverence). Judgment Day will reveal whether or not our bodies, thoughts, speech, and actions were used in accordance with God’s purpose and design for His creation set forth in biblical cosmology. 8. God’s holiness and justice are critical to the Gospel. 9. Our Gospel presentation must start with God as Owner, Ruler, Redeemer, and Judge. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One How little we think of a day in which cosmic holiness will fill the universe. In the new heavens and the new earth (2 Pet 3:11-13), every single thing will be in its proper place. Every created thing will fulfill the purpose for which it is made and therefore, honor and glorify God. Every vestige of decay and perversion will be gone. The glory of God will cover the earth as the ocean covers the sea floor (Hab. 2:14; Is 11:9). Cosmic holiness, as it fulfills God’s telos (intended design and purpose), will be stunning and beautiful. The child of God must be controlled and animated by this hope of glory expressed in biblical cosmology. Read 2 Peter 3:11-13. 7. How is the moral state of the new heavens and earth described (in verse 13)? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 2 Peter 3:11 “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness...” [Page 95]
96 Developing a Biblical Worldview R21.1 Biblical cosmology is about God’s relation to what He has created. What terms describe God’s relation to what He has made? (1.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R21.2 God creates by separating things and then by declaring them distinct from one another. Name some the things God created by separating. (1.4) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R21.3 The progressives exalt ‘choice’ above truth, and then claim that choice in matters of sex and gender is the only way to preserve freedom and compassion. Explain why this constitutes ‘war’ against God. (2.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R21.4 Select one of the following terms, then explain why its ‘new definition’ destroys its true meaning. Diversity, peace, tolerance, inclusion, justice, equality, civil rights, equal protection, compassion, non-discrimination, unity, and human flourishing (2.3) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R21.5 What does it mean to ‘desacralize’ the creation? (3.2) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R21.6 Give at least two reasons why our worldview ought to be Christ-centered. (5.7) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Biblical Cosmology Lesson Twenty-One [Page 96]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 97 Philosophic naturalism has hammered home in the name of ‘science’ that this is an unplanned universe with meaningless creatures in it, that human life was a cosmic accident, and even one’s gender is a coincidence of nature. If that were actually the case, then morality, dignity, value, and purpose would all be but fiction in a chance universe. Think of the despotic regimes that have murdered millions of their own citizens. The ideological starting point for the carnage was always a worldview which rendered human life valueless. From Hitler to Stalin— the butchers of the 20th century have paid their grateful respects to Darwin for giving them a ‘scientific reason’ for their politically inspired genocides. At the heart of worldview is how one uses his or her body, and at the center of how one’s body is used is sexuality. There are two views of sexuality in our world emerging from two timeless religious options which are tied to two fundamental worldviews—a restrained or unrestrained view of human freedom. By ‘restrained’ we mean that our Creator has formed us for His purposes—thus, our ‘bounded-ness’ is closely tied to our creational identity as the image and likeness of God. The moral limits God has put upon us not only safeguard love in our relationships, but also protect the honor of God. Therefore, how we order our sexuality is one of the most revealing indices of a civilization.xciii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ OBJECTIVES: Students will be introduced to the following concepts: I. The use of one’s body is central to one’s worldview. II. Our culture is at war with God over the use of the human body. III. How one’s body is used shows who one’s master is. IV. The culture of self has rejected God’s truth concerning our bodies. V. Sexual oneness is God’s gift – sanctified in the marriage covenant. VI. Genuine believers serve God with their minds and bodies. I. The use of one’s body is central to one’s worldview. 1. Naturalism teaches human life was a cosmic accident. 2. At the heart of worldview is how one uses his/her body. The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two The moral limits God has put upon us safeguard love in our relationships and also protect the honor of God. 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome...” [Page 97]
98 Developing a Biblical Worldview Today there is a different kind of holocaust—a ‘spiritual holocaust’. The evil one is fighting this battle with lies about the body that murder the soul (Jn 8:44). These lies about our sexuality and gender differences are intended to radically deconstruct the moral structures that govern us and to destroy the doctrine of God and of man. These deceptions come at us wrapped in the garb of entertainment, anti-discrimination, freedom of choice, love and romance, and social justice. No small amount of discernment is necessary to recognize and expose these soul-condemning lies. In terms of the use of our bodies, all other areas of the worldview debate pale in comparison. Whether ecology, space exploration, armament or aesthetics, nothing in the creation is as important as the question: what is a human being and what is a human’s purpose? And, as we saw clearly in our lesson on cosmology, the Bible’s morality is teleological, in other words, God’s moral laws are inseparable for the goal and design He has for us His creatures. The more this biblical worldview is lost, the less problem people will have with same-sex behavior and unions. The modern person asks, “Why should my moral choices be directed by my telos (by the Creator’s design)? Why not just by my feelings?” That sentiment is a profound disrespect for the human body. This dualism denigrates the human body and rejects the truth that a teleological worldview requires that we live by God’s design. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Today there is a ‘spiritual holocaust’. 4. How one uses his/her body is a direct reflection of what a person worships and serves. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two Regarding the need of biblical discernment, consider that young adults select a movie and let their guard down in the name of wanting to be entertained. The emotion of the drama resonates with their own experiences of life. If the exercise of biblical discernment is absent, the movie presents a ‘believable picture’ of life as it is. Thus, fornication is life as it is. Adultery is life as it really is. Homosexual activity and transgender choice are regarded as, life as it truly is. Skepticism is life as it is. But according to God’s Word, this is not life as it should be. Youth need to use biblical discernment to avoid the trap of thinking that life is, as it is depicted in the movies. [Page 98]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 99 Our culture is engaged in a pitched battle with God over the issue of the use of the human body. God has established good, wise, loving moral boundaries upon mankind. These boundaries and limits are inseparable from the first and second tablet of the Law of God, which tell us precisely what it means to love God and our neighbor, and precisely what it means to be truly human. The politically progressive policymakers in our society have turned virtues into vices and vices into virtues. Isaiah tells us that in an apostate culture that has turned its back upon God, the citizens call evil good and good evil (Is 5:20). Scripture tells us that to love pleasure more than God is to be an enemy of God (2 Tim 3:4). The one who lives for illicit sexual pleasure is dead even while they live (1 Tim 5:6). But why would God say this about a person who simply wants to be sexually and romantically ‘happy’? That is the question on the lips of the rising generation when they hear the gospel. For our culture gives praise to those who live autonomous lives. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. Our culture is at war with God over the use of the human body. 1. Our culture is at battle with God over the use of the human body. 2. Progressive policymakers have turned virtues into vices and vices into virtues. God’s moral law is His character ‘in code’ governing all of our relationships. Since God’s laws are intended to protect love, all transgression of His laws is destructive to love. Read 1 John 3:4 1. How is sin described in this passage? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 1 John 3:4 “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two In our culture, the ‘sacred self’ concept means that living for immediacy (what one assumes to be in his or her best interest at the moment) is considered a positive life approach. Read Galatians 5:16-21 2. Name two things that God says about immediacy in this passage. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ James 4:4 “…do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God. Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” [Page 99]
100 Developing a Biblical Worldview Because westerners think that the significance of any sex act is all in our minds, it is very difficult today to convince them that any form of sexual behavior is wrong (i.e., the misuse of the sexual body being equivalent to sexual immorality). The premise of the moral revolution is that one must assume that the body does not give the reference points for gender identity and moral choices. Morality is viewed as merely a social construct. Postmodern gender theory grounds gender not in your body, but in your mind. Two-level dualism has trained us to sever the natural order from the moral order.xciv Thus, in the postmodern view, same-sex practice is an expression of the concept that our identity is defined by feelings and desires, therefore one may use the body in a way that contradicts our biological structure.xcv Why won’t we encourage people to love the body that they are in? Postmodernism would have us believe that gender is a free-flowing artifice (cunning strategy) and sexuality a social construction. That perspective teaches that it is liberating to take control of one’s identity (as if your authentic self has nothing to do with your biology). Children are exposed to a gender unicorn cartoon to teach them that the human being is composed of disparate or dissimilar bits and pieces. In other words, biological sex is a relatively minor factor in the flux (changing tide). Children are being taught that other factors feed into our psycho- sexual identity.xcvi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. It is difficult to convince westerners that any form of sexual behavior is wrong. The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two 4. The proper kind of self-love comes from accepting God’s love. When a person goes from heterosexual to homosexual, he or she is applauded for living the ‘authentic self’. But, in the other direction, when homo’ moves to hetero’, that person is accused of cowardice, false consciousness, self-loathing, and being guided by moral ideals and not sexual desires. Why the double standard? Answer: The reigning narrative today regards choice to be higher moral ground than God’s transcendent moral truth. How did our culture reach a place where homosexual desires are the ‘real you’?38 Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” [Page 100]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 101 The new Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity laws (SOGI laws) treat sexual attraction and gender identity as a protected category, like race and religion. These laws assume a person can be born in the wrong body, thus they set up an opposition between the body and an inner sense of being male or female (between physiological facts and subjective feelings). SOGI laws treat the facts of physiology, anatomy, chromosomes, and DNA as less real and less knowable than subjective feelings about gender. Supreme Court justice Kennedy dismissed biology and declared the purpose of legal marriage is to protect the ‘personhood’ of same-sex couples. “It is disparaging to deny them marriage,” said Justice Kennedy. But here the Supreme Court is making dualism into law. This insipid, hollowed-out definition of marriage by the Supreme Court undermines marriage for everyone. It erased fidelity, exclusivity, and permanence. By contrast, the biblical worldview has a very high view of the body, and marriage as a life- affirming message and vision of life.xcvii 5. SOGI laws make gender identity and sexual attraction a protected category. 6. The Supreme Court redefined the biblical definition of marriage. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two The Supreme Court, with Chief Justice Anthony Kennedy have undermined marriage for everyone. [Page 101]
102 Developing a Biblical Worldview In Romans chapter six, the Apostle Paul makes it unavoidably clear that how we use the members of our body is a declaration of who and what we serve. In other words, our master is known by how we use our bodies. What we do by means of our bodily members is a declaration of our loyalties to our functional god. Thus, despite our religious claims— the deeds of the body belie (or contradict) any false claims. Your deepest actual loyalties are expressed in your service. Who and what you love—how you think, speak and act will reveal what you regard as your true ‘treasure’ (Mt 6:20-21). The body and soul unity which makes up a human being is designed to operate in tandem—the material body acting out and expressing what resides in the immaterial soul—each affects the other. What you worship, you serve—resulting in either freedom or slavery. Sex abstracted from its Creator is still religious; it is a kind of spirituality. Sex is at the heart of the culture war—for there are two gospels. By ‘two gospels’ we mean that the pagan gospel preaches liberation from the Creator and repudiation (or rejection) of creation structures. The biblical gospel is the opposite, it celebrates reconciliation with the Creator and the honoring of the goodness which He has put into the creation including the creation structures which involve the moral context for sex.xcviii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ III. Scripture teaches that how one’s body is used shows who one’s master is. 1. How we use the members of our body is a declaration of who and what we serve. 2. What you worship, you serve. God tells us that the soul expresses itself by means of the body—and the deeds of the body affect the soul. Your deepest heart loyalties are expressed by the deeds of the body. Read Galatians 6:8 with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 3. What does it mean to ‘sow to the flesh’ and to ‘sow to the Spirit’? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two Galatians 6:8 “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” How you think, speak, and act reveal who and what you love. And who and what you love shape how you think, speak and act. [Page 102]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 103 By contrast, to use one’s body in a holy way—as one redeemed by Christ—causes a person to reflect and mirror the knowledge of God. The Lord’s commandments are primarily about how we relate to one another. “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, ‘you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:8-10). So strong are these prohibitions against sinning against others that a person who sets aside God’s laws is described as hostile to God and an enemy of God (Rom 5:10). As the image of God our purpose is to reflect, represent, and serve God. Your whole being is described in Scripture as a ‘vessel’ (1 Thess. 4:4; Rom 9:21-23). The individual parts of your vessel are biblically called the members of your body (Rom 6:13). Your members, including your sexual body, express and act out what is in your heart. God’s will for believers is not merely to know truth in the heart, His will is comprehensive, extending to how we use our sexual bodies. 3. To use one’s body in a sinful way obscures the knowledge of God. 4. Christ died to set us free from slavery to sin and to restore us to the image of God. The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ As the image of God, our purpose is to reflect, represent, and serve God with all our being including our bodies. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 7 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor… For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.” Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” [Page 103]
104 Developing a Biblical Worldview Our culture of self has abandoned the transcendent God as our foundation, source, and anchor of truth. From the perspective of selfism, human nature may be corrupt, but self is not. ‘Self is innocent’, they say— providing an accurate vantage point from which to interpret the world.xcix After 1960, the veneration and fulfillment of the self has replaced an assessment of one’s personal moral failure, in need of rectification (or correction). The new ideology of ‘be true to self’ has taken command: we can find meaning only to the extent that we can get in touch with the self. God tells us in His Word that the soul expresses itself by means of the body and that the deeds of the body affect the soul (2 Cor 5:12). Your deepest loyalties of heart are expressed by the deeds of the body. The fact that we will serve what we worship is an unbreakable principle. You worship what you believe will deliver the most security, love, significance, purpose, happiness, and satisfaction. Jesus said that it is impossible to serve two masters with equal loyalty (Mt 6:24). Only worship and service to God preserves our humanness and sets us free (Jn 8:31-36). All other worship and service is deception, idolatry, and bondage (Jer. 17:9). The lie circulated since the fall in the Garden is that service to God is loss of liberty and serving self is freedom. This lie is leading our culture down a road of sexual licentiousness or immorality. The ‘sovereign self’ exercising choice is the key element in modern liberalism; choice magically makes everything morally acceptable—this error constitutes the worship of self.c Scripture teaches us that we are not the ultimate owners of our bodies. “You are not your own; for you have been bought with a price” (1 Cor 6:19b-20a). If your body belongs to the Lord, and you are on your way to heaven, and you are a new creature in Christ—then you cannot bestow upon your body whatever desires your flesh may have (See Gal 5:16-26). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ IV. The culture of self has rejected God’s truth concerning our bodies. The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two 1. Our culture of self has abandoned God as our source of truth. 3. We are not the ultimate owners of our bodies. 2. The soul expresses itself through the body, and the deeds of the body affect the soul. Isn’t it interesting that the unsaved regard a life of service to the Lord to be intrusive, an interruption to their self-directed lives, but true believers count it all joy to serve the Lord. In the glory to come the bliss of the saints is expressed in the fact that they will serve God perfectly day and night forever (Rev 7:15). Read Galatians 5:13 and 1 Peter 2:16. 4. The true believer has been set free from bondage to sin by Christ. How is the Christian to use his/her newfound freedom? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.” [Page 104]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 105 Sexual oneness is God’s gift. But in order for it to serve as the God- intended blessing to us, and thus glorifying to God—it requires the moral context of the marriage covenant (Heb 13:4). The proper use of the sexual body is essential if we are to accurately reflect the moral character of God. Our fallen culture works overtime to shred God’s plan by ripping sexuality out of its God-given moral context and reducing it to a bodily function like eating or sleeping. To use one’s body in a sinful way has the net effect of obscuring and deconstructing the knowledge of God. But to use one’s body in a holy way—as one redeemed by Christ—causes a person to reflect or mirror the knowledge of God. Scripture is filled with warnings against allowing the flesh to set the standard for our behavior (Rom 8:5-8). So strong are these scriptural prohibitions that a person who sets aside God’s laws in these matters is described as hostile to God. By their sin they are not only rebelling against God’s righteous purposes but also against God’s righteous character. Prior to salvation each of us was an enemy of God and a foe of the knowledge of God (Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 10:3-5). When sex is separated from its essence (its created function for the marriage bond and covenant, and childbirth) the only standard left is the free-floating desires of the individual.ci Scripture rightly depicts sexual union as a whole- person activity. Spirit, soul, body are engaged in the activity of sexual union. This is also true of sexual disobedience (Rom 1:27; 1 Cor 6:18-20). Critical to biblical worldview is that we reflect the image of God in our personhood; we give ourselves to God and others in love. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ V. Sexual oneness is God’s gift, sanctified within the marriage covenant. The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two 1. Sexual oneness is a gift within the moral context of the marriage covenant. 2. When sex is separated from its essence, the only standard is free-floating desires of the individual. Sexual oneness, in the context of marriage, is a gift from God. To use one’s body in a holy way reflects the knowledge of God. Rebelling against God’s righteous purposes is also rebellion against God’s righteous character. [Page 105]
106 Developing a Biblical Worldview The apostle Paul states that the pagan rejection of God produces perverted sexuality as an ultimate and inevitable consequence. It is ironic that what we call sophisticated contemporary culture (our liberated ideas about sex) reaches back to the ancient world for its spirituality. As the West embraces the spirituality associated with the mystery religions of the Greco-Roman Empire, it is also expressing the same unrestrained sexuality: ‘no consequence sex’, gender bending, and state sanctioned sexual perversion. In Rome, salacious (lustfully indecent) parades filled the emperor’s calendar. The irrational opposition to God’s design, openly espoused in the homosexual agenda, is hostile to the created natural order with its God-ordained boundaries and norms. Homosexuality flies in the face of the rationality of a theistic, God-centered universe. It destroys the heterosexual separation that God has placed between male and female. Paul states that perverted sexuality is an outward visible sign of the inward reality of spiritual distortion. The point being that by dishonoring their bodies, the inward condition is revealed that they have exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Rom 1:24-27). When referring to sexual perversion, Scripture uses such terms as ‘strange flesh’ (Jude 7) and ‘against nature’ (Rom 1:26). Romans chapter one indicates that the immediate reason for sexual perversion is the worship of the creation rather than the Creator. The natural created order is overturned and replaced with the unnatural. Paganism denies the Creator altogether and elevates His created handiwork in the place of God. This produces a culture of death—in Greco-Roman infanticide it was the exposure of the infant on walls or in the countryside to die; in our culture, it is death of the fetus by clinical abortion.cii Is gay marriage a constitutional right? In the name of civic freedom, the gay agenda tears down biblical cosmology. Heterosexual marriage is intended by God to honor His character as Triune Creator and Redeemer. The legalization of gay marriage has had the effect of annihilating from our memory banks the fact that heterosexual, monogamous marriage is a sacred institution designed to reflect our Creator. The teleology (design and goal) of our creational identity as the image of God is male distinct from female; yet together comprising the image of God. By contrast, the normalization of homosexuality has produced a confusing ‘blur’ by contributing to the project of the new person as ‘androgyne’ (both genders in one individual so that gender becomes utterly ‘fluid’).ciii 3. Rejection of God produces perverted sexuality as an ultimate and inevitable consequence. 4. The opposition to God’s design is hostile to the created natural order with God-ordained boundaries and norms. 5. The gay agenda tears down biblical cosmology. The gay and transgender agenda does not change the fact that God is the Definer of what He has created. Thus, the reality that the image of God is physically embodied as male and female is a sovereign act and declaration of God— described in Genesis 1-2.44 Read Genesis 1:27 along with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 5. How are male and female described in the Study notes? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 106]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 107 Therefore, doing the will of God is all about presenting our bodies daily to Christ the Lord who is our rightful Master. “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:16-23, see 12:1-2). Your whole being is described in Scripture as a “vessel” (1 Thess. 4:4; Rom 9:21-23). The individual parts of your vessel are biblically called “members”—the members of your body (Rom 6:13). Your members express and act out what is in the inner man, the heart. The miracle of being a new creation (2 Cor 5:16-17) will show up dramatically in the deeds of your body: in your thoughts, deeds, speech, friendships, loyalties. If you indeed are a vessel consecrated to God, your life will reveal who your master really is. To be a pilgrim on the narrow way is to be diligently meditating upon the truth—to cling to the truth in faith. It is to put to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom 8:12-13). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ VI.Genuine believers serve God with their minds and bodies. 1. Doing the will of God includes presenting our bodies to Christ our Master daily. 2. Your whole being is described by Scripture as a ‘vessel’. The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 7 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor… For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.” [Page 107]
108 Developing a Biblical Worldview As we’ve seen, how you use your body is the declaration of who you serve as master, revealing who your ‘functional god’ truly is. To be Christ’s bond slave, His disciple, means that your friendships exist so that you may help others move closer to Christ. That is the normal Christian life. Ask yourself: • Are you an example to your friends? • Are you completely committed to do spiritual good to those in your social sphere? • Are you conscious each day of presenting the members of your body to Christ for His service? • Are you committed to sexual purity? This is what it means to live as one who belongs to Christ. The Christian must take note that his or her body is the dwelling place of the Spirit. Your body has a glorious destiny when Christ returns, therefore we are to treat our bodies accordingly, refusing to defile the Spirit’s shrine (1 Cor 6:19). The repentant person knows God through the grace of Christ—as a result of salvation, the deeds of his body (works) are revealed as having been wrought in God. “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God” (Jn 3:21). Salvation in Christ is freedom from bondage by means of the ransom price paid by Christ (Gal 5:13). Whatever you do in your body must be able to be done to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). When Paul addressed the Corinthian Gnostics, he was confronting the false idea that “the body is perishable, therefore its acts are insignificant.” But “not so!” was his cry. The Christian’s freedom is limited by the regard he must have for others; for the law is the safeguard of love to God and neighbor. We must take care what appetites are controlling us for the spiritual body (resurrection body) is coming (1 Cor 15:42- 49ff.). If you truly know Christ, then your glorified body will be a transformed body—a glorious unity of soul and body perfectly suited for a heavenly existence. Even now your mortal body is not merely a complex of physical organs (pure matter). No, your body has eternal value. My body is myself—that means that sexual acts are acts of the whole person.civ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. How you use your body is a declaration of who you serve as master. 4. The acts of the body are significant. The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two The resurrection body and glorified existence awaits those who trust in Christ, thus believers should present themselves as living sacrifices – daily! (Romans 12:1-2). [Page 108]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 109 R22.1 How may a ‘non-family’ rated movie affect a person if biblical discernment is not exercised? (1.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R22.2 Explain the concept that what a person worships, he also serves (and is ruled by)—resulting either in freedom or slavery. (3.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R22.3 The normalization of homosexuality has contributed to the mistaken idea of the androgyne. Define the word and give a Bible verse to refute this idea. (5.5) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R22.4 How does the new ideology, ‘be true to yourself’ affect the biblical requirement to repent of sin and to obey God’s commandments? (4.1) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R22.5 According to Scripture, sexual relations involve the communion of persons, thus sexual relations cannot be reduced merely to biology. In light of this truth, how are Adam’s and Eve’s marital relations referred to in Genesis 4:1? (5.2) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R22.6 When we think of sanctification, we tend to focus upon sins to avoid. How does the doctrine of presentation described in Romans 6:11-19 broaden our understanding of sanctification? (6.1) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The Human Body & Christian Worldview Lesson Twenty-Two [Page 109]
110 Developing a Biblical Worldview We need Paul’s analysis of the world (Rom 1:18-32) because it is into this world today that we must speak the gospel. The 1st Century Greco-Roman world was like our world in that it was pro-homosexual, pro-infanticide, and anti-God of the Bible. Paul tells us that man’s rebellion is expressed in a three-fold way: • conceptually (a rejection of the nature of God, v. 18); • spiritually (the worship created things, v. 25); and • behaviorally: (in sexual immorality, v. 26). Romans one shows us that one form of idolatry leads to the next: suppress the truth (thoughts) > worship/serve the creation (spirituality) > commit sexual immorality (behavior) The first of these three expressions of rebellion leads to the next and so on. In the realm of thought, suppression of the knowledge of God leads to sinful expression in the next area which is spirituality. Spirituality then becomes the worship of the creation (Darwinist ‘theology’) and the creature (nature) which leads to rebellion in the third area which is in behavior—sinful behavior is expressed in sexual immorality.cv God’s wrath revealed takes a very specific form; it is His righteous response to man’s wicked three “exchanges.” God’s wrath is expressed in three “givings over.” Man exchanges: • the glory of God for the image of corruptible creatures v. 23, • the truth of God for the Lie v. 25, and • the natural function for an unnatural sexual function v. 26. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three I. One form of idolatry leads to the next. (Romans 1) 1. We need a Biblical analysis of the world. OBJECTIVES: In this lesson students will explore how to be salt and light in a culture that approves of homosexuality and transgenderism. Topics will include: I. One form of idolatry leads to the next (Romans 1). II. The pagan worldview wants to remove distinctions to usher in a ‘utopia’ of oneness and inclusion. III. Biblical values are at stake in normalizing homosexuality and transgenderism. IV. Truth and compassion are essential in ministering the gospel. V. Dealing with objections which oppose what Scripture teaches on sexual relations. 2. God’s response to man’s rebellion is His wrath revealed now (v. 18) Read Romans 1:18-28 1. Identify each instance in which God ‘gives over’ rebellious sinners. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ [Page 110]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 111 If you do not worship God as Creator, then you are giving the honor He deserves to His creation instead of to Him. The worship of creation will include the worship of sex (a continual media event in the West). Consider what a testimony of divine inspiration it is that Paul begins the book of Romans with an explanation of the worldview that underlies homosexuality, tying it to a theological reason—the exchange of the truth for a lie and the worship of creation (v. 25). Romans one gives us a theological reason for illicit sexual perversion: the overturning of the truth about the nature of the world—a denial of the moral structures and distinctions God has placed in the creation. The idolatrous act of exchanging God’s truth for the lie (v. 25) will work itself out in sexual immorality—and in particular homosexuality (v. 26-27). The worship of nature is a very unnatural way of living. Thus, homosexuality is an overturning of God’s created order. Ancient Sodom changed the order of the woman’s nature for that which is against nature (v. 26). It should not surprise us that a return of the Lie in the public arena should be accompanied by homosexuality.cvi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Not worshipping God, gives His honor to His creation. 4. Exchanging God’s truth for a lie will work itself out in homosexuality. Modern man conceals his idolatrous worship of creation. He gives credit to creeping things for his origin and calls it ‘science’, when actually, he is worshipping the creation (Romans 1:21-23). Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three Romans 1:25 “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” [Page 111]
112 Developing a Biblical Worldview The ideological platform of the new world order will increasingly be seen as an effort to remove the distinctions ‘which divide us’. There is a political push to remove the distinctions between the rich and poor, between men and women, and between heterosexuality and homosexuality, between holy matrimony and same-sex ‘marriage’, and between biological gender and transgender. The very moral ‘furniture’ of created order, the divinely created distinctions are considered an obstacle to utopian oneness and harmony. In the coming new order, biblical cosmology, characterized by divinely created distinctions, will be supplanted by homo-cosmology (‘one-ism’) in which the distinctions ordained by God will be denied. In this we see the demonic imitation of redemption—a counterfeit form of ‘freedom’ and ‘unity’. There can be no greater antithesis between God’s plan of creation and redemption, and the evil one’s globalist new world order communicated through the agenda of the ‘progressives’. One cannot escape having a theology, every person must deal with the same ultimate questions: Where did we come from? What is a human being? Why are we here? How a society is ordered depends upon who God is, and who we are as mankind. If a culture denies the God of the Bible, and clings to the lie that man has been formed in the image of an animal, corrupt worship and behavior will follow. This is God’s world, He designed it, upholds it, defines it, owns it, and rules it. It is impossible to actually remove divinely-ordained distinctions—they are an integral part of the created order enforced by divine governance. Therefore, it is theologically and teleologically impossible to marry someone of the same gender, just as it is impossible to change one’s gender. God’s goal of design for humans (teleology) is the only source of freedom—true freedom is within the good and wise boundaries and distinctions ordained by our Creator. Created distinctions make the worship of God possible. The new world order promulgates the polar opposite, for the powers of darkness are gaining loyal followers through the deception of the utopian vision of eliminating God-ordained distinctions.cvii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. The pagan worldview wants to remove distinctions to usher in a ‘utopia’ of oneness and inclusion. 1. The ideological platform desires to remove distinctions they say ‘divide us’ 2. Every person must deal with the same ultimate questions NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three It is impossible to remove divinely ordained distinctions, and thus it is impossible to marry someone of the same gender or change one’s gender. [Page 112]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 113 The devil’s temporary counterfeit unity will be destroyed when Christ returns, and God’s glorious love bond with His redeemed fills the earth (Rom 8:18-25). For the ultimate ‘cosmic pairing’ will take place when heaven comes down to earth (2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 21-22), and God makes His dwelling place with redeemed mankind on a renewed earth. The climax of God’s ‘glory story’ will take place at the consummation of history when the promise is fulfilled: “I will be their God and they will be My people,” for that promise will be realized face to face in the new heavens and earth (1 Cor 13:12; Rev 21:1-7).cviii Man and woman having become one in marriage depict the whole movement of redemptive history toward the goal of God dwelling with His people.cix Male and female are not interchangeable, for marital union brings together two complementary beings whose union is made possible because of their being different from one another, but perfectly fitted for one another. Marriage means that Ish (Hebrew for ‘man’) and Ishshah (Hebrew, woman taken out of man) can become one—an actual reunion of Ish and Ishshah.cx NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. The devil’s counterfeit unity will be destroyed when Christ returns. 4. Marriage reflects redemptive history with the goal of God dwelling with His people. Read Ephesians 5:23-33 2. Write down the ways that a husband is like Christ. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Marriage is a picture of God’s love for His own – the highest metaphor of His relationship with His people. This picture is only possible because the divine and human join in one person – the Lord Jesus Christ who is both Son of God and Son of man (Matthew 22:41-46). Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three Ephesians 5:32 “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” [Page 113]
114 Developing a Biblical Worldview Now that homosexual marriage has become the law of the land, the biblical moral logic of heterosexual monogamy is at stake. Once we accept that love consists of feelings to be validated that must be expressed sexually, and that those engaged in consensual sexual activity have the constitutional right to marry, it opens the door to a host of marital permutations. The door once opened, cannot be shut. Liberalize one area of sexual ethics and the rest get liberalized. Gender options based on the false idea of gender fluidity is revolt against our Creator that He has made the image of Himself to be male and female. One cannot engage in sexual immorality and also celebrate the Bible’s high calling to personal holiness.cxi The roles within the Holy Trinity are the basis for gender roles in marriage. “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ” (1 Cor 11:3 and vs. 4-16). Each member of the Trinity has a part in our salvation. Thus, the hierarchy within the Holy Trinity is revealed in our redemption: • the Father planning salvation, • the Son executing salvation, • the Holy Spirit applying salvation. We know God savingly through this ‘division of labor’ among the Godhead in our redemption. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ III. Biblical values are at stake by normalizing homosexuality and transgenderism. 1. The Biblical moral logic of heterosexual monogamy is at stake. 2. The grand redemptive narrative of Scripture is at stake. Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three Salvation is knowing God as He truly is. John 17:3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” [Page 114]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 115 Gender is near and dear to the heart of God—for gender is involved in the mystery of redemption in revealing and making God known savingly to believing sinners. “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (Eph 5:32). “The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Gen 2:22-23). This glorious redemptive love is made possible only because of distinctions inherent in God’s design in creation (and in the distinction between God and us His creatures). The formation of Adam’s bride, Eve, prefigures Christ forming His bride, the church. Adam underwent a deep death-like sleep in order that he might give the flesh of his side (the flesh of his rib) for his bride’s origin and her life. So also, Christ gives His flesh to raise the church to life. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh” (Jn 6:51). This is about complementarity, the fitted-ness of one for the other: Christ and the church, man and woman—union is possible because of complementary differences—the perfect suitability of one for the other. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. The biblical significance of gender is at stake. Think about how much our adoration of Christ turns upon His fitted-ness to recover, rescue, and raise us His Bride from her deadness in sin and corruption. So much genuine Christian piety involves exalting Christ by continually matching His perfect suitability for every aspect of our ruin. It is complementarity from start to finish. The consecrated saint is always about the business of matching the dimensions of Christ’s Saviorhood with our sinnership—His work of redemption with our ruin. Read Hebrews 7:26-27 3. List words from the text which address Christ’s fitness to save us. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three Hebrews 7:26-27 “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” [Page 115]
116 Developing a Biblical Worldview Same-sex marriage as the law of the land significantly weakens and threatens the integrity of the family and freedom of the church. The homosexual political agenda may argue, “Who do you think you are as Christians to tell Americans who they can love, it is hate and bigotry when you do so.” But the issue is not who a person may love, the law has nothing to do with that. The issue is: what sort of union does the state recognize as marriage? Marriage is a pre-political institution instituted by our Creator (Gen 2:21-25). Pro-homosexual marriage cedes to the state vast amounts of power. The state distinguishes and makes exclusions in recognizing what constitutes marital union. The state will not grant marriage licenses to 8-year-olds, or to brother and sister, or to 3 people who wish to marry each other. A serious question then is this: does the state, in defining what constitutes a lawful marital union, have the right to redefine the most essential relationships?cxii Historically the state positively sanctioned marriage out of concern for the protection of children and the health of society. Traditional marriage was ordered for the wellbeing of the child. But under the new morality, marriage is oriented to the emotional bond of the couple. What is important to recognize is that same-sex marriage is not merely private, it devalues traditional marriage because the only way to enshrine same-sex marriage is by changing the meaning of marriage. The legitimization of homosexual marriage means the de-legitimization of traditional marriage and the family as the building block of a just society. The true church is being radically marginalized—she is increasingly forbidden to publicly define life and relationships as God does in His infallible Word. The region of society in which the true church is allowed to publicly be the ‘pillar and support of the truth’ is being reduced to a private sphere solely. Persecution is coming, the real church (those united to Christ who are ruled by His Word) will be marginalized as an impediment to the progress of society.cxiii 4. The freedom of the church and family are at stake. 5. The role of the church as the pillar and support of the truth is at stake (1 Tim. 3:15). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three 1 Timothy 3:15 “…I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” [Page 116]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 117 When we preach the gospel, we must tell the truth about all sins in order to guard the truth of the Word of God. The moral law of God is the great revealer of what we owe God as His moral image. The universal human condition is that we are all ‘truth suppressors’ outside of salvation in Christ. For the natural man is a tireless and studious truth-suppressor, raising up fortresses against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:3-5). That suppression cycle involves choosing erroneous worldviews which free up lusts; thus, we see the natural man ardently defending his worldview of human autonomy and self-sufficiency in order to justify his sin (Jn 3:19-21; Ps 2:2-3; Jer. 17:9). The Bible tells us that sin deceives, enslaves, darkens, fragments, and degrades. Sowing to self-love makes us moral cowards—it makes us lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Tim 3:4). Every sinner needs the new birth, faith, and repentance. He beckons those to Himself who know that they are not what they ought to be. Jesus intercedes for believing sinners as their sympathetic High Priest (Heb 4:14-16). He knows what it is to be tempted and tried (Heb 2:17-18). God works through our limps and thorns for our good and His glory. He can use our struggles to bless us. Now it is true that disordered lustful desires can arise in us uninvited (unbidden). But Christ is able to transform minds and hearts.cxiv Our idolatrous hearts must be changed by Him so that we become true worshippers; this requires a transforming miracle of God known as ‘regeneration’ (Titus 3:5). Once a person is born again, there is a willingness to be ruled by the Word of God. Only Christ, at the center of our lives, can properly order our sexual desires to the glory of God. His will for every believer is renewal and transformation by the Word of God (Rom 12:1-2). For we have remaining sinful desires which must be put to death by Spirit – which enables us to practice replacement behaviors. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ IV. Both truth and compassion are essential in ministering the Gospel. 1. We must tell the truth about all sins in order to guard the truth of the World of God. 2. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus is a Friend of sinners. (Mt. 11:16-19) Read Romans 8:12-13; Ephesians 4:22-32; Colossians 3:8-17. 4. Name at least four sinful behaviors that must be put to death and behaviors that must replace them. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three [Page 117]
118 Developing a Biblical Worldview Sometimes we want wrong things—the heart is filled with self-deception and wickedness (Jer. 17:9). Our own sense perceptions of pleasure, desire, yearning, pain, etc. are not self-validating. The claim that same sex attraction celibacy is a burden too great to bear assumes that desires cannot be changed by God. It assumes that in order for those with same sex attraction desires to be legitimized or acknowledged, they must be expressed sexually. The heart can tell us that something feels natural when God says it is destructive to us and others (Romans 1:27, “…receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error”). Romans one peels back the cultural veneer which poses as zealous for rights and liberty, revealing an idolatrous core beneath. Scripture is clear, there is a pronounced divide between the homosexual’s heart and the Word of God (v. 26). In Romans one, Paul explains that our spirituality defines our sexuality. Therefore, the use of our sexual body will ultimately be a declaration of our culture’s theology (cosmology). “Shouldn’t the biblical phrase, ‘God is love’ settle this whole issue?” The subject of God’s love is vital, but His love does not swallow up His other attributes. God’s essence is also His goodness, mercy, justice, wrath, jealousy, holiness, and power. These attributes are not merely qualities; they are His very essence. God is love, light, spirit, and consuming fire. We do not rank His attributes. We can’t be tolerant of what God hates. We must love what God loves, and hate what God hates (Ps 97:10). The church in Thyatira (one of the seven churches of Asia addressed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3) was loving and accepting, but they were not exercising holy love. Church members were blindly affirming—they tolerated false teaching and sexual immorality. Jesus speaking to this church through John warns them that their tolerance is not love, but it is unfaithfulness (Rev 2:20-23). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ V. Dealing with objections which oppose what Scripture teaches on sexual relations. 2. “Shouldn’t the people of God practice love instead of judging homosexuals?” 1. “Why would God allow same-sex attraction and then call its expression an abomination?” This would make marriage a matter of emotion only and not a covenant before God. Have you noticed the yard signs of late that say, “Love is love.” This may sound compassionate, but it is an attempt to divorce love from God’s good and wise commands. What God forbids is not good for us, therefore it cannot be loving. Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three [Page 118]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 119 “It is not fair to allow heterosexuals to marry, and then to insist that same-sex attracted folks are not to marry one another.” “The burden of life-long celibacy is too much to bear.” Heterosexual, monogamous marriage is a wonderful gift to mankind, but it is not of the same magnitude of blessing as the gift of eternal life in Christ. The summum bonum (highest possible good) of human experience is not two becoming one flesh in marriage. Marriage brings with it great sacrifices and the demand for self-denial and unselfishness. There are often many conflicts to be settled and resolved. There are many griefs, groans, sufferings, longings, sickness, and eventually death and bereavement. This is all evidence that since the fall into sin, things are not normal. The highest possible good is life in Christ, now and eternally. “Doesn’t homophobia hurt hearts and damage lives?” “Aren’t Christians who vehemently preach that homosexuality is wickedness actually giving young people the opportunity to practice bullying on school campuses.” Those who advocate for homosexuals have said, “it is a great offense to have those around you judge your sexual orientation as abnormal and wicked—it can seriously mar your life— even contribute to suicidal thoughts.” How are believers to answer this charge? A rant is not an idea and hurt feelings do not form an argument. Offended-ness is not proof of the coherence or plausibility of any argument. We need clear thought and careful definition. Jesus would have had no ministry at all if He had edited out every truth that offended people. He says in John 7:7, “…[the world] hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.” We cannot build a theology upon what makes us look nice (agreeable, relevant, etc.). The Word of God is unbreakable (Jn 10:35). 4. “Doesn’t homophobia hurt hearts, damage lives, and promote bullying?” NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. “Isn’t it unfair to allow heterosexuals to marry but not those who are attracted to the same-sex?” Be careful of false dichotomies (divisions into two parts) such as: “love is more important than religion,” or, “harmony is the result of removing everything that divides us.” Living for the praises of people more than the approval of God is very dangerous and destructive. Read John 5:44 and John 12:42-43 5. According to these passages in John, what is at stake? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three John 10:10b “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” The highest possible good is life in Christ, now and eternally. [Page 119]
120 Developing a Biblical Worldview “But Jesus did not specifically preach against homosexuality.” Christ affirmed the moral absolutes of the Law of Moses. There is therefore no argument from silence in Jesus’ ministry for permitting homosexual relationships. Jesus declared the righteousness of the Law (Mt 5:17), but did not expound every moral element of the Law. He did not speak directly about polygamy and incest—though they are forbidden. The law states that homosexuality is an ‘abomination’ which ‘defiles’ those who practice it (Lev 18:22-24) and that homosexuality is a ‘detestable act’ (Lev 20:13). Conclusion: Romans chapter one gives us an inescapable truth: one’s spirituality defines one’s sexuality. Sex and spirituality are closely joined—the apostle Paul makes this plain. History clearly shows that a culture’s sexual norms are inseparably tied to its spirituality. The one (spirituality) affects the other (sexuality).cxv As the Western world moves further toward the pagan precipice of no return, it is evident that today’s moral revolution is a consequence of abandoning biblical theism. Rushing into that void left by the erasure of biblical theism is pagan spirituality. The spiritual carnage and physical consequences of full- blown paganism are beyond calculation. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 5. “Jesus did not specifically preach against homosexuality, so isn’t it not forbidden then?” 6. Conclusion: One’s spirituality defines one’s sexuality. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ A bold proclamation of the gospel is needed and should be done with compassion. Only in salvation which Christ provides can our hearts be purged of the idolatry of worshipping the creation. Lesson Twenty-Three Idolatry of Atheism [Page 120]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 121 R23.1 According to Romans chapter one, what is the theological/spiritual cause of a culture approving of homosexuality? (1.3) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R23.2 How do the progressives, who advocate a pagan worldview, plan on ushering in a utopian society of unity and inclusion? (2.1) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R23.3 How does the normalization of homosexuality and transgenderism affect the teaching role of the church (since the church is the pillar and support of the truth)? (3.5) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R23.4 How may believers wisely answer the following objection: “You should practice love instead of judging homosexuality as sin?” (5.2, 5.5) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” Idolatry of Atheism Lesson Twenty-Three [Page 121]
122 Developing a Biblical Worldview The new tolerance suggests that actually tolerating another person’s position means believing that person’s position to be at least as true or useful as your own. This is a shift from accepting the existence of different views to acceptance of different views themselves. The new tolerance asserts that all beliefs and truth claims should be treated as equally valid. But contemporary tolerance is intrinsically intolerant. By contrast, true tolerance means tolerating another person whose views you are convinced are dead wrong.cxvi At present, the political left controls culture (the media, entertainment, education, and politics). The new tolerance is a cultural force, not an intellectual force.cxvii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four OBJECTIVES: Students will study the following concepts: I. The new tolerance is inherently intolerant. II. The new tolerance does not want to offend anyone. III. The new tolerance is a move from a moral vision to self-ism. IV. The new tolerance equates absolute truth claims with hate. V. The new tolerance paves the way for government control. VI. Countering the new tolerance. I. The new tolerance is inherently intolerant. 1. The new tolerance asserts that all beliefs should be treated as equally valid. The intolerance of the new tolerance eliminates free speech by controlling the culture. [Page 122]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 123 There are three assumptions in the old or historic view of tolerance held by our founding fathers: 1. There is objective truth out there, and it is our duty to pursue the truth. 2. The various parties in a dispute think they know what the truth of the matter is, even though they disagree sharply, each thinking the other wrong. 3. Nevertheless, they hold to the idea that the best chance of uncovering the truth of the matter, or of persuading people to reason, is the unhindered exchange of ideas, and we might add, no matter who is offended.cxviii The new tolerance argues there is no one view that is exclusively true. Strong opinions are nothing more than strong preferences for a particular version of reality, each version is particularly true. The United Nations Declaration of Principles of Tolerance in 1995 asserts: “Tolerance involves the rejection of dogmatism and absolutism.” Does this mean that we have no right to hold conflicting things to be dogmatically true? The national Lambda Chi Alpha position reads, “The definition of the new tolerance is that every individual’s beliefs, lifestyle, and perception of truth claims are equal. There is no hierarchy of truth, your beliefs and my beliefs are equal, and all truth is relative.” But in John 14:6, Jesus asserted His authority as the exclusive and only way to the Father by stating, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” 3. The new tolerance by definition. 2. The three pillars of the old tolerance. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four If you structure your life around relativism, liberty is lost. God has made believing and obeying the truth the condition upon which freedom depends (Jn 8:32).52 Read John 8:31-36 (with the MacArthur Study Bible Notes) 1. The one who abides in the Word of Christ is free from what? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ John 8:31-32 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believer Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.’” [Page 123]
124 Developing a Biblical Worldview The historic understanding of tolerance assumed the connection between tolerance and our understanding of natural law, or what is sometimes called public moral law. The new tolerance has been made to take precedence over natural law and its resultant vision of moral order. The result is that tolerance itself is distorted. Historically, within that framework of a social moral vision, traditional tolerance is seen as a virtue because of its concern for the common good. But, once tolerance is cut loose from this larger moral vision and becomes shackled to the notion of individual freedom to do what one pleases (absent from much consideration of the common good), it becomes quite a different sort of beast.cxix Consider that without a transcendent moral vision, we lose the basis for self-government and nothing remains but human impulse. God requires us as His dependent creatures to conform at all points to His will; this is called the law of nature. William Blackstone (English jurist) regarded the law of nature and the law of divine revelation to be the substance of Christian divine law.cxx What we are seeing today is the elevation of this new tolerance to the supreme position in the hierarchy of moral virtues. The supreme ‘sin’ now is intolerance, but that has taken on a new definition. Intolerance today is no longer a refusal to allow contrary opinions in public but is understood as questioning or contradicting the view that all opinions are equal in value, and that all worldviews have equal worth and that all stances are valid. In the new tolerance, to question such postmodern axioms (principles) is by definition intolerant (D. A. Carson). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 5. The new tolerance functions as the supreme moral virtue. 4. The contrast between the old and the new tolerance. Read Romans 2:14-16 (with the MacArthur Study Bible Notes). 2. What is the significance of God’s law being written on every person’s heart? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four The new tolerance poses as the ultimate virtue – saying no idea is alone true. In the new tolerance, the ‘supreme sin’ is not accepting all views as valid. [Page 124]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 125 The new tolerance poses as the new ultimate virtue, and yet as ‘value free’ (thus, it is against those who hold to dogmatic moral values). What a contradiction! The new ultimate virtue is to say that no ideologies are ultimate or mutually exclusive. The new tolerance has become the dominant ‘religion’ among media leaders. Note the current social issues such as premarital sex, extramarital sex, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, transgenderism. Speak against these and you are considered bigoted, out of date, even dangerous and certainly intolerant.cxxi The new tolerance is severed from a clear articulation of truth and from binding moral standards. Yet, it claims to be the arbiter (judge) of both! We ought to expose the false moral high ground of the new tolerance. If one denies the existence of objective evil, it kills both righteous indignation (anger) and the will to oppose the evil, and suffering it produces. The consequences of atheistic systems enforced by sinful beings with total power is that the powerful define morality and enforce it with the barrel of a gun.cxxii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four 7. Is the new tolerance virtuous? 6. The new tolerance poses as the new ultimate virtue. When the absolute is replaced by the relative, then the relative will become absolutized. The new tolerance is a demonically engineered cloak for licentiousness (unrestrained illicit sexual activity and violence against the unborn). [Page 125]
126 Developing a Biblical Worldview Today’s political correctness suggests that it’s not a matter of being intolerant of substance (the content of debate) but of intolerance itself. Proponents of the new tolerance believe that intolerance is wrong because no one deserves to be offended. So absurd is the agenda of the new tolerance that in one region of the U. K. a law was passed to remove all images of pigs from public places so as not to offend Muslims. The ban extended to images of Winnie the Pooh’s ‘Piglet’ character.cxxiii The old tolerance draws its limits on the basis of substantive arguments about truth, goodness, doing harm, protecting society and its victims, while the new tolerance draws its limits on the basis of what it judges to be intolerant, which has become the supreme vice. This issue of the new tolerance is a vision of what produces harmony and oneness. But, in the new tolerance, the question of where our rights originate is not answered. If from the state, and not from God, then the government will ultimately take upon itself to mandate (coerce) its vision for unity.cxxiv The new tolerance requires the opposite of the older tolerance, the new requiring you take no ethical stand! The older tolerance calls for you to take an ethical stand; this is true tolerance. True tolerance requires you take a stand among competing truth and ethical claims. Otherwise, you are not in a position to tolerate something with which you disagree. Both the old and the new tolerance constitute a social response, not an intellectual position. The new tolerance is radical; a social commitment to treat all ideas and people as equally right except for the people who disagree of this new view of tolerance. Those who uphold the older tolerance are written off as intolerant (banished, not deserving a voice).cxxv NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. The issue in the new tolerance is not substance, but that no one should be offended. 1. The new tolerance believes intolerance is wrong because no one deserves to be offended. 2. The new tolerance implies our rights do not originate from God. 3. The new tolerance requires you take no ethical stand. The absurdity of the new tolerance to the point of banning Piglet to avoid offending Muslims with an image of a pig. The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four Is open-mindedness equivalent to making no judgments? “You’re so judgmental” has become a major league putdown in America, “as if being judgmental of garbage in our culture is a bad thing.” G. K. Chesterton said, “The purpose of an open mind is the same as that of an open mouth—to close it again on something solid.” If open-mindedness is being defined as a refusal to make judgments about religious truth and sexual ethics, then we are prone to contracting a form of intellectual lockjaw.55 [Page 126]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 127 Historically, tolerance issues were worked out within the worldview of biblical theism until the 19th Century. Until the early part of the 19th century the vast majority of the Western world presupposed the existence of God. That meant that questions about tolerance were worked out within the framework of what people thought about God. But at the end of the 19th century a switch was flipped, people no longer viewed God as immediately relevant to all the questions raised in the public square. Questions about tolerance and intolerance had to be worked out within non-theistic grids where secularization exercised control. Secular agendas (secular creeds) produced holocausts under Mao and Stalin. To say the least we have moved from a common moral vision to individual freedom. The new tolerance is tied to individuality— an assumed autonomy of the individual as the view of reality.cxxvi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Our society has moved from a common moral vision to one that looks to self – putting the autonomy of the individual at the center of the view of reality and purpose. God is no longer viewed as relevant by the new tolerance. Note the magazine titles published over the last 85 years: Life Magazine, People Magazine, Us Magazine, Self Magazine— finally deciding that my existence is about “me.” The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four III. The new tolerance represents a move from a common moral vision to ‘self-ism’ 1. The new tolerance uses a secular grid and now is tied to individuality. [Page 127]
128 Developing a Biblical Worldview How did we get to the point where those with an exclusive truth claim are regarded as intolerant? The charge that those who claim to know the truth are more intolerant than others can be disputed. We contest that those, who claim the moral high ground of the new tolerance, are in fact no less opinionated than those they criticize. Public universities claim “Secularism is toleration” and consider conservatism as pathogenic (disease-producing or toxic). The new tolerance postures as intrinsically neutral, free from all ethical, moral, and religious systems of thought. At the same time, insisting all others are intolerant people. At Harvard, they now tell us it is a heresy to suggest the superiority of some value, and fantasy to believe in moral argument, and slavery to submit to a judgment more sound then your own.cxxvii But, because this is God’s world, moral ambiguity is impossible, for God will judge the human race according to a standard of good and evil. The fact/value split is unquestioned by millions; thus, truth and error are considered matters of opinion. Countless millions of people find it difficult, at least on some subjects, to think in terms of mutually exclusive truth and error. Much prefer to think in differences of opinion or various perspectives. Postmodernism has left us with the idea that we can create our own realities. Questions of truth have been pushed to the margins while magnifying the importance of tolerance. J. D. Charles states, “the culture of tolerance in which we presently find ourselves is a culture in which people believe nothing, possess no clear concept of right and wrong, and are remarkably indifferent to this precarious state of affairs. . . tolerance becomes indistinguishable from an intractably intolerant relativism.”cxxviii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. Those with an exclusive truth claim are regarded as intolerant. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ God’s character has determined an absolute standard of goodness (expressed in His moral rule). The Scriptures lay out our moral duty to God, a comprehensive moral duty which makes every sin explicitly illegal. Moral obligation (or ‘ought-ness’) is unintelligible apart from the idea of God.56 Read Acts 17:31. 3. Why is it utterly rational to repent of sin? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four 3. Truth and error are considered matters of opinion to those who subscribe to the new tolerance. Conservatism: The belief that human rights are from God and society best flourishes under God and His moral code. Because this is God’s world, moral ambiguity is impossible. [Page 128]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 129 The new tolerance asserts that religious orthodoxy (authorized doctrine) is narrow, bigoted and hate-filled; since doctrine divides, orthodoxy represents intolerance. The paradox inherent in the new tolerance is that relativism ultimately gives rise to tyranny. The absence of objective standards makes the oppressiveness of the culture possible. This occurred under Marxism and Fascism. Moral fortitude (and its will to be free) disappears if we systematically lose the category of objective truth.cxxix Tolerance with convictions equals real tolerance. Attempts at harmony without convictions prove narcissistic (self-oriented and without moral vision). We must learn from history that when religion is removed from the public arena, the secular creeds of the 20th century were used to justify holocausts. Yet, proponents of the new tolerance fear that truth (the religious truth claims of Christianity) will become totalitarian (a system requiring complete subservience). The new tolerance denies that God’s existence establishes the reality and know-ability of truth. Relativism promises freedom but enslaves because it refuses to acknowledge good and evil as the Bible does. Therefore, it never adequately confronts sin and evil, thus leaving people enslaved by sin and evil. This opens the door to tyranny; either the chaos of anarchy or the cry for more laws for stability—ultimately a call for a dictator.cxxx Relativism is dangerous, at Auschwitz Hitler declared, “I freed Germany from the stupid and degrading fallacies of conscience and morality… We will train young people before whom the world will tremble.” There are only two choices: • morality is absolute, objective, and universal, or • morality is personal, subjective, and mere opinion. The conclusion has radical consequences for how we live and see the world.cxxxi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ IV. The new tolerance equate absolute truth claims (Christian orthodoxy) with hate. 1. The new tolerance asserts that religious orthodoxy is intolerant. 2. Tolerance without convictions equals no tolerance. The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four The media and the universities are shoving the new tolerance down the throats of the American people - promising freedom but just opening the door for tyranny. [Page 129]
130 Developing a Biblical Worldview The new tolerance shouts down moral dialogue because of its agenda of maximum sexual ‘freedom’ (2 Pet 2:18-19). The new tolerance has an agenda of maximum sexual ‘freedom’, therefore its proponents want to kill all moral dialogue as ‘intolerant’. Truth and morality are tied together; homosexuality is wrong because God has given truth about how His image-bearers are to behave. The new tolerance is a path to dystopia (a society with great suffering and injustice), not utopia. As the new tolerance zealously tamps down all moral dialogue—the question of moral truth is eliminated. The issue now is: “Who may be offended by what you are saying?” Right and wrong are out of the picture. Sexual relations are increasingly trivialized (i.e. ‘hook up’ culture). This trivializing is joined to the devaluation of the life of the unborn—all of this is called ‘toleration’. At the same time there is pressure to privatize religion—forbid proselytizing (evangelizing) and keep religion and moral truth out of the public square. In summary, to hold to an absolute position in contradistinction (contrasting distinction) to other views is, according to the new tolerance, bigoted.cxxxii Why does the new tolerance support relativism? In the mind of many observers, the new tolerance rushes in to support moral relativism because of its independent status (posing as taking no sides); this new tolerance becomes ironically a moralizing support of moral relativism. The new tolerance is anti-value—hostile to exclusive truth claims. Thus, it is not a real value; it is anti-value. It is a disposition of hostility to any suggestion that one thing is better than another. Thus, it kills all hard-edge doctrine and exclusive truth claims, demanding they be privatized. Where the old tolerance allowed hard differences on religion and morality to compete freely in the public square, the new variety wishes to lock them all indoors as matters of private judgment. The public square must be given over to indistinctness—to moral ambiguity.cxxxiii Regarding the demand to accept the new tolerance, is it too strong to suggest that we have moved from the toleration of lies to the enforcement of supporting lies? NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. The new tolerance wants to maximize sexual freedom. 4. Thew new tolerance supports relativism The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four Truth and morality are tied together, but the new tolerance says it is intolerant and bigoted to discuss those absolute views. 2 Peter 2:18-19 “For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.” [Page 130]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 131 The new tolerance is a formula for oppression because the new tolerance means that the government must be intolerant of those who do not accept the new definition of tolerance. Under the new tolerance an exclusive belief makes you a radical. One of the new tolerance’s justifications for suffocating exclusivist truth claims is the use of fear-mongering, saying that exclusive truth claims will lead to totalitarian coercion. The new tolerance wants the gospel sacrificed to the goddess of relativism. The new tolerance exerts pressure to compromise our exclusive gospel and sacrifice it on the altar of relativism. The notion that all perspectives are equally valid is practical atheism. For it denies the truth that only divine omniscience can escape the narrow limitations of our fallen human perspective.cxxxiv The push of the progressive left is to do away with the old order and moral traditions of society in order to usher in a new social order. Humanist sociologists are the least tolerant of traditional biblical family. Why? Because church and family are the places of moral and religious instruction. Some have even suggested that heterosexual monogamous marriage is an example of social slavery. Humanists have offered a plethora (or multitude) of alternatives to traditional marriage. These include a host of perverse and illicit sexual practices. The secularists want to shift child-raising from the family to institutions (‘it takes a village’). There is an open disdain for Christian culture. The public school classroom is now being used to promote new tolerance activism in support of this new social order.cxxxv Yes, religion does not have the right to control the state, nor can the state establish or prohibit religion. Then in a mighty leap, many have inferred religion does not have the right to influence any decisions of the state and therefore we conclude that religion must be restricted to a small and privatized world, otherwise the great barrier between church and state is jeopardized.cxxxvi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. The new tolerance wants to do away with the old order and moral traditions. The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four V. The new tolerance paves the way for government repression and coercion. 3. The first amendment (freedom of religion) has been hijacked for the secular agenda. 1. The new tolerance is a formula for oppression. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 “You shall love the LORD you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” [Page 131]
132 Developing a Biblical Worldview Democracy cannot enshrine freedom if it is not tied to a transcendent moral code. Our source of human rights has everything to do with our right to challenge government. For the great question is: “Whose transcendent vision will hold the state in check?” The secular project is making people utterly blind to the fundamental role of religious freedom. Religious freedom is not merely the first freedom; but in its foundational power, it is the foundational freedom for a free society.cxxxvii The default worldview of the new tolerance is philosophic naturalism. This metaphysical commitment is to naturalistic secularism (Darwinism/materialism) is resulting in an increasing restriction upon religious freedom. So much of the volume of the Old Testament is dedicated to revealing God’s moral order. Scripture is clear, one day God will judge every man and woman by their character and conduct. Revelation 22:11-15 warns that countless individuals will be left (shut) outside the City of God (Rev 21:8). This has staggering implications for humanity. God’s cause of righteousness must be our cause (Mt 25:31- 46). Our ethical behavior is intended to exalt God’s moral perfections. God’s will is that we please God morally. The believer is called to love God with all of his or her faculties. The grace of God in the gospel transforms us, equipping us to align ourselves with the moral order He has established. But this requires that we love God with our whole body, soul, spirit, mind and strength (Luke 10:27).cxxxviii Read John 5:26-32. 4. What phrase(s) indicate that Jesus is Judge? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four 4. The new tolerance is not tied to a transcendent moral code and thus restricts the role of religious freedom. 5. God’s moral order is clear in Scripture. The current lie circulating in popular culture and upon college campuses is that Jesus is infinitely tolerant. The Bible refutes this lie. “Judge not” does not mean abandon moral discernment; the Sermon on the Mount is full of moral distinctions uncompromisingly set forth by Christ. Jesus’ messages are filled with exclusive truth claims: He’s the only way to God; He’s the primary speaker about Hell. Jesus is clear on exclusivism: “not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven…” (Mt 7:21-23).59 NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Revelation 22:12-13 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” [Page 132]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 133 Should Christians withdraw from the marketplace of ideas in the interest of tolerance? That is what is being suggested. The ‘gentle lamb’ of toleration has returned as the ‘wolf of relativism’. The new tolerance has become enforced relativism. Christian truth claims are seen as intolerant in our universities. The new tolerance on campuses pressures Christians to silence their exclusive truth claims or withdraw from speaking formally and publicly. The new tolerance is waging a new war against proselytizing (evangelism).cxxxix • Are morals evolving? • Is there a universal standard of right and wrong that is external to the individual? • Is the universe explainable without God? • Is prime reality material and impersonal? If so, absolute truth and moral truth are not knowable, and morality must have an origin other than God. Conclusions drawn from the assumption of philosophic naturalism: 1. Regional cultures produce morality. 2. Natural selection produces morality (but solely as a survival mechanism). 3. Because morals have a cultural origin and not divine, it’s wrong to make moral judgments because the person doing the judging is locked into his own socio-economic perspective (cultural relativism). NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four 6. The new tolerance has become enforced relativism. 7. Questions to use in university missions. The ‘gentle lamb’ of toleration disguises the ‘wolf of relativism’. Christian truth is seen as intolerant and poses a new war on evangelism. When morality is reduced to personal preferences, people exchange the question, “What is good?” for “What feels good?”. [Page 133]
134 Developing a Biblical Worldview • Expose its radical moral bankruptcy (Is 5:20). • Maintain a clear distinction between the two tolerances (old and new) (Acts 28:30-31). • Preserve a place for truth by distinguishing between a tolerant mind and a tolerant spirit. The latter is desirable, but the former is prohibited by Scripture. God commands believers to use their minds to discern truth from error—to press the antithesis between light and darkness. • Expose its condescending arrogance, for the new tolerance poses as if it possesses the moral high ground, all while denying the existence of absolute, transcendent, moral truth. Challenge with this stance: by what transcendent standard is the relativism in the new tolerance a moral virtue? • Insist that the new tolerance is not progress. The end of the 19th C. was marked by horse and buggy, disease, low technology. But the 20th C. ushered in an explosive world of modernity and invention and with that progress, the greatest century of bloodshed in human history. The two-fold danger of an endlessly progressive view of history is pride and self-delusion. In the process, we lose any grasp of the doctrine of sin and its effects in all of us (1 Jn 3:8; Ezek. 18:4, 13). • Expose how contemporary secularism postures itself—as essentially neutral and as superior. But by what fixed authoritative standard does it confer upon itself this status? Is the world really a better place because of every difference, ideology, and identity? What about the Jewish holocaust? What about pedophilia? What about abortion as a convenient ‘out of visual view’ infanticide? Affirm that tolerance is valuable only when it operates within some belief or value system, and not when questions of tolerance are cut off from questions of truth and morality. • Encourage civility, do not stop evangelizing. Stress that genuine tolerance is only possible if people are free to proselytize. All forms of evangelism necessarily involve telling people where they are wrong in an effort to win them to a different position or direction. You will lose tolerance if you insist on eliminating this element of the freedom of religion (Acts 17:2-3). • Prepare to suffer. Jesus said that we would (Mt 24:9, 2 Tim 3:12). Delight and trust in God (Ps 37:4).cxl The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ VI. Solutions in countering the new tolerance. Isaiah 5:20a-b “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness...” [Page 134]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 135 R24.1 What is the difference between the new tolerance and historic tolerance? (1.1) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R24.2 According to Romans 2:14-16, on the last day, how will God judge people who have never read the Bible? (1.4) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R24.3 Explain why the new tolerance holds to ‘moral ambiguity’. (2.3) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R24.4 The new tolerance believes that disagreeing may be a form of hate speech or even a hate crime. How did this absurdity become widely accepted? (2.3) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R24.5 Why is the new tolerance so intolerant of Christianity? (5.1-5.3) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Romans 2:14-16 “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.” The ‘Intolerance’ of Tolerance Lesson Twenty-Four [Page 135]
136 Developing a Biblical Worldview Social justice has come to mean the state’s effort to redistribute advantages and resources to disadvantaged groups in order to satisfy their right to social and economic equality. But this justice is not the same kind of justice that God requires. Social justice is not about divine justice. According to Holy Scripture, injustice is sin, and it is not permitted under God’s moral government.cxli Ideological Social Justice (ISJ) is a more accurate term for this movement than the term social justice.cxlii The social justice movement is part of classic socialism. Social justice is actually a Marxist phrase which aims at shattering social structure. The real problem with this movement is that there is no moral law that is taught. Today’s social justice advocates have not really considered that their ideology contains the seeds of total social disruption (John MacArthur). Since ISJ is not legal justice, it does not address right and wrong, nor the divine justice commanded in the Bible. Social justice has taken the term ‘justice’ and redefined it so that it does not resemble the justice required in Scripture. Here is the actual agenda of ISJ: Everyone has a right to equal upward mobility and resources. Without those privileges, society is unjust, and those without those privileges are oppressed because they lack privilege, power, prosperity, status, and property.cxliii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ OBJECTIVES: Students will be introduced to the following concepts: I. The meaning of ideological social justice. II. The mission of ideological social justice. III. The morality of ideological social justice. IV. The methods of ideological social justice. V. The misunderstanding of rights by ideological social justice. VI. The means whereby ideological social justice opposes the Gospel. I. The meaning of ideological social justice. 1. Social justice wants to redistribute advantages. 2. Social justice contains seeds of total social disruption. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five Read Isaiah 1:17 and Isaiah 10:1-2. 1. List each word in the above passages that refers to unjust actions. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ [Page 136]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 137 The Bible does not demand wealth redistribution or equalization. Ideological Social Justice actually means equality of outcome (regardless of personal responsibility and performance). This is what social justice demands, but there is a blindness to the consequences of forced redistribution. Does the Bible require wealth redistribution and equalization? No, the sharing of one’s wealth is always voluntary. Even in the early church the sharing of goods in the Jerusalem church was based upon voluntarily selling goods in order to meet a need. Though they had all things in common and were selling their possessions to distribute the proceeds, they were distributing that wealth as any had need (Acts 5:3-4). The communal activity of the early church was not a paradigm for the elimination of private property.cxliv The main biblical categories related to justice are: 1. that which conforms to an ethical or moral standard, and 2. the legal process of judgment so that it is administered in accordance with the law. This means that it is rendered impartially and proportionately to each person’s due, according to God’s moral standard (Prov 24:12). The criteria of justice revealed in the Bible is as follows: 1. justice requires impartiality (Deut. 1:16-17), 2. justice requires rendering to each his due (Mt 16:27; Rom 2:6), and 3. justice requires proportionality (there is symmetry between the initial acts and their rewards or punishments) (Ex 21-22; Lev 24:17–21).cxlv NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. ISJ actually means equality of outcome. 4. Biblical justice categories and criteria are vastly different. Read Exodus 22:1-15. 2. Give an example from the text of a penalty being levied that is proportional to the wrong suffered. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.” [Page 137]
138 Developing a Biblical Worldview Regarding the mission of Ideological Social Justice, it starts by identifying disadvantaged groups. But this is not purely synonymous with minorities. It’s not really about the individual. Women are considered a disadvantaged group though they make up the majority of the American population. So, in order to fulfill its mission, ISJ assesses group outcomes, assigns blame for disparate (unequal) outcomes, finds out who is to blame, and then seeks to redistribute power and resources so that disadvantages can be addressed.cxlvi Those identifying themselves as victims are members of ‘oppressed groups’: women, the poor, ethnic groups, and LGBTQ. To be a member of any one of these groups is to be a victim who has to endure ‘hate speech’. These individuals want social justice. They want to stop the oppression they claim they have experienced. The more victim categories that one is member of, the more that person is regarded as truthful and authoritative (intersectionality). If one is not a member of one of these victim groups, then he or she has nothing to say. Social justice defines a person by what others have done to them. This ideology seeks a sociological fix. It is a temporal economic concept of enforced equity—it is a demand for economic ‘redemption’ now, by forced equalization.cxlvii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ II. The mission of ideological social justice. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five 2. Victims are said to be members of ‘oppressed groups’. 1. The ISJ mission starts by identifying disadvantaged groups. How ISJ views society: Society is made up of oppressive groups (big fish) and oppressed groups (little fish). [Page 138]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 139 Disparate is an important word to define in order to understand social justice. Disparate means fundamentally different. A disparity of power means that power is concentrated in one group and not in another. When ISJ sees disparity in terms of resources, it assumes that those who possess the most resources have gained them unjustly. If one is white and has wealth, then it is assumed that the disparity in possessions is evidence of injustice. And since those resources were ‘gained unjustly’, it is just to forcibly redistribute them to those who deserve them—to grant power to the powerless.cxlviii ISJ is an atheistic post-modern construction in which there is no objective truth; everything is viewed through the lens of power. ISJ proponents propose to fix the power problem by gaining control of our culture’s dominant narrative—believing that those who can control the story can control the people through emotional appeal. ISJ understands reality as different distributions of power. The worldview of ISJ is Darwinian and since there is no universal absolute truth, ultimate reality is about who has the power. In their worldview there is no redemptive aspect of power. And yet, in their self-deception, if they eliminate those in power, they see no problem with becoming the new power elite. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The ISJ philosophy is self-refuting; if they become the new power moguls, there will be new victims of their power. Read Luke 22:24-27. 3. How did Jesus describe the right path to greatness? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five 4. ISJ does not believe in objective truth but that power defines reality. 3. ISJ believes a disparity of power or resources may be unjustly gained and thus should be redistributed. Disparate: Fundamentally different; unequal In Ideological Social Justice there is no absolute truth. [Page 139]
140 Developing a Biblical Worldview ISJ postures as a voice for the voiceless, as care and concern for the poor. It attempts to bring about change by altering and dismantling structures and institutions. The change in the structures of society is more of a Marxist idea than the pursuit of actual justice. ISJ opposes Christian worldview. But ISJ has borrowed and then redefined the following terms: diversity, equity, and inclusion. ISJ masquerades as mandatory diversity training, but in reality, it is the indoctrination of their worldview which includes wealth redistribution, political correctness, speech codes, shaming, doxing, cancel culture, etc.cxlix ISJ’s proponents have no concept of Christ’s meek power—that the Creator of the universe could actually stoop to wash the feet of sinners (Jn 13:1-5). God is love, power, justice, mercy, holiness and wisdom. And when He sends His Son as the perfect image of Himself, Christ makes His ultimate statement of meekness, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45). By contrast, ISJ really has no grace, mercy or forgiveness. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five 6. ISJ is blind to the kind of power manifested by our Savior. 5. ISJ claims to care for the poor but that is a guise to redefine and indoctrinate. Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. In the Lord Christ Jesus, we see the paradox of meek power. [Page 140]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 141 ISJ regards human nature not as the image of God, possessing inherent value and dignity, but instead, as defined by social forces, by power dynamics, and groups. In ISJ, you are not defined by your status as God’s unique creation in His image, you are defined by your group. Individuals are treated as drones or mouthpieces for the larger group. You are placed in the box of your group’s label. You are not defined by your deepest convictions; you are a product entirely of your group. This is a reductionist, dehumanizing view of human nature. By contrast, biblical morality and dignity are rooted in our Creator’s good and holy character and in His righteous purposes for us.cl ISJ suggests that if you are oppressed, only those in your group will understand your reality and no one else will. Such a narrow reductionist identity means that the individual is stuck in the dark pod of his group identity. This is a formula for social disintegration. By contrast, it is a thoroughly biblical idea that God has vested individuals with ability to make choices that can impact history and with a potential uniqueness that can make an incredible mark on the world. Group identity produces a blindness to this biblical reality.cli NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ III. The morality of ideological social justice. 1. ISJ defines human nature by the group you are in. 2. ISJ suggests only those in your group will understand your oppression. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five One of the judgments God sends upon a nation that has rejected Him is ‘social disintegration’. Read Isaiah 3:4-5, 12 and Isaiah 24:1-5. 4. Name one of the symptoms from these passages which illustrates that the social order which God provides has collapsed. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Group identity produces a blindness to biblical reality. Biblical morality is rooted in God’s good and holy character and in His righteous purposes for us. [Page 141]
142 Developing a Biblical Worldview ISJ has an inconsistent morality that is not based upon a transcendent moral code given by a transcendent Lawgiver (Deut. 5:6-21). ISJ sets forth a morality that is borrowed from Marxists in which the individual is not inherently sinful, it is the power structures that are evil. ISJ’s moral code is class based. The wealthy and the powerful are viewed as immoral and the worker as moral. It is the oppressor versus the oppressed (the corporate oppressor and the underclass victim). In the ISJ worldview, to have power is to be evil, to be an oppressor; but no power equals ‘innocence’. Therefore, it is considered a just cause to fight for the oppressed by fighting against the oppressor. This necessity to fight for ‘social justice’ has become the cause that gives meaning and purpose within their worldview. It’s interesting that those who have never been raised with a Christian worldview are finding a substitute meaning and purpose in the ISJ movement. They feel as if they occupy the moral high ground when they fight for those whom they regard as the oppressed. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. ISJ had an inconsistent morality. 4. In the ISJ worldview to have power is to be evil or an oppressor. For Ideological Social Justice, group identity overshadows reality. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five The West’s standard of living has changed greatly since the oppressive conditions in the industrial revolution. In 1900, 18% of American workers were under the age of 16. Today, the oppressed class is no longer identified as the toiling worker, but as those who are victimized because of race, sex, and/or gender identity. Sexual orientation has replaced economics as the new oppressed class. Exodus 23:6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.” [Page 142]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 143 ISJ frames the conversation in such a way that you are ungodly and against justice if you dare to disagree. We must address this from the standpoint of worldview. The ISJ narrative of oppressed versus oppressor demands that equity be perceived as a change in power from the oppressor to the oppressed by whatever means possible. This clearly flows from Hegel and Marx. It is about power dynamics. Everything is to be seen from that perspective. If you reject that perspective, you are an oppressor and guilty of having internalized your oppression of others. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ IV. The methods of ideological social justice. The scientific method is now being associated with whiteness. An appeal to data as a method to employ quantitative analysis is seen as whiteness. Everything bows to the definition of the group. That has become the ultimate test or metric, not what is true versus not true. Lady Justice is no longer blindfolded (the blindfold was to depict impartiality as essential to justice), but now Lady Justice, as influenced by social justice, has one eye open. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five 1. ISJ concludes that you are ungodly or against justice if you disagree with ISJ. [Page 143]
144 Developing a Biblical Worldview The ISJ movement advances its agenda in 3 steps: Desensitizing à Jamming à Conversion 1. By desensitizing: we are bombarded with the ISJ worldview in media, movies, and education. 2. By jamming: a form of brainwashing in which sexual deviancy is normalized, and its acceptance is made a requirement of a just and inclusive society. 3. By conversion: people become ‘converted’ to become allies and advocates of LGBTQ by regarding its members as an aggrieved or wronged minority. In addition, ISJ has been expanding its oppressed groups to include climate change advocates, illegal immigrants, access to universal healthcare, and access to abortion.clii A significant part of our strategy ought to be showing that the Darwinian evolutionary paradigm gave rise to modern racism. Evolutionary theory taught that the black and white races evolved from different primates. The black race from a robust, smaller brained primate and the white race from a more cerebral primate. The subtitle of Darwin’s book on origins is, The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life. Once the Darwinian mindset became codified in western culture, it resulted in such horrors as eugenics. In urban areas of America today, more black babies are aborted than born. Nationally, blacks make up 13% of our population, but 30% of abortions in America are black children.cliii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Darwinian evolutionary theory promotes modern racism. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five 2. ISJ movement advances its agenda. Eugenics: The belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species or population. Negative: Discouraging reproduction by people having undesirable traits. Positive: Encouraging reproduction by people having desirable traits. Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” [Page 144]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 145 Negative rights are your rights protecting you against harm. Positive rights would be rights to certain benefits. Properly understood, rights are not the guarantee of something provided for us, but the guarantee that what is justly ours may not by unjustly taken from us. Only negative rights issue from an objective universal fixed standard. Negative rights are timeless. You cannot take my children, my property, my reputation, or my life, unjustly from me. The eighth commandment says, “You shall not steal.” (Ex 20:15) Thus, what we mean by negative rights, is that we have the right to not have our possessions stolen. But we reject the notion of positive rights: you do not have the right to a car without paying for it.cliv The problem with positive rights is that they are not merely equal rights but rights to equal things. Positive rights destroy the very concept of charity. It forces the giver to owe to another the difference in what is possessed. Only negative rights can truly be universal, positive rights cannot be. A person on welfare in America would be very rich in Bangladesh. Can you imagine the nightmare of enforcing a global standard of positive rights? Forced egalitarianism leads to erasing uniqueness. Forced positive rights would not produce a utopian world. It would make individuals indistinguishable and interchangeable human beings.clv NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 1. Negative rights come from an objective standard. V. The misunderstanding of rights by ideological social justice. In a recent poll, people were randomly asked, what is a woman? The silence and attempted answers were stunning. People have been so brainwashed by the social justice ideology, that they could not answer the question. There was palpable fear that if they described a woman as different than a man, they would be revealing a politically incorrect bias. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five 2. ‘Positive rights’ are wrongly thought of as rights to equal things. Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” [Page 145]
146 Developing a Biblical Worldview Here are reasons why ISJ is not biblical justice: 1. ISJ’s standard is not equal application of justice, but equality of outcome. 2. ISJ asserts positive rights which take from negative rights (I must take from Bob to pay Joe). 3. ISJ defines its activity as the fair distribution of advantages, assets, and benefits among all members among society. But the word fair implies a moral agent who does the redistributing. This assumes that someone other than God is the distributing moral actor. Problem: when the government shows up to do the redistributing, you are moving toward statism, toward totalitarianism. We must ask the question: what is involved in raising someone’s outcomes or opportunities to match another? Answer: they must be treated differently (we must take from one to give to another). The Bible forbids this partiality. According to biblical criteria, ISJ is really injustice.clvi According to Scripture, helping the poor is a voluntary matter of grace and charity, not justice (Gal 2:10; Eph 4:28). God ordained the state to dispense justice and the church to dispense grace. When the state takes positive rights by force, it will violate negative rights. Scripture is replete with passages on undeserved grace. Grace means that we cannot require the equalizing of inequality. Scripture forbids partiality either in favor of or against the poor (Ex 23:3, 6; Lev 19:15). We should administer justice for rich and poor alike. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. Our obligation to the poor is a matter of charity not justice. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five Do you remember what occurred during the 2020 riots? Antifa members chanted, “We are here to take what is ours!” as they marched through neighborhoods. This powerfully illustrates how positive rights are destructive to justice and to negative rights. Read 2 Thessalonians 3:10. 5. In the church, what was forbidden to give to people who refused to work? ______________________________________________________________________ 3. Social justice is not biblical justice. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ The Bible is clear that we must not confuse justice with grace. To receive absolute justice is to deserve hell. (Romans 11:32, Galatians 3:10, 22) [Page 146]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 147 Within ISJ, the prevailing belief is that Western Christianity, having birthed Western civilization, was merely a plan to gain hegemony, that is power over others. ISJ seeks to reverse this by asserting that it is not the oppressors that have the truth, but the oppressed. It is the victims of oppression that have direct access to the truth. From the standpoint of epistemology, it is the victim who has the authority, the insight, the knowledge of the truth. It is the victim who sees things the way they truly are. And, since they have the authority, we are to believe the victims and their epistemology.clvii There is a bridge that can be built when sharing the gospel with a person committed to ISJ. We can explain that what is inside of us will work itself out in its relationships, families, social setting, and communities. This is true both of virtue and of sin and evil. But, because ISJ sees people as inherently good and not evil, they have an erroneous approach to change—believing that change comes not by changing the person but by changing society’s structure in order to correct its wrong distribution of power. Therefore, according to ISJ, by removing systems and social structures that tend toward inequality, repair will take place. So, whether it is laws, social structures, or economics, the fix has to come by changing systems and structures.clviii VI. The means whereby ideological social justice opposes the Gospel. The following has become a regular occurrence: college students who do not want to hear a view contrary to ISJ will shout down an invited speaker. 18 and 19 year old college students who believe they are oppressed or represent the oppressed, will invalidate and ‘cancel’ by shouting down the wisdom of someone who is older and wiser, but who is not ‘oppressed’. You are considered violent if you do not speak up about social justice, yet when a person speaks up in disagreement, they are told to be quiet or else. 2. ISJ believes that change must start by changing society’s structure. 1. ISJ states the victim has authority and the truth. Only the power of God in the gospel can change what needs to be changed (Romans 1:16-17). A wrong diagnosis of the problem will result in a tragically wrong solution. Read Matthew 15:19. 6. How does Jesus describe the real source of man’s problems? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 147]
148 Developing a Biblical Worldview The ISJ ideology dominates minds by blame-shifting and guilt evasion. This meme recorded in the O.T. 2500 years ago has been revived today, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezek. 18:2). That is the continuous default position of this ideology. Everything in ISJ is shaped by this epistemology of victimhood. The rationale is: my experience as a victim is why I have truth, insight, and wisdom. My victimization is the tool I use to discern the truth. But this is a formula for fragmentation and not unity. How can there be shared common ground without absolute truth? And, since everything is seen as power, even truth gets classified as a power tactic. ISJ proponents normally cannot tell you how they picked up their worldview. They see their worldview as reality, but they cannot stand outside of it in order to scrutinize its truthfulness. The vast majority of young people within ISJ were fed Darwinism, having been raised on its meaninglessness. ISJ promises to rescue them from a life without purpose and meaning. For, in defending the oppressed from the oppressor, they have found a ‘just cause’, and are ready to enlist in fighting for what is ‘good’.clix NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five 4. Everything in ISJ is shaped by victimhood. 3. ISJ shifts the blame and evades guilt. How did the truth become aggression? If one disagrees with the premise of ISJ by suggesting that any one of their disadvantaged groups is not actually oppressed, then you have committed a micro-aggression against them. You have become an example of cultural appropriation (an unacknowledged practice that has been adopted, by which one part of society oppresses another, especially the disadvantaged and minority cultures). This ideology dominates an entire culture at the university level. If one is not a victim, then he or she has nothing to say.24 And, if you express a view which disagrees with ISJ, your words may be categorized as an act of ‘violence’. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Leviticus 19:15 “You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.” [Page 148]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 149 ISJ is a hindrance to the gospel because its victim mentality is clearly guilt-evasion. There can be no salvation without full responsibility for one’s sin. Ezekiel was a judgment preacher. He preached to the Jewish exiles who were fond of blaming previous generations for their present troubles (Ezek. 18:2). Ezekiel’s sermons were not popular, for he pressed home the message of personal sin, personal guilt, and personal punishment by God. If you retreat into blaming others, and refuse to repent, know for certain that God will only judge for your own sin (Ezek. 18:20). This truth is critical to the gospel.clx We wholeheartedly disagree with ISJ because attempts to fix broken systems cannot avail if the real problem is that we are broken. Only the Christian worldview can get you back to what it truly means to be human, for it is the people who must be changed by the gospel. It is difficult to convince ISJ’s of this truth because their epistemology rejects God’s revelation in creation, conscience, and Scripture. 6. The real problem is that we are broken. 5. ISJ’s victim mentality is clearly guilt-evasion. Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ If the church buys into the social justice perspective by embracing any of the sinner’s excuses, then the blood of their damnation is on the church’s hands. Read Ezekiel 33:6-8 and Acts 18:6 (and read the MacArthur Study Bible notes on Ezekiel 3:18-21). 7. Is it wrong to say nothing to those who are apathetic in their sin? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Today’s youth stand at a crossroads – to the left, blame, victimhood, group identity politics, entitlement and to the right, personal responsibility and gratitude. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 149]
150 Developing a Biblical Worldview Secular psychology, and in particular Freudian psychology, is the father of the grand excuse for sin, “You are the product of what was done to you.” But the gospel knows no such alibi. In order to be saved, one must be overwhelmed and crushed by the sin of his own heart. ISJ takes repentance out of the gospel. It offers false comfort by spreading blame to others and to God (Jer 31:29-30). On Judgment Day our works will manifest whether or not our nature is new in Christ by the gospel or is unregenerate. For, we will be judged by our works, but not saved by our works (Rom 14:10-12; 2 Cor 5:10). When we ask the question, “How is evil overcome?” The Bible starts with God’s authoritative self-revelation, that good and evil are not defined by the state but are established by God (Ex 20:3-17). Only the gospel can root out the evil from our hearts so that it is overcome, and we are inclined to do what is good and right.clxi By contrast, the social justice delusion suggests we are basically good—the only bad to be identified is what others did to us (see Is 64:6). 7. ISJ takes repentance out of the gospel. 8. ISJ asserts that we are basically good. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ISJ rejects the fact that the person needs to be changed from the inside out by God. By contrast, the gospel has a particular order in how societal change is to take place.68 Caring for people is a result of the gospel making men and women new in Christ. Read Colossians 3:5-20. 8. Name at least three of the ‘new man’ behaviors that would positively affect relationships and society. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five Isaiah 64:6 “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” [Page 150]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 151 R25.1 Does the Bible require wealth redistribution? (1.3) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R25.2 What does intersectionality mean? (2.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R25.3 Since ISJ does not define human nature as the image of God, how do they define it? (3.1) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R25.4 The third step in ISJ’s effort to advance its agenda is conversion (not religious conversion, but ideological). How does conversion work in ISJ’s strategy? (4.2) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R25.5 What is the difference between negative and positive rights? (5.1) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R25.5 What is one of the major ways that ISJ opposes the gospel? (6.5) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Ezekiel 18:20 “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” Ideological Social Justice Lesson Twenty-Five [Page 151]
152 Developing a Biblical Worldview CRT is a toxic identity scheme that has spread through every sphere of American life. It creates categories of oppressed and oppressor, which is why this ideology is the underpinning of identity politics. CRT seeks to solve concerns of racial inequality but creates new problems. It promotes the belief that America is a fundamentally racist country, and that all institutions are designed to promote white supremacy. CRT sees every human relationship in terms of a race-based power struggle. It regards institutions such as law, education, and business as the main source of racial problems. The solution CRT promotes is the overthrow of those institutions.clxii In classical Marxism, industry leaders were separated from the oppressed (those who toiled as laborers). But, in cultural Marxism, the divides fall along the lines of race, gender, and sexual orientation. If a person is a member of an oppressed class, then he or she instinctively knows if they are being oppressed or judged. Even a glance or a look can label a person as bigoted, as transphobic, and/or as racist. In CRT, identity is determined by the group to which one belongs. And, according to CRT, one’s identity is defined by their group’s shared struggle.clxiii Karl Marx was the first critical theorist speculating how power operates to create social disadvantages and inequality. One of the main ideas/premises of CRT is the social binary of opposites for every group, whether race, ethnicity, class, gender, or sexual orientation. CRT teaches that oppression influences everything. The idea that the oppressed have not rebelled yet is because they have absorbed the ideas of the oppressive class. They are told they need to wake up to oppression and then revolt. And they need to be liberated from their oppressors because they are actually complicit with them. CRT sees all truth claims are a bid for power. Your social location (oppressed or oppressor) determines your group.clxiv OBJECTIVES: Students will be introduced to the following concepts: I. What is the Critical Race Theory (CRT)? II. What premises or assumptions are espoused by CRT? III. Why is it important to know that CRT is a worldview? IV. How does CRT conflict with Biblical Christianity? V. What is the bitter fruit of CRT? VI. What can true believers do in response to CRT? I. What is the Critical Race Theory (CRT)? 1. CRT is a toxic identity scheme spread in American life. 2. CRT is rooted in cultural Marxism. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six 3. CRT teaches that oppression influences everything. [Page 152]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 153 According to CRT, your perspective on truth is conditioned by your social location (as oppressor or oppressed). There are subconscious reasons to adhere to your social location: if you are a member of an oppressive group (a privileged group), you are probably blind to its oppressive nature. That is why the oppressed are better able to see the truth. An appeal to data, evidence, and science is actually yielding to the master’s tools of oppression, which are used to justify oppression. The media is pushing the CRT narrative so strongly that it is shaping people’s self-perception. If people hear often enough that they are oppressed, they may begin to believe it. They have been taught to trust their own heart in terms of what is racist. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. CRT teaches that your perspective on truth is conditioned by your social location. 5. The media is shaping people’s self-perception. Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six Read John 12:44-50. Christ’s self-identification as the Son of God is inseparable from His truth claims. 1. Describe Christ’s argument for why His words are true and authoritative. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Read Jeremiah 17:9. 2. Why is the heart an unreliable guide for what is true and moral? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ A recent study shows a growing trend: black students are sitting together in school cafeterias when formerly, there was a comfortable racial mix socially. Black pastor, Voddie Baucham emphasizes the very opposite of CRT’s message: America’s strength is tied closely to the fact that it is the most culturally diverse nation on earth. The U.S.A., as an ethnic melting pot, is a significant part of its strength. For no culture has all of the world’s knowledge, strength, and talent. Our nation’s ethnic diversity, vast opportunity, freedoms, and door of legal immigration is a testimony to the providence of God (Acts 17:24-28).70 NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ CRT rejects objective ways of knowing such as Scripture, logic, absolute truth claims, empirical data. [Page 153]
154 Developing a Biblical Worldview “Our individual identity, who we are as individuals, is inseparable from our group identity.” In particular, our individual identity depends on whether we are part of a dominant, oppressor group or a subordinate, oppressed group with respect to a given identity marker like race, class, gender, physical ability, or age. CRT classifies men, whites, heterosexuals, and the rich as oppressors because they are dominant groups that have imposed their values on society. Thus, CRT can say a man is an oppressor even if he has not treated a woman cruelly or unkindly in his entire life. “Oppressor groups subjugate oppressed groups through the exercise of hegemonic power.” Hegemonic power is the ability to impose your group’s values, expectations, and norms on the rest of society. In this way, hegemonic power is distinguished from money or influence or mere numbers. Thus, in relationships between groups that define one another (male/female, employer/employee), the dominant group is valued more highly. Dominant groups set the norms by which the minority group is judged.clxv 1. Premise 1: Oppressor vs. oppressed. 2. Premise 2: Oppression through hegemonic power. Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six CRT labels the individual based on the group they are in. If a person is part of a dominant “oppressor” group, they may be labeled a racist even if they don’t think they are. Hegemonic Power: The ability to impose your group’s values, expectations, and norms on the rest of society. God has the right to impose His values on society since He is the worthy, sovereign and omnipotent Creator. II. What premises or assumptions are espoused by CRT? Peggy McIntosh, who popularized the phrase ‘white privilege’ in a 1988 paper, writes “My schooling gave me no training in seeing myself as an oppressor.” In other words, she was an oppressor, but she didn’t know it. “I was taught [wrongly] to see myself as an individual whose moral state depended on her individual moral will.” According to CRT, it’s not possible for you to say, “Ok, I understand that there are racist white people out there. . . But that’s not me. I should be treated as an individual, not just as a member of a group.”71 NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ [Page 154]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 155 “Our fundamental moral duty is freeing groups from oppression.” Feminist Suzanne Pharr states: “These political times call for renewed dialogue about, and commitment to the politics of liberation. Liberation requires a struggle against discrimination based on race, class, gender, sexual identity, ableism, and age.” She’s writing that in 1996. What are the implications of this liberation agenda? Notice that ‘liberating groups from oppression’ is CRT’s fundamental moral duty. It’s very rare for proponents of CR theory to explicitly affirm or promote moral duties like honesty, kindness, patience, chastity, marital fidelity, or self-control. Even when they talk about money, the duties of personal charity, personal generosity, and personal giving are rarely discussed. Instead, the discourse centers on dismantling unjust structures.clxvi “‘Lived experience’ is more important than objective evidence in understanding oppression.” “The idea that objectivity is best reached only through rational thought is a specifically Western and masculine way of thinking.”clxvii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Premise 3: Liberation as a moral duty. 4. Premise 4: Lived experience vs. objective evidence. Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six We can see this premise at work in the abortion debate. It’s common for men who attempt to discuss abortion to be told: “No Uterus, No opinion.” You can even buy T-shirts emblazoned with that slogan. Why? One reason is that a man, as an oppressor, cannot understand the lived experience of women, who are oppressed. Therefore, he should have no opinion on what are considered to be “women’s issues.” As an oppressor, he must defer to the opinion of the oppressed group. Read Matthew 4:14-16. This focus on group liberation can have serious consequences. Revolution is not the same as reformation and revival. 3. Rather than looking to liberation through revolution, where did the people who lived in this darkened region find their hope? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ CR Theorist’s sweep facts and evidence under the rug in favor of ‘lived experience’, stories, and personal testimony of ‘oppressed’ groups. It is expected that ‘oppressors’ listen and learn without challenging their claims. [Page 155]
156 Developing a Biblical Worldview “Oppressor groups hide their oppression under the guise or pretense of objectivity.” However, critical theory encourages an alternate approach to truth claims that is very popular but is logically invalid. Because of this premise, when someone makes a truth claim, the first question asked by critical theory is not, “Is this claim true?” but, “What incentives does this person have to make this claim? What social or political agenda motivates this statement? How does this statement function to preserve his power and privilege?” In C.S. Lewis’ work he exposes the logical fallacy of dismissing a claim as false because of the assumed motives of the person making the claim. In the same way, CRT bypasses the question of whether the claim is true and focuses the discussion on the claimant’s group identity. That is, it seeks to answer our basic questions about life and reality. • Who are we? • What is our fundamental problem as human beings? • What is the solution to that problem? • What is our principle moral duty? • What is our purpose in life? The story of CRT begins not with creation, but with oppression. The omission of a creation element is very important because it changes our answer to the question: “Who are we?” In CRT, there is no transcendent Creator who has a purpose and a design for our lives and our identities. We don’t primarily exist in relation to God, but in relation to other people and to other groups according to CRT. Thus, our identity is not defined as God’s creatures. Instead, CRT defines humans in terms of race, class, sexuality, and gender identity. CRT states that oppression, not sin, is our fundamental problem. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 5. Premise 5: Oppression is hidden beneath ‘objectivity’. III. Why is it important to know that CRT is a Worldview. 1. The most fundamental problem with CRT is that it functions as a worldview. Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six CRT insists on ‘solidarity in oppression’ while Christianity insists on ‘solidarity in redemption.’ [Page 156]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 157 Here are eight ways in which the Bible’s self-attesting authority differs from the world’s circular reasoning: Christianity tells one comprehensive, overarching narrative about reality in four basic acts (or ‘beats’ of redemptive history): creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. • Creation: Who are we? We are the creatures of a holy, good, and loving Creator God (Gen 1:26-28). • The Fall: What is our fundamental problem as human beings? We have rebelled against God (Rom 3:9-23). • Redemption: What is the solution to our problem? God sent Jesus to bear the penalty of our rebellion and rescue us (1 Tim 1:15). What is our primary moral duty? To love God (Matthew 22:36-40). • Restoration: What is our purpose in life? To glorify God (1 Cor 10:31). His glory will fill the earth (Hab 2:14). This is the basic story that Christianity tells us and is the worldview grid through which we ought to interpret everything else.clxviii Can Christianity and CRT be harmonized? No, that is impossible, any attempts to do so would force us to choose between these worldviews in terms of values, priorities, and ethics. When the assumptions of CRT are absorbed, it inevitably erodes core biblical truths. CRT competes with Christianity for pre- eminence. These are two worldviews fighting one another. In the end, only one will win.clxix NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. Christianity and CRT answer our fundamental questions about reality in very different ways. Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six 2. CRT opposes Christianity’s overarching narrative: creation, fall, redemption and restoration. A grade schoolgirl surrounded by the propaganda of CRT causes her to say, “I didn’t know I was such a horrible person.” [Page 157]
158 Developing a Biblical Worldview Normally, when someone makes a claim about what is true, we require the claim to be supported by reason, logic, and argument. We test that claim. One of the driving forces behind the Reformation was the idea that our theology has to be reformed to, and brought under the authority of Scripture. To do that, we need to be able to test theological claims against the Bible. CRT short-circuits this process. It sees singular narratives and a singular set of values and norms as inherently oppressive (in contrast to diverse narratives and values). Biblical theism is the opposite of CRT’s view; for our Triune God and His authoritative Word is the fixed focal point of reality. The Bible is one immense, colossal hegemonic discourse from start to finish. God’s Hegemonic power (God’s sovereignty and Christ’s ‘epistemic Lordship’) means that God has all the power in the universe. God has told the true story of reality in the Bible. That means there is one true story of religion, one true story of morality, one true story of sexuality, one true story of gender, and so forth. While Christians can and should celebrate the diversity that God has created with respect to non-moral issues, like food, music, styles of dress, and the cultural arts, we cannot embrace diversity of doctrine or moral values. For example, Christians can’t celebrate a diversity of views with respect to the deity of Christ or the sanctity of human life. There is only one true story of reality and only one valid set of moral values: God’s. From the perspective of CRT, this idea is completely unacceptable.clxx NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 1. CRT takes an approach to truth claims that is in conflict with Christianity. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six IV. How does CRT conflict with Biblical Christianity? 2. CRT is built on the rejection of all hegemonic power Read Ephesian 4:4-6. 4. In terms of a ‘singular narrative’ and a ‘singular set of values’, how does verse 6 phrase a singular truth of God? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ In what ways are CRT’s methods dishonest? Example: if a person from an ‘oppressor group’ suggests CRT’s views are unbiblical, they can be dismissed as trying to maintain their privilege. Do you think that the Bible teaches that abortion is wrong? That’s because “you’re trying to control women’s bodies.” Do you think that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin? “You’re motivated by homophobia.” Do you think that the Bible teaches that husbands have the responsibility to lead their family? That’s because “you’re trying to preserve male supremacy.” CRT is not appealing to argument, or evidence, or Scripture. It is dishonest for CRT to seek to unearth hidden motives so that the claims of their opponents can then be ignored.75 [Page 158]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 159 ANSWER: Scripture states: that which is known about God is evident CRT assumes an adversarial relationship between individuals that is profoundly antithetical to Christianity. CRT differentiates identity groups into ‘oppressor’ and ‘oppressed.’ Conversely, if all human beings shared some fundamental identity marker, that fact would undermine the dichotomy between oppressor and oppressed and would call into question the foundations of CRT. Yet Christianity offers not just one but three of these fundamental identity markers, which are shared by human beings across lines of race, class, and gender. We share a fundamental identity first in creation, then in sin, and then, for Christians in redemption.clxxi What is our chief ‘identity marker’ according to the Bible? All human beings are made in the image of God and therefore possess equal value and dignity. This idea forms a basis for solidarity between the powerful and the powerless, which threatens the divisions introduced by CRT. The Christian doctrine of sin teaches that human beings are united in their rebellion against God. We share a ‘solidarity in sin’ just as we share a solidarity in the image of God. To the extent that our identity is rooted in our common rebellion and our common need for mercy, that will undermine the sharp line that CRT draws between victims and victimizers. CRT promotes moral asymmetry (a different set of morals for different groups). CRT’s designation of some individuals as oppressed and other as oppressors leads CR theorists to insist on a moral asymmetry between these groups. So, what is immoral behavior for an individual from an oppressor group can be moral for an individual in an oppressed group. CRT and Christianity are in conflict not just with respect to a few isolated issues, but with respect to basic questions of morality, epistemology, identity, and power. It is impossible to reconcile the two. To the extent we adopt the premises of CRT, we will have to abandon basic tenets of Christianity and vice versa.clxxii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 3. CRT assumes an adversarial relationship between individuals. 4. CRT promotes moral asymmetry. Read Galatians 3:28 with the notes in the MacArthur Study Bible. 5. Why is Paul stating that in Christ there is no male, female, slave or free? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are one in Christ Jesus.” [Page 159]
160 Developing a Biblical Worldview Some of the dangers and consequences inherent in CRT are: • It teaches that because of one’s ethnicity, he or she instinctively knows what racism (or oppression) looks like. In CRT, knowledge is intuitive, it is not gained by the Word of God. Because of my position as a minority, I know oppression, I don’t need evidence for it. If you are a member of an oppressed group, no one needs to teach you. • It compromises relationships. It offers a false source of unity (group identity). It provides a faulty litmus test for genuine relationships. • It has a heretical idea about guilt and innocence. It suggests that through your parents you have inherited either guilt or innocence. If you are white, it is impossible not to be a racist; if you are black, you cannot be a racist. • It teaches white self-hate. Groups that are privileged oppress without knowing they do. You must be taught how racist you really are because you are locked into white privilege. • It offers a false repentance in which one chooses penance concerning one’s white privilege. This self-flagellation is a type of worship. It is atonement as activism. Racism is a new unpardonable sin. But this cult of atonement never really offers full forgiveness. Even if one becomes a zealous anti-racial activist, in the final analysis, a white person will find absolution out of reach and unattainable. This actually drives people further and further apart into this form of religious radicalism.clxxiii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 1. There are deep dangers and consequences of CRT. Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six V. What is the bitter fruit of CRT? Read Proverbs 6:15, 19 God regards the activity of driving people apart as an abomination. 6. According to Proverbs, what sin separated brethren? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ 1 Timothy 1:15 “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” [Page 160]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 161 CRT wants to upend society in order to create a socialist egalitarian utopia. You won’t get social justice until you’ve torn down the idea that western thought is supreme. Whiteness must be torn down like a system of idolatry. This claim is so popular in our culture. Consider the following assertions: • “As a woman, I know that our society is deeply sexist.” • “As a black man, I know that our society is deeply racist.” • “As a lesbian, I know that sexual orientation is fixed from birth.” • “As a Sufi Muslim, I know that Islam is true.” • “As a Hindu, I know that all religions are paths to the divine.” If you accept the premise that the ‘lived experience’ of subordinate groups should never be challenged, then you will have to accept all of these claims. But we cannot allow ‘lived experience’ to take precedence over Scripture and over evidence. NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. The goal of CRT is to transform society by disrupting oppressive structures in order to reach social justice. 3. CRT demands that we should never challenge ‘lived experience’ Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six The absurdity of asking a child to make the snowman a color other than the natural color of the snow. CRT enlists allies by appealing to people’s compassion, “Don’t you want to be anti-racist too?” Think how hard it is for high school students when their friends are wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and rainbow stickers. Who wants to risk being called, anti- choice, anti-woman, anti-black, anti-gay? The peer pressure is so great it’s difficult to verbally get behind Christian worldview. Slogans abound, encouraging people to be pro-oppressed, “Stand up to a bully.”76 [Page 161]
162 Developing a Biblical Worldview One of the ways Christians can oppose these lies is by using the following phrases to communicate the ideas that we do not affirm: • It is not good for you to want to dismantle the nuclear family. • Out of love I want to share with you what is good and beautiful as a Christian. • CRT is not a bridge to racial reconciliation. It opposes Christianity and it functions as a worldview that divides people by superficial characteristics. It makes identity flow from different groups vying for power. • CRT asserts that gender binary (heterosexuality) is itself oppressive because it marginalizes same-sex relationships. • CRT has an epistemology that says the way you know truth is not by Scripture but by your social location. Truth is based upon a social reality to which a white male is blinded. It is divisive to your church by stating that whites are too fragile to handle the truth about their racism. Symptoms of accepting CRT’s assumptions include generalizing, withdrawing, arguing, and forming sects.clxxiv Inform people who accept CRT’s premises that they are not merely adopting a few new beliefs about politics or racial reconciliation, they are adopting a new worldview, which has been gradually eroding their Christian worldview. By showing people how to recognize the fundamental premises of CRT, they can be equipped to evaluate CRT’s assertions carefully and biblically.clxxv • First, God’s commands to particular groups never violate God’s universal commands to all Christians. When Christians are told to speak the truth in love or to let no unclean speech come out of our mouths, that applies to all Christians, not just to privileged Christians. • Second, God’s particular commands are based on roles, not power differentials. He gives some particular commands to parents, to children, to men, or to women, but never to ‘oppressed groups’ and ‘oppressor groups’ as such. • Third, when the Bible does give particular commands to certain demographic groups, it affirms that Christians should show respect to authority structures (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-15). The Bible recognizes that those in power can indeed abuse their authority and that authority must be wielded justly, but never suggests that all authority should be resisted or is somehow illegitimate.clxxvi NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 2. Inform people who accept CRT’s premises that they are adopting a new worldview Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six VI.What can true believers do in response to CRT? 3. Know the differences between God’s truth and CRT’s assumptions 1. Christians must oppose the lies of CRT [Page 162]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 163 ANSWER: To be given over to a depraved mind—nothing is worse than the sinner being given his own way. Learn how to respond to CRT’s assumption that power imbalances are inherently bad and should be dismantled because they perpetuate privilege. This claim is incorrect because God’s infinite power is not only unassailable but unequivocally good. Yet many Christians still assume that human power imbalances are inherently bad. Here are questions you may ask to expose the error that all human power balances are bad: • Should we reject private property because it perpetuates economic privilege? • Should we reject male eldership because it perpetuates male privilege? • Should we reject traditional marriage because it perpetuates heteronormativity? • Should we reject the connection between sex and gender because it perpetuates cisgender (heterosexual) privilege? • Should we stop preaching about biblical morality or about the exclusivity of Christ, so that non-Christians aren’t marginalized?clxxvii We can fight back by speaking up: CRT’s group labeling and blaming is, in practice, the rejection of individual freedom and personal responsibility. It divides people into racial groups, pitting them against each other. It judges guilt and innocence based on race or sexual orientation. This threatens the best ideals of the American founding. Investigate what is happening in your local public schools, find out what curriculum teachers are using for civics, history, and English.clxxviii NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 4. Respond to CRT’s power and privilege argument Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six 5. Fight back by speaking up Consider what took place at an elementary school in Cupertino, California. A math teacher forced a class of third graders to deconstruct their racial identities, then rank themselves according to their “power and privilege.” The teacher asked all students to create an “identity map,” listing their race, class, gender, religion, family structure, and other characteristics. The teacher explained that the students live in a “dominant culture” of “white, middle class, cisgender, educated, Christian, English speaker[s],” who, “created and maintained” this culture in order “to hold power and stay in power.” The teacher indicated that “folks who do not benefit from their social identities, who are in the subordinate culture, have little to no privilege and power.” Following this discussion, the teacher had the students deconstruct their own intersectional identities and “circle the identities that hold power and privilege” on their identity maps, ranking their traits according to the hierarchy. In a related assignment, the students were asked to write short essays describing which aspects of their identities “hold power and privilege” and which do not. The students were expected to produce “at least one full page of writing.” The presentation included a paragraph about transgenderism and nonbinary sexuality. Can you imagine how this indoctrination in CRT ideology would affect an impressionable third grader?78 CRT in school curriculum is destructive! [Page 163]
164 Developing a Biblical Worldview R26.1 According to CRT, what is the source of ‘truth’? (1.4) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R26.2 According to CRT, what is hegemonic power? (2.2) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ R26.3 What does CRT regard as the most reliable source for understanding oppression? (2.4) _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ REVIEW QUESTIONS: NOTES ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ R26.4 Name at least three ideas embraced by CRT that demonstrate that its worldview is false. (4.1) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R26.5 Name at least three dangers or consequences inherent in CRT. (5.1) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ R26.6 Rather than drawing our identity from our membership in oppressed or oppressive groups, the Bible gives us three identity markers that are true of every human being. Name the three. (6.3) ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Critical Race Theory Lesson Twenty-Six [Page 164]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 165 Glossary of Terms: Androgyne – both genders in one individual so that gender becomes utterly ‘fluid’. Biblically and biologically, this is impossible! (Lesson 22) Antithesis – There are two opposite and opposing ways of looking at life, a right way and a wrong way. (Lesson 17) Complementarity – The fitted-ness of one for the other such as Christ and the church or man and woman. (Lesson 23) Conservatism – The belief that human rights are from God and society best flourishes under God and His moral code. (Lesson 24) Discernment – The ability to distinguish between right and wrong, truth and error, and God’s thoughts/ways and all others. (Lesson 17) Disparate – Fundamentally different; unequal. (Can be in unequal in power or resources.) (Lesson 25) Embryology – This is the branch of biology focused on the study of the embryo, which states a fetus has its own distinct DNA and thus, a unique and distinct human. (Lesson 18) Epistemological Maxim – The standard for determining what is true (Lesson 14, 20) Ethics – The study of the good; the study of right and wrong actions and attitudes. In simple terms, ethics is the study of how to relate to God, others, and ourselves. (Lesson 17) Eugenics – The belief in the possibility of improving the quality of the human species or population. In the Negative: Discouraging reproduction by people having undesirable traits. In the positive: Encouraging reproduction by people having desirable traits. (Lesson 25) Evidentialism – Proofs for the integrity and truthfulness of the Bible. (Lesson 20) Hegemonic Power – Power, leadership, or dominance over other, sometimes gained by one’s social group or the ability to impose your group’s values, expectations, and norms on the rest of society. God has the right to impose His values on society since He is the worthy, sovereign, and omnipotent Creator. (Lesson 25, 26) Immediacy – What one assumes to be in his/her best interest at the moment (Lesson 22) Naturalistic terms – The unbeliever will trust in his fallen intellect and therefor, attempt to explain away God’s almighty power in creation as well as man’s absolute accountability to God and need of redemption. (Lesson 20) The New Tolerance – The movement which asserts that all beliefs and truth claims should be treated as equally valid. This is a cultural not intellectual force that condemns as intolerant any view that claims it is an exclusive truth (Such as John 14:6). (Lesson 24) [Page 165]
166 Developing a Biblical Worldview Pagan cosmology – A philosophy that wrongly teaches that our universe is self-originating and consequently possesses divine properties. This is directly opposed to Biblical cosmology with God as Creator. (Lesson 21) Presupposition – Something that is assumed ahead of time. For example, naturalism presupposes that laws of nature alone account for all reality. (Lesson 19) Personhood Theory – This theory suggests that the body is not an aspect of the true self; instead, the body is a mechanism that serves the needs and desires of the mind. The mind then manipulates the body as a mechanism. In this theory, the mind is regarded as the authentic self—the body is reduced to the sub-personal, functioning solely on the level of biology and chemistry. The implication of this is that if the fetus is just a clump of cells as Planned Parenthood states, then fetal eyes, lungs and brains may be harvested as impersonal tissue. (Lesson 18) Sense of deity – Every sinner knows that God is his Creator, God is good, and God will judge him someday (see Romans 1:18-23) (Lesson 20) Situational Ethics – Ethics/Moral laws that flexible in their application based on the circumstances. This is in opposition to the immutable character of God. (Lesson 17) Summum Bonum – The highest possible good (life in Jesus Christ now and for eternity). (Lesson 23) Teleology – The doctrine of design and purpose in the material world – with the goal of making God’s glory and perfections known (Colossians 1:15-17) (Lesson 21) [Page 166]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 167 Verse References: Old Testament: Genesis 1:1 (Lesson 19) Genesis 1:26-27 (Lesson 21, 26) Genesis 1:26-28 (Lesson 20) Genesis 1:31 (Lesson 21) Genesis 2:7 (Lesson 18) Genesis 2:21-25 (Lesson 23) Genesis 3:19 (Lesson 21) Genesis 4:10 (Lesson 18) Genesis 6:5 (Lesson 16) Genesis 9:6 (Lesson 18) Genesis 12:13-14 (Lesson 20) Genesis 20:11 (Lesson 20) Genesis 29:31 (Lesson 18) Genesis 30:22 (Lesson 18) Exodus 20:3-17 (Lesson 25) Exodus 20:20 (Lesson 20) Exodus 22:1-5 (Lesson 25) Exodus 23:3, 6 (Lesson 25) Leviticus 18:21 (Lesson 18) Leviticus 18:22-24 (Lesson 23) Leviticus 19:15 (Lesson 25) Leviticus 20:2, 3-5 (Lesson 18) Leviticus 20:13 (Lesson 23) Leviticus 24:17-21 (Lesson 25) Deuteronomy 1:16-17 (Lesson 25) Deuteronomy 5:6-21 (Lesson 25) Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (Lesson 17) Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (Lesson 24) Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (Lesson 17) Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (Lesson 15, 17) Deuteronomy 31:12-13 (Lesson 20) Ruth 4:13 (Lesson 18) 1 Samuel 2:2-3 (Lesson 15) 2 Chronicles 33:13 (Lesson 18) Nehemiah 5:15 (Lesson 20) Job 28:28 (Lesson 17) Job 38:36 (Lesson 21) Job 39:26-30 (Lesson 21) Psalm 2:2-3 (Lesson 16, 23) Psalm 8 (Lesson 20) Psalm 8:5 (Lesson 18) Psalm 10:13 (Lesson 20) Psalm 17:14 (Lesson 16) Psalm 18:12 (Lesson 20) Psalm 19 (Lesson 14) Psalm 33:6-12 (Lesson 20) Psalm 36:9 (Lesson 19) Psalm 37 (Lesson 15) Psalm 37:4 (Lesson 24) Psalm 39 (Lesson 21) Psalm 55:5-6 (Lesson 20) Psalm 90:11 (Lesson 20) Psalm 94:8-11 (Lesson 20) Psalm 97:10 (Lesson 23) Psalm 103 (Lesson 17) Psalm 127:3 (Lesson 18) Psalm 139:13-16 (Lesson 18) Proverbs 1:2-5, 7 (Lesson 17) Proverbs 1:7 (Lesson 14, 19, 20) Proverbs 3:5 (Lesson 20) Proverbs 6:15, 19 (Lesson 26) Proverbs 8:36 (Lesson 17, 19) Proverbs 12:15 (Lesson 19) Proverbs 14:12 (Lesson 19) Proverbs 14:23 (Lesson 17) Proverbs 16:18 (Lesson 17) Proverbs 16:21 (Lesson 17) Proverbs 24:12 (Lesson 25) Proverbs 31:8a (Lesson 18) Ecclesiastes 3:14 (Lesson 20) Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (Lesson 20) Isaiah 1:17 (Lesson 25) Isaiah 1:21 (Lesson 18) Isaiah 3:4-5, 12 (Lesson 25) Isaiah 5:20 (Lesson 15, 22, 24) Isaiah 8:13 (Lesson 20) Isaiah 10: 1-2 (Lesson 25) Isaiah 11:9 (Lesson 21) Isaiah 24: 1-5 (Lesson 25) Isaiah 26:21 (Lesson 18) Isaiah 59:7 (Lesson 18) Isaiah 63:17 (Lesson 20) Isaiah 64: 6 (Lesson 25) Isaiah 66:12 (Lesson 20) Jeremiah 5:22-24 (Lesson 20, 21) Jeremiah 6:14 (Lesson 18) Jeremiah 6:17-19 (Lesson 17) Jeremiah 8:9-10 (Lesson 18) Jeremiah 17:9 (Lesson 22, 23, 26) Jeremiah 31:29-30 (Lesson 25) Jeremiah 32:40 (Lesson 20) Ezekiel 16:20-21 (Lesson 18) Ezekiel 16:35-38 (Lesson 18) Ezekiel 18:4, 13 (Lesson 24) Ezekiel 18:2, 20 (Lesson 25) Ezekiel 33:6-8 (Lesson 25) Hosea 4:1-2 (Lesson 18) Joel 3:21 (Lesson 18) Micah 6:8 (Lesson 17, 20, 25) Habakkuk 2:14 (Lesson 21) [Page 167]
168 Developing a Biblical Worldview New Testament: Matthew 4:14-16 (Lesson 26) Matthew 5:10-13 (Lesson 23) Matthew 5:17 (Lesson 23) Matthew 5:22, 28 (Lesson 15) Matthew 6:20-21 (Lesson 22) Matthew 6:24 (Lesson 22) Matthew 6:33 (Lesson 17) Matthew 7:6 (Lesson 16) Matthew 7:13-14 (Lesson 17) Matthew 7:20-23 (Lesson 16, 24) Matthew 10:24-39 (Lesson 26) Matthew 10:28 (Lesson 15) Matthew 10:34-39 (Lesson 14) Matthew 11:16-19 (Lesson 23) Matthew 12:36 (Lesson 15) Matthew 12:38-40 (Lesson 20) Matthew 13:1-23 (Lesson 15) Matthew 13:23 (Lesson 16) Matthew 15:19-20 (Lesson 14, 16, 25) Matthew 16:27 (Lesson 20, 25) Matthew 18:3-4 (Lesson 19) Matthew 19:16-22 (Lesson 15) Matthew 22:41-46 (Lesson 23) Matthew 24:9 (Lesson 24) Matthew 25:31-46 (Lesson 24) Matthew 26:28 (Lesson 15) Mark 2:17 (Lesson 16) Mark 10:45 (Lesson 25) Luke 1:78-79 (Lesson 19) Luke 10:27 (Lesson 24) Luke 11:23 (Lesson 15, 19) Luke 12:5 (Lesson 20) Luke 13:5 (Lesson 15, 16) Luke 18:9-14 (Lesson 15) Luke 18:13 (Lesson 16, 25) Luke 18:18-23 (Lesson 15) Luke 19:10 (Lesson 20) Luke 22:24-27 (Lesson 25) Luke 24:47 (Lesson 15) John 1:4-5, 9 (Lesson 19) John 1:12-13 (Lesson 15) John 1:14, 18 (Lesson 14) John 3:16 (Lesson 16) John 3:16-21 (Lesson 20, 22) John 3:19-21 (Lesson 14, 15, 16, 23) John 3:36 (Lesson 15) John 5:26-32 (Lesson 24) John 5:24-25 (Lesson 15) John 5:44 (Lesson 17, 23) John 6:44-45 (Lesson 16) John 6:51 (Lesson 23) John 7:7 (Lesson 23) John 7:17 (Lesson 14) John 8:31-36, 44 (Lesson 22) John 8:12 (Lesson 19, 26) John 8:24 (Lesson 16) John 8:31-32 (Lesson 24, 26) John 9:5 (Lesson 19) John 9:39-41 (Lesson 16) John 10:10 (Lesson 23) John 10:27-29 (Lesson 15) John 10:35 (Lesson 23) John 10:37-38 (Lesson 20) John 12:43 (Lesson 17, 23) John 12:44-50 (Lesson 26) John 12:46 (Lesson 19) John 13:1-5 (Lesson 25) John 14:6 (Lesson 24, 26) John 14:15 (Lesson 23) John 14: 16-17 (Lesson 19) John 15:8 (Lesson 17) John 15:18-19 (Lesson 19) John 16:8-11 (Lesson 15, 16) John 16:13 (Lesson 20) John 17:1-2 (Lesson 15) John 17:3 (Lesson 23) John 17:14-19 (Lesson 17) Acts 5:3-4 (Lesson 25) Acts 13:48 (Lesson 14) Acts 16:8 (Lesson 25) Acts 17:2-3 (Lesson 24) Acts 17:22-31 (Lesson 14, 15, 16, 21) Acts 17:24-25 (Lesson 16, 26) Acts 17:31 (Lesson 24) Acts 24:15-16 (Lesson 15) Acts 28: 30-31 (Lesson 24) Romans 1:16-17 (Lesson 15, 25) Romans 1:18 (Lesson 16) Romans 1:18-23 (Lesson 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23) Romans 1:21 (Lesson 19) Romans 1:24-27 (Lesson 22, 23) Romans 1:25 (Lesson 21, 23) Romans 1:26 (Lesson 23) Romans 1:32 (Lesson 15) Romans 2:1-10 (Lesson 15, 16, 20) Romans 2:6 (Lesson 25) Romans 2:14-16 (Lesson 14, 15, 16, 20, 24) Romans 2:16 (Lesson 19) Romans 3:10-20 (Lesson 16, 20, 26) Romans 3:18 (Lesson 20) Romans 3:19-20 (Lesson 15) Romans 3:20 (Lesson 16) Romans 3:23-26 (Lesson 14, 15, 16) Romans 4:5-8 (Lesson 16) Romans 5:6-11 (Lesson 16) Romans 5:10 (Lesson 15, 22) Romans 5:12 (Lesson 16) Romans 5:20 (Lesson 15) Romans 6:11-13 (Lesson 17, 22) Romans 6:16-23 (Lesson 22) Romans 6:20-23 (Lesson 16) Romans 6:23 (Lesson 15) Romans 7:7 (Lesson 15, 16) Romans 8: 1-4 (Lesson 16) Romans 8:5-8 (Lesson 22) Romans 8:6 (Lesson 20) Romans 8:7 (Lesson 15) Romans 8:12-13 (Lesson 17, 22, 23) Romans 8:14-19 (Lesson 16) Romans 8:18-25 (Lesson 23) Romans 9:21-23 (Lesson 22) Romans 10:1-4 (Lesson 20) Romans 10:8-10 (Lesson 14, 16) Romans 11:32 (Lesson 25) Romans 11:33-36 (Lesson 20) Romans 12:1-2 (Lesson 22, 23) Romans 13:1-7 (Lesson 26) Romans 13:8-10 (Lesson 17, 22, 23) Romans 14:10-12 (Lesson 25) 1 Corinthians 1:18-22 (Lesson 14, 20) 1 Corinthians 1:30 (Lesson 19) 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (Lesson 20) 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (Lesson 22) 1 Corinthians 10:31 (Lesson 17, 22, 26) 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 (Lesson 23) 1 Corinthians 11:25 (Lesson 15) 1 Corinthians 13:12 (Lesson 23) 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (Lesson 15) 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 (Lesson 22) 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (Lesson 19) [Page 168]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 169 2 Corinthians 4:4, 6 (Lesson 16) 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (Lesson 19) 2 Corinthians 5:10 (Lesson 21, 25) 2 Corinthians 5:17 (Lesson 14, 17, 20, 22) 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (Lesson 16) 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 (Lesson 15) 2 Corinthians 5:21 (Lesson 14) 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (Lesson 14, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) Galatians 2:15-21 (Lesson 15) Galatians 3:10-14 (Lesson 15) Galatians 3:10, 22 (Lesson 25) Galatians 3:13 (Lesson 14) Galatians 3:23-29 (Lesson 15, 20) Galatians 3:28 (Lesson 26) Galatians 4:8-10 (Lesson 15) Galatians 5:1-9 (Lesson 15) Galatians 5:16-26 (Lesson 22) Galatians 6:7-8 (Lesson 17, 20, 22) Ephesians 2:1-3 (Lesson 19) Ephesians 2:1-16 (Lesson 15) Ephesians 2:4-5 (Lesson 15) Ephesians 2:8-10 (Lesson 15) Ephesians 3:8-12 (Lesson 16) Ephesians 4:4-6 (Lesson 26) Ephesians 4:17-21 (Lesson 14, 16, 19, 20, 21) Ephesians 4:22-32 (Lesson 23) Ephesians 5:1 (Lesson 17) Ephesians 5:1-6 (Lesson 15) Ephesians 5:6 (Lesson 19) Ephesians 5:11 (Lesson 17) Ephesians 5:23-33 (Lesson 23) Ephesians 5:32 (Lesson 23) Philippians 1:29 (Lesson 15) Philippians 2:1-11 (Lesson 15) Colossians 1:13-14 (Lesson 20) Colossians 1:15-17 (Lesson 21) Colossians 1:21-22 (Lesson 14, 15, 19, 20) Colossians 2:3 (Lesson 14) Colossians 2:8 (Lesson 14, 19) Colossians 2:11-15 (Lesson 15) Colossians 2:17 (Lesson 19) Colossians 3:5 (Lesson 17) Colossians 3:5-20 (Lesson 25) Colossians 3:8-17 (Lesson 23) 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 (Lesson 22) 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 (Lesson 20) 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (Lesson 17) 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (Lesson 17) 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (Lesson 25) 1 Timothy 1:15 (Lesson 26) 1 Timothy 2:5 (Lesson 19) 1 Timothy 3:15 (Lesson 23) 1 Timothy 5:6 (Lesson 22) 1 Timothy 6:3-4 (Lesson 17) 1 Timothy 1:7-11 (Lesson 15) 2 Timothy 1:10b (Lesson 21) 2 Timothy 3:3 (Lesson 25) 2 Timothy 3:4 (Lesson 22, 23) 2 Timothy 3:12 (Lesson 24) Titus 2:4-5 (Lesson 18) Titus 2:11-14 (Lesson 17) Titus 3:5 (Lesson 23) Titus 3:3-7 (Lesson 16, 20) Hebrews 1:1-3 (Lesson 17, 19, 21) Hebrews 2:17-18 (Lesson 23) Hebrews 4:12-13 (Lesson 15, 25) Hebrews 4:14-16 (Lesson 23) Hebrews 6:18 (Lesson 20) Hebrews 7:26-27 (Lesson 23) Hebrews 8:8-13 (Lesson 17) Hebrews 9:14 (Lesson 15) Hebrews 9:27 (Lesson 19) Hebrews 10:10, 14 (Lesson 15) Hebrews 11:1-6 (Lesson 14) Hebrews 11:3 (Lesson 21) Hebrews 11:6 (Lesson 17) Hebrews 12:24 (Lesson 18) Hebrews 13:4 (Lesson 22) James 2:8 (Lesson 14) James 4:4 (Lesson 19, 22) 1 Peter 1:17-18 (Lesson 20) 1 Peter 2:1-3 (Lesson 20) 1 Peter 2:13-15 (Lesson 26) 1 Peter 3:15 (Lesson 14) 2 Peter 2:8-9 (Lesson 24) 2 Peter 3:3 (Lesson 20) 2 Peter 3:10-13 (Lesson 23) 2 Peter 11-13 (Lesson 21) 1 John 1:6-7 (Lesson 18) 1 John 1:8-10 (Lesson 16) 1 John 3:4 (Lesson 15, 22) 1 John 3:8 (Lesson 14, 23) 1 John 3:15 (Lesson 15) 1 John 4:5-6 (Lesson 19) 1 John 4:10 (Lesson 16) 1 John 5:19 (Lesson 19) 1 John 5:3b (Lesson 17, 22) 2 John 4 (Lesson 17) Jude 7 (Lesson 22) Revelation 2:20-23 (Lesson 23) Revelation 7:15 (Lesson 22) Revelation 14:7 (Lesson 20) Revelation 15:4 (Lesson 15) Revelation 9:15-21 (Lesson 21) Revelation 19:6-9 (Lesson 23) Revelation 20:12 (Lesson 20) Revelation 21:1-7 (Lesson 23) Revelation 21:8 (Lesson 24) Revelation 22:11-15 (Lesson 24) Revelation 22: 12-13 (Lesson 24) [Page 169]
170 Developing a Biblical Worldview APPENDICES: Appendix A – Recommended Reading on the Biblical Gospel – Lesson 15 [Page 170]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 171 Appendix A Lesson 15: Recommended Reading on the Biblical Gospel Tell the Truth, Will Metzger Today’s Gospel; Authentic or Synthetic, Walter Chantry The Way of the Master, Kirk Cameron & Ray Comfort Right with God, John Blanchard One World; One Way, John Benton The Doctrine of Repentance, Thomas Watson Faith Works, John MacArthur, The Gospel according to the Apostles, John MacArthur The Eclipse of the Gospel, Frank Allred Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J. I. Packer The Attraction of the Cross, Gardiner Spring The Grace of God in the Gospel, John Cheeseman Select Sermons of George Whitfield, w/ comments by J. C. Ryle & R Elliot [Page 171]
172 Developing a Biblical Worldview END NOTES: Lesson 14: 1 MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1945 2 Ibid, p. 1916 i Greg Koukl, The Story of Reality, pp. 30-33 ii Ibid, pp. 34-35, 44-45 Lesson 15: iii Joseph Lo Sardo, “Errors in Modern Evangelism,” www.sermonaudio.com, 5/7/06 iv Robert Bolton, Afflicted Consciences, p. 175 v C. H. Dodd, Gospel and Law, pp. 70, 71, 79 vi Ernest Kevan, The Grace of Law, pp. 91, 92 vii Ibid. viii John O. Anderson, Cry of the Innocents, p. 135 ix Douglas W. Phillips, Esq., “Do Laws and Standards Evolve?” Impact #303, Institute for Creation Research, 1998 x Richard C. Barcellos, The Ten Commandments, p. 19 xi Ibid. xii Ray Comfort, Avoiding the Wall of Antagonism xiii Ibid. xiv Ray Comfort, Conversions True and False xv John MacArthur, Exposition of Luke 3:1-18 xvi Ibid. xvii Jim Elliff, The New Gospel: Appealing but not Revealing, p. 3 Lesson 16: 3 C.J. Miller, Powerful Evangelism for the Powerless (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, 1980) p. 114. 4 The Williams New Testament, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, 1937 5 John MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1772 xviii Peter Jones, “Forms of Paganism” (Escondido, CA: Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet, think-tank, 2007). xix D. A. Carson, “Reaching Postmoderns with the Gospel” (Minneapolis: Desiring God conference, 2006). xx Ibid. xxi Steve Lonetti, “Evangelism,” The Master’s Seminary. xxii Ernest Kevan, The Grace of Law, pp. 91, 92 xxiii Ibid. xxiv Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections, pp. 172-182. Lesson 17: 6 MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1870 7 McDowell, Right from Wrong 8 McDowell, Right from Wrong xxv Summit Ministries 2006, www.summit.org xxvi Josh McDowell, Right from Wrong xxvii Richard Rorty, Consequences of Pragmatism (Minneapolis: Univ. of MN, 1982), p. xvi xxviii Vine’s Expository Dictionary, p. 482 xxix Jay E. Adams, A Call to Discernment (Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House, 1987), 31 xxx Ibid, p. 29 xxxi Didache, First Century A.D. xxxii Massimo Lorenzini, Frontline Ministries xxxiii McDowell, Right from Wrong. xxxiv Ibid. [Page 172]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 173 Lesson 18: 9 John O. Anderson, The Cry of the Innocent, pp. 149-150 10 Peter Barnes, Open your Mouth for the Dumb, Abortion and the Christian, (Banner of Truth Trust: Carlisle, PA, 1984), p. 4 11 Ray Comfort, “180” video 12 John O. Anderson, The Cry of the Innocent, pp. 48-49 13 Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, pp. 75-79 14 Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, p. 100 15 Scott Klusendorf, Focus on the Family, 1.12.17 16 Scott Klusendorf 17 Kerby Anderson 18 Francis Schaeffer, Death in the City, p. 57 xxxv John O. Anderson, The Cry of the Innocent, (Bridge Publishing: South Plainfield, NJ, 1984) pp. 130-131, 136-139 xxxvi Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, (Baker Books: Grand Rapids, MI, 2018), p. 66 xxxvii Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, p. 47 xxxviii Scott Klusendorf in Pearcey, p. 53 xxxix Pearcey, pp. 50-51 xl Kerby Anderson, “Arguments against Abortion,” Probe Ministries International xli Ibid. xlii Ibid. xliii Henry Morris, The Genesis Record, (Creation-Life Publishers: San Diego, CA, 1976), p. 85 xliv John O. Anderson, The Cry of the Innocent, pp. 72-76 xlv Ibid, pp. 79-82 xlvi Peter Barnes, p. 6 xlvii Peter Barnes, p. 26 xlviii Scott Klusendorf xlix Ibid. l Kerby Anderson li Ibid. lii Ibid. liii John O. Anderson, pp. 20-21 liv Pearcey, p. 48 lv Peter Barnes, pp. 27-28 Lesson 19: 19 Greg L. Bahnsen, Always Ready (Atlanta: American Vision, 1996), 3-4. 20 Jon Dykstra, “Operational vs. Historical Science”. 21 Kenneth L. Gentry Jr., Let God Be True: A Brief Defense of the Christian Faith, 57-58. 22 Robert A. Morey, “Is ‘Natural Theology’ a Form of Deism?” Journal of Biblical Apologetics, 1:1 (Fall 2000): 26-27. 23 James F. Stitzinger, “Apologetics and Evangelism TH 701” (The Master’s Seminary, Sun Valley, CA, 1999), 84-88. 24 Jerry Solomon and Rick Wade, “World Views, Parts I & II” (Richardson, TX: Probe Ministries International, 2000), 1:3, 2:2. 25 James F. Stitzinger, pp. 22, 24, 84. 26 John Whitcomb, “Contemporary Apologetics” 27 Greg Koukl, The Story of Reality, pp. 28-35. 28 Koukl, pp. 128-135. lvi Michael Kruger, “The Sufficiency of Scripture in Apologetics” The Master’s Seminary Journal, 12:1 (Spring 2001): 72. lvii Greg Koukl, The Story of Reality, p. 13 lviii Michael Kruger, The Sufficiency of Scripture in Apologetics, 76. lix Greg Bahnsen, Always Ready, 7. lx Scott Allen Will, Absolutely No Common Ground?, 67. lxi Koukl, pp. 15-17 lxii Greg L. Bahnsen, A Critique of the Evidentialist Apologetical Method of John Warwick Montgomery, 3. lxiii Bahnsen, Always Ready, 8-12, 17. lxiv Scott Allen Will, Absolutely No Common Ground?, 63. lxv Scott Allen Will, p. 74 lxvi Koukl, pp. 173-177 lxvii Michael Kruger, pp. 79-81. lxviii Kruger, p. 75. lxix Greg L. Bahnsen, pp. 7-8. lxx John Whitcomb, “Contemporary Apologetics” [Page 173]
174 Developing a Biblical Worldview Lesson 20: 29 James F. Stitzinger, “Apologetics & Evangelism,” pp. 82-103 syllabus, The Master’s Seminary 30 Ibid. 31 John Whitcomb, Contemporary Apologetics lxxi James F. Stitzinger, “Apologetics & Evangelism,” pp. 82-103 syllabus, The Master’s Seminary lxxii Ibid. lxxiii John Frame, Apologetics to the Glory of God, pp. 7-8 Lesson 21: 32 Peter Jones, “Paganism in Today’s Culture,” Ligonier Conference, February 25, 2015 33 Dave Doveton, “Paganism in the Church.” (Escondido, CA: Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet, think-tank, 2007). 34 Peter Jones, One or Two, p. 48 35 Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, pp. 63-64. 36 Ibid, p. 169 lxxiv Dave Doveton, “Paganism in the Church” (Escondido, CA: Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet, think-tank, 2007). lxxv Jay Wegter, “Worldview, Apologetics, and Evangelism, BCW363A” (Newhall: The Master’s College, 2007). lxxvi Dave Doveton. lxxvii Jay Wegter, “Christian Worldview.” lxxviii Michael Vlach, “Presuppostional Apologetics” (Sun Valley, CA: The Master’s Seminary, 2006). lxxix Albert Mohler, The Briefing, January 7, 2020 lxxx Peter Jones, “Paganism in Today’s Culture,” Ligonier Conference, February 25, 2015 lxxxi Ibid. lxxxii Dave Doveton, “Paganism in the Church.” lxxxiii Peter Jones, One or Two, p. 48 lxxxiv Douglas Wilson, “Sanity as Insurrection” lxxxv Peter Jones, “Mission in the 21st Century; the Witness of Holiness,” Christ Church, Moscow, ID lxxxvi Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, p. 12 lxxxvii Ibid, p. 169 lxxxviii James Herrick, “New Myths for a New Pagan Age” (Escondido, CA: Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet, think-tank, 2007). lxxxix Ibid. xc Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, The Saviour of the World (Cherry Hill: Mack Publishing Co., r.p. 1972). xci Richard Weaver, Ideas have Consequences, p. 34 xcii Ibid, pp. 44-45 Lesson 22: 37 Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, pp. 29-32 38 Ibid, p. 180 39 Ibid, pp. 194-197 40 David Wells, God in the Wasteland, pp. 198-201 41 David Noebel, Understanding the Times, p. 186 42 Pearcey, p. 139 43 Peter Jones, pp. 151-153 44 Ibid, pp. 59, 63-64 45 Pearcey, p. 156 46 John MacArthur Study Bible, p. 17 xciii Peter Jones, God of Sex, p. 11 xciv Nancy Pearcey, Love thy Body, pp. 140, 162-163 xcv Ibid, p. 165 xcvi Ibid, pp. 200, 202, 208 xcvii Ibid, pp. 245-246, 261 xcviii Peter Jones, pp. 96-99 xcix David Wells, God in the Wasteland, pp. 111-112 c Pearcey, p. 98 ci Peter Jones, p. 33 cii Ibid, pp. 143-145 ciii Ibid, pp. 147-150 civ C. K. Barrett, 1 Corinthians, pp. 142-148 [Page 174]
Developing a Biblical Worldview 175 Lesson 23: 47 Peter Jones, God of Sex, pp. 136-138 48 Kevin DeYoung, What does the Bible really teach about Homosexuality?, pp. 55-56. 49 Ibid, pp. 130-131. 50 Ibid, pp. 126-129. 51 Peter Jones, God of Sex, pp. 126-129. cv Peter Jones, “Framing the Issues; Finding our Voices” (Escondido, CA: Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet, think-tank, 2007). cvi Ibid. cvii Ibid. cviii Kevin DeYoung, What does the Bible really teach about Homosexuality?, pp. 133-134 cix Kevin DeYoung, p. 32 cx Ibid, p. 28 cxi Ibid. cxii Ibid, pp. 138-139 cxiii Ibid, pp. 139-142 cxiv Ibid, pp. 144-147 cxv Peter Jones, God of Sex, pp. 63-64 Lesson 24: 52 D. A. Carson, The Intolerance of Tolerance, pp. 11-12 53 Macarthur Study Bible, p. 1695 54 David Noebel, Understanding the Times, pp. 111-112 55 Carson, p. 31 56 Francis Beckwith, Greg Koukl, Relativism, both feet planted firmly in mid-air, pp. 168-170 57 Noebel, p. 278 58 Noebel, pp. 148-149 59 Ibid, p. 102-103, 105, 118-119 60 Beckwith, Koukl, pp. 21, 26-27 cxvi D. A. Carson, The Intolerance of Tolerance, pp. 3-4 cxvii Ibid, p. 104 cxviii Ibid, pp. 6-7 cxix Ibid, pp. 48-49 cxx David Noebel, Understanding the Times, p. 262 cxxi Carson, p. 35 cxxii Ibid, pp. 128-129 cxxiii Ibid, pp. 13, 24 cxxiv Ibid, pp. 14, 17 cxxv Ibid, p. 98 cxxvi Ibid, pp. 50, 70-71 cxxvii Ibid, pp. 94, 96-97 cxxviii Carson, pp. 73-76 cxxix Ibid, pp. 115, 124-126 cxxx Carson, pp. 132-133 cxxxi Beckwith, Koukl, pp. 154-155 cxxxii Carson, pp. 127, 138-139; 144-147 cxxxiii Ibid, pp. 76-77 cxxxiv Ibid, pp. 38, 46, 110-111 cxxxv Noebel, pp. 204-205 cxxxvi Ibid, pp. 66-67 cxxxvii Ibid, pp. 150-151 cxxxviii Noebel, pp. 118-122 cxxxix Ibid, pp. 33-34, 44-45 cxl Carson, pp. 161-176 [Page 175]
176 Developing a Biblical Worldview Lesson 25: 61 Scott Allen, “Social Justice”, Disciple Nations Alliance 62 Ibid. 63 Voodie Baucham, “Social Justice” 64 Calvin Beisner, Social Justice: How good Intentions undermine Justice and the Gospel 65 Ibid. 66 John MacArthur, “Social Justice” 67 Scott Allen 68 John MacArthur cxli Voddie Baucham, “Social Justice” cxlii Scott Allen, “Social Justice”, Disciple Nations Alliance cxliii John MacArthur, “Social Justice” cxliv Calvin Beisner, Social Justice: How good Intentions undermine Justice and the Gospel cxlv Ibid. cxlvi Voddie Baucham cxlvii MacArthur cxlviii Voddie Baucham cxlix Scott Allen cl Ibid. cli Ibid. clii Ibid. cliii Ibid. cliv Calvin Beisner clv Ibid. clvi Ibid. clvii Scott Allen clviii Ibid. clix Scott Allen clx MacArthur clxi Ibid. Lesson 26: 69 Allie Beth Stuckey Podcast, ‘Relatable’ with guest, Neil Shenvi 70 Voddie Baucham, “Ethnic Gnosticism” 71 Neil Shenvi, Apologetics, Christianity and Critical Theory – Part 1 Defend ’19 conference 72 Ibid. 73 Ibid. 74 Neil Shenvi, Apologetics, Christianity and Critical Theory – Part 2 75 Ibid. 76 Allie Beth Stuckey, Podcast ‘Relatable’, with guest Neil Shenvi 77 Neil Shenvi, Apologetics, Christianity and Critical Theory – Part 2 78 Christopher F. Rufo, “Woke Elementary,” City Journal, January 13, 2021 clxii Heritage Foundation, “Critical Race Theory” clxiii Voddie Baucham, “Ethnic Gnosticism” clxiv Ibid. clxv Robin DiAngelo, White Fragility, in Neil Shenvi clxvi Neil Shenvi, Apologetics, Christianity and Critical Theory – Part 1 clxvii Margaret Anderson and Patricia Collins, Race, Class, Gender, in Shenvi, Apologetics, Part 1 clxviii Neil Shenvi, Apologetics, Christianity and Critical Theory – Part 2 clxix Ibid. clxx Ibid. clxxi Ibid. clxxii Ibid. clxxiii Voddie Baucham, “Ethnic Gnosticism” clxxiv Allie Beth Stuckey, Podcast ‘Relatable’, with guest Neil Shenvi clxxv Neil Shenvi, Apologetics, Christianity and Critical Theory – Part 1 clxxvi Ibid. clxxvii Allie Beth Stuckey, Podcast ‘Relatable’, with guest Neil Shenvi clxxviii Heritage Foundation, “Critical Race Theory” [Page 176]