The Power of Christian Worldview in Evangelism

The Power of Christian Worldview in Evangelism

Jay Wegter

Introduction: What is Christian Worldview?

In ‘re-tooling’ for evangelism in the 21ˢᵗ Century, we have combined elements from biblical worldview with presuppositional apologetics. Ultimately it is not a methodology that we are relying upon; it is the unified truth of God’s Word incarnated in Christ. Truth is a Person—our Lord Jesus Christ. The solid conversions we’ve seen in the last 6 years have admittedly come out of friendship evangelism.

Christianity is not a series of truths in the plural, but rather truth spelled with a capital “T.” Truth about total reality, not just about religious things. Biblical Christianity is Truth concerning total reality and the intellectual holding of that total Truth and then living in the light of that Truth (Francis Schaeffer). Because Christian Worldview is total truth, as Schaeffer states; only a biblical starting point provides the unity of all knowledge (the alternative is ‘atomism’ of fragmentation). Christian worldview lays the foundation for all thought—it states that God’s truth found in His Word forms a ‘blueprint’ if you will for every area of life.

Worldview Evangelism emphasizes the fact that the sinner who believes and repents sees everything— all of life—in a whole new way—through the lens of biblical, or Christian Worldview. His new found faith cannot just be an appendage to all the existing beliefs and commitments he has. Thus, effective evangelism is not merely adding information to someone’s life; it is fundamentally a clash worldviews; a thorough re-orientation to another way of thinking.

Christian Worldview states that ultimate reality is God and His plan for His creation. Every truth we present must be seen as deriving its meaning and authority from its relation to the purpose and character of our all-wise Creator. This is our unified worldview—God gives every fact its meaning. What a contrast this is from prevailing multiculturalism of our day in which “truth” is spelled with a lower case ‘t’ and is merely each culture’s tradition, or each person’s ideas.

One cannot make sense of God, of the world, or of self apart from Christian Worldview. Christian Worldview forms a framework from which to view reality and make sense of the world. Christian Worldview lays the foundational scheme for all thought—a fixed point of reference from which Christ, the living Word, is inseparable.

Who God is, and what He has said, infallibly determines what is real; what is true; what is right; and what is wrong. Thus, Christian Worldview is totally antithetical to all thought forms and ideas which begin with self and which assume that man’s reason is autonomous. It is God’s character which determines who you are, what you are, why you are here, what is required of you, and where you are going. God’s self-revelation is the only reliable starting point for all knowledge (as opposed to what you hear on TV and on campus—that you can determine reality for yourself).

It is remarkable how many professing believers today regard religious truth claims to be a matter of private personal preference—existing in an ‘upper story’ category of the mind. For the most part they have received Christian truth ‘devotionally’ (as that which shapes their walk with the Lord) RATHER THAN seeing Christian truth as total truth about reality.

I. The Value of using Christian Worldview in Evangelism

Recently I spoke to the largest Christian organization on the campus of Cal Poly Pomona. The director of student ministries confided in me:

“We are finding more and more in our evangelistic efforts that we are talking past unsaved students. In other words, when we try to share the Gospel on campus, we are discovering that the foundations for understanding reality are absent. Postmodernism has given students a view of reality so steeped in relativism that God is inconsequential—outside of reality if you will. In addition, philosophic naturalism, like a corrosive acid, has been gradually eroding away confidence in the reliability of the Bible.”

Students steeped in postmodernism have given up trying to answer ‘ultimate questions’. If you do personal evangelism; you will face the challenge of sharing the Gospel with folks who cannot answer with certainty the most basic questions about their own existence – Who made me? Who am I? What am I? What is a human being? Is there a moral standard outside myself? Where do morals come from? Why am I here? What is the nature of reality? Does objective evil exist? They are adrift in metaphysical and spiritual lost-ness.

The Western world is a new kind of mission field never faced before—it is ‘ex-Christian’—having been inoculated, it now has a distorted memory of Christianity as the age of prejudice and bigotry (Tim Keller). Certain notions are now so widely accepted that they are not even challenged or examined, for instance: There can’t be one true religion to the exclusion of all others. Every person ought to have the freedom to decide right and wrong for themselves.

The new ‘heresy’ of the 21ˢᵗ Century is to think that you have the truth, and that by contrast to the truth you hold, erroneous truth claims are false and dangerous. (EX. A student from southern Japan who lived with us was counseled by her mother, “Don’t talk to Christians; they think they have the truth.”) (EX. Bumper stickers on the campus of Cal Arts University: Eve was framed, Don’t postpone joy, God is too big to fit in only one religion, The earth doesn’t belong to us; we belong to the earth, Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.)

A. Unbelievers barricade themselves inside erroneous worldviews in order to ‘lock out’ the Gospel

They are like prisoners who check the locks before bed.

The world’s philosophies have effectively taken unbelievers captive (Col 2:8 is the great divide that separates all men—captured by a philosophy, or free in Christ). These fortresses of error effectively ‘lock out’ the Gospel—by suggesting that the evangel is implausible. One of the strategies in worldview evangelism is establishing credibility. As effective evangelists, we can learn how to tear down these concentric circles of fortification; the strongholds of error that are raised up against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:3-6).

(EX. Geologist John’s comment about the origin of the Bible and my answer—after my defense of the reliability of Scripture I immediately took the subject to the righteousness, holiness, and justice of God. God does not countenance false conceptions of Himself.)

B. More and more Christians are seeing the need for evangelizing the lost at the level of worldview.

Why? Because Christianity’s truth claims cannot be successfully accommodated, or plugged into erroneous worldviews—there are no sufficient contact points. Instead what is needed is a change in a person’s whole frame of reference, or ‘worldview.’ Without the contact points of biblical worldview (as we will see in a moment—the Creator’s relationship to what He has made; we’re are yelling into a vacuum when we try to share the gospel with today’s pagans).

Effective evangelism today increasingly involves a worldview clash—a fundamental clash in epistemologies (methods of knowing)—either God or self is the ultimate starting point.. Knowledge has been privatized. Objective truth claims are viewed as coercive and an exercise in arrogance (D. A. Carson). The postmodern world is so totally relativized, one is no longer allowed to say that another’s life view (or worldview) is wrong. Moral judgments are out. If you make them, you will sound like a hypocrite. NOW, how do you speak God’s absolute truth into that mindset?

One cannot savingly comprehend the Gospel within the framework of postmodernism (which suggests that no one worldview describes all reality)—this is why a ‘clash’ in worldviews is necessary. Worldview evangelism is strategic because it utilizes the ‘big picture’ (creation, fall, redemption, restoration). The ‘big picture’ is needed in order for people to make sense of Jesus and the Gospel. (History is controlled and interpreted by God who will accomplish all His purposes—history is moving ineffably toward its divinely predetermined end which is the coming Kingdom of God.

We are witnessing to people who are not as concerned with truth as with the question, “Does this work for me?” We are dealing with unsaved people whose worldviews are driven by their lusts and affections, and not by God’s larger word of moral truth.

C. Biblical worldview gives us the ‘weapons’ necessary to effectively confront the unbeliever’s faulty worldview.

The power of Christian Worldview is its ability to authoritatively set forth God and His plan for creation as ultimate reality. As such, Christian Worldview gives us the weapons necessary to challenge the unbeliever’s faulty ultimate point of reference (his own assumed autonomy, or independence from God).

Part of our task in Worldview Evangelism is to make people epistemologically aware of the philosophies that they have assimilated (Where does that come from—how did you decide that was true?). We are dealing with folks who have made a commitment to core assumptions that are unproven and unexamined. (The agenda of nearly every TV program is to annihilate and replace the sacred canopy of biblical worldview.)

When evangelizing postmoderns we employ questions designed to bring a person’s worldview to the surface so that they may be discussed. Once a person ‘owns’ his worldview (that can mean hearing it from his own lips)—then there is a prime opportunity to present the Gospel as the exact opposite of what he believes. It is this antithesis that is useful in confronting the sinner with the claims of the Creator. (When I go onto Cal Arts ‘turf’ I sometimes ask the question, “What is the nature of reality, is it personal or impersonal? Is it God who made the universe, or is reality merely matter, motion, and chance? I already know that countless unbelievers want life with meaning in a universe without meaning—that’s an impossible wish.)

D. One of the strategies in worldview evangelism is to surface a person’s working epistemology in order to reveal its innate hostility to the Creator and His claims.

We will not dislodge the unbeliever’s erroneous view of himself, of God, and of creation by merely appealing to the meaning of certain facts and evidences (archaeology, textual criticism, fulfilled prophecy, morality). The debate must go deeper. Only by confronting the unbeliever’s faulty view of God and himself will genuine conviction take place. We haven’t taken on the sinner until we have taken him on at the point where he judges God and His infallible Word. The sinner confronted with the inescapable truth of God (which truth he already knows) will be brought face to face with the Creator’s claims upon him.

The best way to establish God’s authority and absolute claims upon His creatures is by means of the doctrine of God as Creator. This was Paul’s approach in Acts 17. He was establishing biblical theism in the presence of his Gentile listeners. He was dealing with people unfamiliar with the O.T. The Apostle began his message with the doctrine of God and His relation to His creation. Only then did he proceed to the Gospel itself (so also, we are seeking to reach a culture that is increasingly biblically illiterate).

The doctrine of God and creation is the starting point for a unified view of reality. The doctrine of creation ‘grounds’ our accountability to God. The battle for origins is worth the fight. But, it is a battle not won primarily by an appeal to specific facts and data. The reason is as follows; at that the bottom of all debate over worldviews is epistemology. Either God or man is the starting point for all knowledge. (Note the ramifications of creation ex nihilo.) These two epistemologies are polar opposites. They sit in irreconcilable antithesis.

In a biblically illiterate culture—it is increasingly necessary to establish the context for the gospel—namely the Creator’s work, rule, law, reign, moral government. What is the creation? It is the theatre of God’s glory, the stage of redemptive history, the revealer of the attributes of the Creator.

E. According to Romans 1:22, the unbeliever’s epistemology is what makes him a fool.

Believer and unbeliever stand on opposite sides of a bottomless chasm. On the biblical side, the Word of Christ is our infallible epistemology (Col 2:3). On the unbeliever’s side, autonomous self is the epistemology. (Where are the person’s answers coming from?) (EX. On a Lufthansa flight a Frankfurt lawyer and Airbus pilot were headed to S.F. After a half hour of conversation, I said, “As a missionary, may I ask you a religious question? In your mind what is the most concrete, primary reason you do not base your life, meaning, and destiny on God’s Word the Bible?” I already knew the real answer—Col 1:21. I then asked, “how does your worldview give answers to ultimate questions such as . . .?” “Can your life view account for conscience, morality, evil, suffering, hope, death, dignity, nobility, cruelty?”

My questions are born out of the biblical conviction that there can be no meaningful commerce between the two sides of the ‘chasm’ – therefore a ‘clash’ (train wreck) between epistemologies is needed (Did Jesus do this? Yes! See John chapters 3-10, 12.)

I want to share with you some of the questions that are designed to bring a person’s worldview to the surface so they can be discussed. Once a person ‘owns’ his erroneous worldview—then there is a prime opportunity to present the Gospel as the exact opposite of what he believes! It is this antithesis that is useful in confronting the sinner with the claims of the Creator upon him. (EX. The vast majority of college students enter the university with core assumptions that absolute truth about God, morals, man, and reality is positively unknowable. They are already dyed in the wool relativists by their freshman year.)

II. Worldview Questions form a starting point for dialogue; and a

diagnostic for erroneous worldviews.

A. The biblical events of creation, Fall, and redemption, form a diagnostic test to examine every worldview. Four ultimate questions to test a person’s worldview:

1. Where did we come from? (Who made you and me? What is a human being? Why is your life sacred?)

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. (At K-college and W. Mich. U. every student we spoke to gave a functional, instrumental definition of the value of man.)

2. Who are we? (What is the value and purpose of a human being?)

We are created in God’s image 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 the image of God. God has an absolute claim upon us and a perfect ‘blueprint’ for us.

3. What has gone wrong with the world?

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. Sin is behind war, injustice, oppression, and greed. (Cal Arts playwright tired of my questions and decided to own his worldview. When I asked if it were rational to despise God’s laws then expect to live with Him in heaven, he replied, “Who needs rationality?” “I want to express my lusts and desires now.” “You are all about waiting for ultimate happiness—that’s the difference between you and me.”) (Why was the 20ᵗʰ Century the bloodiest in history?)

4. What can we do to fix it?

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. (Every student gives a social engineering answer—utopia through ‘reeducation.’ That’s already been tried. Consider the ‘purges’ of Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot.)

“Has anyone ever shared the Christian worldview with you?”

“Invite you to step into the Christian worldview for a moment so that you might see how the Word of God answers each of the four worldview questions.” Not only will this give you permission to share the gospel; it also opens the door wide to press the antithesis between the Word and erroneous worldviews. “Wouldn’t it be valuable to know where God’s Word differs from your views?”

B. Christian worldview is the only ‘key’ that fits the lock of human experience.

We already know from Scripture that the sinner’s professed belief does not match his actual experience. Only in Christian worldview does the data match experience. This is the exciting thing about this worldview evangelism—you see correspondence going on between the Word of God and the unbeliever’s inescapable sense of deity.

(EX. Danny on the airplane was a graduate from Coe College, Iowa. As an eco-major, I asked if he were a thorough going evolutionist. He said yes; he interpreted all of life by means of evolutionary naturalism. “Danny, I don’t think you really believe that.” He said, “What?” I said, “I don’t think you believe that your thoughts are but mental mutations—all of them determined by the properties of matter and without true significance—only there to get your genes into the next generation.” Can chance and chaos produce people, logic, morals, and meaning?

C. In Paul’s apologetic he pressed the antithesis; he stressed the depth of the epistemological chasm between God’s truth and his listeners’ views (note where Paul finds commonality with his listeners and where he doesn’t in Acts 17).

Christian worldview answers every ultimate question. (Core questions are: where did we come from; why are we here; what is a human; is God knowable; why is there death and suffering; what happens after death; what is man’s destiny? etc.).

We use a certain apologetic methodology. We raise and answer ultimate questions. The world is adrift on a shoreless sea of relativism. People have no certainty regarding their origin, purpose, and destiny. Therefore they live in an atmosphere of fear, doubt, uncertainty, anxiety, moral relativism, spiritual darkness, and foolish speculation. When Christ came to earth, He answered every ultimate question! He is the believer’s certainty and philosophy of origins, purpose, and destiny. (EX. President’s Day at the Ronald Reagan Library. In our apologetics we raise, then answer ultimate questions.)

D. The assumption of human autonomy drives every erroneous worldview.

Anti-theistic speculation is by no means a benign action; it draws down the wrath of God. Mental idolatry entertains false conceptions of God. Unbelievers reject the Gospel not due to rational thought; but under the influence of non-rational factors. The ultimate commitments of their hearts to self and sin find expression in their suppression of the knowledge of God. The unbeliever loves his imagined independence from God so much that he prefers absurdity over the knowledge of God.

The unbeliever’s worldview is made up of non-rational core assumptions which are designed to evade God’s claims upon the creature. The unbeliever has chosen a worldview made up of irrational presuppositions—but we must know why. Fallen man has done so in an attempt to maintain his imagined independence from God. He has made a core commitment to a lie in order to keep his distance from God—that’s why he lives with his back to his Creator.

The Christian apologist can go forth with the confidence that every unbeliever already knows certain inescapable things about God (He is Creator; He is good; He will judge all men). Christians have the confidence from Scripture that every unbeliever lives in an inescapable “sea of divine revelation.” According to Psalm 19, every man is surrounded by the “sermons” God has placed within the wonders of creation. Every natural man ‘short-circuits’ the sermons God has placed in the creation—he is a ‘studious’ suppressor.

According to Roman 1:18-23, there are certain attributes of God known to every human being. We proceed in our evangelistic efforts with the biblical confidence that every natural man possesses the above inescapable sense of deity. And we conduct our evangelistic efforts with the confidence that the Word of God perfectly corresponds with the moral truth which God has written on the conscience of every man. They are without excuse for God made the knowledge of Himself evident to them and in them (Rom 1:19-20).

When an unbeliever hears the Word of God; a work of correspondence takes place. The Word of God meets him at his suppression. It shows the law of God written in his heart. It shines light on his defiled conscience. It confronts him with the Creator he already knows.

III. Scripture gives us our Point of Contact between God’s truth and

the unbeliever.

A. The point of contact of God and His truth with sinful man is at the point of man’s rebellion.

1. What is the point of contact with the sinner that is established by God in Scripture?

• It is God’s claims upon His creatures (what He requires).
• It is man’s rebellion against God (man’s sin).
• It is the image of God (it is man’s intellectual war on the image of God).
• It is man’s inescapable sense of deity (Rom 1:18-23).

2. God makes Himself known to the unbeliever by first setting forth the man’s predicament. His suppression of the knowledge of God, his habitual breaking of God’s law, his ill-desert, and his legal guilt—must be stated. 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. This is one of the most difficult tasks to accomplish in a postmodern culture. (Our compassion on the lost must be informed by the Bible’s description of their predicament. All their hope, all their dreams, every meaningful connection will turn to ashes on their deathbed when they pass out of this world without Christ.)

3. The unbeliever argues as if he has a rational case. Here’s where the strength of Christian worldview comes in—take him back to his worldview and presuppostional starting point.¹

At that juncture, his system falls apart—man’s existence, in order to be meaningful, cannot be grounded upon matter and motion, chaos and chance, speculation and absurdity.

B. We have a world in common, a divine image in common; but not a worldview in common; therefore there can be no neutral ground.

Scripture does not affirm the unbeliever’s method of evaluating God’s truth. The Bible establishes a point of contact that exposes the sinner’s faulty epistemology.)

1. The unbeliever operates upon the assumption that he is autonomous and not accountable to God. This core commitment to autonomous self drives the unbeliever’s studious suppression of God’s truth.
2. We cannot allow the natural man’s assumption of himself as ultimate reference point to remain unchallenged. If we do not challenge his assumption, he will interpret Christianity in naturalistic terms.² (The concepts of faith, sin, salvation, and Jesus will all be heard through the distorting filter of his worldview. Are morals really evolving? Where do morals come from?) Only a clash in worldviews will smash the distorting filter of false worldview and bring the person face to face with his Creator’s claims upon him. A clash is essential if he is to stand red-handed before his Maker—a fugitive under God’s moral government. No other way to see their need of the Savior.

3. 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. Scripture affirms an antithesis rather than an agreement.³ (EX. At Cal Arts I spoke with a solipsist student who had dated evangelical gals. He said to me every time I pressed antithesis, “Why are you killing the conversation by making absolutist statements—they are just dead ends?” I finally asked, “May I show you what God says about your worldview?” Then it was Romans 1:18-23 and the RCA dog look.)

C. There is great value in knowing the ethical condition of the unbeliever’s mind. Romans 1:18-23 is the record of the universal corruption of human reason.

The sinner’s real problem is not intellectual, but moral. As an enemy of God, he denies his need of divine revelation to understand the world and man’s place in it. A biblical apologetic emphasizes the antithesis that exists between the mind of the believer and unbeliever.⁴

1. 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. ⁵ The antithesis between kingdoms centers upon the matter of the recognition of the lordship of Christ.

D. To employ the biblical point of contact means that we are ever aware of the infinite epistemological chasm that separates believer from unbeliever.

Apologists need to be epistemologically self-conscious. Be able to demonstrate the antithesis between the believer and the unbeliever’s espoused systems of thought. When presenting his apologetic argument, the Christian should begin by emphasizing the absolute ethical antithesis in which the natural man stands to God (stress the implications of being created in the image of God. God’s world works in a certain way because it is His world.)

2. 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 world view.⁶ It can feel socially incorrect to engage in conversation which takes on the form of debate based on arguments. But, the value of biblical worldview in evangelism is that can contrast, diagnose, and expose unbiblical worldviews all by using questions to gain permission.

(EX. Last night at Starbucks—we encountered two men whom we had witnessed to before. After an hour with each; both were grateful that we had asked to examine what they believed. We even expressed concern for their souls; pointed out where their views differed from Scripture. They individually thanked us repeatedly and then said how much they anticipated the next meeting. It is an act of incredible mercy, love, and compassion to address the lost-ness and irrationality of unbelievers.)

3. When we set aside the biblical point of contact in our evangelistic encounters; 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). I used to argue with unbelievers over proofs and evidences for Christianity—as if the unbeliever’s only problem was a lack of data and proof. But I do that far less today—now my approach is to raise and answer questions which uncover a person’s worldview.

IV. By means of the cross God is saving people, and He is

precipitating a clash between worldviews (1 Corinthians 1-3).

A. By the world’s wisdom it is impossible to come to know God. There can be no saving knowledge of God until the sinner fears God as He is revealed in Scripture.

So many of our unsaved friends have accepted naturalistic assumptions about the nature of reality without even questioning these assumptions. The false philosophies of our age have so saturated the media that there is little incentive to live an examined life.

B. The wisdom of God and the power of God are brought together in one person; our Lord Jesus Christ.

Unless Christ is preeminent and central, God’s wisdom is not exalted. Christ is pivotal in God’s wisdom and power.

1. How has God made foolish the wisdom of the world – He has made it foolish “through the foolishness of the message preached” (1 Cor 2:24, 25). You can never fully escape the offense of the cross in your evangelism. “No matter how you frame it; you cannot make the message of the cross palatable and pleasant to the natural man” (Robert Reymond). “God’s truth disturbs because it slays the sinner’s sovereignty” (David Wells).
2. God is energizing a clash in worldviews! God intends to shame the wise—this is His divine purpose. This is not passive on God’s part (See 1 Cor 1:27). God destroys the world’s wisdom, and He does so with cosmic ramifications. His determination to destroy it, and how He will destroy it—are laid out in 1 Corinthians 1-3.

3. God’s wisdom – Christ is the only source of total, final, absolute wisdom that there is. God’s “Two-fold wisdom” in Christ: 1.) the hypostatic union and the incarnation, 2.) the crucifixion of the God-man at Calvary. The whole fulcrum and balance point of God’s wisdom is Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 1:30).

C. Horizontal arguments (debate over facts) are like using a weed-whipper. They may cut down weeds at the surface; but only the Word of God can reach the roots below the soil line.

CONCLUSION: Biblical worldview in evangelism provides us with resolve, boldness, and confidence. The challenge I leave with you this morning is not only to share your faith as a lifestyle—but also to be utterly convinced that biblical worldview totally corresponds to all reality. When that takes possession of you—it will increase your boldness in evangelism. With that confidence comes the conviction that what God has said in Romans one describes every unbeliever. The natural man is dead to God—yet he has the ability to recognize God’s truth the moment he sees it. Therefore it is stubborn suppression of God’s truth that keeps him from believing the truth—therefore he is without excuse.

D. A Sampling of Questions for ‘surfacing’ the unbeliever’s worldview.

Questions designed to provide an internal critique of the unbeliever’s worldview:

1. What is the nature of things that are real? Is the ground of all existence personal or impersonal?
2. How does the world operate? By chance or by the perfect plan of an all-wise and good God?
3. Where did our world come from? Wouldn’t you agree that man’s origin, identity, and destiny are inseparable?
4. What is man’s place in the world? What is the source of man’s purpose, calling, dignity, and worth?
5. What is man’s nature? Is man an advanced animal, or is man designed in the image of his Creator? Thus fully accountable to his Creator?

6. Are there moral or epistemological norms that are not chosen by the individual? Is there fixed moral truth that forms an external point of reference?
7. What are the criteria for truth? Is it consensus, science, common sense, and/or the ultimate authority of God?
8. What are the proper methods of knowing? Is it human reasoning, or God’s authoritative self-revelation in Christ and the Holy Scriptures?
9. Is certainty possible? What is the source of epistemological certainty?

The purpose of the above questions is to provide an internal critique of the unbeliever’s worldview in such a way that he becomes epistemologically self-conscious—that is that he owns his presuppositions that underlie his worldview, admitting his commitment to autonomy and its resultant darkness, and futile thinking.

QUESTIONS to pose to the unbeliever that are designed to surface his faulty epistemology:

1. Is there a truth standard outside of God? What is its authoritative ultimate reference point?
2. What is your god like—can you describe his attributes and character? Does your description correspond to reality? Is it reasonable, rational, and realistic?
3. How would you know if you were using your God-given mind to sin against God?
4. Do you believe it is possible to reject the God of the Bible and then make sense when talking about all of life?
5. Does truth and good exist apart from God?

6. Do you believe it is possible to clear your conscience by keeping a moral code?
7. Do you believe that God alone has the right and responsibility to determine absolute right and wrong and the consequences of each?
8. What is your source of certainty regarding unseen things? (i.e. “there is no judgment day;” “there is no hell”).
9. What are God’s claims upon man?
10. Are you made in the image of God? How comprehensively does that affects your life?
11. Can you explain how your position differs from the Word of God?

12. Do you know what God says about your worldview?
13. Do you understand why it is possible for man to know God?
14. “Where did you get that answer?” Can you give a credible reason for rejecting the claims of Christ?” “Do you realize that your answers are seeking to deny God’s authoritative self-revelation?” In each case, press the antithesis – show the unbeliever that the truth is the very opposite of what he purports to believe.
15. What is the solution to mankind’s moral failure?

16. Is God’s love of mankind expressed in His distinguishing truth from error? How dangerous is error from God’s authoritative vantage point? How much of a disaster is sin?
17. What are mankind’s greatest enemies? Where do these enemies come from? Can man be happy while under the influence of these enemies?
18. What would disprove your worldview?
19. How good does a person have to be in order to go to heaven? How do you know your answer is true, or trustworthy?
20. How does your worldview account for evil and suffering? What is its origin?

21. What is God’s relationship to His creation?
22. Can you consistently live your worldview?

Unbelievers have an extremely deficient view of the origin of evil and suffering. Only the Christian worldview can give an adequate accounting of the existence of evil and suffering and its origin and its destiny. The very existence of objective evil is a powerful validation of God’s testimony in Scripture.

Endnotes:

1 Ibid., pp. 58,99,101,113.
2 Greg L. Bahnsen, VanTil’s Apologetic, Readings & Analysis (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1998), 439.
3 Cornelius VanTil, The Defense of the Faith (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 1955), 67.
4 Ibid., p. 97.
5 John M. Frame, “Van Til on Antithesis” WTJ, P. 101.
6 James F. Stitzinger, Apologetics, p. 118, 126.