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Biblical Worldview Scope for Bible 2: Truths for Life
Introduction: This document is our attempt to answer (in the form of a scope) the question, “How will a student use biblical truths as a lens for his worldview?” What follows is a list of the themes that we believe are essential for students of Bible to understand and internalize. We anticipate that students will be required to recall and explain these themes early in the course. However, as these themes recur, we plan to require students to evaluate ideas within them, formulate a Christian understanding of them, and apply what they have learned about them to real-life situations. We hope to achieve high levels of internalization wherever students are required to apply their learning.
1. Ultimate Reality
What is the most important thing in the world? God is the most important thing. Everything—the earth, the stars, and whatever is beyond the stars—was made by God. Everything belongs to Him. If we know Him, we can think about everything else the right way. But because of sin, people think that they are the most important thing. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, they were trying to make themselves just as important as God. Today, people still try to live as though God were not most important. They decide how they want to live based on what they want, not based on what God wants. This is one reason we need the Bible. We need the Bible to tell us about God—about what He is like and about what He wants us to do. The Bible shows us what the world looks like when God is understood as the most important thing.
2. Human Identity
Who am I? I am someone made in God’s own image. God made all of us to be like Himself. We are not the same as God, but we are made to be like Him in many important ways. We are to think like Him, love others like He does, and live like Him. Because God made us in His image, we belong to Him in a special way. But because of sin, people do not want to belong to God. This is one reason many people reject the Bible. They say it is not true. They try to think, love, and live different from what God wants. They make their own explanations for who we are. One of the common explanations is that people first came from animals and are not made in God's imageEven though people often turn against God, He still loves us and wants us to become more and more like Him every day. Only God can change us like this. God uses the Bible to help us become more like Him. We need the Bible to know how to become more like God.
3. Human Meaning and Purpose
Why am I here? I am here to glorify God. God made us to glorify Him. We do this by thanking Him and praising Him. We do this by obeying His rules and taking care of His earth. It is a joy to do all these things. But because of sin, people want to glorify themselves. People are unthankful to God. They forget to glorify God and want to spend their lives looking for ways to feel good without God (Rom. 1:21). Christians sometimes act like these people and forget to glorify God. People need to be reminded to praise God. God has given us the Bible, the Holy Spirit, our pastor, and our parents, and others within the church to remind us to glorify Him.
4. The Problem of Evil
What is wrong with the world? When God made the world, it was perfect. God loved what he made. God loved Adam. God told Adam what to do. Adam loved obeying God. But Adam disobeyed God and ruined the world. When Adam disobeyed God, everything went wrong. People hated God. They treated themselves like God. People started dying. The world started dying. People and the world needed help. When Adam disobeyed God, we were all became sinners too (Rom. 5:12). We are like Adam. There is hope for the world. Even though we are sinful like Adam, we have hope. God made a way for us to be forgiven and be His own. He made a way for the world to be fixed.
5. The Solution to Evil
What will fix the world? The world belongs to God. He made the world, so only He can fix it. People think the world belongs to them. People want to be in charge of the world and decide how to fix it, but they only make it worse. They do not want to remember that God is in charge of His own world and is fixing it. God sent His own Son, Jesus, to die for us. Jesus rose from the dead so we can live with Him forever. When Jesus comes back, He will fix the world for eternity. Right now, the world needs to remember and praise God and His Son, Jesus.
6. Morality
What makes something right or wrong? God’s commands tell us what God is like. God is good, just, and holy, and His commands are good, just, and holy. Because of sin, people want to make their own rules. People don’t want to obey God. They want to make up rules that are like themselves. They want to decide what is good and what is bad. Their rules change all the time. But the Bible never changes; it always says what God commands. Whatever God commands is right. Whatever God forbids is wrong. People need the Bible to know how to live. We would not know what is right or wrong without the Bible (Rom. 7:7).