My pattern of life or worldview is Christian. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (New King James Version, Proverbs 23:7). As this verse says my faith journey and worldview is a trip through the inner recesses of my heart and being. Gilkey wrote, “Whether he wishes it or not, man as a free creature must pattern his life according to some chosen ultimate end, must center his life on some chosen ultimate loyalty, and must commit his security to some trusted power. Man inevitably roots his life in something ultimate” (229). For me, the ultimate is in God and it is my faith in Him and my loyalty to Him that shapes my worldview. The way I interpret the world, the lens through which I see people and situations and my approach to life have primarily been Christian. I cannot say that it has been so forever. I found my ultimate satisfaction in God through the years as His plan of salvation unfolded slowly but surely in my life and this is the story of my faith journey and worldview.
The one issue that pushed me the limits of endurance and landed me with a Christian worldview has been my battle with sin. Each time I sin, unease and guilt stain my heart, choking out the passion to live. I was very skilful in hiding the ongoing battle inside by indulging in the pleasures of the world. I thought I might find happiness in living by popular culture but landed up in a worse state than before. I rebelled against what I knew was God’s word and followed after “Adam and Eve. also this creation’s first rebels” (Geoghegan and Homan 2). I was slow to realize that pleasure is an antithesis to God’s instructions as seen in the Bible. The issue that loomed large was not one about being in sync with the world but rather getting my life straight before God, my Creator.
This revelation dawned on me only because of a deep desire within me to have a clean chit and be free from sin. “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19). This verse summarized the ongoing struggle within me. Where was the way out? The cry of my heart resonated endlessly till I found a cure at the foot of a blood stained cross. “Yahweh says he’ll forgive sinners. In return, Yahweh wants humanity to understand he does not overlook or approve sin. Christ was made sin - for us. Christ was treated as a sinner - for us. In effect, what was done to Christ was done to sin” (Geoghegan and Homan 160,161)
Rebellion began in the Garden of Eden and the promise of deliverance from this rebellion was also birthed in Eden. “Humans were promised one of their own future descendants (their seed) would establish the means by which they might be released from the effects of their crime” (Geoghegan and Homan 11). Jesus Christ is the seed promised by God in Eden. “It was the life, death, resurrection, and glory of this “seed of the woman” God used to accomplish the promise to reverse the effects of the first human rebellion” (2).
In Christ I found that long desired ‘clean chit’. In Him I found heart peace and in Him I found something beyond this temporary existence. For in Him I found eternal life. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Now my heart was at ease. Sin and guilt did not find a place anymore but the presence and power of Christ engulfed my whole being. My communion with my Maker began to shape my worldview.
I did not become ‘Mr. Perfect’ overnight after my experience with Christ. My struggle with sin has been an ongoing one and there are still ‘grey’ areas in my life that need mending and addressing. But now I did not have to fight anymore and I certainly did not have to carry my burdens all alone. God became a very real entity in my world.
In spite of this most amazing experience of salvation, I have found myself rebelling against God especially in the area of making decisions. My habitual pattern of pleasing the world was hard hit by what God seemed to expect from me. His instruction to be in the world but not of the world meant giving up on desires and relationships that I once cherished. This was the first conflict that arose after my new worldview began to take the upper hand. Only after occasions of experiencing His rod did I begin to cling to His staff for comfort. “For You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).
The discipline of God can sometime seem stifling and God can seem to be a kill-joy. American society offers various ‘versions’ of God (The American Christian Worldview, 123HelpMe.com) and some of these are all permissive types, ones that accommodate anything a person desires for with no hard and fast ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’. Now that is the kind of God I wanted. I had no plans to give up on the ‘little joys’ that I enjoyed and the ‘little’ pleasures that the world offered. I must confess the times I altered my ‘version’ of God to suit my convenience. But I sadly realized that the more diluted ‘versions’ I chose the more distant I became to the peace and quiet that I once experienced. I resigned myself to finally get back to that ultimate power who demands my life and my all.
This submission may sound slavish, but it is not. “Yahweh places obedience to his righteous laws above all else. Obey Yahweh’s laws, things go well for you. Break Yahweh’s laws, here comes the judge” (Geoghegan and Homan 162). The more I let go of the world, surrendering to Him in obedience, the more I experienced abundance of joy. In fact I now began to enjoy submitting and telling Him over and over, “not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).
As my faith journey steadied on, I have often found myself wondering about the ‘purpose’ of my life. Surprisingly, God has not only called me but has a clear blueprint of how my life is going to be. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). His plans for me are for good and I see them shape up to include things that I truly love to do. God certainly knows me in and out!
As I recount the privileges of my Christian worldview, I also consider it essential to put down some of the challenges I face as a result of clinging on to this pattern of life. One of the jarring outcomes of my open declaration of being a Christian is the ridicule that I am often put through. My worldview demands courage to stand up for what I know is right. Not always am I applauded for this. At times ridicule comes from those closest and that can hurt much more than being put down by others. There are struggles to face in living daily by Christian principles. There are losses to suffer for clinging on to the truth. But there is also a crown of life that awaits at the end of my faith journey and even through the toughest and most challenging moments, I choose to cling on to my worldview because I know that one day this will land me in heaven.
Living in American society where each individual is given the liberty to choose a worldview that accommodates his/her own values, religious beliefs and cultural orientation is a relief as well as a strain in some ways. While it is easier to adopt a lifestyle that is attuned to popular culture, the difficulty arises when a person chooses to proclaim a set of cherished beliefs as the only way to peaceful living. This has been a conflict that has grown in me and at times a deterrent to boldly stand up for what I believe is the truth. Even “Believers in the Bible were much too busy trying to keep the truth alive, as well as hoping to salvage their own skins in the process” (Geoghegan and Homan 41).
I find it easy to thrust in my beliefs as long as it is one among many others. But the moment I emphasize my worldview to be the only best way to live, I am in trouble. I am no longer accepted and my worldview rejected even without a chance for representation. But God has not called me to be one among the many. “The Bible claims the Hebrew God is the primary source and sustainer of Earth’s present condition, Earth’s only God” (Geoghegan and Homan 47). Jesus said He is the way, meaning there can be no other. As a child of God I am commissioned to stress on His unique position as God and in the process, whether I like it or not I declare every other worldview faulty.
This is not just another struggle in my faith journey but a command of God that every child of God is expected to obey. I have understood that when I state that I have found and experience that ‘ultimate’ power in my life; I am also called to witness to that power. There is a cost to pay for being a Christian and affirming my faith. History records how many have paid with their lives for adopting the Christian worldview. Jesus suffered at the cross to open the way for salvation of sinners. He also expects me, His child to carry a cross if I believe in Him. “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me if not worthy of Me. He who finds His life will lose it, and He who loses His life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38, 39).
“In Paul’s teaching, there is a culture of rejoicing in suffering set forth in [Romans] 5:3-5 while highlighting the fruits it produces, such as endurance, character, and hope” (Frank, Christian Worldview, brandonsfrank.wordpress.com). To sum up, my faith journey is one that has been without a doubt laced with the fruits mentioned above. But even under the banner of God’s love I struggle and fight every day. However this is not a battle I face alone nor is it a battle I might lose. I know Christ lives in me and has given me the victory. My belief wrapped in my Christian worldview is forever sealed with Christ for eternity!
Works Cited
The Holy Bible. New King James Version. Belgium. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982. Print
Gilkey, Langdon. Maker of Heaven and Earth. Garden City, N.Y. University Press of America, Inc. 1985.Print.
Geoghegan, Jeffrey and Homan, Michael. The Bible for Dummies. Indianapolis, Indiana. Wiley Publishing, Inc. 2003. Print
The American Christian Worldview.123HelpMe.com. Web.16 Apr 2015.
Frank, Brandon S. Christian Worldview. http://brandonsfrank.wordpress.com/.2013. Web. 16 Apr 2015
