Christian Worldview

WVC 401

Kingdom Life

Belhaven University

Unit One

Biblical Foundations: Overview

Image of God & Threats

Marriage, Sin, & Intruders

God’s Plan of Redemption

Learning Tools

 Class lectures

 Hearing and seeing

 Textbook

 Reading

 Individual homework

 Analyzing

 Discussion forum

 Applying and examining

 Completing all

components is very

important to accomplish

the objectives of the

course.

2

Online Learning

 Characteristics

 Online learners must be

highly self-motivated.

 Online learners must

have high responsibility

for assignments and

discussions.

 Facts

 Online learning is not

easier than traditional

classroom learning.

 Learners must meet

deadlines.

 It’s easy to think we’re

anonymous because

there’s no face time.

3

Tips for Success

 Course Page

 Activities

 Individual homework

 Discussion forum

 Weekly discussions

 Media

 Module

 Handouts & links

 Class lectures

 Schedule

 Be attentive to deadlines.

 The week (unit) begins

on Sunday and ends on

Saturday.

 Observe Sabbath

 Manage your time

4

Tips for Success, cont.

 Communicate

 Ask questions

 Participate

 Be engaged in discussion

 Seek handouts

 Contact the professor

with questions or

problems

5

What has happened to humanity?

Child Runaways

Domestic Violence Abortions

Child Abuse

Employee/r DishonestyAddictions

Idolatry

Theft

Murder

Cursing Adultery

Racism

Unfair Wages

Gender Confusion

Divorce

Elderly Abuse

Work Frustrations

Back to Scripture!

 Problems with our present culture:

1) Degrading human dignity & worth

2) Loss of God’s original design

 Finding our original design

 We start with what is humanity? We are made

in the image of God.

Imago Dei

Genesis 1:26-27 - Humanity is made in the image

of God.

 Humanity is God’s special creation with dignity and

value.

 Ancient Greek philosopher Democritus argued

that there was no order or purpose to the world

but mere colliding atoms.

 Genesis 5:3 - Adam fathered Seth “after his image.”

 To be made in God’s image meant that God

considered us to be his children – a special

relationship.

Imago Dei, cont.

Human Dignity and Worth, cont.

 Genesis 9:6 – God prohibits murder

because humanity is made in the image of

God.

 James 3:9 tells us not to curse another for

humanity is made in the image of God.

Who is made in God’s image?

 Genesis 1:27 – Both male and female are

equally made in the image of God. To treat

someone as inferior is to discard the image

of God.

Problem: Disregarding That Humanity Is

Made in God’s Image

Child Runaways

Domestic Violence Abortions

Child Abuse

Employee/r DishonestyAddictions

Idolatry

Theft

Murder

Cursing Adultery

Racism

Unfair Wages

Gender Confusion

Divorce

Elderly Abuse

Work Frustrations

Imago Dei, cont.

 What does it mean to be made in the image of

God?

 Genesis 1:26-28 tells us that we were

supposed to have “dominion” over creation. • The Hebrew word for “dominion” actually

means to “govern” or simply stated “to

care.”

 We will see that something goes wrong when

sin enters the world. Governing turns to

abuse! Abuse also enters human

relationships.

Imago Dei, cont.

What does it mean to be made in the image of

God?

 Psalm 139:14 tells us that humanity is “fearfully

and wonderfully” made by God. This will have

serious implications for:  How we treat people and how we speak to one

another

 How we raise children and conduct our

marriages

 How we treat ourselves

 How we resolve conflict

 How we think about work and much more!

Imago Dei, cont.

What does it mean to be made in the image of

God?  To be created in the image of God meant that we were

given certain abilities that God himself possesses:

 For instance, ability to think, create, plan, love

(bear emotions), know right from wrong, have

relationships with God and others

 Ability to speak, communicate in a way that

builds the other up  These gifts gave humanity the ability to properly

govern God’s creation.

Threats to the Image of God

We have cultural and philosophical threats to

human dignity and worth.

 Pornography

 Pornography celebrates the degradation of the

human body and lessens the value of the person

in exchange for the gratification of human

perversion.

 Our culture celebrates sex, violence, and

cursing in the movies as a form of human

freedom. It is actually moral decay.

Threats to the Image of God, cont.

We have cultural and philosophical threats to

human dignity and worth.

 Sexual Abuse

 Degrades the worth of the person. It can

have lasting effects even into adulthood:

(1) anger issues, (2) distrust of authority,

(3) drug abuse, (4) distrust of men and

fractured relationships, (5) addictions,

(6) self-loathing and guilt, and (7)

resentment against God.

Threats to the Image of God, cont.

We have cultural and philosophical threats to

human dignity and worth.

 Racism  Judging the other from one’s own

perceived superior position

 Attempts to degrade the worth of a person

who is actually formed in the image of the

Creator

 Goes against Scriptural principles: love the

foreigner as yourself (Leviticus 19:34). All

humanity is made in the image of God

Threats to the Image of God, cont.

Pagan Philosophical Threats:

 Hedonism is living for pleasure. Sometimes

hedonism leads to addictions and poor

judgments. Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

 While there are legitimate times when we can

divorce on biblical grounds (e.g., adultery,

abandonment) often people separate in the name

of “irreconcilable differences.”

 When marriage gets too hard, people leave in the

name of “God wants what is best for me, God

wants me to be happy!”

Threats to the Image of God, cont.

Pagan Philosophical Threats: Competing for

our allegiance

 Naturalism: Deny God’s existence, and, with

the death of God comes the lowering of

human dignity.

 Nihilism (violence & suicide): World is

absurd and there is no purpose to life.

Threats to the Image of God, cont.

Pagan Philosophical Threats: Competing for

our allegiance

 Atheistic Existentialists: There is no God

and so we make our own meaning, “Break

out of the herd mentality.”

 Postmodern: There is no absolute truth.

 Judges 17:6: In those days Israel had no

king; all the people did whatever seemed

right in their own eyes. (NLT)

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders

Genesis 3-4: First Human Family  Adam: Head of household who was to govern

God’s creation  Eve: Adam’s suitable “helper”

 The question for this course: what qualifies as a suitable helper?

 Who will pay for making wrong relationship choices?  The Hebrew word for “helper” is also applied to God

(e.g., Exodus 18:4). God is our helper.  Female role has god-like qualities. Female

leadership is empowering.

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

Genesis 1:28 - Together they were to be fruitful

and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.

 Male and Female together fulfilled God’s

original design.

 Children were to be raised in the Lord.

 Something goes wrong! Adam’s children

begin to commit murder. Why?

Garden of Eden: Place of Testing

 Genesis 3:1 – Serpent was the wild animal

“the Lord God had made” who tempted

humanity.

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

Genesis 3: Human Couple Fails Test

 First Temptation: Desire to be like God  Humanity after sin desires everything to be according

to one’s own will rather than God’s will.

 When people and events do not unfold according to

one’s desires:

• Anger, frustration, grief, depression, doubt,

addictions, & violence

 People will use bribery, abuse, seduction, deception,

enticements, rewards and punishments to achieve

their wills.

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

 First Temptation: Desire to be like God

 What is anger? It supposes sorrow, feelings of

being denied or wronged, and has elements of

desires for vengeance

 What is frustration? When one’s will or desires are

not met or hindered

 What is depression? Driven by hopelessness &

ultimately a home

 What are addictions and suicide? Desires to be

comforted or to escape the pain of life

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

 Sin exists both in the act and the heart. All starts

from the heart’s desires.

Anger Fantasy: A life where I am so happy!

Frustration Perfect spouse

Sorrow Smart & obedient children

Depression Stress-free job

Rage Financial abundance

Money, Sex, Power & Beauty

When

I don’t have

god-like

control:

Nurtures

desires

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

 The first human relationship: Adam and Eve

lived in harmony with God, each other, and

worked creation according to God’s purposes.

 There was work to be done.

 But there was no frustration in the work and

yielded returns as much as one invested.

 Work was part of God’s original design to find

fulfillment in human existence.

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

Nature of sin: Genesis 3

 “You won’t die!” – The Serpent minimizes

consequences.

 “You will be like God” – Serpent falsely

magnifies rewards

 Temptation appeals to the (1) lust of the eyes,

(2) pride of life, and (3) lust of the flesh.

 “she wanted the wisdom it would give her” –

Temptations are alternative sources of

wisdom.

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

Consequences of sin: Genesis 3  Fear, shame, and guilt: consequences of desiring

and seeking the wrong

 Humanity no longer celebrates God’s presence.

They hide from God.

 Adam blames God & Eve: “It was the woman you

gave me.” Woman blames the Serpent – “The

Serpent deceived me.”

 “It’s not me, I was deceived.” or “She made me!”

 Spiritual Warfare (Genesis 3:15)

Consequences of sin: Genesis 3

 Woman’s childbirth: painful. Moments of joy are

mingled with pain.

 Power struggle between husband and wife

(Genesis 3:16).

 Creation is cursed (Genesis 3:17). Work is now

frustrating, toilsome labor

 Death: “dust you will return”

God’s Compassion: (1) clothing from animal skin, (2)

barred the tree of life lest they live forever under the

curse of sin.

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

Adam’s Children: The first sin of Adam reigns in

humanity (Genesis 4).

 Genesis 4:1 Adam and Eve have sexual relations

 Our culture celebrates sex in music, movies, and

magazines as liberty, pleasure, and without

consequences.

 Sex in God’s design was supposed to be pleasurable

within the bounds of marriage.

 Sex outside of God’s Design: Abortion pill, unwanted

pregnancies, termination of unwanted life, painful regret,

desensitization to sinful lifestyle

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

Adam’s Children: The first sin of Adam reigns in

humanity (Genesis 4).

 Desire to be like God (Genesis 3:5)

 Cain – anger and envy hijacked his heart

 “Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control

you” (v. 7)

 First human murder

 Cain did not care about what God wanted, he

cared only about what he wanted

 Blood of Abel vs. Blood of Christ (Hebrews

12:24)

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

Intruders

 “Leave and Cleave” (Genesis 2:24)

 Cultural issues & family traditions

 Friends

 Family (Grandparents)

 Work

 Children

Marriage, Sin, and Intruders, cont.

God’s Plan of Redemption

 The image of God has been perverted by sin

but vestiges of the image of God remain in all

humanity.  All human beings continue, for instance, to think,

create, plan, love, hate, have a conscience,

maintain relationships with God and others, and

care for creation.

 All have been perverted by sin. Human body and

soul were created good but now fallen to sin. Soul

is not imprisoned in the body. “Flesh” in Paul’s

writings often means “sinful nature.”

Fruits of Sin: Pain

Child Runaways

Domestic Violence Abortions

Child Abuse

Employee/r DishonestyAddictions

Idolatry

Theft

Murder

Cursing Adultery

Racism

Unfair Wages

Gender Confusion

Divorce

Elderly Abuse

Work Frustrations

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

New Life in Christ: We cannot take sin lightly!  Behavior change is not enough. It merely masks the sin

within.

 “I won’t do it again, I promise!”

 Proverbs 26:11, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a

fool repeats his foolishness.” (NLT)

 We need a heart change that leads to a transformed life.

 Sinful heart: adultery, domestic violence, racism,

deceit, etc.

 Transformed heart and mind: faithfulness,

meekness, love, honesty, etc.

New Life in Christ:

 Regeneration of the Holy Spirit

 Faith and Repentance

 Justification by faith alone

 Definitive and Progressive Sanctification

 Possible Temporary Backslide &

Perseverance of Saints

 Glorification

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

In Jesus Christ, God’s plan of redemption is to

reclaim a world fallen to sin and corruption.

 Human relationships: dating, domestic violence,

abortions, raising children, cursing, racism,

divorce, etc.

 Workplace environment: employer abuse,

employee dishonesty, irresponsibility, rudeness,

insensitivity, deceit, self-centeredness, etc.

 Human addictions and idolatry: money, sex,

power, and beauty

 We need the wisdom of God in this fallen world!

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

Saved but not

Perfected

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

We need biblical convictions that (1) God is

creator and (2) we are his creation.  Adam’s sin caused spiritual death then physical

death.

 Jesus Christ offers spiritual life in the regeneration of

the Holy Spirit then eternal physical life at the

resurrection.

 Already and Not-Yet

Before our life in Christ Glorification (Eternalization)

Follow our ungodly passions Perfected & Resurrected

 Antinomianism  Romans 6:1 “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can

show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (NLT)

 What is so bad about sin?  Romans 6:16 Don't you realize that you become the slave of

whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. (NLT)

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

Saved but not perfected: believers still struggle

with sin.

Old Self Crucified New Life in Christ

with Christ

Ungodly passions Restoring the image

Violent self-desire of God

First sin of Adam

 Seeking relationships according to God’s criteria

 Doing marriage God’s way

 Raising children God’s way

 Working with God’s perspective

 Righteous living that sows good consequences:

happiness takes commitment

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

God’s way is better! An example from Old Testament marriage:  Finding a spouse: we must have the right standards!

 Marriage to foreigners was prohibited because pagan spouses often led the family away from Yahweh:

• 1 Kings 11:2 – “The LORD had clearly instructed the people of Israel, 'You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.' Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.” (NLT)

 Solomon worshipped Ashtoreth, Molech, & Chemosh (1 Kings 11:5). Molech required child sacrifices (Leviticus 18:21) and Ashtoreth was a sex goddess.

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

Ancient Israelite Marriage Ceremonies

 Ezekiel 16:8-13

 Acts of love and promise of provision and

security

 Oath to faithfulness and entered into a

covenant

 Anointed and adorned his new bride

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

God’s way is better! An example from Old

Testament marriage:

 Family in ancient Israel -- patricentrism:  Unlike modern families, ancient Israelites lived

together with extended families.

 Head male looked out for the interest of his family:

confidence, trust, and security.

 Serve the well-being of those he was entrusted with

since failing to secure the well-being of the family was

a failure of the head male.

 Failure of head of household (e.g., idolatry) could

have generational effects on his descendants

(Exododus 20:4-5; Deuteronomy 5:8-9).

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

Family in ancient Israel -- patricentrism:  Model devotion to Yahweh, lead the spiritually family

(e.g., national festivals), instruct the family in Torah. He

should not exploit others or covet another’s possessions

(e.g., Exodus 20:10, 15; Deuteronomy 5:14-17).

 Work the land according to God’s ways and provide for

the needs of the family.

 Defend against outside threats.

 Participate in community affairs or duties (e.g., serve as

elder).

 Implement major household decisions (e.g., property,

levirate marriage, harm to the family).

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

Family in ancient Israel -- patricentrism:

 Supported those in the ministry and was kind to

widow, orphans, and foreigners

 Deuteronomy 14:29 - “Give it to the Levites, who will

receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to

the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and

the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be

satisfied. Then the LORD your God will bless you in

all your work.” (NLT)

Wives partnered with her husband by empowering them to

lead the family in a Godward direction – God-like role. God

empowers us to live godly lives.

God’s Plan of Redemption, cont.

Fruits of Sin: Pain

Child Runaways

Domestic Violence Abortions

Child Abuse

Employee/r DishonestyAddictions

Idolatry

Theft

Murder

Cursing Adultery

Racism

Unfair Wages

Gender Confusion

Divorce

Elderly Abuse

Work Frustrations

References

Campbell, K. M. (Ed.). (2003). Marriage and family in the biblical

world. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

Chapman, D. G. (2014). One more try: What to do when your

marriage is falling apart. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

Chapman, G. D. (2010). Things I wish I’d known before we got

married. Chicago, IL: Northfield Publishing.

Edgar, W. (2017). Created and creating: A biblical theology of culture.

Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

References

Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning. Boston, MA: Beacon

Press.

Gottman, J., & Silver, N. (2015). The seven principles for making

marriage work: A practical guide from the country’s foremost

relationship expert. New York, NY: Harmony.

Guinness, O. (2003). The call: Finding and fulfilling the central

purpose of your life. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Keller, T. (2011b). The meaning of marriage: Facing the complexities

of commitment with the wisdom of God. New York, NY:

Penguin Books.

References

Mack, W. A. (1999). Strengthening your marriage. Phillipsburg, NJ: P &

R Publishing.

Parrott, L., & Parrott, L. (2009). Saving your marriage before it starts:

Seven questions to ask before-and after-you marry. Grand

Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Thomas, G. L. (2015). Sacred marriage: What if God designed

marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?

Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Ulin, R. C. (2001). Understanding cultures. Malden, MA: Wiley

Blackwell.