Even though some would argue that worldview people outnumber disciples, that does not make what they believe right. This daily devotional reviews what the worldview gets wrong.
Devotions in the Self-Discipline Review series
All year, we’ve been looking at self-discipline. We looked at self-discipline as the operational plan for self-control because it talked about improvement.
We are reviewing everything and hopefully putting all of the building blocks together. What I am doing is going through all of the devotions for the year and pulling out the nuggets.
I am formatting this as a glossary page. If I already have one, I will combine them later.
As much as worldview people think they know, there aree some things that the worldview gets wrong. Let’s take a look.
What the Worldview Gets Wrong
Worldview people are very quick to point out when disciples don’t do the do’s and do the don’ts. They think it is about execution. It isn’t. The do’s and don’ts are about building character. It is about making the decisions, not necessarily what decision we make. I think it is really about growing in grace through the situations in which He calls us (Being Content with What We Have).
God loves us and cares for us on this earth. The life in this world will never be His priority. God’s priority will always be His kingdom and our spiritual condition. So, what does this tell us? It is not the random acts of kindness in and of itself. It is our character. But the character has to imitate God and want to further His kingdom (How Are Disciples Merciful?).
Sometimes, worldview people – and even disciples – think that disciples should be perfect. They shouldn’t break any of God’s laws and commandments. While that should be our goal, unfortunately, the church can’t be perfect here in this life (The Perfection of the Church).
What we are facing, though, is worldview people think they can keep the moral laws without making a profession of faith. That isn’t enough. Yes, keeping the moral laws are helping to give us a character like God’s. That is a good thing. There are two problems with that. The first problem is moral laws alone cannot save us. God’s law required 100% obedience. That is never going to happen. Our sinful nature would not let that happen. Almost isn’t good enough. That was part of the issue with the law. It could only give us the model of how we are supposed to behave. It did not tell us how to rectify it if we broke a law. The second problem is that keeping the moral laws do nothing about our being spiritually dead. We needed Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins. The law prepared us for His arrival (Discerning the Voice of God between the Law and the Gospel).
We have to get over this worldview notion that we can earn our way into Heaven. We can’t. It is all based on what Jesus did for us and have we accepted Him as our Savior (Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?).
Worldview people accuse disciples of being less moral than they are. Worldview people can still be moral people because they are still creations of God. Being moral, however, does not make us children of God. We are not children of God unless we ABCD (What Does Made in His Image Mean?).
Unfortunately, this misinterpretation of Matthew 7: 12 leads worldview people to think disciples are hypocrites. They further skew this to read that disciples are supposed to let them treat people as they want to be treated, i.e. let them think and do whatever they want. That definitely isn’t what Jesus said. Jesus expects us to follow God’s laws and commandments. One of His commandments is to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you …” (Mt. 28: 19-20 CSB). God does not commanded us to let people disobey Him — we are to try to help them see His love for them. Our disciple’s job description says that our duties are to proclaim His gospel and make disciples. What does this mean?
- How we want others to treat us — We want them to treat us based on God’s laws and commandments, not by the worldview.
- We treat them that way — We treat them based on God’s laws and commandments, not by the worldview.
- How this manifests itself — We treat them with love.
- What this fulfills — We are obedient to the law (How Are Disciples Supposed to Treat People?).
- While the worldview wants to give the illusion that it is inclusive, it isn’t. Instead, we are so good at judging, aren’t we, when we are following a worldview perspective? Take a good look at comments on social media to figure out that answer. Jesus truly is inclusive (What Does Made in His Image Mean?; The Ministry of Reconciliation).
- Mankind are creatures who feel, especially love. However, the worldview definition of love is not as pure as God’s definition of love (How Else Are We Made in His Image?).
- Worldview people say we don’t love people because we don’t tolerate their desire to sin. So sometimes, they try to tell us we really aren’t disciples of God. Don’t listen to them! They don’t know God. They are trying to get us to love as they do, not as God does (Aren’t We All Children of God?).
- Worldview people want disciples to believe that we can’t point out that their actions are sins. They tell us we should not judge (Mt. 7: 1) — which is true. However, how we do or do not approach the non-believer does not change the fact that God has determined what is sin and what isn’t. God will judge them on His timetable. We have to show kindness and compassion as we witness to them (What Is Expected of Disciples?).
- It isn’t just being tolerant like worldview people think. It is sincerity in doing things God’s way. We must be keeping His laws and His commandments His way (What Do You Mean All Disciples Won’t Get into Heaven?).
- Oh, doesn’t Romans 14: 7 contradict what worldview people think? Some don’t think their actions affect anyone but themselves. Some think that there should be no consequences. They think wrong (Honoring the Lord through Worship).
- Part of the worldview people’s problem is they think they can figure things out. They think they know how the universe was created. They think they know how or when it will end. They don’t (What Does Omniscience Mean?).
- Some worldview people expect disciples are supposed to be doormats — someone they can run over — especially since we are supposed to be peacemakers. Disciples aren’t meant to be mice. God doesn’t want us to be timid. He wants us to be able to stand up for that in which we believe — Him (Faith as a Virtue).
- Society today will not be unified by the worldview. It can’t. Its leader is Satan, the master at causing division. We must choose God to unify us. God is the God of love, peace, and unity (Rebuilding Together under Difficult Conditions).
- Justice is the central theme in the Old Testament. Ooo, baby. The biblical definition is totally different than the worldview definition. God is all about giving us an orderly life based on His ways. The worldview just wants to make sure everyone gets the good things they think should be coming to them. What worldview people haven’t figured out yet is that God’s way is the best way. He only deals with us through love (Spiritual Wisdom Leads to Righteousness).
- Unfortunately, Satan has convinced worldview people that simple means stupid. That is just one of the lies Satan has forced on us. Let’s look at it this way. Another “characteristic” of a simple person according to the worldview is that anything will be believed. Not true. Read those verses again. “… consider his way …” (Prov. 14: 8 CSB) and “… watches his steps” (Prov. 14: 15 CSB). When we consider something, we are looking at all sides before we make our decision. That isn’t blindly believing something. If God wanted us to blindly believe Him, why would He want us to grow in knowledge? Rather, He wants us to make a conscious decision to follow Him (Spiritual Wisdom Leads Us to be Sensible People).
- Worldview followers do not have a circumcised heart, which could be interpreted as heartless. That, too, is understandable when they refuse to acknowledge God as Sovereign Lord (The Nominal Disciple).
- People believing the worldview equate disciples saying “sin no more” as judging. Isn’t it more that we are concerned for the spiritual condition of your hearts and lives? Telling someone to “sin no more” is not judging them. It is the ultimate expression of love (The Lenient Judgment of Others).
- The worldview is wrong when it argues that we are trading one bondage for another. God’s spirit of bondage — which is really adoption — bears good fruit (What Else Is Spiritual Freedom?).
- Worldview people get that being moral is knowing the difference between right and wrong. They just miss that it means God’s right and God’s wrong (What Is Religious Freedom?).
- Many worldview people give the argument that disciples have to give up most of the good things of life. They see this as self-denial. Instead, God has promised us prosperity when we follow Him. (No, it isn’t going to be the world’s definition of prosperity.) He will prosper us through our relationships with Him. He will give us peace (What Does Delight in the Lord Mean?).
- The thing I am not sure the worldview people understand is that evil is equated with sin because it is that which goes against God and His purposes. Worldview people think we need more laws and more love to combat evil. No. We need God (God Is the Only Peace for Man).
- Worldview people think that the outward morality alone will turn us into mountain-climbing disciples (What Is Purity to a Disciple?).
- The Ephesians were trying to understand the gospel from the foundation of worldview philosophy. The problem with that is the philosophy was a heathen philosophy (What Is Purity to a Disciple?).
- The worldview will never unite us because it is from Satan. Satan is all about chaos and division (Comprehending Christ’s Purpose).
- We can’t take this to mean that worldview people who have not ABCDed will get a pass. They have to be blessed to get a pass according to Matthew 25: 34. We are only blessed when we ABCD (The Nominal Disciple).
- Worldview people argue that, if God is love, there would be no consequences. Seriously? We really think we would want to submit to a God Who didn’t care what we did? That is just a smokescreen (Can We Really Identify God’s Wrath?).
- Some worldview people like to think that God is not judging us now and won’t until the end times — if then. We talked about this before. Do not take that to mean God will not judge. He will — if not today, He will in the end (Can We Really Identify God’s Wrath?).
- Our lives being led by the Spirit are totally different than what the worldview pushes. But a life lived under the worldview does not bring us happiness. The world, controlled by Satan, reflects his chaos. He promotes division and divisiveness. He promotes isolation (Characteristics of Disciples’ Lives).
Gracious Heavenly Father. There are those that still rebel against You. They want religion to be their way. Lord, You are Sovereign God. Our relationship with You must be on Your terms. Father, we submit to Your Will. Amen.
What do you think?
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