Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up

 Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up

The Biblical Worldview of Human Nature

 

December 17, 2022

Larry R Evans

 

Introduction

 

To Tell the Truth is an American television show that aired on the CBS television network, from 1956 to 1968, and then in syndication, from 1969 to 1978. As of 2021, there have been 31 different seasons. Each program had four celebrity panelists who first heard a statement of truth about a featured special guest. With the guest were two persons who claimed to be the special guest and they did so by sharing convincing lies.  In the end, the panelists were to decide who was telling the truth. The one telling the truth was often not the one who was believed.

 

Pretenders are not something new. The Bible speaks about many who claimed to be the real thing but were not. In the previous two weeks we’ve, we’ve seen how one fundamental lie told by Satan in the Garden of Eden grew in its deceptive influence. We’ve seen that original lie express itself through forms of mysticism, near-death-like experiences, reincarnation, necromancy, impersonations of the dead, and now video conferencing with the dead. Our study then took us to the armor of God described in Ephesians 6 which essentially is a promise that in Christ and His Word we can be protected.

 

The Model of Jesus

 

How we relate to deceptions and the armor of God is rooted in our “biblical worldview.” What do we mean by a biblical worldview? A recent national survey revealed that only 4% of adults have a biblical worldview as the basis for their decision-making.  George Barna described the outcome this way,

“If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience, and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is that they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think – our attitudes, beliefs, values, and opinions. 

The research indicated that everyone has a worldview, but relatively few people have a biblical worldview – even among devoutly religious people. The survey discovered that only 9% of born-again Christians have such a perspective on life.

(https://www.barna.com/research/a-biblical-worldview-has-a-radical-effect-on-a-persons-life/ )

Barna continues describing what is meant by a biblical worldview,

For the research, a biblical worldview was defined as believing that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in six specific religious views. Those views were that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He still rules it today; salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned; Satan is real; a Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people; and the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings.

Tim Keller, a prominent author, explains worldview this way,

Any worldview consists of posing and answering three questions: 

1. How are things supposed to be?

2. What is the main problem with things as they are?

3. What is the solution and how can it be realized? –Every Good Every Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work, p.195

The key text in our study for Monday is Luke 2:52, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Taken by itself, we could conclude that the principle application point is that we should follow the model of Jesus which is to give focus on developing the mental, physical, spiritual, and social dimensions of our human nature.  Is that what Luke is telling us? Certainly, those are indeed four critical dimensions we each have and should develop.  But does this describe the primary worldview of Jesus? In John 1:29 we find Jesus addressing the problem of His mission this way,

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

If that is the mission of Jesus, how did Jesus prepare for that mission?  Before we learned about Jesus growing or developing mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially what was He doing? Where was He?  He had become separated from His parents for three days.  Why?

After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them. – Luke 2:46-50.

There is a big difference between the worldview of Jesus and His parents. Why did Jesus have to be in His Father’s house?  The parents implied that He had not respected them, and Jesus is saying He had to be with His Father to accomplish His mission.  What was there about His mission that He had to be in His Father’s house at this time?

“I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also because that is why I was sent.” –Luke 4:43

For Jesus, to be one with the Father was critical if He were to accomplish His mission. As Jesus sought oneness with His Father, the Bible says He grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.  In this way, the creation's original plan was retained. He was the light shining in the darkness (John 1:5). He remained uniquely as the “image of God” (Gen. 1:26) because He remained one with the Father. The kingdom He modeled through His teaching, preaching, and healing sought to restore the wisdom, and stature, of those He met so that they might find favor with God and man.  So we see Jesus' worldview at work in His ministry as he sought to answer three important questions:

1. How are things supposed to be?

2. What is the main problem with things as they are?

3. What is the solution and how can it be realized?

If this is indeed true, we can expect Satan to attack the answers Jesus sought to provide through His ministry on earth!

 

What we have seen so far is that the mission of Jesus, as demonstrated in His own life, was to make us whole as intended by His creative acts in Genesis. By approaching His mission in this way, He was not only establishing “the kingdom of God”, but He was also defeating deceptions thrust upon Him and us. Dualism is one such approach Satan has taken.

 

The Body as a Temple

 

Biblically speaking, dualism is an artificial division between the sacred and secular. This is why our understanding of Jesus' worldview is so critical for us to recognize.  We are reminded of components in the creation of Adam and Eve, 

Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. –Genesis 2:7

  Our wholeness was not complete until the dust and the breath of life came together. We are not a living “soul or being” without these two elements united.  When that happens, the Bible tells us we were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). It is with this understanding that 1 Corinthians 6:12,19,20 takes on a rich significance,

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. . . .The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?

Dualism expressed itself in a deception called Gnosticism which came in two forms.  One said that all matter is evil and only the spirit was good. One heretic called Marcion took a knife to the Bible and cut out any reference to the Creator for He indeed created matter. You can see why the Sabbath was especially distasteful to him. The other form of Gnosticism taught you could do anything you wanted with your body because the spirit is not affected by what happens to the body. Do we see why Luke 2:52 was such a radical thought,

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Our bodies were created by God as a whole. When we are united with God our life embraces all aspects of life—in worship and work and play.

 

The Mind of Christ

 

There have been many thoughts on how we can change our attitudes and behavior. We assume that if we can only change them then we will become a different person. Behind that assumption is the belief that we tend to think that we see things as they are. We are objective and we see what we see.  However, that is not the case.  We see the world, not as it is, but as we are. Self-introspection is not the answer. Henry David Thoreau, an American poet, once wrote, “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.”

 

We can only make the necessary changes in our lives if we quit focusing on our attitude and behavior. The way we see the problem is the problem. We will only see differently if we are different. This is why Paul’s statement in Galatians 2:20-21 is so powerful.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

The worldview of Jesus came about because He was the One who created us with a purpose in mind. The problem that He sees is how we have fallen from the original plan. To become “whole” means we must grow into having the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16). Deceptions are designed as distractions. The Apostle Paul’s counsel reflects his worldview as part of God’s plan to rescue us.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.—Philippians 4:8

Luke 2:52 spoke of Jesus being in favor with both God and man. Paul explains what perspective Jesus had for that to happen.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death —

even death on a cross! –Philippians 2:5-8

 

Facing the Future with Confidence

 

If having a biblical worldview means anything, it means we have confidence in Him who created us, redeemed us, and sustains us.  Ellen White expresses the worldview when she wrote,

Live the life of faith day by day. Do not become anxious and distressed about the time of trouble, and thus have a time of trouble beforehand. Do not keep thinking, “I am afraid I shall not stand in the great testing day.” You are to live for the present, for this day only. Tomorrow is not yours. Today you are to maintain the victory over self. Today you are to live a life of prayer. Today you are to fight the good fight of faith. Today you are to believe that God blesses you. And as you gain the victory over darkness and unbelief, you will meet the requirements of the Master, and will become a blessing to those around you.—Signs of the Times, October 20, 1887

In Review

 

In our study today we have seen key points for living the Christ-filled life which in turn is our defense against the deceptions of Satan.

 

·      Everyone has a worldview that responds consciously or unconsciously to three important questions:

1. How are things supposed to be?

2. What is the main problem with things as they are?

3. What is the solution and how can it be realized?

·      Christ’s worldview was focused on His relationship with His Father and in turn, was able to answer the three questions.

·      We were created as whole persons. Dualism seeks to conquer and deceive by dividing.

·      We best see problems from a biblical worldview which can be seen and acted upon by having the mind of Christ.

·      Attitudes and behaviors are best understood and changed by first being different. This restoration of God’s original plan for us begins with our focus on the One who created us and modeled for us a perspective that brought Him into favor with both God and man.

 

As Morris Venden would say, “An apple tree doesn’t produce apples to become an apple tree, but because it is an apple tree.”  That process is best described in John 15:5

 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.