Everyone of us has a worldview. We are all influenced by our culture, by our social cues and references that surround us and by the people that we live amongst. Often our own culture is unknown to us until it is pointed out by someone from another country, or until we travel overseas and see that other cultures do things quite different from back at home.

I was in India and an Indian pastor was saying that many Indian Christians still think with a pagan worldview instead of having a Christian worldview. In the West, the majority of Christians have a materialistic worldview, as they compare themselves against their neighbours by their houses, cars and holidays etc.; they live for themselves with disregard to those less fortunate than themselves.

‘He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again’ (2 Corinthians 5:15).

I read a book which challenged Western Christian thinking and posed the question: ‘What is your worldview? Is it biblical?' The author challenged his readers to begin by reading Matthew chapters 5-7 and to compare their culture with biblical reference points from the lips of Jesus.

The Bible is full of Scriptures telling us the correct way to think and live. As I was reading those three chapters, one verse at a time, which I had read dozens of times before, I realised that much of my thinking, my worldview was contrary to Scripture. I found myself repenting of my wrong reference points and social cues in many areas of my life because they were contrary to Scripture.

Since then, I have been slowly making my way through the rest of the New Testament, beginning in Romans, to check (and to re-programme my brain where necessary) so that my mind lines up with the mind of Christ, so that I can love my neighbour as myself and to treat others how I would like to be treated myself. I recommend that you do it as well.

Mathew Backholer.

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Mathew is the author of:
Revival Fire - 150 Years of Revivals Go
Extreme Faith – On Fire Christianity Go
Global Revival – Worldwide Outpourings Go
Discipleship For Everyday Living. Christian Growth Go
Understanding Revival and Addressing the Issues Go
Revival Answers, True and False Revivals Go
Revival Fires and Awakenings. Thirty-Six Visitations of the Holy Spirit Go
How to Plan, Prepare and Successfully Complete your Short-Term Mission Go