POST NUMBER 201

I figured that having published 200 posts is a sort of milepost and that I needed to say a few things regarding the occasion.

I always write with readers in mind, and I actually have a few. They may be friends – old or new -- family or neighbors. They may be persons in whose lives I’ve had some sort of ministry. Or they may be people who just happen across my blog on the internet.

When I started blogging, I didn’t give much consideration to my purpose in writing other than to get my thoughts down. Since then, I have attempted to clarify my purpose (see WHY I BLOG and WHY I BLOG, 2).

I have published a variety of posts: theological papers, Bible studies, sermons and devotionals. I’ve written book reviews and reviews of magazine articles. I’ve given answers to questions I’ve received, as well as reactions to and opinions on issues that confront us today.

Looking back at this time, I have to ask myself, what is it that connects all these various strands of thought? I believe it is this: I have attempted to write everything from within a Christian/biblical worldview. I readily admit that I have not always succeeded, but this has been my desire, not only in my writing, but in my thinking and in my actions.

James Sire in his book, The Universe Next Door, says that a worldview is “a set of presuppositions … which we hold … about the basic makeup of our world” (page 16). He more precisely and wordily defines it thus: “A worldview is composed of a number of basic presuppositions, more or less consistent with each other, more or less consciously held, more or less true. They are generally unquestioned by each of us, rarely, if ever mentioned by our friends, and only brought to mind when we are challenged by a foreigner from another ideological universe.” I’ll go with that definition, though I find it a bit cumbersome.

Everyone has a worldview. It is a set of eyeglasses through which we view life. Our view of God, of basic reality, of humankind and other human beings, are all components of our worldview. It colors our view of ethics and morality, of history and politics, every aspect of our lives and thinking.

So what is this Christian/biblical worldview from which I claim to write? To write out all the various interrelated aspects would be long and tedious (perhaps that is why I’ve published 200 posts). But some basic points are:

• There is one God, eternally existing in three Persons.
• God created all that exists.
• Man – humankind was created in His image.
• Man, through disobedience, has fallen from the high position he once held and stands condemned before God.
• The second Person of God’s threefold being, became a man – Jesus of Nazareth-- and took on Himself, the penalty that was due the human race.
• God has revealed Himself to humankind in many ways, but especially through the Book we know as the Bible.

I realize that I have not always been consistent in my writing and I’ve been even less consistent in my living. I do believe that blogging has forced me to be more consistent in my thinking. Sometimes, when I haven’t been, I’ve had a few readers who have corrected me and forced me to clarify. I hope this will continue.

I also know that there are many who claim to hold this worldview, yet disagree with much that I have said. They may be correct. I’m not “there” yet. None of us are. I don’t believe any of us will be able to think consistently till Jesus returns and we are made to be like Him.

However, I also fear that many of my fellow Christians let other worldviews take precedence. I fear this for myself. A Christian/Biblical worldview must be the “grid” through which we filter all our thinking:

“… taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ …”
(2 Corinthians 10:5).

          Bill Ball
          July 13, 2010