In the early twenty-first century, one hears much about “worldview.”  What is it?  A very simple definition is this:  the truth claims one makes to explain reality.  Think about that definition.  Worldview is composed of the beliefs one holds about critical issues of life and living.  Everyone has a worldview.  Everyone makes truth claims.  Everyone makes life decisions in terms of what they believe to be truth.  The Christian parent, the Christian school administrator, the Christian school teacher, or church leaders, must to be reminded of the words of Jesus spoken to Pontius Pilate as recorded in John 18:37, “…To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth…” Jesus came to establish truth and that truth must serve to build a Biblical worldview.    

It logically follows, in light of the words of Jesus in John 18:37, that there are essential elements to a worldview that take into account the truth of the Word of God.  The Scripture is emphatic that children must be reared in the Lord.  And, that means building within them a set of truth claims based upon the Bible.  Thus, there is a Biblical worldview and that aspect of the truth of God may be addressed in a series of critical questions, the answers to which will begin to form the truth claims vital to a Biblical worldview. 

Question # 1:  Does God really exist?  Communicating one’s faith in the existence of God has become quite complicated.  There are few generally accepted beliefs.  Skepticism has become fashionable and there is a special glamour attached to “not knowing.”  An absence of conviction and open-mindedness has become synonymous with intellectual sophistication. 

Yet the realities of life powerfully reinforce the viability of faith in the existence of God, a God who has directly intervened in the affairs of mankind, all to the spiritual benefit of mankind.  He is the God who cares about each of us.  Primary responsibility for teaching these truths to children has been given to parents (Dt. 1:31; 6:4-9; 11:18-21; Psalm 78:5-8). Vital to that spiritual training and the building of a Biblical worldview is teaching children about the existence of God and instilling a passion to love, to obey and to serve Him. 

Question # 2:  Is the Biblical account of creation true?  The answer to that question is a resounding YES.  But the answer to that question goes far beyond the fact of creation.  It addresses the issues of ownership, responsibility, and accountability.  God owns that which He has created, not only the physical universe, but humankind as well.  Through the prophet Ezekiel, God declares that “all souls are mine” (Ezekiel 18:4).    Psalm 24:1 declares, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof: the world, and they that dwell therein.”  Thus, God owns the physical universe and each human being, including the children.  He owns each of us and we are responsible to Him and accountable to Him.  One who has developed truth claims based upon these passages will have no problem accepting responsibility and accountability to God. 

Question # 3:  What is the purpose of humanity?  This question leads to other questions:  what is God’s purpose in creation? And what is God’s purpose in redemption?  Romans 6:23 offers these words:  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  God’s purpose for man has always been glory, but sin thwarted that purpose, making redemption a vital part of God’s plan.  God’s thought and purpose has always been the glory of man, making man to become as He is.  But man sinned and forfeited that glory.  The result of redemption is that man is qualified again to show the glory of God.  Therein is to be found God’s purpose and it will promote individual initiative and a sense of accomplishment for God.

Question # 4:  What does one face after death?  All of humankind is accountable to God.  First, each individual will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, the Righteous Judge, to give an account for the deeds done in this life.  It will be a judgment of works, either the Judgment Seat of Christ for the believer or the Great White Throne judgment for the unbeliever.  In the former, the believer will receive, or not receive, rewards for the deeds of this life.  In the latter, the unbeliever will hear these words, “…I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity.”(Matthew 7:23).  Second, each individual will live some place in eternity, either in a place of eternal punishment separated from God or in eternal bliss in the presence of God. 

Conclusion:  What is the basis for making decisions about life?  It is one’s truth claims used to explain reality.  The answers to the four questions posed, among others, will begin to identify those truth claims from the Word of God that are vital to a Biblical worldview.  Research shows that as few as four per cent of the American people hold to a Biblical worldview.  Even among believers, the figure rises only to nine per cent.  Any education program or child-rearing program that does not reflect the truth claims of the Bible can only reflect the spirit of antichrist that prevails in the culture of the early twenty-first century.