How to Build a Christian Worldview

Posted On August 28, 2023

Written by Dr. Christopher Cleveland, associate professor of Christian thought

Scripture commands us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). What does this mean? In order to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, we must begin to look at the world from a Christian perspective. In other words, we must possess a Christian worldview. We must look at things the way that God looks at things rather than the way that the world in its sin looks at things. So, how may this be done? There are four practical ways that we may begin to build a Christian worldview and start to view things from a divinely ordered perspective.

First, we must know the Bible. Get to know your Bible. Know the Old and New Testaments. Know the story of Scripture. Know the history of Israel. Know the life of Christ in all four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Know the teaching of Paul’s epistles. Get to know how and when the New Testament quotes the Old Testament. Know how the story of Scripture begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation.

Studying Scripture allows us to see things the way that God has revealed them to us. Once we know the Bible, we recognize that the world is not just a random mass of matter but the personal creation of God (Gen. 1). We recognize that man is not just an evolved ape but was instead created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26–28). We learn from Scripture that our problems are not due to culture and education but are the result of our sin (Rom. 1–3). And we realize that the only hope is found in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:4–10).

Second, after getting to know Scripture, it is vital to learn from Christians of the past. One good place to start is with the great Reformers and Puritans of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These pastors and theologians knew and loved the Lord Jesus, and their lives bear witness to their love for Him. Here are some examples of people whose writings are rich and worth reading: Thomas Boston, Thomas Brooks, John Bunyan, John Calvin, Stephen Charnock, Thomas Goodwin, Petrus Van Mastricht, John Owen, William Perkins, and Francis Turretin. Many others could be mentioned, but any of the Puritans are well worth reading because of their love for Christ and deep knowledge of Scripture.

Third, let us begin to look at the system of doctrine or teaching that Scripture itself possesses. In other words, we should begin to think theologically. Here we are aided greatly by the confessions of the faith, as they present the system of teaching found in Scripture. For example, the Westminster Confession of Faith and Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession of Faith, and the 1689 London Baptist Confession are all excellent examples of Reformed confessions which present the system of doctrine taught in Scripture.

Fourth, keep your eyes focused on Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:2 states that we are to be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Only by looking to Christ will we have our minds transformed properly. It is only by staying focused on Jesus that we will be made like Him and begin to live in conformity with His Word. Let us therefore look to our Lord Jesus that we might be transformed in truth, in love, and in holiness.