When you sense that this is how culture sees us , it can seem pretty bizarre . After all , Christianity has been the dominant religious influence in America for the last 400 years , but now it ’ s extreme ( and concerning ) to believe that the Bible is God ’ s Word ?
While there ’ s no reason to agree with secularists that our views are concerning , there are many reasons to agree that our worldview is extremely different relative to the dominant secular worldview culture now holds . We ’ re certainly “ extremists ” in that sense — and should gladly embrace the fact if we fully understand the nature of a biblical worldview . More specifically , we ’ re extreme in three major ways .
First , we ’ re extreme in our source of authority .
The most foundational difference between those with a biblical worldview and those with a secular one is our source of authority . As part of their worldview , every person has an ultimate authority for what they believe to be true about the world and how they should function within it . For Christians with a biblical worldview , that source of authority is God , and we believe that He has revealed those truths in the Bible .
In secularism , a person ’ s source of authority is the self . Secularism isn ’ t what you get when you simply subtract so-called religious beliefs from a person ’ s worldview . When you take away the authority of God , you aren ’ t left with no authority — you ’ re left with the authority of you . This difference in authority is at the root of almost every difference between a biblical and secular worldview .
When the vast majority of people ’ s authority for truth is themselves , it shouldn ’ t be surprising that Christians are going to come to some very different conclusions about the nature of reality than culture . Even uttering the words “ The Bible says . . .” with the assumption that what follows is objective truth that supersedes personal opinion is extreme relative to today ’ s average view that the individual reigns supreme .
And for those who assume the Bible is merely a written record of man ’ s thoughts about God ( and nothing more ), such extremity is concerning . How can Christians be compelled to follow new societal directions if they don ’ t view truth as something subject to change ? With fellow secularists whose feelings determine truth , society can “ progress ” through the push and pull of changing popular consensus . Christians who believe they have an unchanging authority for all time are an infuriating barrier that secularists resent . the final word , regardless of what we think , what any other individual thinks , or what society thinks . From a secular perspective , what a stubborn view !
When your authority is yourself , there ’ s no objective basis for defining morality for all people . In essence , each person is their own God . What ’ s right or wrong isn ’ t a matter of what someone else has said — God or not — it ’ s a matter of what you ’ ve said .
But wait ! Wouldn ’ t that mean that secularists should accept the Christian view of morality as just one more valid view ? Absolutely . But they don ’ t . And this is where secularists fail to live consistently within their own worldview rooted in the authority of the self .
If they were consistent , they ’ d say this : “ Hey , we understand that your Christian view is just as valid as anyone else ’ s since every individual is their own authority , and there ’ s no objective basis for claiming that anything is right or wrong for all people . But a bunch of us have ( fill in the blank ) view on ( fill in the blank ) issue , and we want to try to convince you to change your opinion ! Yet even if you don ’ t change your mind , that ’ s okay , since everyone ’ s view is equally valid anyway . Have a great day .”
Instead , they ’ re saying this : “ The ( fill in the blank ) view on ( fill in the blank ) issue is the objectively right view for all people , and if you disagree , you ’ re wrong and evil .”
“ For those whose authority is God . . . what the Bible says is right or wrong is going to be the final word , regardless of what we think , what any other individual thinks , or what society thinks .”
Second , we ’ re extreme in our understanding of morality .
It follows from the first point that Christians with a biblical worldview are going to be at great odds with secularists in matters of morality . For those whose authority is God and who believe He has revealed Himself and His will in the Bible , what the Bible says is right or wrong is going to be
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