Appendix B: A Biblical World View

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8.

Since there is scant information concerning the world before the Flood, this volume sets the foundation for a biblical world view of life and history. It is my intent to challenge the reader with the question, "Do you truly have a biblical world view?" Perhaps some readers aren't familiar with the expression "world view," nor a "biblical world view," so an explanation is merited. There are seven basic questions of life that philosophers try to answer. These answers make up one's world view. The questions asked are[1]

1. What is the prime reality?

2. What is the nature of the universe around us?

3. What is a human being?

4. What happens at death?

5. Why is it possible to know anything at all?

6. How do we know right or wrong?

7. What is the meaning of human history?

In answer to these seven basic questions of life, Christians believe these basic doctrines:

Yahweh [2] is the eternal living being who is God. He is a spiritual personality who has no beginning and no end (Psa. 102:24-27), who is the creator of all that is (Isa. 45:11 & 12), and who is the source of all life (Psa. 36:9). He is a triune personality (1 John 5:7), known in the New Testament as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and yet is one being (Deut. 6:4). That means Yahweh is the Father, Yahweh is the Son, and Yahweh is the Holy Ghost. Yahweh has expressed Himself completely in humanity by the uniting of the second member of His personality in the begotten person of Christ Jesus (John 1:1 & 14), who is fully God and fully Man. Because of this, Yahweh is Jesus [3]. Jesus is called the second Adam (1 Cor. 15:45 & 47), descended from Adam (Luke 3:23 & 38), and is therefore fully human. Because of his obedience as a man in his death for our sins, he has been exalted as Lord over all of the creation (Phil. 2:8 & 9). With this monumental act of God in becoming a man, God is no longer called Yahweh, but the Father (John 20 :17) and Jesus (John 10:30). As theologians say, He is immanent yet transcendent (Deut. 30:11-14), omniscient (Isa. 46:10), omnipotent (Jer. 32:27), and omnipresent (Psa. 139:7).

While to some there seems to be no God, the evidence to His existence is manifold. All creation is orderly and consistent. Design is evident. That implies a designer. That designer is a person: Yahweh, who became Y'shua, or Jesus. His testimony is given in the Bible (Col. 1:16).

All that exists is the creation of Yahweh. The creation exists on at least two planes: the physical creation which is perceived by sight, sound, taste, touch and smell; and the spiritual creation which is not perceived except indirectly (e.g., the absence of life at death), but has the testimony of Scripture, and the subjective experience of the new birth. The spiritual creation is substantial and is geographical, being known in different locations as heaven, hell and the dry places. This spiritual geography is inhabited by God and spiritual beings known as angels, demons and deceased humans. Because Yahweh is Spirit (John 4:24) and is preeminent, the spiritual is greater than the physical. We accept that Yahweh created all things, both seen and unseen because the Bible says He did (Col. 1:16 & 17). By His faith (Heb. 11:1 & 2 Cor. 4:13) and His word (Heb. 11:3), He created everything Ex Nihilo, i.e., "out of nothing" (Rom. 4:17b).

Humans are the epitome of God's creation since we are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). We are triune beings of body, soul and spirit (1 Thes. 5:23), just as God is triune in being as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Knowing that we see ourselves as one person, we may assume that God sees Himself as one person. As the Scripture says, "Hear, 0 Israel: Yahweh our God is one Yahweh" (Deut. 6:4). We had been given dominion over His creation (Gen. 1:26), which was forfeited at the Fall (Luke 4:6), but redeemed at the Cross (Col. 1:13, 14 & 2:14, 15). In His image we are creative, spiritual personalities with a free moral will (Josh. 24:15, Isa. 7:15) that affects the universe (Rom. 8:22) and the course of human history (Deut. 30:15-18).

The Bible demonstrates the value of man to God (Rom. 5:8) by the willingness of Jesus Christ (John 10:18) to give up His life for our sake [4]. For God to become a man specifically to die for our sins speaks volumes on the infinite value He places upon man. The Infinite One became finite and finis.

Death is the consequence of human sin (Rom. 6:23). All creation suffers death (Rom. 8:22) because Man failed his stewardship, which brought the curse of God upon all the universe (Gen. 3:17). Human death is not the end of human existence, however, for the soul and spirit are immortal (1 Cor. 15:53 & 54) in people [5]. Indeed, even for the wicked who reject Christ, their bodies will be resurrected and they will physically, spiritually, and soulfully suffer torment for eternity in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:10-14). Believers in Jesus experience the death and resurrection of Christ by faith (Rom. 6:3-5) now, and shall be given glorified, immortal bodies at his return (Phil. 3:20 & 21, 1 Cor. 15:53 & 54), which is the new creature (2 Cor. 5:17). This is an all new creation as hinted at by Christ's own resurrection. He was seen for 40 days in remarkable ways [6] before ascending; and His transfiguration (Matt. 17:2) hints of His shared glory to come.

It is obvious that something exists beyond the visible creation. Life is more than just biomechanical chemistry. We experience dreams [7] , deja vu, and other phenomena that indicate that there is more to life than just the physical world. As a child of atheism, I had convinced myself that death was the same as preconception,,,, that is, nonexistence. But the fear of death remained. The hopelessness in believing that this life is all I had was unbearable. The Scriptures gave me hope.

Knowledge is possible because God has made us in His image to know Him and His creation (1 John 2:27). Because Yahweh is truth (1 John 5:6), and creates only in truth (James 1:17), all existence is founded in truth. He has given us four means of knowledge:

D. And by the giving of His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, to lead us into all truth (1 John 2:27).

Without God, there is no way to truly know anything. We have common consensus as a guide, but that is limited to our mutually subjective experience which is unreliable. An outside source of truth has to exist. Science includes control groups that act as yardsticks for comparison. We need a yardstick and God has provided it: the Bible.

Ethical knowledge is inscribed upon every heart (Rom. 2:15). To ask this question is evidence of that inscription. However, due to the Fall, every heart is corrupt and wicked (Jer. 17:9, 1 Tim 4:2) so that discerning right ethics is blurred. Therefore, Yahweh has given us His testimony on ethics in the Holy Writ. For believers, the new birth gives specific guidance through the Holy Spirit. Ethics are not relative. They are given by an unchanging God (Mal. 3:6) with absolute values.

Without an absolute, no basis for ethical standards exist since opinions change with the wind. Without accountability and judgment by God there is no reason not to be totally selfish.

History is His Story. Yahweh created all things for His purpose and pleasure (Phil. 2:13). He has planned the creation and His will guides the course of human destiny to fulfill His will (Isa. 46:10). History is linear. He began it, and He will end it. Included in His plan, however, is the freedom of man to follow or resist Him. He allows resistance temporarily while giving people time to repent (Rev.2:21), but ultimately His will is done.

Furthermore, without an inerrant truth, history is subject to revision to suit each new generation viewing it. Indeed, secular humanists are trying to write the great truths of Christianity out of the classroom textbooks. But the historical fact of Jesus Christ and the generations of believers that followed, can not be denied. And the historical reality of the Bible gives a reference that doesn't change.

These beliefs held by Christians affect the way we respond to life's trials differently than other world views. But other world views surround us and try to altar our way of behaving. Hence the apostle Paul encourages us to "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2). Not only does the world affect our paradigm, but through the generations church traditions have developed that affect our behavior -- much for good, but some not. The intent of this book is to challenge the reader to examine his own world view to see what is truly biblical, what is church tradition, and what is pagan.

Church traditions are based upon the teachings of many godly people. Doctrines continue to grow with good intent, but sometimes are erroneous. The doctrines stated in answer to the seven philosophical questions, are fundamental beliefs. But throughout history, the Bible has been interpreted in ways that leave the basic doctrines behind. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees saying, "Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you saying, 'This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men'" (Matt. 15:7-9). The Catholic Church has developed doctrines that caused protest by serious followers of Christ, hence they were called Protestants. The Protestant Church now has 500 years of existence: isn't it probable that more doctrines have developed that aren't necessarily biblical, too?

When we examine the antediluvian world recorded in Genesis 1 - 9, we will come across some doctrines that are fundamental to our faith, and some that are controversial. These doctrines are all a matter of interpretation. The only absolute truth we have is in what is written. How these interpretations have been made is the subject of hermeneutics. A brief survey of different hermeneutic principles used throughout biblical history is given to explain why I have chosen certain guidelines in preparing this work.