It has been well over a month since my last post so I figure it's well past time that I post something again... Unfortunately, I can't even say that it was because I have had no worldview responses to post =/ I've either just been lazy, or incredibly busy with not blogging...
That being said, I have had a very full life the past few weeks, I started working on my Bachelor's degree in Education at the beginning of the month and have been busily trying to keep up with a ridiculous amount of reading. Between that and work (I'm still working part time at the place I worked this past summer), I don't have time to do a whole lot of extra stuff... but I'm still hoping to get into the local Symphony (I play cello for anyone who doesn't know), so we'll see how this goes...
ANYWAY, enough about me... here is the next worldview response which comes to you from another dear friend of very unique background. =) Just for fun, let's call him Torval... Ill even let him introduce himself.
The World According to Torval
I'd like to give a short preface before I
start, for those who are interested.
I have lived in multiple countries and
attended many different denominations over the years, a mix of Evangelical,
Pentecostal and even Lutheran. I have
learned many things and hope to continue to gain a greater understanding of
what it means to be a Christian for the rest of my life.
1.
Ontology:
What is the purpose of life?
The purpose of life is to serve as witness
to God's glory.
What are the most important things in the
world?
Most importantly, to seek after God and
love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
What is the purpose of existence?
The purpose of our existence is to glorify
God and enjoy him forever.
What is the center of the universe? Where is it?
The universe is centered around not a
place, but a being. “In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1)
What is time? What is space? How do they intersect?
Time keeps track of finite things within
the infinite eternity of existence.
Space likewise grounds physical things within the infinite vastness of
God's domain.
2.
Futurology:
Where are we going? In life?
After life?
We are either going toward God or away from
God in belief and action during this life.
After we die, we will either live forever in heaven or be sent to hell.
3.
Axiology:
What is good and what is evil?
Good is that which is aligned to the nature
and commands of God, evil is that which is contrary to his nature and his
commands.
How should we approach life?
We should view life as fleeting and
temporary, therefore as a time to live as witnesses to God and his promise of
salvation.
What goals are most important?
The most important goals are those which
bring us into further obedience to God and those which expand his kingdom.
What values are most important?
The greatest values are those found both
generally in God's nature and specifically in his revelation (especially the
fruits of the spirit as outlined by Paul).
What is our ethical responsibility?
We are to live humbly and act justly, care
for the poor and the widows, and do good to those who wrong us.
3.
Praxeology:
How should we act?
Our ultimate aim should be to live and act
perfectly, as Christ did. We should
model our action based on his perfect model.
How do we go about approaching the world
around us?
We are to live in the world, but not of the
world. Being flesh, we must understand
the struggles of humanity but live in the hope of our new spiritual bodies that
are promised us after life. The world is
fleeting and will pass away, so we must place our treasures in heaven, not on
physical or temporal things.
How do we go about accomplishing our
goals?
Our goals should be thought through with
prayer, and carried out with diligence and love.
How do we go about approaching the
Divine?
God has many roles, and is both our Father
and our King. Though we must fear his
awesome power, we can also find comfort in his loving embrace.
5.
Epistemology:
What is truth?
Jesus came into the world for a single purpose:
to testify to the truth. God is this
truth, and the better we understand his nature (including his plan of
salvation), the better we know truth.
What is knowledge?
Knowledge is our understanding of the world
around us that God has placed us in.
What is wisdom?
Wisdom is discerning and interpreting
eternal truths into finite situations.
How do we know what is true and what is
not?
Though sometimes the truth can be veiled
behind lies, ultimately truth can be discerned by listening to God's word (either
by prayer or meditating on the Bible) as he chooses to reveal it to us.
How does one gain knowledge and/or
wisdom?
We need only to ask God, and he will give
it to us. He has already given us our
entire lives as a gift to learn, but we need only ask for more.
6.
Etiology:
Where do we come from?
We come from dust and to dust we will
return. God created us out of nothing.
What is our history?
Our history is that of sin – choosing to
obey our own desires rather than God-given ones. The current story of the human race is that
of a desperate search for meaning, one that can only be satisfied in God.
How did we get to this place?
We chose it. Every one of us is sinful, and each has
turned to his own way. We are wise in
our own eyes and sinful in nature.
What is most important in life?
The most important thing in this life is to
seek after God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. After accepting his sacrifice for our sins,
we must live as Christ-like examples and spread the good news that he offers to
salvation to anyone who believes.
What is indispensable to how we see the
world?
The Bible is God's specific revelation to
man, and an indispensable tool for us to learn about God and his plans.
