I. Developing a Worldview
Recognising Whose World We Live In
A worldview concerns where the world came from, why it exists, who governs history, what is real, what is good, what is evil, and humanity’s place in the world. It may sound like a philosophical concept, yet it is closely connected with everyday life.
Whether we believe the world has a Creator affects how we understand life. Whether we believe people have dignity given by God affects how we treat them. Whether we believe God remains sovereign also affects how we face uncertainty and circumstances beyond our control. Habits, desires, and circumstances also influence human conduct, but our basic understanding of the world continually shapes how we make judgements.
1. The World Begins with God Rather than with Us
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This is Scripture’s starting point for understanding the world. The psalmist declares further, “The earth is the LORD’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it” (Psalm 24:1).
Human beings did not create the world, nor are they its ultimate owners. Our bodies, time, abilities, and resources are all under the Creator’s sovereignty.
Acknowledging that we are created beings helps us recognise our limits. I can study the world, make plans, and use my abilities, but I cannot make my own judgement the highest standard of good and evil or demand that everything happen according to my wishes. God gives people responsibility to care for and govern the created world, and they must carry out that responsibility under His sovereignty.
Recognising that “I am not God” also enables us to lay down burdens that are not ours to bear. We do not have to know every answer, control every outcome, or take responsibility for satisfying everyone. We need to discern what we can and should take responsibility for, act earnestly within that scope, and entrust to God outcomes beyond our abilities.
Entrusting matters to God does not do away with planning and action. James 4:13–16 reminds us not to treat tomorrow, which we cannot control, as though we already possess it. We still work and make arrangements for our lives, while acknowledging before God that life is a gift we have received and that we cannot secure the future by ourselves.
Acknowledging our limits also helps us distinguish our own responsibilities from those of others. Parents, for example, should do their best to raise their children, but cannot make every choice for them. Leaders should make clear arrangements for work, but cannot ensure that everyone will respond as they expect. Recognising our limits enables us to fulfil our responsibilities conscientiously while respecting the responsibilities others must bear.
2. Human Beings Are Neither Masters of the World nor Meaningless Bystanders
Scripture helps us recognise our limits and also see the dignity we receive from God. “God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). Human beings are not God, yet they are created in His image and receive life, dignity, and responsibility. We should neither place ourselves in the Creator’s position nor disregard the worth of our own lives or those of others.
God entrusted human beings with governing the created world and placed Adam in the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it (Genesis 1:26–28; 2:15). People are therefore more than consumers of resources; they are also stewards accountable to God. Labour, research, creative work, care, and participation in public life can all be practical ways of carrying out our responsibilities as created beings.
“Creative work” here means working with the materials and abilities God gives us. It must not be confused with God’s act of bringing all things into existence. Human governance is also subject to God’s will and requires concern for the land, resources, and other people’s dignity. The ability to exercise a certain power does not give us the right to use it however we please.
Such a worldview leads us to take our own place in the world seriously. Caring for someone in the family, providing a reliable service at work, and upholding justice in the community all have practical significance. One person’s responsibilities may have a narrow scope, yet they remain connected with other people and the created world.
When we consider care for the created world and meeting human needs, the value of work cannot be judged by income alone. Cleaning, nursing, growing crops, repairing things, and caring for family members all meet people’s practical needs. Society requires many kinds of labour. Respecting workers and treating them fairly are part of taking our responsibility to care for the created world seriously.
3. The World Is Good and Also Broken
Genesis 1:31 describes everything God made as “very good.” Genesis 3 records how, after people disobeyed God, sin damaged relationships between people and God, among human beings, and between people and the land. The world today still displays the goodness of creation, while also being filled with the harm, toil, and death that result from sin.
Recognising the goodness of creation enables us to give thanks, appreciate it, learn, and build. Recognising the reality of sin keeps us from treating education, institutions, technology, or personal effort as our ultimate salvation. These can improve circumstances, but cannot by themselves bring sinners forgiveness and reconciliation with God or remove death.
Scripture places our hope in Christ’s redemption and the renewal God has promised. Romans 8:19–23 portrays creation groaning together as it waits to be freed from bondage to decay. The One seated on the throne declares, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5, excerpt). This promise points to its fulfilment in the new heaven and new earth. It cannot be used directly as a guarantee that every present difficulty will immediately disappear.
We can therefore engage seriously with the world as it is, while acknowledging that we cannot accomplish its ultimate redemption. Caring for those who have been hurt, addressing injustice, and making good use of technology and resources are responsibilities we need to bear. The complete renewal we hope for, however, depends on God fulfilling His promise.
Waiting for God to fulfil His promise does not mean ignoring present harm and injustice. Harm still needs to be exposed, injustice stopped, and wrongdoers held accountable. Trusting God enables us to continue doing good amid brokenness, while also allowing us to weep, seek help, and wait for justice that has not yet come.
Jesus Christ entered this broken world, truly experienced human hardship, and accomplished redemption through His death and resurrection. Our hope therefore has a definite foundation. God does not ask people to deny darkness by adopting an optimistic attitude. Rather, He turns our eyes to the risen Lord so that we continue trusting Him in a world not yet fully renewed.