Viewpoints

World view is a big deal. When I was in school teachers talked about it a lot, noting that unless you understand someone else’s world view you’ll never understand them. You need to know what they value, who and how they worship, what their moral code is, to have a chance to understand what they want.

That’s the problem I have as a Christ-follower: So often, I just don’t get why people do things. What made them think that was a good idea? Can’t they see they’re on the road to misery?

That’s because their world view is, literally, the view of the world. Or as John puts it, (1 John 4:5-6): "They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever does is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood."

“They” in this verse refers to false spirits, false prophets, and anti-christs. I used to think of the anti-christs as Satanic cultists in blood-red robes who practice filthy abominations of worship rites. Really, though, they are just people with a worldly viewpoint. They don’t say, “Come to the dark side,” they say, “If it feels good, do it.” “Life’s too short to be unhappy.” “YOLO.” “Show me the money.”

Sounds like pop culture, but that’s because that’s exactly what it is. Pop culture is our world’s culture, the views of the world. It doesn’t reflect God, because those worldly people don’t listen, John says.

That means I have to be careful what parts of our culture I participate in. Even if I don’t completely buy it myself, I can strengthen the message for others. Then I’m at risk of become one more of those anti-christs, preaching a gospel just distorted enough to please worldly ears.