Author: J. V. Jones, Jr.

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The Attributes of God: Navigating the Paradoxes in Life

For our Lord is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:9)

The lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. (Psalm 103:17)

Introduction

We may call them tensions of existence, those seemingly contradictions that upon deeper reflection or examination form the paradoxes that make up our lives. How we navigate those paradoxes goes a long way in showing how we go about living our lives. And the way we live our lives speaks to the worldview we hold, regardless of the extent to which we are aware of our worldview. I have written before about what I call tensions of existence, [here] [here], but I want to restructure that discussion in light of worldview analysis from a Christian perspective. The paradoxes that fill out our experiences I believe are grounded in the character of God. Rather than being contradictions, they are tensions that give meaning to life when we come to understand that such experiences are grounded in the reality of who God is, thereby shedding light on how we can navigate such experiences in our day-to-day living.

I want to open a door to four areas in which we might experience living as comprising contradictions or tensions, exploring God’s word as to how we might settle into navigating those paradoxes that confront us: diligence/ceasing to strive; obedience/resting in God; human responsibility/God’s sovereignty in our lives; and finally what has been errantly considered as Pauline theology in contrast with theology attributed to James.

Diligence/Cease Striving

They will seek me diligently but they will not find me . . . (Proverbs 1:28)

Cease striving and know that I am God . . . (Psalm 46:10)

Throughout the book of Proverbs, diligence is contrasted with indolence. Want and poverty come upon the idle and lazy like night falling over the day. In contrast, the diligent provide for their means and the means of their family and loved ones. One of the major themes in Proverbs is its declaration to seek wisdom above all else, to pursue wisdom diligently. Other synonyms for diligence include assiduity (skillful living), persistence, and hard work. The warning of Proverbs 1:28 entails the frightening consequences of idleness, wherein one realizes the results of slothfulness in not pursuing wisdom, but cannot find wisdom although one seeks for it diligently. This provides a harrowing portrait of a wasted life.

Given that diligence comprises skills that are amassed across life via persistence and hard work, it is easy for us as fallen creatures to turn diligence into a harried lifestyle, full of anxiety and fear. We may come to believe that we must know everything, exercise perfection in all that we do, and build up a way of life that proves something to ourselves and others. (Many of the verses in Proverbs pertaining to diligence and hard work have been absconded in the false teaching of the prosperity gospel). To counter such a harried lifestyle, we must take to heart Psalm 46:10 – Cease striving . . . How do we on the one hand, diligently work out our lives, while on the other hand, cease striving before God? To understand striving, we must acknowledge those times we are trying to work according to our own strength, not being led by the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16-18). Developing diligence does not entail a work-harried life, nor does ceasing to strive equate to an idle or passive way of living. Both exhortations from Scripture are true. We are to pursue wisdom diligently, building diligence into our lives, while simultaneously resting in God for the outcome and care He provides. Some people may want to call such an approach to life balance. But I think the notion of balance can be misconstrued. We work at life diligently, accruing the wisdom that Scripture calls us to build, while resting in God’s sovereignty that He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:6).

Obedience/Enter God’s Rest

But he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)

For the one who has entered God’s rest has ceased from his works as God did from His. (Hebrews 4:10)

As believers in Christ, we know that we are to obey and keep God’s commandments. Scripture is replete with commandments to be obedient before God (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy, 11:1; Psalm 103:14; Isaiah 1:19; Luke 6:46; John 14:21-24, 15:23; 1 John 5:3, etc., etc.). Equally true is the warning against legalism, seeking to obtain righteousness through fulfilling God’s Law by our own merit. Paul’s entire epistle to the Galatians speaks to this human failing along with many of his other epistles as well as writings penned by other apostolic authors. How do we on the one hand, obey God, while on the other hand rest from our works as God did from His (Hebrews 4:10)? Just as we can turn diligence into a harried life, we can do the same with our pursuit of obedience to God. Hebrews 4:10 speaks to the truth that upon entering God’s rest, we have ceased from our works, i.e. seeking to earn our salvation through works. As believers in Christ, we can do the exact same thing with our sanctification whereby we strive to grow in the knowledge of God by becoming obedient to Him through our own efforts. God’s word tells us that His will for us is our sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Likewise, salvation and sanctification are gifts bestowed upon us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ dwells in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:14-19). Entering God’s rest means we embrace His grace to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who works in us to do His will (Philippians 2:12-13). As fallen creatures, we come up short every day in working out our salvation, many times per day. We have the solace, however, from 1 John 1:9 that when we do fall short, as children of God we can confess our moral failings, thereby restoring our relationship with God. Faith is the overarching power that allows us to pursue our sanctification but to enter God’s rest and cease striving.

Human Responsibility/God’s Sovereignty

I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (Exodus 33:19)

Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

Much of the discussion above can be consumed under the heading of human responsibility juxtaposed to God’s sovereignty over all things. The question that this apparent contradiction brings up is how, on the one hand, are human beings morally responsible for their actions, while on the other hand, God is understood as being totally sovereign over the universe and all that transpires there? While the Apostle Paul gets at this knotty problem through his epistles, he primarily addresses this paradox in Romans, chapters 8 and 9. From a reading of those two sections of his epistle to the believers in Rome, we obtain Paul’s teaching that God is totally sovereign, can do as He pleases, when He pleases, and however He pleases. Additionally, Paul tells us in Romans and other epistles that God is totally just, perfectly holy, and supremely righteous in all that He decrees. God is not the author of sin, nor does He tempt or cause anyone to sin (James 1:13). Although God is completely sovereign, human beings are morally responsible before Him. Given that He owes humanity nothing, anything good coming from God is a gift through grace from Him. At this juncture, we must look at the line where space-time meets with eternity. Human logic is a gift from God for our use to navigate the world in which we live. What finite logic cannot do, however, is totally comprehend God, whose ways are higher than our ways (Ecclesiastes 11:5). Both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are Biblical truths that we embrace although not totally understanding how they work together. While human responsibility signifies to us our culpability before God, God’s sovereignty is our comfort that no matter what occurs, He is in control. As stated above, we can enter His rest and cease striving, knowing He is God.

Justification: Faith and Works

You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. (James 2:24).

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law. (Romans 3:28).

These two statements, both by apostles of Christ, have caused much consternation for believers who make up the Body of Christ, the church. Early on, after his conversion, Paul made contact with Peter and James, sharing with them what he understood the gospel to comprise. They readily responded to Paul with a handshake of acceptance. (Galatians 1:18-19). Paul delineates these facts in his letter to the Galatians. In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul painstakingly lays out that individuals are not justified by their fulfillment of the Law of God. The Law, in fact, is a roadmap to the need for grace from God. The Law declares to us the fact of our sin nature, that we do in fact commit sin, constantly falling short of the requirements of the Law. Hence, the Old Testament sacrificial system is a type that pointed to the antitype fulfilled in the atoning work of Jesus, the Christ. Paul declares to the Galatians that one is justified, declared innocent before God, by faith alone in Christ’s atonement on the cross. To seek to live by the Law, therefore, is to add human merit to the work of Christ.

Those known as the Judaizers, Jews who knew James, the brother of Christ, infiltrated the church at Galatia, teaching the Christians there that in addition to faith in Christ, they must fulfill the requirements of the Law. Specifically, the Judaizers told the Gentile Christians in Galatia that they must be circumcised. Upon learning this, Paul writes his epistle to the Galatians, excoriating those who view getting right before God by adding certain requirements of the Law to faith in Jesus’ work of atonement. Because the Judaizers knew James, and because of particular verses in James’ epistles, some theologians have construed that Paul and James preached two different gospels, one by faith alone in Christ (Paul), and one by faith plus work (James). However, as stated above, James was one of the first apostles whom Paul made contact following his conversion. Afterwards he met with Barnabas, submitting his understanding of the gospel to him to make sure he was not running in vain (Galatians 2:2). A closer look at James clarifies the apparent contradiction between Paul and James, thereby clarifying the apparent contradiction we may experience in our understanding of faith and works.

Throughout the epistle of James, he denounces an empty mental assent to a belief in God that in turn produces no evidence in a person that he is a Christian. The foundational teaching of James is that one cannot claim to be a Christian while evidencing no change in one’s life that indicates that he belongs to Christ. He presents the same teaching as Paul of Abraham as an example of faith. While Paul stresses that Abraham was reckoned as righteous some 400 years before the Law was given to Moses (Romans 4), James points to Abraham’s offering of Isaac for sacrifice as evidence of Abraham’s faith (James 2:21-24). As Paul had pointed out, Abraham was reckoned as righteous because He believed God (Genesis 15:6), centuries before God gave the Law to Moses, and many years before God tested Abraham in commanding him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Paul and James, therefore, are speaking to the same truth. We are justified by faith, but our justification should evidence changes in our lives that demonstrate that we are different individuals due to our faith. Indeed Paul equally emphasizes with James the relationship of faith to works. Paul lays out this truth in Ephesians 2:4-10. While we are indeed saved by God’s mercy, we are also God’s workmanship created for good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). Are we then saved by faith alone? Yes. Are we to evidence works, or good deeds, in our lives? Yes. But we do not perform works to merit salvation. Our works are in response to the grace that God has bestowed upon us.

Conclusion: The Attributes of God

The verses that form the epigraph at the beginning of this blog, speak to the attributes that make up the character of God. When we explore and meditate upon the various attributes of God, we confront what we may believe to be apparent contradictions. As stated above, how we navigate the paradoxes that life sends our way speaks to the worldview by which we live. It incumbent upon us to comprehend our worldview as fully as we can. We are to live out the truths of God in our lives through faith as a witness to the world. How we understand those truths so as to live them out entails our Christian worldview. God is wrath/God is love. God is eternally sovereign/humans are finite and responsible. God is transcendent/God is immanent. God is beyond our comprehension, yet He has revealed Himself to us so that we can know what He intends for us to know (Deuteronomy 29:29). How are we to understand the apparent contradictions that seem inherent in the attributes of God? First, we must humble ourselves before God, setting aside our sin of pride, becoming open to the truth that because He is infinite and we are His finite creatures, human logic cannot envelop the nature of God. There are paradoxical truths to which we must simply hold. This we can know. Given all His attributes, God is not arbitrary. He is totally just. In terms of God’s wrath and His love, these two attributes are resolved, not in discounting God’s justice, but knowing that the price has been paid by Christ’s atoning work so that love and justice meet. God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26). Given the attributes of God who makes all things, and that we are fallen creatures, why shouldn’t we encounter life as a series of apparent contradictions that we are to navigate and understand in light of the character of God? God is the source of all that is good, holy, just, and righteous. And without compromise, God is the source of all that is compassionate, gracious, forgiving, and loving-kind. Without compromise is the key. Both sides of these attributes are grounded and resolved in the lovingkindness of God who satisfied justice through the payment of Jesus’ atoning work on the cross. Our Christian worldview can be lived out before the world by God’s grace. Likewise, given human responsibility, we can fall woefully short of living out what we believe before the eyes of the world. May we prayerfully seek God’s grace to be the kingdom of priests and the light that the the Body of Christ, the church, is called to be.

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./September 14th, 2025

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT/Worldview

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Biblical Wisdom for Independent Thinkers: How Scripture Guides Us in Seeking Truth and Living Freely.

Guest Author : Ava Addams

[Unfortunately, we live in a culture that caricatures Christianity as a faith whereby one must leave his or her mind at the door while entering the sanctuary. Ava Addams takes aim at such thinking in her article: Biblical Wisdom for Independent Thinkers.]

Biblical Wisdom for Independent Thinkers: How Scripture Guides Us in Seeking Truth and Living Freely.

We live in a world that constantly tells us what to think, how to live, and what to believe. Whether it’s the news, social media, or even well-meaning voices in our church communities, it can feel like we’re being pushed in a hundred different directions. But what does the Bible say about thinking for ourselves?

A lot of people assume that Christianity is about blind obedience—that faith means shutting off your brain and just going with the flow. But that’s not true. The Bible actually encourages independent thinking. God doesn’t want robots; He wants people who seek truth, wrestle with tough questions, and ultimately find freedom in Him.

So, how do we balance faith and critical thinking? How do we make sure that in our pursuit of truth, we don’t end up drifting away from God? Let’s dive in.

Does the Bible Encourage Independent Thinking?

Absolutely. Jesus Himself challenged the religious leaders of His day, calling out traditions that had strayed from God’s heart (Mark 7:6-9). He constantly invited people to think deeper—to not just follow the rules, but to understand why they existed.

Then there’s the story of the Bereans in Acts 17:11. Paul came to preach, but instead of just accepting his words at face value, the Bereans “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” They weren’t skeptics for the sake of skepticism; they were seekers of truth. And they were commended for it.

That’s the kind of independent thinking God calls us to—one that is grounded in truth, not just rebellion for the sake of rebellion.

Faith vs. Reason: Do They Have to Clash?

Some people are afraid that asking too many questions will shake their faith. But the Bible is full of people who questioned God—Moses, Job, David, even Thomas after Jesus’ resurrection.

Look at the book of Job. Job didn’t just accept his suffering—he asked why. He wrestled with it. And instead of punishing him, God engaged with him. Job didn’t get all the answers he wanted, but he got something better: a deeper understanding of who God is.

Faith and reason aren’t enemies. In fact, real faith requires thinking. If we never stop to question, to dig deeper, or to seek understanding, we risk building our faith on shaky ground.

Freedom in Christ: Independent Thinking vs. Spiritual Bondage

A lot of people think independence means doing whatever you want. But the Bible defines freedom differently. True freedom isn’t about rejecting authority altogether—it’s about being free from the wrong authorities.

Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). That means freedom comes from knowing God’s truth, not just following the loudest voice in the room.

Paul warned against both legalism (being controlled by religious rules) and lawlessness (doing whatever we feel like). Instead, he pointed to a different kind of freedom—one that comes from living in the Spirit (Galatians 5:1, 5:13).

So, independent thinking isn’t about throwing off all authority. It’s about choosing the right authority—God’s truth over human traditions, His wisdom over the shifting opinions of culture.

Thinking for Yourself in a World of Misinformation

Let’s be honest: we live in a world full of noise. Everyone has an opinion, and not all of them are true. So how do we separate fact from fiction?

The Bible gives us a few tools for critical thinking:

  • Test everything. “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). Just because something sounds good—or even Christian—doesn’t mean it’s true.
  • Seek wisdom, not just validation. Proverbs 18:17 says, “The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.” In other words, don’t just listen to one side of an argument—seek a fuller picture.
  • Pray for discernment. James 1:5 says that if we ask for wisdom, God will give it to us generously. When in doubt, pray for clarity.
  • Surround yourself with truth-seekers. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Find people who challenge you in a way that leads to growth, not confusion.

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Independent Thinking

Here’s the thing: independent thinking is great, but we’re not meant to figure everything out on our own.

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be our guide: “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). That means we don’t have to rely only on our own logic—God Himself will help us discern truth.

The key is staying humble. There’s a danger in thinking that we always know best, but Proverbs 12:15 warns, “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.”

Being an independent thinker doesn’t mean rejecting all authority; it means being careful about whose authority we trust.

What About Church? Can We Question Leadership?

This is a tough one. Some churches encourage open discussion, while others see questioning as a threat. So, where’s the line?

The early church leaders debated theology (Acts 15), and Paul even confronted Peter when he was in the wrong (Galatians 2:11-14). That tells us that even church leaders should be held accountable.

At the same time, Hebrews 13:17 reminds us to respect godly leaders who truly shepherd well. The key is discernment—if a leader resists all accountability or shuts down questions, that’s a red flag.

Healthy churches encourage dialogue. Unhealthy ones demand blind obedience.

So, what does it mean to think independently as a Christian?

Final Thoughts: Independent Thinking Done Right

It means:

  • Seeking truth, not just accepting what we’re told.
  • Balancing faith and reason instead of fearing questions.
  • Finding true freedom in Christ—not in rebellion or legalism.
  • Learning to discern truth in a world full of noise.
  • Trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us.
  • Holding leaders accountable while staying humble.

The Bible doesn’t ask us to shut off our brains. It calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Independent thinking, when done right, isn’t a rejection of faith—it’s a deeper pursuit of it.

Author’s Bio: Ava is an experienced writer and SEO specialist who excels at creating engaging narratives that deeply connect with audiences. Drawing from her expertise in Christian marketing, she has dedicated five years to refining her craft as a content creator and SEO strategist at a leading Christian Brand.

Guest Author: Ava Addams/August 14th, 2025

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT/Worldview

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“Deep Calls to Deep”

Deep calls to deep at the sound of your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:7-8)

Introduction

I am reflecting on the tragedies that have fallen on countless families in the Hill Country of Texas, the many losses of life, numerous being children who were attending a Christian camp called Camp Mystic. In no way will I seek to stand in the shoes of those family members who have lost loved ones. I do believe that such experiences are inexplicable to the human mind. Rather than being distant during those hard-hitting moments, we have a heavenly Father who is never far from us. Our feelings, however, can get the best of us, and the questions of why can be never ending. However, this is not a time to question or stifle one’s emotions. Pronounce them and cast them before God because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Psalm 42: Waiting on God

David’s psalm speaks to the experience of going through difficult times and his yearning for God’s nearness. Psalm 42 opens with the intense description of David’s longing for God: As a deer pants for the water brooks/So my soul pants for You, O God (v. 1). Another rendering of the word pants is longs for. Throughout the psalm, David describes his soul as being in despair and having become disturbed within me (vv. 5, 6, & 11). Like all human beings, he asks why this is the case. His response to his despair is to hope in God, for I shall again praise Him (vv. 5 & 11). But David’s reply to his despair is not perfunctory or wishful thinking. Another rendering of the word hope in God is wait on God. Although we see the resolve in this short psalm, David, like all of us had to place his faith and hope in God and wait out what God would do for him. The psalm provides no idea how long David had to wade the troubled waters that engulfed him. This is not easy, for faith is not about life being easy. 

Poetic Longings for God

The psalms are Hebraic poetry; therefore, they use metaphors and symbols. Deep calls to deep is possibly a metaphor for David’s deep despair calling on God’s deep understanding and lovingkindness. The breakers and waves are the troubles that have flooded David’s life. Yet he also states that these breakers and waves are Your breakers and Your waves. This is not a declaration that God is actively punishing David or arbitrarily flooding him with difficult times. It does mean, however, that God is sovereign. No matter what we experience, God is sovereign and near as we navigate troubled times in our lives. 

Then follows the statement: The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime (v. 8). The word command can simply mean what it says, the Lord commands us in certain ways. Yet the Hebrew word used here, tsavah, can also mean that God establishes His lovingkindness in the daytime. God appoints His lovingkindness to be with the psalmist; He establishes His lovingkindness to be actively present with David. The thought is then completed by the statement: And His song will be with me in the night. Symbolically, the daytime speaks to things that we can readily see, while the night places us in the dark where we must cling to the promises of who God is. But there is not a time that God’s care ever forsakes us. God’s presence and lovingkindness will be with us in the day and through the night. 

Conclusion

As we remember our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Hill Country of Texas who are presently going through some devastating times, may we take solace that God has established His lovingkindness and presence to be with them as the flooding rains there are hard-hitting symbols of the reality that they are truly facing.

God’s presence and lovingkindness is and will continually be with them in the day and through the night.

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./July 14th, 2025

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

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Worldview/Mind: The Mind of Christ

For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Introduction

A worldview to some degree may be understood through an exploration of the categories that it comprises. In past blog articles, I have delineated five categories by which I seek to understand what goes into the formation of an individual’s worldview: 1)mind; 2)meaning-making; 3)ethics/valuation; 4)humility/finitude; and 5)thought/action. This month’s blog will focus on the over-arching category of mind. Because the goal of this blog is to proffer a Christian worldview, I will explore the category of mind by looking at how the Bible calls Christians to put on the mind of Christ. What exactly does that entail? As believers in Christ, how do we go about fulfilling that charge? And how does putting on the mind of Christ shape our worldview?

Mind, as a topic of exploration, is extensive with a plethora of research from such fields as neurology, neuroscience, cognitive science, just to name a few in addition to the centuries of philosophical approaches in the field of mind studies. Such a broad and in-depth research cannot be recapitulated in short blog articles composed on this sight. I have touched on some of this research [here] and [here]. But in this article I want to address how the Christian’s worldview is shaped when the believer adheres to the Biblical call to put on the mind of Christ. In addressing how mind, our deeply held beliefs and attitudes, shapes our Christian worldview, I specifically focus on two passages: 1 Corinthians 2:16 and Ephesian 4:23. Then I will speak to what Christ called the greatest commandment (Luke 10:27; Mark 12:29-31; Matthew 22:37-40) and how it shapes our view of God and, thereby, our worldview. Suffice it say upfront, to put on the mind of Christ is not something Christians fulfill by their own power. In line with justification, salvation, and sanctification, while human responsibility has its part, the growth and deepening of the Christian’s way of life occurs through the grace of God.

The Mind of Christ

FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT HE SHOULD INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Christians must build their worldview on one rock-bottom foundation, the truth of God. Such truth not only speaks to His existence, but to His power, His holiness, and His sovereignty. As believers in Christ, our worldview is built on God as the ultimate foundation, or it is built on nothing at all. In 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13, addressing the holiness and power of God. Isaiah 40 establishes God’s power, holiness, and sovereignty, declaring that no one counsels God as to what He will do or how He will bring things about. Throughout the Book of Isaiah, the prophet warns Israel and Judah of God’s coming judgment upon them. But with His judgment, also exists His mercy. Isaiah 40 paints a beautiful picture of God’s sovereign power coupled with His lovingkindness, with the promise that He will gather His people as a flock of lambs and carry them in His bosom. Paul addresses both the sovereign power of God and yet another promise that believers have been given in the New Testament. We have the mind of Christ. As people who have been called to be in Christ by the sovereignty of God before the foundation of the world, we have this promise: we have been gifted with the mind of Christ. There is no Christian worldview if we do not stand on the bedrock promises of God. Mind, the way we think and believe, informs our Christian worldview only if we put on the mind of Christ. If we seek to establish a way of living in any other way, we are building a house on shifting sand.

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? We have yet another promise as believers in Christ. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a Person, not some Star Wars like force. He indwells us to teach us the ways of God. We come to understand who God is via His word, prayer, relationships within the Body of Christ, the church, and becoming aware of the way His sovereignty and providence works in our lives. The Holy Spirit gifts to us the ability to understand the ways and purposes of God. Such understanding is our sanctification, the living out of what God has planned for us. Although we cannot see or know that plan from beginning to end, we walk in it daily by His grace, and we work out our sanctification. Then, and only then, will our worldview unfold. Hence our worldview is not something we build by our own strength. It becomes manifest through our relationship with God.

God predestined us to become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-30). Being gifted with the mind of Christ also means that we are empowered to be more and more like Him. In this life, we will always fall short of that reality on a daily basis. But we have been granted the strength that comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit and the strength of Christ that also indwells us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Our Christian worldview will become manifest if we, by the grace of God, pursue our sanctification, allowing the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit to shape our lives. Sanctification is a daily task. It begins anew each day, yet it through time deepens us in our understanding of the ways of God so that we live out our lives through those ways. We build our Christian worldview only on the bedrock truth of God that He has gifted us through His word. We do not build our worldview via our own power; it manifests itself through our relationship with God, unfolding through our sanctification.

The Greatest Commandment

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. . . (Matthew 22:37)

Our worldview becomes manifest through our alignment with what Jesus called the greatest commandment (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-31; Luke 10:27). The necessity of God’s grace is witnessed yet again in that the only way we have the power to obey the greatest commandment is by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and Christ. How do we know if we are living out the greatest commandment? Jesus shines the light for us so that we know the way. We abide in Him (John 15:1-11). But how do we know that we are in fact abiding in Christ? Again, Jesus tells us. We abide in His love if we obey His commandments. Obeying the commandments of Christ is not a checklist experience; it is a way of living. Through God’s grace we pursue our sanctification and build our lives on His bedrock truth, Jesus being the chief cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11-12). The constant need for the church is to stand on the word of God, His truth, so that we are manifesting what we believe in the eyes of the world. Over the centuries, the church has fallen drastically short of this charge in many ways. Nonetheless, our charge is to be the light and salt, a beacon on a hill for the world to see. We can only accomplish that spiritual reality by building our lives on the truth, which is Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Only Christians, those who believe in Christ for their salvation, can build a truly Christian worldview. Those who claim to hold to the teachings of Christ, yet do not accept His teachings concerning the Father, Himself, and the Spirit are seeking to build lives on shifting sand. There is a second exhortation that makes up the greatest commandment: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Our Christian worldview should reflect how we interact with others, those who are within the body of Christ, and those who are not. Throughout its history the church at times has fallen woefully short of that commandment. Our Christian worldview needs to evidence how we relate to others through the mind of Christ. Although the Imago Dei in human beings allow so much light for people to live, ultimately the truth of God resides only in the eternal logos, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He is the chief cornerstone, the only pathway for building our Christian worldview. Apart from the mind of Christ, we will fall short in manifesting the truth of God in our lives.

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./June 14th, 2025

THEMATIC/Worldview – Mind

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Thought and Action

Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:5-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:3a; James 1:22; 2:8, 14-26

Introduction

Over the course of this blog, I have delineated five categories that comprise a worldview: mind, meaning-making, valuation (ethics), humility/finitude, and thought/action. For this month’s blog article I want to focus on thought/action – do our actions align with what we claim to believe, do they provide evidence for the worldview that we espouse? I write from a Reformed Christian perspective, so I will speak to the building up of a Christian worldview (See Abraham Kuyper; Francis Schaeffer; James Sire; Os Guinness; Chuck Colson; Nancy Pearcey).

Thought and Action for the Believer in Christ

As Christians, we are called, not only to salvation, but to sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Sanctification entails our lifetime growth in the knowledge of God, the study of His word, and the building up of relationships with other members of the body of Christ, the church. To claim to be a Christian, but to neglect these areas in our lives demonstrates a misalignment with what we claim to believe and how we live out our claim. Although we are not saved by works, the epistle of James informs us that works should evidence our faith (James 1:22; 2:8, 14-26). No doubt none of us are perfect in living out the claims of our faith, but our lives should indicate a change in the way we live as a believer in Christ in contrast to the way we lived prior to our salvation.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Although there is no checklist for the purpose of merit, there is Biblical teaching regarding what our growth in Christ should look like. The apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians speaks of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Interestingly, though nine characteristics are listed in those two verses, Paul uses the singular fruit of the Spirit. This passage is one indication of the change that should comprise our lives upon confessing Jesus, the Christ, as our savior. The apostle Peter delineates a similar list in his first epistle to believers in various churches (1 Peter 1:5-7). Again, these Christian virtues written for the purpose of our sanctification are not checklists that we mark off for the sake of merit or demonstrating our Christian beliefs. God works in our lives through grace in every way. The fruit of the Spirit manifests in our lives via the power of the Holy Spirit upon our inner being. Hence, the Christian worldview, although acknowledging that evidence for our faith is real, embraces God’s grace. Our relationship with God grows through grace and faith. The Christian worldview does not proffer any kind of meritorious action for our salvation or our sanctification. The fruit of the Spirit is God’s planting work within us.

Doers of the Word

As Christians, the alignment of thought (belief) and action should be evidenced by our being doers of the word rather than mere hearers of the word (epistle of James). Our worldview is not held merely intellectually, but we live it out consistently with what we claim to believe. The old adage, actions speak louder than words, indeed carry a truism that should inform us. Any mature believer in Christ knows that we fall short of this thought/action alignment everyday in someway. But such inconsistency should not be characteristic of our day-to-day lives. We should see that our way of living prior to our being called in Christ should diminish over time. Such a way of life should not characterize our lives now that we are in Christ.

Misalignment of Thought/Action

What does it mean (how should we explore the reality) when our actions do not align with our professed beliefs (when such a way of living becomes a marked characteristic of our lives)? Can we actually deceive ourselves as to what we claim to believe and value? I think it’s quite possible that we can. On the other hand, I believe people will be acutely aware that the way they are living does not align with what they claim to believe. They may not want to admit it, to themselves or to others. But the proof lies in what daily characterizes their way of living, what they consistently practice as a way of life. For the believer in Christ, this is one reason why it is important to be a member of a local body of Christ, a church. It is in this setting that other believers can approach us and admonish us. This is an important element for a Christian worldview. We all must take on the uncomfortable task at times of lovingly admonishing others in the body, as well as receiving admonishment ourselves.

Conclusion

We hold a Christian worldview not merely by intellectual assent. Such a belief system becomes demonstrable in the way we live day-to-day. God informs believers in Christ that His will for them is their sanctification. Hence our lives should evidence our growth in the knowledge of God, in the truth of His salvation to which He has called us, in a deeper understanding of God’s word, and in the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. The Greek word, ginosko, means to know something so as to act on what we know. Biblical knowledge entails an experiential and intimate knowledge of what is claimed to be known. It is the opposite of mere mental assent. We know God relationally and experientially because He has called us to such knowledge. As believers we approach God’s throne as members of the household of God, crying out to Him as Abba Father. Likewise Scripture tells us to make sure of our calling. Do our actions (the way we live day-to-day) align with our thought (what we claim to believe)? This requires diligence on our part to be aware of those times when we fall short of such alignment. Hence, the place of confession in our growth and sanctification.

This blog article spoke to the life that a Christian lives in Christ. One who holds a Christian worldview should see an alignment in what one claims to believe and how one lives the calling of a Christian day-to-day. There are other important truths regarding thought/action for the believer in Christ as one looks not only to the body of Christ, but in all areas of life, exercising dominion as Christians are called to do. That is another blog article.

John V. Jones, Jr, Ph.D./May 14th, 2025

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT/THEMATIC/Thought-Action

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What Is A Worldview?

Our major task in life is to discover what is true and to live in step with that truth (Colson/Pearcey).

Introduction

The purpose or aim of this blog is to put forth the idea of a Christian worldview, and what that looks like in people’a day-to-day living as believers in Christ. (I approach my faith from a Reformed perspective, e.g. the Westminster Confession/1698 Baptist Confession of faith.) But exactly what is a worldview? When I speak of a Christian worldview, what do I mean? This blog over the years contains several articles pertaining to worldview [here], [here], [here], [here], [here]. Although I want to avoid unnecessary repetition, I think it is time once again to clarify how a worldview is formed, and specifically what makes up a Christian worldview. I want to build on the blog article I wrote nine years ago in 2016 [Thinking, Reading, and Living “Worldviewishly”]. Building on James Sire’s description of worldview in his work The Universe Next Door, I want to specifically stress the notion of commitment, as well as some of his updated thought in the most recent edition of that work. In addition to Sire, I will draw from Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey’s work, How Now Shall We Live? The very title of that work indicates the influence of Francis Schaeffer, his writings, and his work at L’Abri.

Worldview Explorations

So what is a worldview? To take it at its most simplistic level, a worldview is a way of life. But that description leaves many unanswered questions regarding a practical understanding of what a worldview consists. James Sire, in his work, The Universe Next Door, offers an extended definition of worldview. Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey talk in terms of worldview from the perspective of Francis Schaffer in their thorough work, How Now Shall We Live? While there are many other scholarly writings from a Christian perspective, both of these works provide a good starting point for understanding worldview in general and specifically a Christian worldview.

James Sire’s Catalog of Worldviews

Although I will not repeat Sire’s extended definition verbatim, I will highlight what he proffers as the major components of a worldview. First, Sire, draws on the work of James H. Olthuis who describes a worldview as a framework by which we live built on a set of fundamental beliefs. He calls such a framework a vision of life. Human beings draw on such fundamental beliefs to give direction and meaning to life. Hence a person’s worldview is both interpretive and integrative. Olthuis states becoming aware of one’s worldview is significant step toward self-awareness, self-knowledge, and self-understanding.

Sire, however, expanding on what Olthuis presented, believes that a worldview is more than merely a logical connection of a set of propositions. People may or may not fully and logically understand the implications of their worldview; nonetheless, they move through life according to their worldview, whether or not they can fully delineate it. Sire’s extended description of a worldview contains several components. First, a person’s worldview is a fundamental orientation of the heart. People, regardless of the level of their awareness, hold a set of beliefs about how reality is constituted. One’s worldview provides a foundation on which we live, move, and have our being. (See Acts 17:28).

Second, and most importantly, according to Sire, a worldview is a commitment. One’s worldview is a matter of the soul, a spiritual orientation. Biblically, the heart is the center of who one is and thereby, one lives from the heart. A worldview then is situated in the self. Whether or not people are fully aware of their worldview is superfluous to the reality that they nevertheless live out their worldviews in relation to self, reality, and others. Indeed, in his extended description of worldview, Sire holds that a worldview can be stated in a story or a set of propositions, which may or may not be consistent.

A third component of Sire’s extended description states that a worldview provides a foundation on which one lives. Sire highlights an important aspect of a worldview within this component. The simple fact is that not only may individuals be unaware of their worldview, but also what they state as their worldview may not align with how they live. Such a delineation recognizes the old adage that actions speak louder than words. How one lives belies one’s self-knowledge.

Sire indicates that one’s worldview is grounded in how a person answers eight basic questions: 1) what is prime reality – what is really real? 2) what is the nature of external reality? 3) what is a human being? 4) what happens to a person at death? 5) why is it possible to know anything at all? 6) how do we know what is right from wrong? 7) what is the meaning of human history? and 8) what personal, life-orienting commitments are consistent with one’s worldview? Sire delineated the first seven questions in his earlier editions of The Universe Next Door. I want to focus on the notion of commitment because Sire added this eighth question to the latest edition of his book. This question also gets at something Sire said earlier, and it also aligns with one of the categories I delineated for an understanding of a Christian worldview in particular, that is thought/action. Do people’s actions align with the worldview that they claim to hold? Sire explicated nine worldview: 1) Christian; 2) Deism; 3) Naturalism; 4) Nihilism; 5) Existentialism; 6) Pantheistic monism; 7) New Age Spirituality; 8) Postmodernism; and 9) Islamic Theism. Followers of each of these worldviews will live out question eight differently. Each individual has his or her own take on reality. People evidence their commitment to a worldview by the way they live out their lives in the world. Whether or not people realize it, or even want to admit it, they have and live by a worldview. They may believe that these eight questions are superfluous and/or cannot be answered. Such a stance evidences a worldview they already hold: skepticism that leads to nihilism. It was Socrates who said the unexamined life is not worth living. As Sire states, each individual is caught in a worldview. The question becomes do people care to examine what they claim to be their worldview and whether or not they are consistent in living it out.

Colson and Pearcey’s Challenge

Francis Schaeffer first authored the work, How Should We Then Live? Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey built on his thought in their How Now Shall We Live. In that work they challenge Christians to live out their worldview. This entails both Christians’ sanctification and their possession of Biblical wisdom in knowing how to live out their faith (thought/action). The authors challenge believers with the notion that the way they live out their moral and spiritual choices are realized in the world, whether or not they know or want to admit or embrace that truth. Every action a believer takes is either furthering the kingdom of God or not. The actions believers take either mesh with the fallen and broken world, or they align with God’s decree to transform the world in a manner that reflects His righteousness. Believers in Christ either live out their Christian worldview consistently, albeit not perfectly, or they live in a manner that is inconsistent with what they purport to believe. The dominion mandate, or what Colson and Pearcey call renewal, will occur when Christians are committed to living out their faith, seeing the world as God sees it, viewing reality through the lens of divine relation . . . Our choices are shaped by what we believe is real or true, right and wrong, good and beautiful. Our choices are shaped by our worldview. As with Sire, Colson and Pearcey believe that worldviews are intensely practical. People’s worldviews are the sum total of their beliefs about the world, and those beliefs direct their actions and all the decisions they make. Genuine Christianity is a way of seeing and comprehending all of reality. It is a worldview.

Conclusion

One of the chief aims of this blog is to explore what it means to live out the Christian worldview. What Sire, Colson, and Pearcey have explicated should help all Christians come to an understanding of what a worldview actually entails, that they have one whether or not they realize it, and that they are living either consistently or inconsistently with their purported faith. In terms of the categories I have delineated throughout this blog, the Christian mind should seek the wisdom that comes with knowing God as believers grow in their sanctification. Believers can find meaning and purpose in their pursuit of knowing God. Christians develop their values and morals according to God’s precepts. Morals are not simply chosen willy-nilly. Believers in Christ should develop the humility, becoming aware that they are in God’s hands, dependent on His providential care and guidance. Finally, for those who proclaim to be Christian, their actions should align with what they purport to believe. Thought and actions should be in alignment. Taken all together, such a way of life is a worldview. And as Sire, Colson, and Pearcey stated, Christianity is a worldview. Renewal or the dominion mandate will come about when Christians, by God’s grace, live out their proclaimed beliefs.

No doubt, this is a tall order. And all individuals are still products of the Fall. The challenge with which the above authors present Christians is to live the examined life, know that they have a worldview, and by God’s grace and strength seek to live out that worldview consistently, knowing that they will fail at times. But God’s lovingkindness is for everlasting (Psalm 103:18).

[References]: Colson, C. & Pearcey, N. (2004). How Now Shall We Live? Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Sire, J. (2020). The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog [6th edition] [originally published 1976]. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Press Academic Revised.

John V, Jones, Jr., PhD/April 14th, 2025

THEMATIC/ Worldview

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Christian Worldview: A Spiritual Undertaking

Introduction

Last month’s article here I hope kicked off a long-term goal I have for this blog that entails the unfolding of a Christian worldview. As believers and followers of Christ, there are many things we have to do, study, learn, and then turn our studious learning into living out the reality of manifesting a Christian worldview. First and foremost, however, we in the body of Christ must realize that we cannot shape a Christian worldview through the power of our own flesh. How easy it is for each of us to fall into the trap of trying to accomplish those goals we believe God has set for us through our own power, sufficiency, and endeavors. There is a two-pronged trap that seeks to snare us if we are not careful. First, as stated, we can trust in our own abilities and understanding to get things done. A modus operandi we are told to avoid in Scripture (Proverbs 3:5-6). Second, in surrendering to God, we can become slothful, complacent, and directionless in our efforts. We are called by God to be diligent, but we cannot fulfill that calling by our own strength or by a misguided notion of surrendering. To shape a Christian worldview that guides the way we live in the world I believe entails the following: 1) our thorough understanding of the Biblical notion of diligence; 2) our living by the power of the Spirit; 3) our understanding and belief in the power of prayer; 4) our further understanding of the imputed righteousness of Christ; and 5) our constant trust in the Lord, committing all our work to Him, and doing everything in word and deed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Diligence

Diligence is a trait spoken of throughout Scripture. English dictionaries define the word as persistent effort and attention to detail. The Hebrew word haht-mah-dah or harus delineates a similar notion, entailing perseverance, persistence, and consistency, particularly at the various tasks of living. The Old Testament Scripture, especially Proverbs, contrasts the lazy and idle with the diligent. (Unfortunately, these verses have been stolen by those who proclaim the prosperity gospel). But Scripture tells us that the diligent will prosper (in life, not necessarily wealth) by attending to and persevering in the tasks of life, which above all entails our pursuit of God. The diligent become skilled at living, which is the essence of wisdom – another notion addressed throughout the book of Proverbs.

The Greek word for diligent is spoude, which entails the pursuit of daily tasks, eagerly, earnestly, and zealously. The tasks set before us if we want to carve out a Christian worldview are beyond our doing apart from the grace of God, and we live in a world that is antagonistic to our goals as Christians. We cannot hope to manifest a Christian worldview while being inconsistent, half-hearted, and not persevering in all that we seek to accomplish. Diligence is a trait that runs throughout all the endeavors we pursue to bring about dominion on this earth in the name of Christ by God’s grace alone.

The Power of the Spirit

Nor can we accomplish exercising dominion in this world by our own strength. The apostle Paul tells us that our lives should evidence our being led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:15-16). As believers in Christ for our salvation, we are gifted with the indwelling Holy Spirit who grants us the strength to live as God would have us live. Such Christian living, while involving many things, entails our working out our salvation (Phil. 2:12), that is our sanctification, pursuing the life and tasks that God has set before us. Again, it is easy to fall into the trap of doing the work that God has set before us according to the power of our own flesh. If we take that pathway, we will surely run into many obstacles and failures. If we are to exercise dominion on this earth that entails carving out the Christian worldview, we must do so by the power of the Spirit. The power that is available to us through the Holy Spirit is the very power by which God raised Christ from the dead (Eph. 1:20). We must be diligent in our pursuit of God so as to live and be led by His Spirit. Otherwise, we are working according to the power of our own flesh.

The Power of Prayer

As believers in Christ, we are children of God, members of His household. Therefore, He is available to us so that we can approach Him at any time, placing our petitions before Him, and be in communion with Him. When I think on how little I embrace this gracious gift, I can’t help but wonder how different my life would have been over the decades if I had prayed more. Scripture calls on us to constantly be in prayer, to pray without ceasing (Luke 18:11; 1 Thess. 5:16-18). Constant prayer means an attitude of prayerful connection with God, not just those times we set aside for formal prayer. The work of dominion, carving out the Christian worldview, requires our diligent dependence on the power of prayer. Do we believe that God desires our communion with Him in prayer? Do we believe that He answers prayer? We will not establish dominion on this earth while not believing in and engaging in prayer because it is not our doing that will bring about dominion and a Christian worldview, but the power of God working in us. The Christian life is a spiritual life, not a secular one. We are called to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). We are God’s workmanship called to good works which He established beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2:10).

The Righteousness of Christ

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteous of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

How difficult it is to fathom that as believers in Christ, God has imputed Jesus’ righteousness to us so that His atoning work on the cross propitiates God’s wrath toward us. We are to walk in – live in – that righteousness that God has imputed to us. We neither merit nor deserve it. On this side of life, we recognize how far we fall short of that imputed righteousness everyday. Only by the righteousness and power of Christ that indwells us (2 Cor. 12:29) can we hope to carve out a Christian worldview while living in the world but not being of it. Hence again, diligence comes into play. We must be diligent in pursuing a life that evinces the righteousness of Christ that indwells us. On this side of life, we will fall short daily of this task. Hence, the pursuit of God in prayerful communion must entail our confessions (1 John 1:9). For the believer, manifesting the power of Christ that dwells in us is not about our perfection, but it is about His working out His will in us through our weakness (2 Cor. 12:29). People must witness through a Christian worldview not our personal power, strength, and perfection, but our dependence of God’s grace in our lives that transforms how we relate, not only to God, but to others in the world.

Trust, Commitment, Acknowledgement

Trust in the Lord with all your heart . . . Acknowledge Him in all your ways (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In everything you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to Him to God the Father. (Col. 3:17).

We will miserably fail in exercising dominion in this world and establishing a Christian worldview if we are not diligent in acknowledging God in all that we do and seek to do everything in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. God Himself will make straight our paths, or they will not be established at all. If we seek to do even the things of the Lord by our own strength, our strength will fail us. As I stated above, it is a razor’s edge that we walk. On the one hand as believers we should not seek to carry out the things of God via the power of our own flesh. On the other hand, we should never interpret our surrendering to God as becoming inert. Each of us who are in Christ have been granted gifts to utilize and paths to work out, knowing that the gifts are from God and the working is His working in us. We live in a world that is antagonistic toward our Christian worldview. While our enemies are real, we can diligently pray to be delivered from them (Psalm 31:14-15), knowing too that Christ has commanded us to pray for our enemies. If we seek to exercise dominion in this world, carving out the Christian way of life, we must trust God with all our heart, acknowledging Him in all our ways, and doing all that we do in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This calls for our diligence to be totally dependent on Him.

Conclusion

Establishing a Christian worldview in the present culture is a tall order. There is much work to be done that Christians must embrace. The January 14th blog article reached back to categories of thought that I have contemplated for some time. The short bibliography provided in that article reinforces the depth of work that must be done. So it would be easy to become caught up in that work, forgetting as Christians from where our power really stems. We must above all things realize that our battle, rather than being merely academic, political, or cultural, is a spiritual one. But this is not an either-or proposition. In seeking to provide a cornerstone for the Biblical mandate for dominion in our culture, we must by faith apprehend the truth that Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. There will be no dominion or Christian worldview until we realize that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against . . . the world forces of this darkness (Eph. 6:10-13). That truth requires us as believers in Christ to be diligent in our embracing the strength that God provides us in the battle. To forget that, or to try to fight otherwise, is paramount to our standing on our own strength, the power of our own flesh, which is no power at all. To establish a Christian worldview in the world is a spiritual undertaking. We have one source for such an undertaking. We must build on the cornerstone that is Jesus Christ.

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./March 14th, 2025

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT/Christian Worldview

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Pathways 2025

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Psalm 3:6)

Introduction

On past blogs, I have explored to a limited degree what goes into formulating a worldview. There are several categories I considered that I believe must be taken into account for understanding all that a worldview entails. You can read my thoughts here, here, and here. I recently subtitled this blog, A Christian Worldview; consequently, I hope to shape this blog in the future, filling out what a Christian worldview entails. You can read my earlier thoughts on this notion here and here. For the coming months in 2025, the theme of a Christian worldview is what I hope to work out here on this blog. Such a path is not one I can forge on my own. I will draw on works of such authors as Abraham Kuyper, Francis Schaeffer, R. J. Rushdoony, Nancy Pearcey, and Chuck Colson, among many others, including early church fathers such as Augustine and Calvin.

A Word About Categories

Over time, I wrestled with thematic categories that I believe shape the way we think about the world. My earlier thoughts focused on mind, and how the human thought process shapes how we live in the world. Earlier categories included mind, meaning making, humility/finitude, and thought/action. I explored how the last three categories contributed to how we might view and understand the mind. Later I added valuation/values because what we value shapes our ethical and moral understanding of how we live. Still later I became convinced that all these categories shape the worldview by which we live. Hence, mind, meaning making, humility/finitude, valuation/values, and thought/action all contribute and speak to the worldview we hold. Worldview and mind are difficult to nuance, but I believe they should be deciphered because various worldviews hold different viewpoints on what makes up the mind.

Worldview

As I stated, the sub-title for this blog is A Christian Worldview. There are a plethora of worldviews that clash with Christianity, and over the course of time, I will explore those on this blog. Suffice it say, the general heading of secularism covers many isms that not only differ from Christianity, but also have been formulated to directly oppose Christian thought. Atheism, naturalism, materialism, reductionism, pragmatism, scientism, rationalism, and empiricism make up the wide gamut of worldviews that are in opposition to theism and Christianity. Philosophically, humanism, existentialism, romanticism, modernism, and postmodernism take aim at theistic worldviews. Politically, Marxism originated as a form of thought that set itself up as antagonistic to a Christian worldview. Many of the worldviews listed above can be integrated into a Christian worldview with a correct nuanced understanding of their propositions. For example, we live in a world that God created, so the material universe is real and external to us. But to hold that the material makes up everything, and the material is all there is to existence, is a self-defeating worldview. What I hope to discuss over time on this blog is that the Christian worldview is the only consistent worldview for understand ourselves as human beings and the universe in which we live. Some of the Christian writers I will draw on for this task include James Sire, C. S. Lewis, Francis Schaffer, and Os Guinness, among others.

Mind

Theories of mind have been proffered for centuries. What is mind? From a Christian perspective, we are commanded to to love the Lord your God with all your mind (Matt. 22:37-40). To live up to that commandment, we must understand what the Biblical understanding of mind entails. I hope to explore that question over the course of time on this blog. I will also look at some various worldviews that have a different take on what the mind is. The fields of cognitive science and neuroscience are on the cutting edge of a scientific understanding of the mind. However, much that comes from these fields are materialistic and reductionistic. What is a Christian view of mind, rationalism, and reason? What is the relationship of mind to body? Critical inquiry is an important endeavor for every Christian. Consequently, how we think about critical thinking, our thought process, logic, and reason must be clarified as much as possible.

Meaning Making

As human beings, we search for meaning and purpose in our lives. We want our work, relationships, family life, and even our R & R time to be meaningful. What is the relationship between worldview and meaning making? How does a Christian worldview shape the way in which we make meaning for ourselves? The greatest fear that many human beings experience is a wasted life. Near the end of their lives, people do not want to look back on their existence, believing they have accomplished little. A meaningful life, however, is not one big home run swing. Meaning exists in even those experiences we may think are trivial, small, and unimportant at the time. Human beings tend to set goals for themselves. Although they may not accomplish all the goals they set (time runs out for all of us), what gives many people purpose in their lives entail the goals they set for themselves, experiencing those goals as their lives unfold. From a Christian perspective, the sovereignty of God is a great comfort for the believer. How are we to understand God’s sovereignty in our lives as it relates to our meaning making and purpose for living? Christian writers such as Francis Schaeffer, C. S. Lewis. and Os Guinness have addressed these questions. Those outside the faith have also, e.g. Rollo May and Viktor Frankl.

Valuation/Values

Whether we realize it or not, we all have values that guide us through life. As a professional counselor, I used the process of valuation in my practice with clients, but have come to have a different take on what valuation entails. I don’t believe that people can simply choose their values and begin living by them. The thought process and life formulation for creating values for our lives is much more complicated and complex than that. I repeat, we all have values by which we live. Several questions emerge from that fact. First, are we aware of the values we hold? Second, are the values we hold helping or hindering how we want to live and fulfill the goals we have set for ourselves? If we come to understand that we are living in ways contrary to our values, what does that mean, either about making changes in our lives or making changes in our values? The atheistic philosopher, Frederick Nietzsche, talked about our re-evaluation of our values. However, his thought stood on the proposition that there is no God. From a Christian perspective what does it mean to hold and live by Christian values and virtues? (e.g. the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23; Christian virtues, 2 Peter 1:5-7). Do we truly believe that who we are is how we act in the world? Put another way, do we embrace the notion that how we act speaks to who we are, what we believe, and what values we hold? The values we hold and seek to live by form our worldview, framing our ethics and morality. None of us are perfect; consequently, from the Christian perspective those actions of confession before God must be real in our lives.

Humility/Finitude

We all have a limited amount of time on this side of life on this earth. Time impacts all the other categories – mind, meaning making, valuation/values, thought/action – in a powerful way. And we have a limited time and capacity to shape our worldviews. Scripture calls us to be humble before God, knowing our limitations and our finitude. As finite beings, however, we have an infinite and sovereign God whom we can approach and before whom we bow. The tension between sovereignty and human responsibility is one we must hold. Each day I am aware of the decisions I make for my life. I’m also aware of God’s sovereignty in my life. The latter is not an excuse or a copout for negating or short changing the former. Psalm 31:14-15 tells us that our times are in God’s hands; nonetheless, one of the most hard-hitting sins we can commit is slothfulness and the wasting of our time. Our humility before God allows us to place our lives in His hands so that we can learn to live in ways that are pleasing in His sight. What does Biblical truth mean for those of us who want to develop fully a Christian worldview? How should our humility be lived out in relationship to others? Humility is a concept easily misunderstood. It’s neither weakness nor groveling before others, but it is treating others in the way we want to be treated by them (Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31). What will our Christian worldview look like as we live it out among others, both believers and non-believers.

Thought/Action

Our worldview will be nothing but inconsistent if our actions do not follow from what we claim to believe and value. To claim that we hold to a Christian worldview must manifest the life of Christ in our lives as we seek to live in the world but not be of the world. As a Christian, we will be challenged by others to live consistently with our worldview in a harsher manner than applied to others who hold different worldviews. Two keys to understanding this are important. One, we are not perfect and need not grovel before others on that account. However, we will need at times to ask others to forgive us while apologizing for our misgivings and actions that are contrary to our being in Christ. How we act in the world will say much more than what we say. If our actions are not consistent with what we claim to believe, then we need to reflect intensely on what we claim to believe. I’m not talking about sins here and there. We will commit those daily, if not by action surely by thought. I’m talking about a lifestyle that is directly contrary to what we claim to believe. We should have Christian brothers and sisters in our lives that will say to us how we are living doesn’t appear to align with what we claim to believe. A worldview that is lived out inconsistently is a worldview built on shifting sand or over an abyss of nothing.

Conclusion

Moving forward in 2025, these are the themes and topics I hope to explore on this blog. That doesn’t mean I will not take excursions into other areas, but I want the focus moving forward to be on the exploration of what it means to hold and live by a Christian worldview. The final word should be that building such a worldview is impossible apart from being in Christ, depending and leaning on the complete sovereignty of God. As Christians we are called to relate to God as Abba Father (Galatians 4:4-7). Our being in Christ should be witnessed by those whom we encounter in the world. I pray that the task I have set for myself on this blog will, by God’s grace, be accomplished. To Him be dominion, forever and ever. Amen.

Some Core Source References:

Baucham, V. T. (2021). Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe. Washington D.C.: Salem Books.

Chesterton, G.K. (2009). Orthodoxy. [originally published 1908]. Rockville, MD: Serenity.

Colson, C. & Pearcey, N. (1999). How Now Shall We Live? Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Lewis, C. S. (2002). The Complete C. S Lewis Signature Classics. New York: HarperOne.

McGinn, C. (1993). The Problem of Consciousness. Oxford, U.K.: Basil Blackwell.

Moreland, J. P. & Craig, W. L. (2017). Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic Press.

Pearcey, N. (2004). Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from its Cultural Captivity. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Pearcey, N. (2010). Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, and Meaning. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing.

Pearcey, N. (2015). Finding Truth: Five Principles for Unmasking Atheism, Secularism, and Other God Substitutes. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook.

Pearcey, N. & Thaxton, C. B. (1994). The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Schaffer, F. (1985). The Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview (5 Volume Set). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Sire, J. (2010). The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog. [originally published 1976] Lisle, IL: IVP Press.

Trueman, C. R. (2024). To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse. Brentwood, TN: B & H Academics.

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./February 14th, 2025

CHRISTIAN THOUGHT/Christian Worldview

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Wildfires: Ideas Have Consequences

Introduction

To date due to the wildfires in California, over 180,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, close to 24,000 acres of land have been scorched, approximately 7,000 structures have been destroyed, and there at least 16 dead with numerous persons still missing. Regardless of the title of this article, I hope to present something here that is much more than a blame game. There is some blame, but it is blame in which we all share. More importantly, from a Christian perspective, we need to continually keep the people in California in our prayers, and we need to call for compassionate aid so that those who have experienced these devastating fires can begin the restoration of their lives in as much as that is possible. Presently, legacy news continues its politicizing of everything under the sun. Although there are some political lessons to be learned here, our learning opportunities must go beyond political affiliation. Above all, this is a time for compassion and grace in which the church can lead for meeting the needs for those on whom these catastrophic fires have fallen.

Reflecting on What Is Lost

Take some time for a while to reflect on the catastrophe that swept across California. What is lost? Our first response would most likely accent the homes that people had built, lived in for many years of their lives, all representing the carving out of families’ lives. But what did those homes contain? Think of your own home. Clothes and appliances come to mind. But there is more than that. Reflect on what you hold as valuable in your home: personal gifts, family pictures, cherished mementos, and all that is held dear that represents ones ties to others and the meaning that these memorabilia hold. Then there are the memories themselves: family reunions, rooms built for children and others, celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries. For those who are in Christ, the rooms and solitary places where family members prayed, read Scripture, and engaged in personal meditation. Memories of children growing up are now left to memory alone. Recollections of neighborhood friends and get togethers are swept away with a Santa Ana wind and scorching flames. Personal collections – coins, stamps, art, etc. – are now lost to the flames. And then there are those families who lost love ones to the devastating fires, ones with whom they cannot reunite. As a hobby my mom created pottery. She owned a kiln, would make dishes, and then would paint them. After her death, I inherited all of her work. I am sure that many of the families in California owned knickknacks along similar lines, those things on which a price cannot be fixed. All gone now with the winds of fire. Those of us who have not experienced such devastation cannot fathom what people in California are going through at the moment. This is a time to pull alongside people and support them in all the ways we can. We need to cease politicizing the moment along shallow lines of political party and affiliation.

Ideas Have Consequences

How do we account for the political side of what is now transpiring in California without overly politicizing the situation? First, the blame game must come to a halt. There is no one person or political party that is to blame for California’s plight. As a culture and society, we are all to blame to some extent for what is occurring in that state at the moment. We have become a people, regardless of affiliation, who looks too much to the State to give us life. Individuals for decades sounded an alarm, warning people of the catastrophe that is now taking place on the West Coast. Several of the areas in which people lived lacked the water that was necessary for firefighters to do their job. The kindling and brush that were too close to homes needed clearing decades ago. To pontificate that people shouldn’t have been living in theses areas is nothing but full-blown bloviating. People built their homes and lives in Malibu, the Palisades, and Altadena. These were homes, not just structures. They have lost more than what can be summed up in materialistic terms.

We live in a time where the State ha become the supposedly provider and savior of humankind. In the state of California people relinquished their property rights to those in power. The trade off is that people lost their property. When one reflects on all that was lost, as discussed above, property is more than what we commonly construe that term to entail. What lies ahead is not just a few days or months to normalize. For people to reclaim what they have lost and regain some sense of normality will take years if not decades. We are on the cusp of a new administration coming into power. What I would ask of this administration is what I would ask of any human being. Set aside the political bickering and blame game and present yourself to be a servant of the people who have experienced the harrowing wreckage of their lives. California is a loud and clear ringing bell sounding the warning that the State is not a god. The unconstitutional power that the State has arrogated to itself needs defeating. It is not only the people in California who have exalted the State to a position of ultimate power. We live in a time of Statist power. We are all guilty. Statist power is antithetical to Constitutional natural rights. The time is now to rid State power from our lives, taking back the rights on which this nation was built.

For those of us in Christ, we can pray, serve, and support the rebuilding efforts that must take place – that must begin now – in California.

[Note: At the publishing of this article, the death toll in California has risen to 24.]

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./January 14th, 2025

ANALYSIS/Current Events

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The Trials of Daniel Penny

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil. — Isaiah 5:20

Introduction

Daniel Penny has had his trial. But it’s not the trial we have been reading and hearing about in the news media. Individuals face many types of trials. In a culture of woke-ism and a perverted sense of what some call social justice, people can find themselves accused and even legally charged for actions, as well as the very words they use, actions that should in no way under the country’s constitution be considered a legal matter. When such challenges to common sense and decency occur, then people find themselves faced with the trials that life bring their way. Trials that are more real and honest than those so called jury trials in today’s institutions of justice.

The Context

The scene of the incident took place on a New York subway at the Second Avenue station. Jordan Neely, a homeless man, entered the subway and begin making threats toward people, stating that he was homeless, hungry, and wanted a job. He was heard to say, I don’t care if I go to prison, and then, someone is going to die today. Several of the subway passengers feared for their safety. Daniel Penny stepped forward and from behind took Neely down to the floor in a chokehold. Others helped Penny secure Neely until the authorities arrived. He was held in the chokehold for several minutes. (Some claim that Penny held him down for six minutes; Penny claimed that it was less than five minutes.) Neely was transported to a nearby New York hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Enter Manhattan DA’s

What would we do without woke DA’s politicizing justice to the point that the word just no longer has any meaning? Following Neely’s autopsy at the hospital where he died, the Manhattan medical examiner determined that Neely had died as a result of homicide. The toxicology report indicated that synthetic marijuana was found in Neely’s system. In addition he was known to be a homeless man who suffered from schizophrenia. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg sought to bring charges against Penny, including second degree manslaughter and negligent homicide. The case was prosecuted by Manhattan DA Dafna Yoran. The presiding judge, Maxwell Riley, had previously denied that charges against Penny be dropped. The trial ensued. The real trial of life, however, came when an individual who sought to prevent violence on a subway found himself charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide.

What Is Justice?

The fate of a civilization stands or falls based on its foundational principles. One of those principles is the idea of justice. People may claim that Penny had his fair trial and was found not guilty. But one must ask, did Penney’s trial truly represent any form of justice? What happens in a society when one steps forward to prevent a situation from escalating into possible violence is then charged with a violent crime? Ensconced in this society is the already woke politics regarding the homeless that leaves people like Neely on the streets without any decent help and care. Penny faced a trial all right, but rather than being in that Manhattan court room, it was a trial caused by that very institution of justice that has as its job description to protect citizens from violent assault. Neely was not mentally competent, but he could have injured someone that day on the subway. The situation should have never seen the light of day if the politics that be would allow for proper care of the homeless. Daniel Penny was not to blame for anything. And yes, there was a time when he would have not been charged at all. And that truth has nothing to do with Neely’s race or homelessness. It has everything to do with the disgusting woke-ism and political correctness of today’s culture.

Political Hype

The hue of cries has already begun to ring loud and clear from the woke crowd. BLM claims that Penny should not be called a hero – that coming from a group of people who burn and destroy private property in the name of protest. Others have labeled Penny a vigilante, proffering America’s thirst for vigilantism. The Wikipedia title for this incident says it all: Killing of Jordan Neely. The politically correct and woke will ring their bell loud, but what they say will have little, if anything, to do with justice. A civilization must ask itself if it can continue to be a civilized society with the sense of justice displayed in the Daniel Penny trial.

Conclusion

The stark injustice thrown at Daniel Penny has kicked off the trials he faces in life. What is equally sad is that the true injustice that Neely suffered has been lost in the politically correct hype and woke-ism of the day. The plight of the homeless is a reality that politicians have failed to answer since JFK emptied the state psychiatric hospitals back in the 1960’s. Compare and contrast Penney’s situation with another recent incident. Ben Johnson was gunned down, shot three times point blank in what appears to be a premeditated stake out and murder. However, Johnson in today’s flood of woke-ism and political correctness suffers the unfortunate position of being a millionaire working for an insurance company. People have hit the social media scene claiming that Johnson deserved what he got, and that the shooter is a hero. Would it really surprise anyone if some of these people celebrating Johnson’s murder were the same ones criminalizing Daniel Penny? Pick and choose – or socially construe – your own version of vigilantism. In a civilization where justice is a politicized social construct, what kind of justice can people expect or even hope for? Penny’s trials are ahead of him. Although found not guilty, his life has been irreparably altered by being charged with criminal intent for trying to protect people. His jury trial should have never seen the light of day. There was nothing just about what Daniel Penny had to experience with Manhattan’s legal system. The next time citizens in New York ride a subway, they should think about that.

John V. Jones, Jr., Ph.D./December 14th, 2024

ANALYSIS

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