Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.   2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

By asking you a few questions: Would you agree or disagree with the statements,

1. Private property encourages greed and envy.
2. Meaning and purpose come from working hard to earn as much as possible so you can make the most out of life.
3. What is morally right or wrong depends on what an individual believes.
4. If you do good, you will receive good. If you do bad, you will receive bad.
5. All people pray to the same god or spirit, no matter what name they use for that spiritual being.
6. God helps those that help themselves.

These statements are just a few of the statements that were used by the research team from Barna Group to track what they have concluded is an ongoing shift away from Christianity as the basis for a shared worldview.  The research was conducted with practicing Christians (who go to church at least monthly and consider their faith very important in life) including 1,456 web-based surveys conducted in March 2017.

Well, if you’re like me, when I read about the population that was being surveyed, I was sure that the prevalent worldview that was going to be espoused was a Christian worldview.   I mean, they were interviewing Christians...but what they concluded was that it appears that among people who identify themselves as people of faith there continues to be evidence that they hold beliefs that are contrary to Scripture and Christianity.

It appears that many Christians have fallen prey to the ideas and beliefs of worldviews that stand in opposition to the truths that are given to us in the Scripture.  In other words, we believe and practice the wrong things.

Which statements above would you have agreed with or disagreed with?  Are you confident that you know what the Bible says about each one of the ideas presented within the statements?  Could you give some Biblical evidence that what you believe indeed lines up with what God says?

No wonder we have seen an increasing moral decline in our nation and among our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Key worldviews like new spirituality, marxism, postmodernism, secularism, pluralism, relativism,  go ahead...add a few “isms” of your own...these have influenced Christians’ beliefs about the way the world is and how it ought to be.

Would you be surprised to know that research indicates that 38% of practicing Christians are sympathetic to some Muslim teachings?

The research also indicated:

• 61% agree with ideas rooted in New Spirituality
• 54% resonate with postmodernist views.
• 36% accept ideas associated with Marxism
• 29% believe ideas based on secularism

The remedy; Christians like you and me, need to reaffirm our commitment to the Scripture, and the worldview presented, by learning and standing upon the Word of God.  There are too many Christians that take a verse here or there...usually out of context...and formulate a belief or an idea that doesn’t match with what the Bible actually says.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.   2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

Who, in their right Christian mind, doesn’t want to find the approval of God.

That’s why with our commitment to the Word, must be a commitment to study the Word of God in its entirety.  When we only know the Scripture in “parts”, we are easy prey for competing worldviews and religions that have fragments or similarities to some of the teachings we find in the Scripture...then we latch on to those ideas without recognizing them for what they are...distortions of Biblical truth.

One of the easiest ways to make studying the Scripture a part of your lifestyle, thus becoming a person who is informed with what the Scripture teaches and then finding yourself able to develop and maintain a healthy Biblical worldview, is by joining a Bible Study group on Sunday mornings.

Together, with other Christians, you will study the Bible and think...informed thinking is what is needed...as you learn how the Scripture applies to the world and life that God created and maintains.  You will see how the world is from His point of view and how it ought to be from His point of view, ensuring that you will not be led astray from the purpose and plan of God for your life.

As we learn the Scripture and obey the Word we will then be ready to handle it, to stand for and spread the Word of God, the Christians’ worldview, in the marketplace of ideas.   Only the truth of Scripture will indeed, set people free.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,   and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (ESV)

It’s not too late, but we are headed in the wrong direction, if Christians don’t know what the Bible says and how it applies to real life...and if we have fallen prey to competing worldviews and religions and actually have fallen for the “lie”.

Join a Bible Study class...read the Word...study all of it...and you will find the truth and the approval of God.  And...do it as soon as you can!

Why is it that when we’re accountable to another person, we’re more apt to follow through on a promise or commitment? Why are we more likely to succeed when we share our struggles with another person and then walk through those struggles together than when we try it alone? Why are we less likely to give into temptation when we’re with someone else than when we try it solo?

I don’t know about you, but I imagine many are like me in that I don’t want to let the other person down. Years ago, I spent twelve weeks eating right and working out six days a week with a goal to lose weight and improve my health. I was successful in losing 65 pounds largely in part because I did it with a partner. I woke up early and met him at the gym several times a week. We worked out together more times a week than we did alone, so I knew he would be able to see if I’d been faithful to stick to the plan on my own when we couldn’t get together for a few days. I knew he would be at the gym at 5:00 am, and I wasn’t about to give him an opportunity to rib me for making an excuse to not be there on time, ready to go. The desire to not let him down motivated me to follow through on my commitment, even though it required a big sacrifice on my part. And I know from conversations with him that he felt likewise about his commitment to me…he didn’t want to let me down by not being there.

Likewise, when I joined a discipleship group with seven other men, I knew that we would meet once a week to review what we’d learned that week in our personal study time. And I knew that I would be asked questions that required my having completed the daily workbook assignments for the week. I was accountable to the group for committing to them that I want to grow in Christ and having expressed that I’m willing to take the necessary steps to become a true disciple of Christ. I didn’t want to let the group down by not following through on my promise. That desire to not let the group down motivated me to sacrifice daily to meet the objectives of the study. And I know from conversations with them that they felt likewise about their commitment to the group…that it’s easier to make the sacrifice when we know we’re accountable for our actions during the weekly gathering of us all.

I had a conversation once with my accountability partner and good friend and it got me to ask the question…” to whom am I really accountable?” In my head, I know the answer is God. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.” I’m accountable to God for how I live this life He’s given me. I’m accountable to Him for whom I share the news of Jesus with. I’m accountable to God for my choices and my actions. I’m accountable to God for fulfilling His command to go out and make disciples…to love Him and love people. (John 13:34-35)

I know this as head knowledge, but have I made it heart knowledge? Am I living this knowledge out? To whom am I really living my life accountable to?

Why do I find it easier to resist temptation and stay the course when I have a human accountability partner than when I don’t? When the alarm went off to wake me for my morning workout alone, why was it easier to hit the snooze button and roll over when I already knew I’d be working out alone because my training partner couldn’t make it due to his work schedule? And when my discipleship group takes a brief break, when the alarm goes off at 4:50 am to wake me for my daily quiet time, why is it easier to roll over and hit the snooze button when I know I’m not immediately accountable to a friend for having spent time with God daily?

Really, when I do that haven’t I just told God “I’M too tired to meet you right now…I’ll make time for you later…around MY schedule…I’ll come to you when I’M ready.”

Why is it easier to make excuses when we I don’t have someone in our my face pushing us me?  Are we Am I really that unbelieving and unfaithful that we I need visual confirmation of that which we I say we I believe?  Isn’t Jesus enough?  Isn’t the thought of letting HIM down enough to motivate us me to resist temptation and get out of bed to meet Him daily?  Do we I really need a human accountability partner when we I have Jesus and the Holy Spirit?  Isn’t Jesus THE ultimate accountability partner?

I pray daily He is…that He continues to grow inside me so much so that my desire to not let HIM down outweighs my desire to not let man down.  Because in the end, you and I are not standing before man to be judged.  We’re standing before a God that is holy.  Righteous.  Just.  Faithful.  A God that knows no sin.  THE God whose Son took our place in death so that we may see life.  And when He stands to defend me, I want to know Him so well that I can say “You!! You, Lord Jesus, are my accountability partner, and I claim You as my Lord and Savior.”

I pray this for you too…is He your accountability partner?

P.S. After reading this again, it seems that I’ve asked more questions here than provided answers.  I think maybe that’s okay…because I’m okay accepting the reality that I don’t have all the answers.  However, this, I can say with certainty.  Don’t mistake making Jesus your ultimate accountability partner with forsaking your finding of an accountability partner here in this life.  While we are accountable to God first and foremost and long to live a life that reflects that, we need people…other believers…in our life to challenge us to be better. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12