Christian Vs. Secular World View

It's a challenge for Christians to live in the world, yet stand apart as Jesus instructs believers to do in the Bible. (John 17:15-18)

Unfortunately, many Christians succumb to worldly trappings and fall into a mixed world view; professing a belief in Jesus, but living secular lifestyles, "Secular" means "denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have not religious or spiritual basis." Oxford American Dictionaries.         Read More About Life in Christ...

CHRISTIAN VIEW	SECULAR VIEW
Reduce your sense of self  Luke 9:24-26	Improve your sense of self
True knowledge is from God 1 Cor 3:18	Knowledge is from human thought
Getting ahead is losing self Matt 6:19-21	Getting ahead is money and power.
Narrow is the way to heaven Matt 7:13-14	Wide is the way of tolerance
Serve others first  Matt 21:16	Serve self first
Jesus makes you good  1 John 1:9	Good deeds make you good

   QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:

• Is this action/attitude supported by scripture?  
• Will this help me to trust God’s love and His promises more faithfully?
• Will this action/attitude help me reduce blocks to my relationship with Jesus?
• Am I following God’s will/plan for me?
• Will this action/action help me to focus more on others and less on myself?
• If Jesus was standing next to me, would I say or do this?

Sense of Self

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Phil 2:3-4 NKJV

CHRISTIAN.   For Christians, the goal is to decrease our sense of self importance and measure ourselves against Jesus and not against worldly standards of personal importance; fame, wealth. Christian view is based on the Biblical principle that we are to deem others more important than ourselves and to be vessels through which the Holy Spirit can do the work of Jesus.      

Secular

Secular view is based on the premise that we are in a position to judge whether or not we are adequate. Also, it is based on the idea that if we make some change we then become worthy.  The goal is to increase our sense of self-worth and consequently, our standing in the world. 

True Knowledge

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their own craftiness' 20 and again, The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile. 1 Cor 3:18-20  NKJV


CHRISTIAN.   Christian view is based on the Biblical principle that while people can share knowledge, experience and hope with each other, as humans we are limited in our ability to understand. Only God sees the big picture and has a plan for each of us. True wisdom comes from God and only God and is written in His Word, the Bible.

Secular

Secular world view purports that there is a person or persons who has the answer to particular life questions. Their approach is the best and the author is the defining authority on the subject. This lends itself to the guru effect. One person or human approach becoming idolized as the way to solve a problem.   

Getting Ahead

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:15-17 NLT

CHRISTIAN.   Christian view is based on the belief that true success is in accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior who has given us eternal life. The goal is finding humility and grace as a foundation for any earthly accomplishments. The more worldly success we achieve, the more difficult it is to accept our need for God. We tend to see ourselves as the source of our achievements vs. God who gave us all resources for success.

Secular

Secular view is based on the premise that the more earthly success we achieve, we gain in value as individuals. These successes are defined by the world are fame, riches and power.

Getting to Heaven

13 You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Matthew 7:13-14

6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:6 NLT

CHRISTIAN.   Christian view is that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus as Savior means knowing that He died for our sins which opened the door to Heaven for all who believe in Him. Jesus as Lord means following His instruction and example for living as loving believers. This is difficult as it requires denying ourselves of the worldly desires of the flesh.      

Secular

Secular view is based on the belief that it is within each person's power to get themselves to heaven through good behavior. This breeds a tolerance of a wide range of behaviors that the individual may deem acceptable. This tolerance grows as individuals are reluctant to judge others behaviors since they don't want to be judged.

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Service

43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:43-45 NLT  NLT

CHRISTIAN.   Christian view is that true success or power is in serving others as Jesus served. His example of humility gives us the standard for putting others first in all things including leadership.      

Secular

Secular view is that having others serve you is a measure or privilege of power, wealth and success.

What Makes Us Good

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9   NLT

CHRISTIAN.   Christian view is of our perception of self is based on the Biblical principle that God made us exactly as He intended, but inherent in our humanness is a sinful nature. Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven. If we accept Him as our Savior and Lord, we shed our sinful self and become a renewed being...a Christian.      

Secular

Secular view is based on the premise that we are in a position to judge whether or not we are good. And if we deem ourselves good enough, we will go to Heaven.