Salvation and your Worldview
Our ideas of how Jesus saves us are influenced by our worldview. Here are eight worldviews, along with how each influences our vision of how Jesus saves us.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Our worldview is our fundamental cognitive orientation. It encompasses our entire base of knowledge, culture, and point of view.
Individuals have a worldview. Societies have a worldview. The Christian movement has a worldview. Even Christian demoninations have a worldview.
Our worldview is an interpretive framework. It is how we interpret everything.
Our ideas of how Jesus saves us are influenced by our worldview. Here are eight worldviews, and how each influences people’s views of how Jesus Christ saves us.
In this article, we list eight common worldviews. For each, we map out how each influences people’s views of how Jesus saves us. We focus on three important elements of Christian faith:
- The human condition
- Salvation
- Jesus Christ
FINANCIAL WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily financial describe the human condition with words such as these:
- Debt
- Captivity
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily financial describe salvation with words such as these:
- Redemption
- Ransom
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily financial describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- Benefactor
- Bondsman
- Patron
LEGAL WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily legal describe the human condition with words such as these:
- Crime
- Guilt
- Liability
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily legal describe salvation with words such as these:
- Justice
- Acquittal
- Satisfaction
- Punishment
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily legal describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- Advocate
- Lawyer
- Judge
CULTIC WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily cultic (religious) describe the human condition with words such as these:
- Sin
- Guilt
- Disobedience
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily cultic (religious) describe salvation with words such as these:
- Sacrifice
- Sin-Offering
- Expiation
- Obedience
- Atonement
- Forgiveness
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily cultic (religious) describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- High Priest
- Victor
- Liberator
- Servant
- Champion
- Prince
- Shepherd
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POLITICAL WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily political describe the human condition with words such as these:
- Oppression
- War
- Conflict
- Injustice
- Power Struggle
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily political describe salvation with words such as these:
- Liberation
- Victory
- Justice
- Acquisition of Rights
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily political describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- King
- Victor
- Liberator
- Servant
- Champion
- Prince
- Shepherd
RELATIONAL WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily relational describe the human condition with words such as these:
- Offense
- Betrayal
- Selfishness
- Abuse
- Estrangement
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily relational describe salvation with words such as these:
- Forgiveness
- Reconciliation
- Mercy
- Love
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily relational describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- Friend
- Lover
- Mediator
- Arbitor
- Reconciler
MEDICAL WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily medical describe the human condition with words such as these:
- Sickness
- Disease
- Woundedness
- Paralysis
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily medical describe salvation with words such as these:
- Healing
- Wholeness
- Relief
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily relational describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- Healer
- Doctor
- Midwife
- Medicine
- Salve
EXISTENTIAL WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily existential describe the human condition with words such as these:
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily existential describe salvation with words such as these:
- Peace
- Reassurance
- Freedom
- New Life
- Meaning
- Truth
- Knowledge
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily existential describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- Wholeness
- Sage
- Spiritual Director
- Peacemaker
- Wisdom
FAMILY WORLDVIEW
The human condition
People whose worldview is primarily familial describe the human condition with words such as these:
- Singleness
- Orphanhood
Salvation
People whose worldview is primarily familial describe salvation with words such as these:
- Birth
- Adaption
- Inheritance
Jesus Christ
People whose worldview is primarily familial describe the Lord Jesus Christ with words such as these:
- Brother
- Elder
- Firstborn
- Spouse
- Bridegroom
NOTES
RESOURCES
Sarah Butler, Ph.D., Readings in Soteriology, 1998
IN THIS SERIES
The four most influential theories of Soteriology