Looking back on my pilgrimage of faith I can say that two of my primary mentors have been Francis Schaeffer and R.C. Sproul. Both were Reformed in their faith and both had a dedication to the truth of truth, and the truth of Scripture.
I first discovered Schaeffer as a new Christian when I transferred to Gordon College in 1978. The college was hosting a film series that year by Schaeffer and C. Everett Koop entitled, "Whatever Happened To The Human Race?" that discussed the abortion holocaust that began in 1973. Schaeffer also did a film series entitled, "How Shall We Then Live?" that discussed the rise and fall of Western culture based on a Christian worldview.
Schaeffer taught the importance of worldviews, that they are often shaped by a culture's philosophy instead of the Bible. Secular culture is shaped by the worldviews of secularism. He understood the effects of the loss of Truth, and that it is devastating. And because of the crumbling values of Western culture in the twentieth century, he asked, “How shall we then live?” How can we live with meaning and purpose without God?
As I discovered more of Reformed theology I came in contact with R.C. Sproul. He taught that our faith must be shaped by our theology. And our theology is ‘our’ knowledge of God. But, the central part of biblical theology is that God is triune, He is sovereign, holy, and true, and He does all things for His own glory. R.C. also understood the effects of the loss of Truth and the need for a truth-based biblical theology.
The greatest teaching of course comes from Jesus himself. And the central part of Jesus’ teaching is the Shema, which he repeated from Deuteronomy 6:5. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” And then Jesus added the second commandment, ‘to love our neighbors as ourselves.’
Jesus' worldview was that the truth of God is central to all things, and we must put Him first in all of our lives. Jesus' worldview was his theology, summarized in the Shema, and this should shape the worldviews of all Christians as well. We should focus on God because He is the Creator, Redeemer, and Comforter. And then we can love our neighbors with the God of grace.
FAITH TODAY: Mark 12:29-30, "Jesus answered, “The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."
