Page 8 - Discipleship Ministries Student E-Book

Section 2: Receiving the Mind of Christ

“It is only because he became like us that we can become like him.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

2.1 Connect

The Bible says that when a person receives Christ, he becomes a new creation in Christ (2
Cor 5:17). What that means is that God gives a new believer a new nature that now can
understand the things of God. He gives the new believer a new way to understand the
Scriptures and a new way to think. However, things learned, and previous practices must
be replaced with what is new. A new world view must emerge.

Everyone has a world view, believer or not. It’s the information stored in your brain that gives your
perspective about life and the world. Your world view will determine most of your behavior or
responses to others. When a person becomes a believer in Christ, old thoughts must be replaced with
new thoughts -- old views replaced with new views.

A person’s world view is developed over time, beginning as a small baby. As you learned, you found
things that worked in your favor and other things that you should avoid. You learned how to think. You
learned what was considered proper and what was a no-no. Over the years, you have created a
framework in your mind that determines your method of thinking about everything. It forms your views
about God, people, politics, green-house gases, black lives matter, and everything else that comes your
way. So, your world view is EXTREMELY important because out of a person’s heart flow the issues of life
(Proverbs 4:23).

Your world view can agree with God’s world view or oppose His views. A new believer’s world view
does not instantly change upon conversion. You must receive the mind of Christ. He declared His views
in the Bible. If you agree with God, then your world view is theocentric (God-centered). But if your
views oppose God’s views, your world view will send you in a direction that opposes God. Most
unbelievers have a naturalistic world view. Your task as one who disciples is to help a new believer
develop a theocentric world view. Let’s see how you can do that….

2.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to define what a world view is.

2. The student should be able to explain how a world view is developed over time.

3. The student should be able to define the two basic world views and describe each.

4. The student should be able to explain why a Christian may have a secular world view.

5. The student should be able to state and explain basic principles to accurately interpret the Word of
God.

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