Think Biblically!: Recovering a Christian Worldview [Hardcover]

John MacArthur (Author, Preface, Contributor), Richard L. Mayhue (Author, Contributor), John A. Hughes (Author, Contributor), Mark A. Tatlock (Contributor), Brian K. Morley (Contributor), Stuart W. Scott (Contributor), Patricia A. Ennis (Contributor), Paul T. Plew (Contributor), John D. Street (Contributor), Taylor B. Jones (Contributor), Clyde P., Jr. Greer (Contributor), John P. Stead (Contributor), R. W., II Mackey (Contributor), Grant Horner (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 23, 2003

"A truly Christian worldview begins with the conviction that God Himself has spoken in Scripture. As Christians, we are committed to the Bible as the inerrant and authoritative Word of God. Scripture is the standard by which we must test all other truth-claims. Unless that dominates our perspective on all of life, we cannot legitimately claim to have embraced a Christian worldview. Think Biblically! issues a serious call to recover a Christian worldview that is absolute and exclusive. These essays are intended to reaffirm and restore a biblically-based view of life's reality from God's perspective. Whether the reader is a student in high school or college, a pastor or professor, a missionary or biblical counselor, a layperson or Christian worker, this book will help refocus proper attention on God's understanding of the world in which one lives." -Adapted from the Preface and Chapter 1

What we think shapes who we are. That's why the Bible tells us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2a). In a world of differing voices competing for our allegiance, we must learn to "think biblically" so we can distinguish good from evil. God is the Creator of this world; His voice-His Word-must guide our thoughts and our lives.

With the Bible in their hands, John MacArthur and other scholars and teachers from The Master's College confront the false worldviews that dominate our postmodern world. The authors provide models for cultivating a biblical mind-set on worship, psychology, gender, science, education, history, government, economics, and literature. This book will prove to be helpful to anyone striving to Think Biblically! in today's culture.

Associate Editors:

• Dr. Richard L. Mayhue, Provost
• Dr. John A. Hughes, Vice President for Academic Affairs

Contributors:

• Dr. Mark Tatlock, Vice President for Student Life
• Dr. Patricia A. Ennis, Chairperson, Department of Home Economics
• Dr. Clyde P. Greer, Jr., Chairperson, Department of History and Political Studies
• Mr. Grant Horner, Assistant Professor of English
• Dr. John A. Hughes, Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Dr. Taylor B. Jones, Chairperson, Department of Biological and Physical Sciences
• Dr. John MacArthur, President
• Dr. R. W. Mackey, II, Chairperson, Department of Business Administration
• Dr. Richard L. Mayhue, Provost
• Dr. Brian K. Morley, Professor of Philosophy and Apologetics
• Dr. Paul T. Plew, Chairperson, Department of Music
• Dr. Stuart W. Scott, Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling
• Dr. John P. Stead, Professor of History and Political Studies
• Dr. John D. Street, Chairperson, Department of Biblical Counseling

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JOHN MACARTHUR is the pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and president of the Master's College and Seminary, as well as a best-selling author. He can be heard daily on the nationally syndicated radio broadcast Grace to You.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Crossway Books (January 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581344120
• ISBN-13: 978-1581344127
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,741 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Biblical Worldview in a World of Chaos May 16, 2004

By Roy Ingle VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

It seems in our day that few Christians understand what they believe and even worse most churches fail to communicate sound doctrine and instead choose to build churches based on experience or pragmatic teachings of men (Mark 7:1-13).

This edition from the staff of Master's College and Seminary in Los Angeles, CA gives its readers a biblical worldview. Notice I said "biblical" because this book does a wonderful job of presenting the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice. Every worldview from politics to feminism is examined in the light of Scripture. Because this book makes the Bible its source for divine truth and authority, the writers avoid their opinions and give us God's view of a world gone mad.

This is a great book and I would encourage all full time servants to purchase this book and seek to understand a biblical worldview not tarnished by politics, money, or sin.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The only healthy way to think May 28, 2004

By J. Adrian

Format:Hardcover

Think Biblically is edited by John MacArthur, who also has contributed four chapters to the book. The other contributors are faculty members of the Masters College. Every person has a weltanschauung we are told in the introduction. A weltanschauung is a personal worldview. This book contrasts the christian worldview from a secular mindset. How should a christian think about and relate to the world in which we live? Think Biblically is very helpful in giving answers to that question on a number of subjects. How should a christian view creation versus evolution,history,education,church and state,science?
An important feature of this book are the insights given to what the implications of not holding a christian worldview can be. On p.79 John MacArthur writes "There is no viable explanation of the universe without God. So many immense and intricate wonders could not exist without a designer. Theres only one possible explanation for it all, and that is a creative power of an all wise God." God has given meaning to everthing that exists, and without God there is no meaning to anything. This is ultimately where evoulutinary philosophy must lead. It is mans attempt to escape moral accountability for his actions from an omnipotent, righteous creator. As the Bible says in Romans 1:22 "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
What the christian believes about about creation, masculinity and feminity, history, literature will greatly impact how we live and interact with those in our culture. There is no neutral ground . We are affected by our culture whether we realise it or not.
Think Biblically will help to instruct and challenge christians to see if they are reflecting Biblical truth in the postmodern world in which we live. This is an important and relevant book for twenty first century christians.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars College course in a Biblical worldview concept August 28, 2006

By Dan Panetti VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

A really outstanding book exploring the concept and role of the Christian mind throughout history with a challenge to the reader to be not just a hearer of the word, but a doer as well. MacArthur is thoroughly Reformed in his presentation of the Christian worldview laying out the foundation of the Creation-Fall-Redemption model as the framework within which is built the Christian mind. MacArthur begins with presenting the case for the sufficiency and authority of Scripture and continues to remind the reader that developing intellect is not the goal of the Christian worldview - rather, it is bringing all things into focus using the lens of God's revealed Word. MacArthur writes that "the Christian mind should be a repository of God's revealed truth." The rest of Part One of the book presents the foundational truths of the nature of God, the nature of man and man's responsibility to walk in obedience to God's will in his relations to others.

MacArthur then taps the expertise of his faculty at The Master's College in Part Two as each chapter explores some component of a biblical worldview. The chapters cover issues such as understanding the currently postmodern thought, profiling true masculinity and femininity, an in depth examination of the role of worship and music, a contrasting view of psychology with true biblical counseling, a look at the significance of science, the role of Christian education, an honest reflection on history, a biblical worldview of the church in relation to the state, a biblical concept of economics and the importance of literature and the arts in culture from a Christian perspective. Each chapter really could be its own book on the subject, presented from a professor whose expertise is in that particular field of study.

Personally, I enjoyed the book, especially the foundational concepts presented in Part One. MacArthur's Coming to Grips with Sin (chapter 4) was absolutely outstanding and is essential for the Christian to understand that Scripture teaches that sin is the problem with the human dilemma and the only viable solution to the condition of mankind is offered through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Every chapter had something valuable - a nugget of pure gold - but the second half of the book was pretty tough treading. Overall, a very good book that would be an excellent recommendation for any person interested in examining how their faith addresses all facets of life beyond just the issues of religion.