## Our World View

## Hebrews 11:27

Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. In the midst of every election, certain words are used over and over. Values, morality, and integrity are some of those words. Let's consider some definitions at the outset of the message, because it is necessary that we understand what we are talking about.

- Value: The worth or importance of something
- Morals: Principles of right and wrong behavior
- Integrity: Adherence to a code of moral values. Completeness or honesty.

Now all of these terms can be applied differently depending upon what we use as a standard. The standard determines the values, the morals, and a person's integrity.

Note the phrase 'honor among thieves'. The standard by which we must define and apply these terms must be the Word of God. It cannot be society because society changes. It cannot be knowledge, because that too changes. It must be the only thing in our world that doesn't change; the Word of an unchanging God.

I. Two Worlds

Every person on this earth is a citizen of one of two different worlds.

If he is an unbeliever, he belongs to the world of darkness.

(Col 1:13) "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"

If he is a Christian, he is a member of the world of light.

(Col 1:12) "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:" · Each world has its own system of truth and values: Therefore, the child of God and the unbeliever have radically different identities and world views.

A. The world of darkness

1. The Bible uses the word 'darkness' to describe the world of sin.

2. This darkness, which entered the world at the Fall, is the domain of Satan and his spirit helpers.

3. Satan has set the secular, material, man- centered and often immoral philosophy that is still so prevalent in this world.

4. Like physical darkness, this spiritual darkness blinds.

a. It prevents people from seeing the truth and blinds their eyes so that they don't even know where they're going.

(1 John 2:11) But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

b. It clouds their thinking about the meaning of life, the right way to live and life's true priorities.

c. Since people living in darkness don't understand what life is all about as God intended, their actions reflect that fact.

5. As believers, we have not yet been fully delivered from the environment of this evil values system.

a. We would have to leave the world to be completely free of contact with its evil.

b. But even though we can't escape this world…

c. We are not to take part in the thinking and behavior that it produces.

d. Why?

6. He has 'delivered us from the power of darkness" and given us the ability to choose to obey Him and to live in the light rather than in the darkness.

7. The key is learning to distinguish between the two systems and thereby develop a world view with Biblical values and goals.

B. The world of light

(1 John 1:5) "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."

1. He sent His Son, the Light of the World, to deliver us all from this darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

2. He makes us "children of light, and the children of the day" (1 Thess. 5:5).

3. Since believers have been delivered from the darkness, our world view is transformed as God's Word and the Holy Spirit renew our minds.

4. We are to understand spiritual values and adopt them as the guidelines for our own lives.

II. Right Values.

God provides in His Word all we need to know to make right choices.

He has provided role models and examples (both positive and negative) we can learn from.

The life of Moses gives us a worthy model to follow as we learn to develop a godly values system.

We need to see the principles that led to his commitment.

These principles are stated in reverse of the order in which they appear in the text.

A. We start with a foundation of faith

Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

1. Moses had a foundation of faith in God and His revealed Word.

2. He understood that God, though invisible, was at work in his life and in his world.

3. The foundation for his life was outside himself and in the truth of the true God.

4. Principle: Our view of all life must rest on the foundation of faith in God and His truth.

B. Values based on our faith

Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

1. Moses valued the things of God more than the treasures of Egypt.

2. He based his values on his foundation of faith in God.

3. No doubt his believing parents taught him God's truth, which caused him to value eternal things.

4. It is important for us to make our home a school of faith taught by godly examples who say, 'Do as I do."

5. Principle: Values are shaped by our system of truth.

C. Our choices are based on our values

Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

1. Moses rejected a life of ease in the Pharaoh's palace, choosing instead to suffer alongside his fellow Israelites.

2. He rejected a life of status, power, wealth and worldly fame in favor of a life with the slaves-a choice the world would say makes no sense.

3. But Moses based his choices, not on worldly values, but on God's values.

4. Principle: Our choices demonstrate our values.

D. Character is reflected in our choices.

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

1. Moses had a good reputation with God because of his choices.

2. Truth shapes our values.

3. Proper values lead to right choices.

4. And a pattern of right choices results in a good character.

5. This sequence makes possible a life of commitment to Christ.

6. Principle: A pattern of right choices results in good character.

Of what world are we a citizen? The world of darkness or the world of light? That determination is made by what we do with Jesus Christ. Have we accepted Him as our Savior? Have we by faith, embraced His sacrificial death on Calvary as atonement for our sin? This is of eternal importance!

What about our values? Our morals? And our character? Do they reflect that we are citizens of the world of light? In other words, do others know we belong to the Lord? If we have to tell someone that we are a Christian, something isn't quite right. Our faith should be reflected in everything we do in our lives.