It seems strange to me that so many people "believe" things, but what they believe doesn't influence how they live or think. I have a hard time believing people who say they believe one thing but they never do anything that reflects it. What we truly believe directly influences what we do. This is called our worldview; the lens through which we view the world and the tool we use to make decisions based upon what we see. The right worldview allows us to look at the world so that it "makes sense." (See Ron Nash's book, Life's Ultimate Questions - An Introduction to Philosophy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999) for a great look at worldviews.) So many people think that what you believe religiously should be separated from how we live. It isn't, doesn't, and can't be. So many people want to jump all over people for making their religious views part of their political party. What is wrong with that? If you believe that God said that we should not murder, lie, or commit adultery, then that will definitely affect how we live our lives as opposed to someone who doesn't believe in God and whose only moral compass is "what can I get away with." Your worldview should GREATLY affect your life and how it's lived.
So what does Scripture tell us about the world and how we should view it? First, it tells us that all of mankind are sinners and that we are constantly rebelling against God. Why do bad things happen in this world if God is loving? Because man is inherently selfish and sinful. That fits, we see a world around us that is fallen and fully depraved (completely sinful). But what about the good that we see in the world? Scripture tells us, secondly, that God is the Sovereign Lord (ultimate ruler w/ ultimate power) and that He desires a relationship with us and that His very nature is love. Romans 2:4 tells us that "God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance." (Check out these lyrics by Flame - Goodness to Repentance.) We so often look at the world and ask, "How can this be a loving God?" when we should look at the fallen world and say, "How can God love us sinners?". That is the greater factor.
Take Scripture and let it influence your lives. When it says something about relationships, alcohol, homosexuality, mind-altering substances (drugs), lying, cheating, gossiping, obeying the law, etc... pay attention to it. Don't let how you want to view the world change how you view Scripture. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16 The Bible is God's voice to us telling us how we should live and act in today's world and also explaining a great deal about why things are the way they are. Let it speak through your life; let your worldview be dominated by God's Word.
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