Where are the Christians?

Many of you may have heard about the Barna Research Group's survey. The survey was conducted just recently and then compared with the results of the same survey conducted in 1995, 2000 and then again in 2005. The purpose of the survey was to explore how many Americans have what might be considered a “biblical worldview.”

For the purposes of the survey, a "biblical worldview" was defined as believing that absolute moral truth exists; the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches; Satan is considered to be a real being or force, not merely symbolic; a person cannot earn their way into Heaven by trying to be good or do good works; Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and God is the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world who still rules the universe today. In the research, anyone who held all of those beliefs was said to have a biblical worldview.

Now if you are like me, those items listed above aren't even controversial. Those statements are basic to Christian doctrine. In fact, let me just get this off my chest and go ahead and state here for the record that I believe the following:

1. Absolute moral truth DOES exist
2. The Bible IS totally accurate in everything it teaches
3. Satan IS a real being
4. A person CANNOT earn their way into Heaven
5. Jesus Christ DID live a sinless life
6. God IS the all-knowing and all-powerful creator and still rules today

Overall, the current research revealed that only 9% of all American adults have a biblical worldview. Now that is bad enough, but it just gets worse from there. Out of the total group surveyed, a sub-group was defined by those who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is important in their life today and that they are certain that they will go to Heaven after they die only because they confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior. This sub-group was labeled “born again Christians". The study discovered that among born again Christians, less than one out of every five (19%) had such an outlook on life.

So 19% of people who said they were born-again Christians believe those six statements? How can that be? Although the numbers for the overall group are disheartening, the numbers for those who say they are born-gain are downright staggering to me. Here are some more findings for those who said they are born-again:

46% of born again adults believe in absolute moral truth.

79% of born again adults believe the Bible is accurate in all the principles it teaches.

40% of born again adults are convinced that Satan is a real force.

47% of born again Christians strongly reject the notion of earning salvation through their deeds (this means that 53% believe you CAN earn salvation through your works!).

62% of born again adults believe that Jesus lived a sinless life.

93% of born again adults say that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe who still rules it today.

One other thing that is really frightening is what they found in young people. As I was writing this blog I texted my older son Joshua who is 21. I asked him if he believed in those six things. He said 'Yes'. I texted back that he could consider himself in the minority. The research data showed that one pattern emerged loud and clear: young adults rarely possess a biblical worldview. The current study found that less than one-half of one percent (1/2%!) of young adults (those aged 18 to 23) have a biblical worldview.

Why is this important? A person's worldview has a powerful impact on their life. A worldview serves as a filter through which a person makes decisions and choices with lasting impacts. By helping to clarify what a person believes to be important, a worldview has a dramatic influence on a person’s choices in any given situation. A person's worldview has a dramatic effect in behavior related to matters such as media use, profanity, gambling, alcohol use, honesty, civility, and sexual choices. When your worldview is corrupt, the conscience is defiled.

Where are the Christians - the true Christians? How have we come to a point in this society where a person can call themselves 'born-again' and not believe that their Savior lived a sinless life? Can call themselves Christians and still believe that salvation can be earned through works?

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." - Jesus Christ