Parent Connection - 3.1.2020

The Consequences of Belief

Objective: Students will realize that our beliefs have consequences in the real world and will be challenged to treat all people as image bearers of God.

Key Scripture: Genesis 1:26-27

Key Thought: What happens if you’re right?

Lesson Summary: Tonight’s lesson was the fourth in a four-part series called “What? A Conversation About Worldviews, Creation, Evolution, Darwin, Consequences, Facts, Faith, Science, Semantics, Finches, Fossils, Microscopes, and Mousetraps.” In this lesson, students learned that worldviews affect behavior and have consequences in the real world. This lesson explored the consequences of believing the Christian worldview versus the worldview of Darwinian evolution.

First, students learned about the concept of the image of God, which is foundational to the Christian worldview. Being made in God’s image means that:

1. We are made to be in relationship with God and others.
2. We can reason and be creative.
3. We are responsible beings given the care of creation.

We then asked the students to answer three questions if the image of God is a truth: “What is true?” “What is valuable or important?” “How then should you behave?”

Students discovered that if we were made in God’s image then we were purposefully designed. As a result, all people have inherent dignity, value, and worth. Therefore, we ought to love others and treat them with respect (this does not mean we have to agree with them). On the other hand, if evolution is true, we are an accident. God does not exist, and our personal fulfillment is the most important thing in the universe. As a result, we will naturally do whatever it takes to get ahead, even if it is at the expense of others. Of course, believing evolution does not automatically mean you believe those things, but you have to steal from the Christian worldview if you want to believe that humans are inherently valuable.

Have you taken time to consider the logical outcomes of your beliefs? What happens if your beliefs are true? What is valuable or important? How should you behave as a result?

If the Bible is true, all people deserve to be treated as image bearers of God. Who is it in your life that needs your forgiveness because you have mistreated them? Make a commitment with your student to make restitution with anyone you have mistreated. Maybe you need to make something right with your student specifically.

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