This biblical framework for change rests on five foundational truths.
- There is evil and good in the world. That evil resides in me and affects how I see myself, everyone, and everything. But, God has provided a way to overcome that evil in our lives and beyond. That way is through the death of his Son for us on the cross, as described in the gospel.
- God has created this world for his purpose, not ours. Therefore, we must always look for evidence of that purpose in our experience and place it in context through his Word. There are aspects of God’s purpose we will not understand, but there are many we will. Yet all of it must be received with humility and faith.
- We are created in the image of God. We do not evolve, so our fundamental experience of the world is the same as other people at all time and in every place. God has revealed his image to us, and how that image was affected at the fall. This, we can reliably predict how fallen people will respond to various circumstances.
- As those created in God’s image, we see the world through our understanding of ourselves. This does operate at a subconscious level, although with the truth of Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it can be drawn out and understood.
- Questions are an essential component of discerning how we, or others, think. Asking a sincere, open-ended question honors the other person’s humanity, and demonstrates humility, inviting the Holy Spirit to intervene as they answer and we listen.
These 5 foundational truths will show up again and again as we unpack the Redemptive Leader Framework. And we will spend time looking at how each is demonstrated and applies in Scripture.