In our day-to-day lives, we must exercise a Biblical worldview if we are to understand the world in which we live and assess its problems.  In the Bible, God has given us a clear outline of how to view our world in terms of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration (CFRR).

When we understand our world in light of the Bible’s storyline (CFRR), we no longer wonder why everything exists because we know God created it.  We also can understand why there is death or suffering because we know these things are results of humankind's fall into sin, and we are motivated to avoid sin and warn others to repent of their sins and trust in Jesus’ sacrificial death in our place so that they too can experience God's redemption.  We can also avoid utter despair over our sinful and miserable condition by looking forward to the ultimate restoration of both creation and our own selves.  If we fail to grasp the significance of the Bible’s storyline in our day-to-day lives, we will be constantly wondering why suffering and evil exist and will seek alternate solutions to these problems—solutions that ultimately will prove woefully inadequate. 

Case study: Worldview Applied

So, exactly how do we apply the principles of CFRR to understand and address particular issues?  This case study example, which deals with the topic of human immortality, will demonstrate how a biblical worldview should be used to evaluate and answer life's questions.  

The idea of immortality has long been a subject of fascination for humankind, but is it even realistic?  And would it actually be worth achieving?  In this video, there are cases made for and against the true value of immortality, but there are notable flaws in both arguments because none of them cites Biblical truth when making their case. 

One of the most foundational errors made in the video is that both sides seem to miss the fact that immortality is impossible for sinful human beings.  Humanity, when originally created by God, was perfect, and therefore immortal (Creation).  However, once humanity fell into sin, they lost their perfection and therefore deserved death (Fall).  Since that time, every person ever born is either dead or waiting to die (Rom. 5:12). 

Additionally, at 1:23 in the video, the narrator references the opinion of ethicist Bernard Willams, who believes that living eternally would be extremely monotonous.  It is hard to argue with this statement because, in a way, it is true.  Since their fall into sin, humanity, now broken, is often plagued by boredom, loss of interest, and futility, so to live an everlasting life in such a world where these realities exist would probably indeed get old after a time.  However, in the world in which we live, boredom and monotony are the least of our concerns.  Our world is also fraught with disease, danger, crime, and personal hardship (Fall), so an immortal living in this world would be constantly grappling with these problems for not only sixty or seventy years, but forever!  Would that really be worth it? 

The most critical mistake that the experts referenced in the video seem to make is that they are focused on the “What ifs?” of immortality on the present earth (which is broken and imperfect) while perhaps missing the truth that immortality will one day be possible on a new, perfect earth for those who trust in Jesus as their Savior.  Jesus, God’s only Son, took the punishment for humanity’s sins through His death on the cross and was afterward brought back to life by God the Father.  Therefore, He is able to pardon all who will believe what He did for them (Redemption).  All who accept Christ will, one day, be resurrected to live forever in a new creation where there will be no sin, suffering, tears, or death (Restoration).  Therefore, instead of spending too much time speculating about something that is not only impossible but also not worth having, we should repent of our sins and turn to Jesus for salvation.  If a person does this, they will one day be resurrected just as Jesus was.  However, if a person fails to repent and believe in Jesus, they will spend eternity in hell, the only way for a human being to pay for their own sin. 

In the end, while immediate immortality may seem appealing (especially if contained in a sparkling bottled potion), it is not only impossible, but it would not be worthwhile if it were possible, because it would provide eternal cyclical monotony, hardship, and suffering.  Furthermore, since it is not a possibility, the idea of immediate immortality can easily be a distraction from the true possibility of future immortality on a new earth for those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus to save them.  However, after completing this study, I believe that reflection on the topic of immediate immortality can be eye-opening for Christians because it can help them understand the lack of future hope for non-Christians, who can do nothing but wish and speculate about eternal life.  Also, a Christian who stops to consider the implications of living forever on this present earth will be able to gain a new appreciation of the eternal life awaiting them on the future new earth.  It would be interesting to make a more detailed study of the comparisons between eternal life on this earth and eternal life in the world to come, as it would show the surpassing excellence of living forever in God’s future perfect world as opposed to living forever in the flawed world of which we currently are a part.