Last month, we explored how a biblical worldview shapes the way we see and serve the world, guided by the insightful writings of our late colleague, Luis Sena (catch up on part one here). This month, we return to Luis’ teaching to discover how that same worldview moves from theory to practice, transforming classrooms, communities, and our own daily choices. Join us as we continue the journey he began: learning to view creation, fall, and redemption through Scripture’s lens so we can love God and neighbor with greater clarity and purpose.
When we see reality from the biblical concepts of creation, fall, and redemption, we understand that everything which exists (with the exception of God) has been created. Therefore, everything is dependent on God’s word, which created it in the first place, and which sustains its very existence (Colossians 1:16-17). We live in God’s good creation. He evaluated it as “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Its basic structure is unchangeable; it expresses a law God himself implanted in it. The reality of sin and disobedience in creation (the fall) is a direction inside the creation. Evil is spread as wide as the scope of creation, but it is not capable of altering its basic creational structure.
A dysfunctional family is still a family, and a corrupt government is still an institution ordered by God. Sin and disobedience fight for the distortion of the functionality and development of God’s good creation. Sin is not intrinsic, it is not structural, it is not part of the substance of creation. It is a parasite, attached to creation. Sin guides creation in the direction of disobedience to God. Salvation in Christ (redemption) is a restoring force. It is the redirection of creation, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to bring healing, restoration, and flourishing, again, to God’s good creation. In Christ, everything has been reconciled with its Creator, not only the souls of human beings, but the whole cosmos (Colossians 1:20).
When we put our faith in Christ and allow His Word to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) we intentionally build inside us a biblical worldview. From such a worldview we think, feel, and align with the power and wisdom of the kingdom of God. The result of people living out such understanding of reality is the healing of all relationships of creation, and the manifestation, here and now, of that justice, goodness, and beauty which are traits of the new heavens and the new earth, where “righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Written by:
Luis Sena (July 6th, 1956 – March 22nd, 2022) Former Edify Vice President of Mission True
Luis’ deep love for Jesus drove his passion for teaching and his commitment to living out a biblical worldview. Born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Luis trained as an architect but soon devoted his career to community development, serving the materially and spiritually poor for more than four decades. His journey took him from Food for the Hungry International to leadership roles with Esperanza-Edify, and finally to Edify, where he served in vice president roles while co-pastoring a local church.
Luis’s wisdom shaped countless students, pastors, and school proprietors around the world. Though cancer ended his earthly work in 2022, we rejoice that he now enjoys the full presence of the Christ he loved and taught about so passionately. He is survived by his wife Carmen and his three children, Elizabeth, Sara, and Luis David.
