Education isn’t everything–but, it’s a lot! The more we know of something, the better decisions we make.

¹⁵ Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 AMP

We continue in the Baptist Faith & Message with:

XII. Education

Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage. The new birth opens all human faculties and creates a thirst for knowledge. Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christ’s people.

In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility. Freedom in any orderly relationship of human life is always limited and never absolute. The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school exists.

Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10; 31:12-13; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Job 28:28; Psalms 19:7ff.; 119:11; Proverbs 3:13ff.; 4:1-10; 8:1-7,11; 15:14; Ecclesiastes 7:19; Matthew 5:2; 7:24ff.; 28:19-20; Luke 2:40; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:3,8-9; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; James 1:5; 3:17.

Education is important, but it does not save. Here’s why:

1. Salvation comes through a personal relationship with Jesus; He becomes Lord of our lives.
2. His Spirit fills us and begins to transform us into the spiritual image of Christ.
3. The first thing the Spirit does is to give us a hunger and thirst to know Christ. We want it any way we can get it, such as prayer, Bible study, conversations with older Followers, classes, sermons, and experience. Paul said that he wanted to know Christ more deeply and intimately through His resurrection, but also through fellowshipping with Him in His sufferings (Philippians 3:10).

Without the Spirit, we have neither the desire nor the power to comprehend God, His will, or His ways. It’s not a blind faith in that we just take someone’s word for the truth. We base everything upon the revealed Word of God, the Bible. His Word says that we can know Him and that He wants to walk with us and lead us to Himself.

And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7

³ We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 1 John 2:3

It is these commands that we read in His Word. Jesus has two basic commands,

Love God (Matthew 22:37)
Love your neighbor (Matthew 22:39)

Since Jesus is God in the flesh, we do what Jesus says. His Spirit guides us and reveals truth to us as we go. Although our salvation is not based upon education, our lives as followers of Christ are one big educational process.

¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces [we are turned toward Christ] contemplate the Lord’s glory [we are learning as we go], are being transformed into his image [we become more and more like Jesus] with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

There is SO MUCH to learn–WE have SO MUCH to learn!

Abba, please teach us. May we be open to Your teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training as You make us righteous in our thoughts and ways (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We are trusting You for the process of sanctification, and, eventually, glorification, when “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Amen.