The primary purpose of education like everything is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. The Apostle Paul said, "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" 1 Corinthians 10:31. Glorifying God requires us to study His Word daily, and as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 states, pray without ceasing. By doing this we can begin to know and love God and understand the work He has called us to in education. With the Bible at the center of Christian education, we understand and teach that we have the Holy Spirit to help bring Christ's restoration to the entire created order.
God is love, so He created human beings in His image. This means we are like a mirror that can reflect God's characteristics. We can feel emotions, communicate, make plans, enjoy fellowship, love, and more. We have been created to glorify Him in all that we think, say, and do. God revealed Himself to us through the universe He created, through nature's intricate harmony, through logic, through the Scriptures, and through Himself, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The development of learners must be based on the conviction that knowledge of the Bible and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ are vital.
Jesus's disciples, a term that means learners, called Him rabbi or teacher. He was and is the Master Teacher in every area of life. A Christian teacher's philosophy of education should be based on a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. Jesus came not only to save us from the depths of Hell but to teach us as well. We are authorized in the Great Commission, found at the end of Matthew, to teach all to observe what Jesus commanded. We can read in the gospels that the crowds were amazed at His teaching. Jesus taught people from all walks of life in numerous settings, and he did so using a wide variety of teaching styles. Teachers can teach students not only in a traditional classroom environment, but on the soccer fields and volleyball courts, at orphanages and retirement homes, and in theaters and auditoriums. Regardless of the classroom setting and the resources made available to us, Christian teachers have been given opportunities to make an eternal impact on their students wherever they might be. God has given Christian teachers the Holy Spirit to guide us in the world to teach and do what is right and convict us when we teach and do what is wrong.
For our students to understand God's love for them, we must remember that reaching their hearts is the key. How one behaves springs forth from their heart. This is the seat of our emotions. Learning is not simply a matter of gathering facts for head knowledge. Learning engages the heart, mind, and will. The things that we learn and believe will show outwardly through our actions and commitments. Of course, genetics and the environment play a significant role in the learning process, but we are still held responsible for what we learn and become. We must regularly read, study, memorize, and meditate on God's Word. We must pray that our students will receive regenerated hearts so they fully understand and embrace the Apostle Paul's encouraging words to Timothy when he said, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" 2 Timothy 3:16.
Our educational practices are to be centered on the Word of God and in Christ. We should be constantly dependent on God and responding to His call. Our sinful ways lead us to focus almost exclusively on science, technology, and economic growth, but our Lord Christ has come to repair the error in these ways. This is a dualistic way of thinking that separates God from what we teach. God is the author of science, math, and every academic area. He reigns supreme over all subject matters. His Word must inform our understanding in all areas of life, and it must be applied in all aspects of our lives.
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