BF&M: Education

ARTICLE 12: 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."

Memory Verse: Psalm 25:4-5

Psalm 25:4–5 ESV

4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

Enlightenment and Intelligence

Read the references below, then match each reference with the correct summary statement.

C 1. Job 28:28

B 2. Psalm 19:7

D 3. Psalm 119:11

A 4. Proverbs 3:13

A. Wisdom and understanding bring true happiness; B. Pure and right, God’s law helps you gain wisdom; C. True wisdom is fearing God, and true understanding is departing from evil; D. Hiding God’s Word in your heart helps protect you from sin.

Mark each statement T (True) or F (False).

T 1. The ancient Jewish home centered on teaching God’s Word to children.

F 2. The primary responsibility to teach children God’s Word today lies with the church.

T 3. We should seize every opportunity to teach others God’s Word.

T 4. God wants His people to study His Word.

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

John 17:17 ESV

17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

All truth claims should be judged by (choose one).

[ ] the standard of the culture making the truth claim;

[ ] the individual conscience;

[ ] God’s Word

[ ] the local church

(John 12:48 also speaks to this… Jesus’s Words, and by extension, scripture will be the basis of what the unrighteous will be judged.”)

Total discipleship relates (choose one).

[ ] exclusively to the mind and to the tasks of learning and teaching;

[ ] exclusively to the spiritual areas of life;

[ ] to all of life.

Ephesians 4:11–15 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Read the follow New Testament passages on education. Then match each reference with the correct summary statement.

C 1. Matthew 28:19-20

A 2. 1 Corinthians 1:30

D 3. Ephesians 4:11-13

B 4. Philippians 4:8

E 5. 2 Timothy 2:15

A. A Christian’s wisdom in Christ; B. We should fill our minds with good things; C. We must win people to faith in Christ and teach them Christian truth; D. One of God’s gifts to the church is teachers; E. We should teach God’s Word correctly and give diligence to be approved by God.

The Liberal Support of the Churches

Mark each statement T(true) or F (false).

F 1. The central thrust of a churches teaching ministry must come through Sunday School.

T 2. Sunday School developed in part because parents did not fulfill their God-given responsibility to teach their children.

T 3. A discipleship ministry helps believers become more mature believers.

F 4. In God’s plan, parental teaching is secondary in the church’s teaching ministry.

Academic Freedom and Responsibility

What are the three factors listed in the The Baptist Faith & Message that limit the freedom of teachers in Christian schools?

The pre-eminence of Jesus Christ.

The authoritative nature of the Scriptures.

The distinct purpose for which the school exists.

Let us close by praying at each individual table for…

Homes teaching God’s truth;

the teaching ministry here at CHBC;

parents who homeschool their children;

teachers in Christian and private schools;

teachers in public schools;

Baptist colleges and seminaries.