EDUCATION

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up – Deuteronomy 6:7

EDUCATION refers to knowledge, skill, and maturity acquired and developed through the learning process. The Power of Education is enlightenment, reproduction, reformation, and maturation through the search for and dissemination of truth. The whole essence of education is that we engage and trade in the marketplace of ideas, by TRUTH: “And you shall know the TRUTH, and the truth shall MAKE you free” (Jh. 8:32). Historically, public education in the developed world had its origin in Christianity. The ideals of education are: godly character, creative thinking, and productive contribution to humanity. Education should be based on Truth and Wisdom. The basic mission of Christian education should be: to model the instructions of heaven here on earth; and to instill curriculum and practices based on the fear of God, rather than humanism. 

Unfortunately, education, especially in recent decades, has been infiltrated and almost overrun by forces opposed to God’s foundational principles. America’s pioneer Universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia were initially founded on Christian principles before humanism pervaded (Ps.36:9; Jh.8:32). For example, Harvard College (later University) was founded in 1636, with the aid of government funds, as a seminary for educating the commonwealth’s future Christian leaders. The motto that Harvard University adopted in 1692 was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae, which translated from Latin means “Truth for Christ and the Church.” It was later changed to simply say: “Truth (Veritas),” thus removing the true Source of Truth – Christ! This is a reflection of the state of crisis in which the world’s present educational systems are.

Under the operation of spirits of Deception, Falsehood, and Lies, there is a diabolical projection of Man-exalting worldviews: humanism, liberalism, rationalism, and atheism. The present educational systems globally are undermining biblical and moral teaching, with decreasing knowledge of God and the Bible. There is severe erosion of godly values, such that today’s generation aligns less with the Bible and is becoming more accepting of abortion, alternative lifestyles, sex outside marriage, easy divorce, drug culture, occultism, rebellion, pursuit of materialism, and a host of other negatives that adversely affect society. In the United States for example, there is a direct correlation between the removal of Christianity from public education through the Supreme Court pronouncement of 1962 and the decline in moral behavior, including growing violence and mass shootings.

We must rediscover and re-establish the true Purpose of Education and create new educational models – from kindergarten to university! These must arise Institutions of the Holy Spirit that will connect very strongly with a rising generation of world changers – the likes of ‘Joseph’ – who will dream the dreams of God, and emerge with divine solutions to revolutionize education. We must re-emphasize the role of the home in foundational education: the basic centre of learning should be the home. Church and school should be extensions of the home and parents (Pro.22:6). Children are more impressionable than adults; hence, atheists, free-thinkers, and secularists are going after them. If they can change their thinking about God and morality, then they can change their culture. They want to usurp the parenting role and destroy the next generation!

Moses commanded the Israelites to teach their children God’s commands diligently (Dt.6:7). We need to be more active in the education of our children (Dt.6:4-9; Psa.78:3-8; Eph.6:4). Education is not simply intellectual; it requires us to teach our children the ways of God. This is surest path to the trans-generation transmission of the Torch of Truth and Light of Liberty!