The wisdom of god enables and empowers true education

1. Stephen G. Brown, Ph. D. Shasta Bible College and Graduate School TRACS Annual Meeting, Chicago November 8, 2012 Theme: Meeting a Higher Standard The wisdom of god enables and empowers true education

2. Wesley M. Pinkham, “Empowering Your Teaching Ministry,” Slide 167.

3. Wisdom is knowledge applied. A response to what is actual and ultimately real. It gives our lives significance and meaning. It produces something good that maintains and upholds what is ideally perfect. If something is broken, wisdom repairs it. If something is needed, wisdom invents it. If something is created, wisdom designs it. Wisdom adheres to what is innately perfect, to a pristine state—ultimately, what God ordained in a perfect world that He created. Definition of wisDom

4. Though the perfection of the world is tarnished by the sin of man now, God created life and existence as we know it by means of wisdom with a purpose and design. To speak of wisdom presupposes theism, the belief in a transcendent God who established a world that reflects His glory in its beauty and perfection. Definition of wisDom

5. This recognition of an ultimate reality in a realm of absolute truth urges the apostle Paul to urge us to reflect on what is true, honorable, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely, and what is of good report (Phil. 4:9). Definition of wisDom

6. By definition, true education is the only valid education, because it corresponds to the purpose and intent of the only wise God who seeks the benefit and well-being of His creation and of all the creatures who dwell therein, especially the human race whom he created in His own image and likeness. The Definition of True Education

7. True education is defined as leading others to see and know what is true, what is real and actual. Without knowing the truth, there is no progress to a goal, no purpose for a skill, no value to an education. True education recognizes that the ability to work wisely in the world presumes a knowledge and engagement of the One who created it. The Role of Wisdom in Education

8. True education requires the wisdom of the all-wise Creator to be effective, a wisdom that comes from knowing God and His Word. The understanding and application of the Word of God makes Christian education true and incomparably unique. Hence, we come to our title: “The wisdom of God enables and empowers true education.” The Role of Wisdom in Education

9. True education requires the acknowledgement that God has the answers for our journey through life. For our potential to be recognized and realized in our vocation and service, we must depend on God for the necessary understanding and ability to fulfill that potential. As a result, those who are educators can only be effective if they possess the wisdom of God. The wisdom of God is required to enable and empower us in our endeavors to both learn and teach. This is the challenge we face in “Meeting a Higher Standard.” The Need of Wisdom in Education

10. In order to meet a higher standard, we will investigate the metaphysical question of what is real wisdom, the epistemological question of how to know wisdom, and the ethical question of its application and use. • The Identity of Wisdom: This presents the metaphysical challenge. What is wisdom? What is its source? What is its nature or essence? • The Source of Wisdom: That is, the epistemological challenge. Can we know and understand it? Where is it located? • The Use of Wisdom: This is the ethical challenge. How do we implement and apply it? The three Definitive questions

11. The answers to these questions hinge on one’s world view. Opposing ideologies produce conflicting interpretations and solutions. The Bible presents a platform of theism, revelation, and spirituality in opposition to the humanistic platform in academia which follows Max Weber’s vision for a metaphysics of naturalism, an epistemology of rationalism, and an ethics of scientism (Naugle, 110). The Conflict of worldview

12. In order to meet a higher standard in education, Christian educators must resolve these answers in order to understand what true education is. The following chart presents the differences between a biblical worldview and a humanistic worldview: Biblical vs. humanistic wisdom

14. First, there is a need to identify wisdom—what is it? In order to answer the question of what wisdom is, it is necessary to recognize that theism and naturalism hold contrary definitions of wisdom. There are two types of wisdom: the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. In 1 Corinthians 1-3, Paul addresses this intellectual and spiritual conflict. He saw the danger of compromising the message of the cross by those culturally sophisticated believers who searched after human wisdom (1:22). 1. The identity of wisdom

15. Human wisdom is inadequate

16. There is no wise man; only God is wise

17. God sets the standard

18. Summation: worldly wisdom is foolishness

19. James talks of a wisdom that comes down from above, that exceeds the light of earthly wisdom like high noon exceeds midnight. There is a wisdom that is “earthly, natural, demonic” (Js. 3:15), but there is also a wisdom from above that is “pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (3:17). Jesus alludes to these two types of wisdom in the gospel of Luke. 1. the teaching of james

20. In Luke 16:8, Jesus describes the unrighteous steward about to lose his job, but who saved it by taking partial payment from debtors to satisfy their debts so that he could get enough money to satisfy his master. So he got off the hook, “And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their kind than the sons of light.” Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (The Republic, Book VII, 514a–520a) provides a striking illustration of two such types of wisdom. the testimony of jesus

21. Is not God Himself the source of this “wisdom from above”? James 1:17 states, “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no shadow of turning.” the source of true wisdom

22. Does not this “wisdom from above” of the “Father of lights” answer the problem of reaching a higher standard? God does not short-change his people. The very God who supplies all the wisdom needed to accomplish his will is also the one who determines the standard. His wisdom circumscribes and fulfills the standard He sets. The Standard of true wisdom

23. We don’t set the standard, but we are to determine and articulate what it is by the wisdom that He gives us, and He promises to give it to us in abundance: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given him” (1:5). Ultimately, if God supplies the wisdom to accomplish His will, then His wisdom is sufficient to meet the standard He requires. The sufficiency of true wisdom

24. Paul prays for his readers to have this spirit of wisdom and of revelation so that they can consciously apprehend, so that they can know and experience, having as Paul says, “a spirit of wisdom and revelation in a full knowledge of him, the eyes of your heart having been enlightened” (Eph. 1:17-18). The spirit of wisdom

25. There are two types of wisdom: the wisdom of God from above and the wisdom of man from below. The wisdom of God is perfectly true and the wisdom of man is corrupted by sin. Paul speaks of this spirit of wisdom and knowledge as a gift from God that enlightens the mind through the revelation of Himself. Wrought by God, such transformation flows from the Spirit-formation model (i.e., the Personal) proposed by Wesley Pinkham over against the Ministry-formation model (i.e., the Thingafied). Human vs. divine wisdom

26. What is higher education? Is it too high to reach? Is it in our power to accomplish? Is it to be measured by competition within a social context, on a horizontal plane of relative values? Or is it to be measured on a vertical plane that points to a metaphysical realm of absolute truth? In other words, is it about what is true and lasting or is it about what is hypothetical and transitory? what is higher education?

27. Academic culture in America today operates with a Corinthian spirit that is competitive, critical and self-righteous. The apostle Paul states in 2 Cor. 10:12, “For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.” academia in america

28. Are we trying to measure ourselves against each other? Whose standard are we following? Did Jesus compete? Was he even in the game? He grew, he learned, he ministered, he suffered, he died. Did he measure himself by the rules of the Sanhedrin? Did he care about his credentials or qualifications? jesus and academia

29. To hear Him talk, one might say He was inadequate. He said, “The Son can do nothing by himself” (John 5:19) and later, “I can do nothing by myself (5:30; 8:28). Why? Because He was following a standard from above? Because he was unique in his mission, role, and purpose. By knowing Himself and staying true to the mission and purpose of His life, He set the example for us all. the example of jesus

30. Higher standards are not measured by what we have or by what we do, as much as by who we follow. They are based on a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Christian educators follow God and Scripture, not national norms or custom. following the example of jesus

31. As a result, Christian education is separated by a great gulf from secularists and humanists. Both sides may have similar goals, but Christians derive their convictions and principles from the Word of God, not from the world. How are we to assess ourselves? Not by the measure of the world, but by the Word of God! God answers all the metaphysical questions. How do we reach a higher standard? The Answer—with the wisdom of God. Now we go to the second point. reaching a higher standard

32. So we turn to the epistemological questions: Where is wisdom? What is its location? How can I know it? And what assurance do I have that it is really true? Can it be verified? Again, we must choose a premise to answer these questions. Do we figure it out on our own through reason? Or do we receive it freely as a gift by revelation? 2. The source of wisdom

33. From a historical perspective, people continue to search for knowledge that will give them peace and satisfaction. Daniel 12:4 speaks of the end of time when “many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase” Here we are in Chicago, hundreds, thousands of miles from home, seeking more knowledge…and hopefully, more wisdom. The search for wisdom

34. The Industrial Age began in the 19th c., the Technological Age in the 20th and now we have the Information Age in the 21st, but where have the ages of industry, technology, and information taken us, besides overwhelming us? Knowledge is exploding and growing exponentially. From the press, from the screen, from publishers—it is virtually impossible to keep up, much less compete. We cannot know it all, much less use it all. It is a smorgasbord; you cannot consume it all. the explosion of wisdom

35. How does a small, Christian school keep up when there is such disparity with larger schools? How do we measure our schools with others? By our property and assets? By our reputation, size or personnel? The answer to these questions enables us not only to achieve a “higher standard,” but the vision to press on toward the “highest possible standard.” the question of a higher standard

36. For Christians serving in education, Christ should become the embodiment of all Wisdom to enable them to reach a higher standard that conforms to the norms and values of heaven over against those of society. Jesus Christ sets the standard and we follow Him, even though we may be misunderstood and maligned for it. We hear his voice, which the world cannot hear or understand because it does not know Him. We are His sheep and we follow Him, because we hear His voice. We will have tribulation in this world…but we follow Him. jesus sets the standard

37. Again, we look to Paul for help to unravel an epistemology in the search for the highest possible standard. Did Paul seek the approval of the Pharisees, the teachers of the law? On the contrary, Paul proclaimed that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ’s physical body (Col. 2:9), the death of which brought us redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of sin, and eternal life (1:14; 2:10-14). It is no wonder that Paul passionately proclaimed, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).

38. “Christ crucified” begins and ends the next section of 1 Corinthians 1:22-2:2, framing it like a door in verses 1:23 and 2:2. The phrase “Christ crucified” becomes the key to unlock the door of knowledge and truth: “But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1:23-24). Paul’s standard: christ crucified

39. Continuing on into the next paragraph of 1 Corinthians 1:22-31, Paul cites Jeremiah 9:23-24 to show how pride in human wisdom, strength, and riches prohibits one from knowing the wisdom of God: 1 cor 1:22-31 & Jeremiah 9

42. How did the apostle Paul and the early church come to equate Jesus Christ as the Wisdom of God? The role of wisdom in the Old Testament will lead to the answer of this question. jesus as the wisdom of god

43. Wisdom has always been sought as highly important; data has never been enough. The information age is upon us and we are being deluged, actually smothered, by the choices. As Solomon stated in Ecclesiastes 7:29, “Man has sought out many devices.” But where is wisdom, that elusive intangible, without which our knowledge becomes merely encyclopedic? Wisdom is a rare quality indeed and it was highly prized from the earliest days of man. the desire for wisdom

44. Wisdom was desired in the garden soon after creation, but that to our harm, because mankind fell prey to the tempter. In Adam, the human race lost access to wisdom because it was sought without God’s permission and in direct disobedience to Him. It is only by God’s providential grace that man has any knowledge and wisdom to live within God’s protective care. wisdom in the garden

45. After the sin of man spoiled his relationship with God, wisdom became elusive, slippery and replaced by shrewdness and self-concern. It is scarcely mentioned in the narrative of Scripture except in the case of that rare individual that God endowed with the spirit of wisdom to accomplish His will, such as Joseph in Genesis 41, Bezalel in Exodus 28, the wise woman of Tekoa in 2 Samuel 14, and of course Solomon in 1 Kings 2 and 2 Chronicles 1, to name a few. The rarity of wisdom

46. The Torah and the historical books of the Old Testament are filled with standards of the law and the failure of men to keep them, but they don’t give us much explanation about the nature of wisdom. Turning to the Writings of the Old Testament, we find wisdom elevated to the most enviable position in the world of men in the first wisdom book of the Bible, where Job is cast as the archetypical wise man.

47. Job comments in Job 28 that wisdom is unfathomable, unreachable, inaccessible, and dare I say, unassessable. Man, through great ingenuity and effort can find precious metal, but not wisdom. It’s not in the deep (v. 14). It’s not in the grave (v. 22). It’s only available from God himself: “God understands its way; and He knows its place” or “source” (v. 23, JPS). Neither an object nor an element in our genetic makeup, we are unable to find it, locate it, isolate it, or conjure it up. Often we know the facts, but are unable to recall and apply them when the need arises. How high is the price of wisdom! job’s discourse on wisdom

48. Wisdom distinguishes itself in the moment, in the crisis, when solutions and answers are demanded, amidst the pressures of life that come unexpectedly and often. Solomon demonstrated such wisdom for two reasons. First, he knew he did not have it (I Kings 3:5-12). Secondly, He asked God for it, and when he did, God gave it to him in abundance. James 1:5 proffers the same promise to us all: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” solomon finds wisdom

49. Existentially, Solomon knew he was inadequate. It was impossible to be wise. It was not in him. Eccl. 7:23-29 says, “I will be wise, but it was far from me. What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious, who can discover it?” Verse 29 indicates the problem: man was made upright, but became flawed, separate from God, and now he needs God’s wisdom to avoid or solve the problems he faces. Wisdom is only found in God. He is the source of all wisdom. Solomon’s discourse on wisdom

50. In Proverbs 8:22-31, wisdom is personified as participating with God in creation itself, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in the world, the world that He had made, saying, “My delight is in the sons of men.” the personification of wisdom