“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God is fully equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:14-16
One of the primary reasons I love Christian education is the joy of seeing young lives transformed by Jesus Christ and His Word. Students who are taught and trained from an early age using the Bible as the foundation for all learning and who grow “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” However, they are not only “acquainted with the sacred writings” from an early age but called by God to continue to live according to God’s Word throughout their lives.
In this familiar passage from 2 Timothy, Paul directs his son in the faith, Timothy, to stay close to an education that is grounded in the Holy Scriptures. As Christians, we must not only know what is good and true, but we must continue in it (John 8:31-32). As Paul warned Timothy, Paul warns Christians today to “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed.”
We know that Timothy was raised by his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5) and taught the Holy Scriptures from childhood before accompanying the Apostle Paul on his missionary journeys to Asia Minor and Europe. Paul would disciple Timothy and train him to be the pastor and leader of the early church in Ephesus.
Paul wrote this letter to remind Timothy of his charge (2 Timothy 4:1) and to further the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ through God’s Word. Paul and Timothy knew and understood that the Holy Scripture, the Bible, is “breathed out by God and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” The Bible is special revelation from God written by prophets as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21), and children of Christian parents throughout the centuries including today are to be taught, rebuked, corrected, and trained with the Word of God to make them wise unto salvation and continue to live a life that is glorifying to God.
It is wise to teach and train children with a foundation in God’s Word. I see the fruit of God’s truth and wisdom in the lives of children and their parents throughout our school every day. I also see the harsh reality of people who turn away from Christ and teach their children with an ungodly secular education that is pervasive in our society today – and you see the foolish mess it has created.
Praise God for parents and teachers who teach and train children in the ways of the Lord that make them wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
May God bless you with His grace, love, and truth!