A Christian Worldview Shapes a Student's Life

The way a person lives his life is a result of what he thinks and what he loves. A student whose thoughts and loves are aligned with Scripture and submitted to Christ will live a life that reflects Him. Learning is life-long, and God’s world and Word reveal His nature and character. He instructs His followers to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” as Colossians 3:23 says. This command should be applied to learning as well.

Seeking what is true, good, and beautiful is a lifelong pursuit. Education should not merely be viewed as an academic exercise or a means to achieve some materialistic goal, whether it is a degree, a paycheck, or a career. The lifelong learner will learn for the purpose of having a fully formed mind, and glorifying God by loving what He loves and living how He would have him live.

Education in the post-modern world is utilitarian rather than meaningful. Since age five, children are spoon-fed information that an authority – commonly the government – considers necessary to educate the children in the ways of society. Students are told what to think – not how to think – and discouraged from asking questions. This thinking leads to lives that are lived pragmatically, and these students are depraved of truth, goodness, and beauty. They read only portions of books, take multiple tests a year, and in high school they are put on a track of classes based on a degree they choose to pursue. This post-modern view of education does not require deep thinking at all, and points students away from the eternal to the pragmatic.

The people behind the modern education system are less concerned about whether their students are flourishing spiritually or learning for an eternal purpose. They are more concerned about shaping and forming their students into the mold of society. While God is at the center of an education from a Christian worldview, in a non-Christian education, the student is at the center. There is no consideration of whether what is promoted in today’s school system might be contrary to God’s will for each student’s life. There is no consideration of God at all, and students are discouraged from pursuing eternal things such as ministry or motherhood.

In contrast, the end goal of an education based upon a Christian worldview is a fully formed mind, a thriving relationship with God, and a willingness to surrender to God’s will. A Christian should set his mind “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).

A Christian worldview cultivates wonder and the desire for Truth, goodness, and beauty, developing a fully formed mind. There is nothing in the world of secular education that suggests students should slow down and think about the eternal value of what they are learning. Instead, it promotes quick progress through test taking and essentially checking off boxes to show a student’s accomplishments.

God instructs His people to teach His commandments diligently to their children (Deuteronomy 6:7). His Word must always be on the forefront of His children’s hearts and minds, and not merely studied to check another box along the roadmap to what the world considers a successful life. The same applies to learning about the world He created, for they all relate since He is the source of all things. Psalm 143:5 reads, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.” This should always be the goal of education for someone who is in Christ.

A Christian worldview fosters contemplative time in scripture and fellowship with other believers, leading to a thriving relationship with God. This should not only apply during a Christian student’s years at school, but should be a lifelong habit, because God calls His people to meditate on His word and meet regularly with others for that purpose. Christians ought to learn from one another no matter the stage of life they are in. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Additionally, a Christian worldview requires humble obedience to God’s Word, which grows into a willingness to surrender to God’s plan. Nothing man can do, in education or otherwise, will save him. Christian students have the freedom to learn about God in humility, which takes away the burden of performance – a Christian can enjoy life and learning because nothing eternal is riding on the outcome of his education. Education for its own sake is enough, and students ought to enjoy it because it will lead them closer to God.

Nothing has to be achieved or attained to prove a person’s worth in the eyes of the Lord. A humble learner understands that it is acceptable to not always be right, to learn from mistakes, and to learn from others who are wiser. A humble spirit helps a student to be more teachable, and with a humble spirit, a student can learn from rest.

A student with a non-Christian worldview will seek to apply what he learns to his life, but only what he sees as good for him and his worldly ambitions. Any truth he learns will rarely affect him. A student with a Christian worldview will seek to apply what he learns to his life and, more importantly, grow in an understanding of the Truth and live the rest of his life accordingly.

This week's post is the third in a five-part series on the importance of a Christian worldview in education. Find the previous post here! Series introduction. Part one.

(photo credit: Wix)