Twenty four years of school! Nearly half of my life I have devoted to some type of formal education. There are still two more years left before (by God’s grace) I plan to finish a Ph.D. in Bible and Theology. If you have made it through your schooling, you know what it was like to anticipate “being finished” with your school. You may have burned your books, packed your degree away in a side drawer somewhere, and vowed to put that chapter of life behind you. While we shouldn’t be trying to gain knowledge without learning truth (2 Timothy 3:7), there is a great emphasis in Scripture on the value of a lifetime of learning about the Lord. Let’s look at a few ways in which the Bible demonstrates how education is an important part of the Christian’s life:

1. Biblical Education offers Reproof - How many times have you realized you held an incorrect view or didn’t have all the facts until it was revealed to you through education? Proverbs 12:1 tells us that “whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.” Ignorance is not bliss. When it comes to the things of the Lord, we need to know we are correct in our doctrine and in how we are applying the Bible to our lifestyle. It is to be a mirror in which we evaluate ourselves (James 1:23). We need to have a love for learning because it corrects and reproves us in areas where we need maturity in our faith.


2. Biblical Education fills a Void - Human beings are geared for a lifetime of learning. We will naturally want to know more about things. This is why the tabloids in the checkout aisle still sell, why news outlets make money, why celebrity gossip is headlined, and why our back-corner gossip sessions with friends is so appealing. It is not a question of whether we want to learn but what we want to learn. Proverbs 15:14 tells us that “the heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.” If we don’t feast on God’s Word to gain knowledge, we will naturally gravitate to learn about the temporal, immaterial, and foolish things of this world.


3. Biblical Education directs our Zeal – Have you ever met someone who has just gained knowledge of something life-changing and they suddenly have this surge of energy and ideas which begin to swirl around them? It wonderful to see a young Christian with this zeal that often older Christians have lost. But it is dangerous to have a zeal for God without a fuller understanding of Him. Paul warned the Roman Christians about this in Romans 10:2 noting that “they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” The leaders in your church need to have training so that their desire to serve the Lord can be pointed in the right direction and they don’t go off course. This should be the desire of every Christian in their walk with the Lord as well.


4. Biblical Education builds on our Faith – The basis of our relationship with God is faith. The Bible is clear about that. However, Peter gives us a list of things that build upon that faith that will help us to become mature and productive Christians as we seek the Lord each day. 2 Peter 1:5 tells us to “add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge.” Virtue and knowledge won’t save us, but they do help us to live for and love more fully the God who saved us.

I’ve always said that once we stop learning and growing, we start dying. We need to view education (especially our Biblical education) as a lifelong pursuit. This is why Sunday School, Sunday night, Wednesday night Bible study and other opportunities for spiritual education should be pursued and embraced. Cultivate a love for learning in your heart. Recognize that it is key to your spiritual growth and maturity. God has given us a church, a free country, a surplus of study resources, and so many great opportunities to learn and grow in our knowledge of the Bible. Let’s use them. There is always more to learn!