One of the beautiful aspects of a classical Christian education is that we acknowledge the truth that God has ordered the universe according to certain principles that operate in creation. Unfortunately, it seems that unbelievers often make use of many God ordained principles that believers fail to. In Luke chapter 16, Jesus tells a parable of a master who put a steward over his house. This steward wasted his master’s goods and was about to be fired. The crises caused the steward to create a plan that involved forgiving the debts owed to his master so that the people forgiven would take care of himself once he lost his job. The master’s response to the steward is the surprising: “So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8, NKJV). The shrewdness that the steward operated with when the crisis lit a fire in him was the potential that the master saw in the steward when he appointed him to the position. The point is that God has ordered creation to operate in ways that Christians often think are “unspiritual” and therefore shy away from making use of them. When we embrace them, we are able to have a greater impact in the world for the glory of God.
One of these principles is the fact that people invest in that which they value. If we want to get people invested in something, we need to get them to value it. This principle drives marketing. When this principle is used unscrupulously, it works to rob people through worthless investments. Yet, when we raise the value of something in someone’s opinion in a manner consistent with reality, it is a great blessing. This is absolutely true of the gospel, faith and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is also true of a classical Christian education. As our children become more and more independent, they need to personally see the value of their Christian faith and of a high-quality education. These two go hand in hand. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ causes us to want to walk upright and with integrity in the world and puts a desire in us to be a blessing. Classical education gives us the tools to be a blessing and to transform culture.
One of the other emphases at Fortis Academy is the importance of a Christian worldview and engagement in the cultural mandate. David Atkinson writes concerning the grace of God, “This implies that we who are ‘in Christ’ are called on to share in his redeeming and healing work by his Spirit. Part of this healing work of the Spirit is effected by what older theologians called ‘common grace’: the holding back of the forces of disorder within the world so that God’s truth may be disclosed. In this sense, the scientist has a ‘healing’ function, confronting disorder and promoting order. The politician, too, has a responsibility for the ordering of society in such a way that justice can be established and vindicated, and that neighbour love between people is a possibility. Both scientist and politician, among others, can be servants of Christ and mediators of his ‘common grace’.”[1]
It is the heart’s desire of every Christian for everyone to experience personally the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, should also be our hearts desire to extend God’s common grace in a way that all people regardless of their faith experience personally the goodness and heart of God. That is one of the values that a Fortis education hopes to impart to our students.
[1] David John Atkinson, Pastoral Ethics (London: Lynx Communications, 1994), 15.
Comments