Foundations of Biblical Principles - Assignment Example

Foundations of Biblical Teachings The paper is a reflection of biblical teachings for educators who intend on making an impact in their environment. As Moreland describes in one of his three recommendations, Christians need to recover knowledge. I found that possessing a biblical worldview has given me confidence in my decisions. To improve this aspect, I intend on expanding my knowledge in the Godly worldview. Under recovery of the soul, I realized that I need to focus more on God’s plan rather than my own ambitions. Finally, I have not always dwelt on restoration of God’s supernatural power as recommended by Moreland. It is my intention to improve on this aspect by watching DVDs and videos about miracles, signs and wonders. Introduction In a world with competing worldviews, author J. P. Moreland believes that the Christian worldview is superior. This stems from its foundation on truth as well as its validity and consistency. However, in order to truly make an impact in their surrounding, Christians need to accomplish three things: restore their spiritual power, renovate their soul and recover their mind. These premises are what the author defines as the Kingdom triangle, and can be quite useful to Christian educators keen on making a difference through their faith. Recovery of knowledge Moreland (2007) states that Christian faith is rooted in knowledge. He also believes that it is inconsequential to understand how one knows something. All that matters is that the knowledge is actually there. Unlike Methodists who dwell on the processes of knowledge-acquisition, Christians happen to be particularists who focus on the details of their knowledge. For this reason, believers ought to dwell on making their beliefs strong. They should also give their beliefs primacy in their lives, and should endeavor to understand the nature of their beliefs. According to the author, knowledge may be gained through seeing or acquaintance, believing and having utter confidence and certainty in it. The latter is what people should strive towards. Moreland (2007) also states that Christian knowledge expands through deliberate efforts to improvements. People need to make yearly plans to stretch their faiths, read more books and share with others the works of faith in their lives. Principle #14 states that “Each person builds, starting even in the womb, an internal model of the world.” (Cox n.d. p 1) Everyone perceives their environment in a certain way regardless of age. Luke 1:44 states that baby John rejoiced in the womb when Mary, the mother of Jesus visited his mother. Therefore, educators must cultivate a sense of biblical truth in students regardless of their age (Ledbetter, 2003). I have found that Principle #33 is quite useful in expounding the centrality of a biblical worldview. It states that “People respond to the world by way of their internal mode of the world rather than via how the world really might be.” (Cox n.d. p 3)This principle focuses on how human beings reason. A person’s perception of reality mostly depends on their internal worldview. Christian educators ought to strive to learn Christ’s mind (Wilson, 1991). Extreme familiarity with it leads to a type of knowledge defined by Moreland as know—how. The book of Romans 12: 1-2 urges the world not to conform to the world by its customs but to be transformed by God. God changes man by altering how he thinks and this allows him to know his perfect will. This scripture as well as the principle stress the fact that Christian education ought to emphasize the role of scripture in discerning right from wrong (Ong and Ong, 2002). God must be at the centre of one’s internal mode or else one’s selfish ideas will take over. This may turn the person into a humanist or naturalist who places their own interests above all others. Also, placing trust in oneself causes one to fear and refrain from risk. Principle #32 augments this position. “A person’s self concept determines how he or she reacts to the world.” (Cox n.d. p 2) The book of Number 13: 33 talks about how Caleb’s men perceived Canaan. They described themselves as grasshoppers in their own sight as well as the Canaanites; who they felt were like giants. The Israelites failed to perceive themselves as God’s chosen people. They thus became fearful and timid in difficult circumstances. In my experience, I have found that having a biblical worldview eliminates uncertainty about wrong and right. It makes it easy for me to forgive because I know this is what is expected of me. Additionally, this biblical self concept gives me courage to face new things. When my family had to move to a different state, I saw confidence in my siblings who are strong Christian believers. They were assured that God would make them feel at home in this strange environment. In the future, I intend on growing my knowledge in Christ in order to shape my thoughts even more towards what God wants for me. I also plan on nurturing this same focus on God among my students or others affected by me. Renovation of the soul Moreland (2007) explains that the human soul is innately selfish. It seeks to satisfy its desires and to get fulfillment instantly. This prevents man from being truly happy because such an approach is passive and meaningless. Christians can renovate their soul by practicing self denial. Doing so does not necessarily mean avoiding all things that bring pleasure to a person’s mind. However, denial implies submitting oneself to the will of God. It also implies focusing on other people’s needs other than one’s own. People of faith must nurture an attitude of self discipline whether they either engage in abstinence or engagement. Fasting, sacrifice and silence are some of the mechanisms for nurturing self denial through abstinence. Worship, confession and study are other examples of how to nurture self denial through engagement with others. Principle #6 profoundly talks about the stubbornness of the human soul; “The self-life of flesh refuses to surrender to God and his ways.” (Cox n.d. p 1) yet Principle #1 states that “Each person is created with a divinely ordained destiny and life purpose.” (Cox n.d. p 1) Man appears to constantly resist his life purpose when he refuses to surrender to God (Peterson, 2001). Therefore, he must submit to God’s will in order to enjoy a fulfilling life. Jeremiah 29: 11 talks about how God has a divine plan for man while John 15: 18 illustrates how the world hates man and God. Therefore God shares man’s predicaments with him. It is upon man to respond to principle #11 which outlines how “Each person has a conscience that responds both to God and the world”. (Cox n.d. p 1) Acts 24: 16 describes how Paul strove to maintain a clear conscience before God. In the early days of my spiritual journey, I rarely questioned God’s purpose for me because I did not think about it as much. However, in subsequent portions of my life, I have become ambitious and this may have clouded God’s plan. I sometimes treat God as a solution to my problems. However, I plan on changing this perspective by focusing on his issues and others’. Christian education is not designed to maximize human potential, but to expand God’s kingdom (Moreland, 2011). Restoration of the Kingdom’s miraculous power The final component of Moreland’s Kingdom triangle is the centrality of the supernatural in Christian life. Moreland (2007) affirms that Christians ought to have a passion for the supernatural. Too often, believers in the western world are more concerned with spiritual theology than signs and wonders, yet the power of God is illustrated through this route. The author himself experienced a miracle when God delivered him from laryngitis. Several other miracles take place around the world especially in developing nations. Biblical scholarship should not be an excuse to dismiss this aspect. Instead, efforts should be made to merge the two concepts as miracles are a great source of spiritual revival. Reading about these signs and wonders and sharing testimonies with others can go a long way in fostering God’s miraculous ways. Furthermore, churches should strive to make miracles part of their growth strategies, especially during missionary work. The centrality of God’s power can be found in four biblical principles. Principle #21 outlines this quite clearly by stating that “the natural mind cannot understand the things of the spirit.” (Cox n.d. p 2) Therefore, relying solely on wisdom to educate others may not work since some things are simply beyond man’s comprehension. 1 Corinthians 2: 14 affirms how non-Christians cannot understand truths from the Spirit. One must move to the supernatural in order to overcome the inadequacies of the natural mind when teaching non-believers (Wolsterstorff, 2002). Principe #30 shows how “The regenerated spirit actively hears from God even if not heard audibly or consciously.” (Cox n.d. p 2) This further shows that certain matters are beyond comprehension for those who lack connection to the Lord. John 5: 32 describes how Jesus corrected unbelievers on their understanding of God’s signs (Jones and Paulsell, 2002). Supernatural intervention may be misconstrued by people who lack understanding. Christians need to take confidence in performance of miracles because it is in their nature to control their circumstances. Principle #39 outlines how “People are motivated to take dominion.” (Cox n.d. p 3) The book of Genesis 2: 18 illustrates how it was God’s divine purpose for man to be a master over all life. Furthermore, principle #26 states that “People are motivated to experience pleasure and avoid pain.” (Cox n.d. p 3) This may be deduced from Job 29: 4-6 where Job laments about the days when life was favorable and his produce was plentiful. Christians ought not to deny their tendency to eliminate pain through miracles as it is in tune with their nature and God’s desires for them. In my experience, I have always struggled with the concept of supernatural power. Since I have never suffered from a chronic illness or a deep social crisis, it has been difficult to attribute smaller victories to God’s power. However, I know that several small things in my life would not have taken place without God’s intervention. I intend on making supernatural manifestation a part of my life by praying for miracles in little challenges. Exposure to bigger signs and wonders may change this attitude, so I will purchase DVDs or watch online videos on God’s supernatural workings around the world. References Cox, D. (n.d). Biblical principles related to education. Journal of Research of Christian Education, 1-3. Jones, L. and Paulsell, S. (2002). The scope of our art: The vocation of the theological teachers. Grand Rapids: Eerfmans. Ledbetter, R. (2003). University model, classical education emerging anew as schooling alternatives. Morehead, Kentucky: Baptist Press. Moreland, J. (2007). The Kingdom Triangle. Gran Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan. Moreland, J. (2011). The cultivation of the intellectual/ spiritual life. Columbus, OH: Xenos Christian Fellowship. Ong, S. and Ong, T. (2002). Scriptural principles of higher education. Portland, OR: The Teaching Home. Peterson, M. (2001). With all your mind: A Christian philosophy of education. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press. Wilson, D. (1991). Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education. NY: Good News Publishers Wolsterstorff, N. (2002). Educating for life: Reflection on Christian teaching and learning. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House. Read More