Theme: CHRISTIANITY AND SECULAR EDUCATION
Owing to certain material advantages that go with academic education and the prominence given to it throughout the world, many people seem to lose sight of the evils in it. The true Christian should be able to sift the wheat from the chaff and use those things that are useful in advancing the cause of truth and righteousness. Because of his secular knowledge, St. Paul quoted from a poem by Aratus, said to be a Greek poet of Cilicia, the native place of Paul when he preached at Athens. “It is one instance among thousands where an acquaintance with profane learning may be of use to a minister of the gospel” (Albert Barnes New Testament Commentary) Because of his broad knowledge, St. Paul varied the scope and thrust of his discourse to suit the audience – whether they were natural Jews, gentiles or kings, governors.
The writings of Luke the physician in the gospel that takes his name as well as in the Acts of the Apostles, show the extent and accuracy of his medical knowledge. His account of the wreck of the ship carrying St. Paul and other prisoners from Alexandria to Rome is rated by scholars as “the most vivid narrative of sea adventure in ancient literature”.
However, a true Christian must be able to identify areas of divergence between the knowledge of God and secular knowledge and hold to what the Bible says. St. Paul in his epistle to the Roman Christians states: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6.
Text: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” – Daniel 12:4.
Comment: Diligent students of the Bible do know that the increase of knowledge in this atomic age is but a fulfillment of Bible prophecies. This is what the Almighty God inspired Daniel the Prophet to state concerning the time of the end of this evil world as in the text for today.
Within the last 100 years, there has been a remarkable increase of knowledge in every faculty of learning. The increase of knowledge in science and technology has resulted in many useful discoveries in this age. The means and methods of communication and transportation have been made easy and fast as against what obtained in past ages. These developments have advanced the cause of evangelism so that the truth is now spreading round the world. (Matthew 24:14) Because of these breakthroughs in secular learning, majority of men have drifted far from God and His righteousness, such that many are “lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…”. -2 Timothy 3:1-5.
This should not be the case with a true worshipper of God. True Christians should not be conformed to this world but are admonished to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. – Romans 12:2.