“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17
It is the time of the year in America when children go back to school to continue their learning. Children generally start school at age 5 and receive free education until the age of 18 through our public school system. Students are taught the basics of mathematics, science, language, and history so that they understand our world and how things work. Like other nations, we want to educate our children so that they can become productive members of society and prepare themselves for adulthood and earning a living. Getting a higher education (college or university degree) is an option but is not required nor is it free. The point is that education is a highly valued asset and recognized as necessary for a nation to innovate, grow, and prosper.
In ancient history (Egypt – BC), most schools were private and only available to the wealthy or the elite in society. Public education became more available in the Middle Ages, primarily through the Catholic Church and the establishment of universities in the 12th and 13th centuries. The formal education of children in the United States began in the early 1600’s in Massachusetts and by 1870 all US states had tax-subsidized elementary education.
It is also important to mention that early schools and universities in the United States used the Bible as a source of education. Today, the Bible has been completely removed from our public education system. Sadly, it also seems that today the focus of our public education system is now about adhering to a political agenda than teaching the basics of math, science, language, and history. And some of the basics that are taught today are not factual either (American history, biology, economics).
Our nation, like many others around the world, is facing numerous challenges and difficulties. In America they include issues like violence, injustice, racism, abortion, human trafficking, homelessness, drug abuse, suicide, border control, inflation, and debt that threaten our society, our economy, and our unity. Our people are also deeply divided on how to resolve these issues. One side sees more government control as the answer while the other side looks to more individual freedom and accountability as the solution. So, what is the right answer?
To answer that question, let’s think about the computer that we use or the car that we drive. Most of us, if we are honest, begin using them the moment we get them and never bother to read the user manual that comes with it. When we run into problems with them, we try to use our own experience or knowledge to fix the problem. And sometimes that works. But if not, we then try googling to see if there is an answer online. If that doesn’t produce a solution, we then think of calling someone we know that has more knowledge who can help solve the problem.
But occasionally, we come across a problem that we can’t resolve on our own, on the internet, or through a friend. When that happens, we finally come to our last resort, which is to go to the user manual to find the answer. And very often we will find the solution there. It is because the manufacturer has already provided the instructions for operating the computer or car. And it’s usually something built into the system we just did not realize was there! In other words, to solve our problem we needed to go back to the source!
We also already have a user manual that explains human behavior in a way that can solve our societal problems. It’s called the Bible. Trying to solve the social or economic problems in our nation on our own or through human wisdom won’t work unless we go back to the source to understand how people function. Knowing how people were designed and created enables us to figure out how to solve these kinds of problems. The Bible is often referred to by an acronym – Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. The Bible is our user manual for understanding how we were created to function and interact. If we ignore it, like we do our computer or car user manuals, we will likely never be able to resolve our social or economic problems.
One of the ways that we ignore our “user manual” is by believing two things. First, many think that people are basically good. On the contrary, the Bible clearly says in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Furthermore, Paul writes in Romans 7:18 where he says “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” If we believe that people are basically good and will always do the right thing, that is not true. We humans can choose to do good or evil and our sinful nature often chooses evil!
The second belief we have that ignores Scripture is that man is wise and knows all. God declares in Isaiah 55:9 that “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Additionally, Job 12:13 says that “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.” In other words, our wisdom and knowledge will never approach the wisdom and knowledge of God. But God will give us His wisdom if we ask for it. When God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon said, “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (2 Chronicles 1:10) “And God said, ‘therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you.’” (2 Chronicles 1:12) Relying on our own wisdom is foolish!
I don’t believe that we will be able to solve our nation’s problems if we ignore our sinful human nature and continue to rely on our own knowledge. Continuing to trust in man’s ways and man’s wisdom will always fall short – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12). Instead, Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”
In other words, we need to go back to the source, the Bible, to solve our problems. The more we know about how and why we were created the better able we will be to find the right solutions that can solve the issues we face today.