CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: Double Patience
CHAPTER 2: Compassion
CHAPTER 3: Applying Knowledge
CHAPTER 4: Dedication, Learning and Excellence
CHAPTER 5: You Learn In The Presence of God
CHAPTER 6: Prayer and the School of Christ
CHAPTER 7: Living by Example
CHAPTER 8: Our Aim Is God’s Glory
CHAPTER 9: Academics, Acceptability, and Accommodations
CHAPTER 10: Study to be Approved of God
CHAPTER 1: Double Patience
When professors are teaching students, we must approach the subject with double patience. Double patience will help students to comprehend the material by the endurance of the professors. Each student is unique, and molded to God’s design. We must acknowledge double patience as a virtue of the professor, so the student will not find his questions off-base, irrelevant or absurd.
To understand the doctrine of double patience, we ought to look at Jesus. The Lord Jesus was sinless but mere men are sinners: he had to endure the sin of man, and He must have endured with great patience. Jesus taught so that men would learn: students could frustrate their own efforts by sin.
The objective of learning is comprehension, and the ability to share it with others. Jesus was patient with His audience, and disciples. The whole meaning of disciple means to learn. In teaching the things of God we must be patient, because Christ is patient with us.
Let us enter into the process of educational patience to further the learning of God’s people so that He might be glorified. Those who do not have patience must cultivate it by the reality of compassion. To this we now turn.
CHAPTER 2: Compassion
We ought to have compassion because God’s Word must be taught to all people, and in it is the richness of His truth. Tyndale wanted the plowboy to understand the Divine Word, and after that he could share it with others. It does not matter what walk of life the student comes from: learning can be achieved in the understanding of the Scripture by the process of patience, and compassion.
Does a mother have compassion for her toddler? Is there patience and compassion for the child who learns to walk? How that gives us the push and the stability we need to take our first step, and after our first step, a consistent walking, and as we grow, even running.
If there is a man who cannot walk, should he be deprived of instruments that help him walk? Is the doctor lowering the standards for us all if we allow the accommodation for this man? The doctors are skilled, and know what to prescribe, and so he gives the individual assistance to make it in life.
Wouldn’t it be an injustice if the doctor demanded the individual to walk without the accommodations he needs to continue his life?
This example is not about lowering the standards, but making appropriate adjustments to see the success of our fellow man. It would be an injustice if we did not provide help where help is needed.
CHAPTER 3: Applying Knowledge
We ought to teach the knowledge of the Divine Word through vehicles of our strengths in light of the student’s weaknesses. However, we should grow in our weaknesses by the learning of knowledge through repetition, and patience.
What is wisdom but that which applies knowledge! The student learns from the teacher, and the student’s objective is to one day become a teacher formally or informally. Selected men of God alone can use theology of His Word as elders or deacons to proclaim His truth.
The student and the teacher ought to have perseverance in the success of education. Maybe some students can apply knowledge through examinations, and other students can have success in writing papers, a thesis, or dissertations.
What is the ultimate positive ramification in seminary? The student must carry with him some sort of new knowledge of the Divine Word, and by the growth of maturity he will blossom into a butterfly through the help of educators by saying an encouraging word, by lending a helping hand.
CHAPTER 4: Dedication, Learning and Excellence
Dedication is about an unwavering commitment to the continual and future success of the students. Commit yourself to asking questions that profit, and study that will not only benefit you but others.
Learning is expressed by how we explain it to others, and when we really know what we have been taught, it is possible to explain it to children with comprehension. Christ grew in wisdom touching His humanity: we ought to do the same under pain-staking study of the subjects at hand.
Excellence is the desired process through education, and the students will grow by a learning process and by the example of diligence. Through the way of excellence it is profitable to share stories with students to encourage them!
With the recipe of the threefold way of education, in basic terms, is the furtherance of seminary education.
CHAPTER 5: You Learn In The Presence of God
Remember that you learn in the presence of God: as we live our life in Christ by His ways and walk in Him, we are properly obligated to learn in light of righteousness.
God’s presence is everywhere, and it should keep us honest in all that we do if we have a heart that is humble before Him. Everything is done in His presence, and all of life’s challenges; and learning experiences are there for our good, because our learning in God’s presence is ordained for our good.
It comes down to learning for Christ’s sake and obedience to righteousness. We must conduct our lives in what is right. God marks down all we do, and when we sin we offend him. When we learn His truth we use our minds for His glory.
CHAPTER 6: Prayer and the School of Christ
No one learns by osmosis, but at the same time we do not forbid our students to pray in the School of Christ
In the School of Christ
The Disciples of Christ put to memory the teachings of their Lord. We ought to put to memory the essentials of the Faith: if Jesus gave you a gentle quiz would you know it? What if He questioned you before the elect angels? Are you ready?
Conduct yourselves as if before Christ: let the teaching of God sink deeply into your mind by the hearing of the sweet sound of the voice of His Word.
CHAPTER 7: Living by Example
We should teach by example; that is, providing the necessary ingredients of education. If a student does not understand we should use examples to boast his ability to comprehend the truth of God in Christ.
We should walk in Christ, and live after His example. That means we should conduct ourselves in a holy manner, because we are handling the very words of God. Would you conduct yourself in an improper manner in His sanctuary? In the same way, would you begin to sing hymns with an unclean mouth against God? Therefore, by learning God’s truth we ought to have hearts that are right before Him.
Would a pastor be right with God if he was a devil? So to we must teach the truth, but always remember that a right heart is the only thing acceptable before God. Examine yourself very thoroughly: we ought to be in daily repentance, and conformity to godliness. But the reality of repentance does not give anyone the right to sin, but to live in holiness.
Judas learned the truths of God: he was in the seminary of Christ, but he did not know Christ but went to his own place. Therefore, do not be a Judas, but a true learner in the true things of God in Christ for His glory; possessing a heart born of God.
CHAPTER 8: Our Aim Is God’s Glory
Why do you want to learn about the things of God? Do you come to seminary with a heart of spiritual death or a heart of spiritual life? God is glorified by a mouth that speaks words of life, but with a heart that is of life.
The more you learn about God’s truth, the more you will be accountable before Him, because with His Word comes responsibility.
Are you dedicated to the truth of God for His glory? Let our aim by God’s glory, but our pursuit to a knowledge that leads to furtherance of godliness in a life of devotions to the Holy Trinity.
CHAPTER 9: Academics, Acceptability, and Accommodations
Academics is about theology! Perish the thought that the study of God is a study that does not have academics. It is worthy of the title of scholarship among true scholars. Theology is all about God and His Word, and anyone who looks at it in a backwoods way does not understand what true academics are.
It is good to be intellectual in the faith: those who discourage it do not understand the depths of riches that can be expressed, but they rely on a simplistic knowledge. We ought to be about the milk of the Word, but also grow in the meat of the Word.
We ought to understand the acceptability of the righteousness of learning, and the righteousness of accommodations. How do we know what is acceptable? We can determine that by the ability of the learner, and everywhere should be maintained by righteousness.
We ought to never speak ill of just accommodations, because Moses was given Aaron as a helper to him. Was God unrighteous to supply him with a helper? God is for acceptable accommodations for His learners, and He does what is right according to His wisdom and by His graciousness.
CHAPTER 10: Study to be Approved of God
We are commanded to be a workman who is approved of God. We must rightly handle His divine truth from His divine Word.
Let us study the Holy Bible, the early fathers, the Reformers, and every field of theology so we may be approved of God. Let us not give up because it is hard, but because it is hard let us keep in line, and keep ourselves dedicated.
The apostle Paul was a man who was approved of God: he rightly handled the Word by God’s gracious hand, and He furthered the Gospel by God’s Spirit.
Can God say of you “this learner is right before Me, and he handles My truth with accurateness?” Use the knowledge of the holy to bless the Word: knowledge devoid of grace puffs up, but knowledge with grace edifies, and strengthens as a student even as a professor so we might grow in our divine knowledge. Amen.
