The Triune God Is the Foundation of Christian Education

Note: From Christian Education (Baker 2024, ed. Freddy Cardoza). Reprinted by permission of the publisher. Citations have been omitted.

The Lord has eternally existed as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person, although distinct, is fully God and has the same divine attributes. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal in essence, but as separate persons, they relate differently to one another and to creation (Matthew 3:16-17; I Corinthians15:28). Robert Pazmiño argues that the mutual communion of the persons of the Trinity (perichoresis), in which each divine person is a being for the others, provides the foundational model for Christian education aimed at “the formation and transformation of persons as beings for others.” [Robert W. Pazmiño, God Our Teacher, p. 21] Just as God exists in community (a three-in-one tri-unity), we human beings, created in God’s image, mirror his attributes and exist to live in community characterized by love.

Defining the Trinity

The doctrine of the Trinity is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith and a good description of the God of the Bible: the Triune God perfectly represents unity (one God) and diversity (three persons). The Athanasian Creed establishes that whoever wishes to be saved must believe in the Trinity because it represents a core Christian belief. Though each divine person has a distinct role, the perfectly harmonious activities of Father, Son and Holy Spirit always reflect a “deeper personal unity of conscious thinking, feeling and willing” that reveals an “essential oneness of being.” [Gordon Lewis and Bruce Demarest, Integrative Theology 1, p.280]

The Holy Trinity is the essential foundation for life and Christian education. The three persons of the Godhead always work together in perfect harmony and are the basis and model for Christian teaching. Christian education exists because the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are teachers. At the same time, as distinct persons, they play different roles and provide various principles for believers and Christian educators. Pazmiño rightly argues that God the Father, as the Creator of the universe, is the source from whom all Christian education content originates; God the Son, as the Master Teacher, is exemplar or model for authentic Christian teaching; and God the Holy Spirit is the tutor and counselor who sustains the life of the Christian community and the wider society in order to fulfill God’s purposes.

God the Father

God the Father is transcendent, distinct and separate from his creation and at the same time immanent, present and constantly sustaining his creation. He is called the Creator, Ruler, Sustainer and Judge of all. As such, he is majestic, glorious and holy (Leviticus 19:2). At the same time, God is intimately personal and full of intrinsic goodness (Psalms 25:8; 86:5; Jeremiah 33:11; Nahum 1:7). God’s existence and deeds can truly be described as incomprehensibly awe-inspiring, for his greatness in all things far exceeds us all (Nehemiah 1:5; Psalms 66:5). God alone is the source and foundation for life and Christian education.

Character and Attributes of the Father

We can trust in God because we know his character, which he has disclosed to us. God’s qualities or character patterns are generally described as divine attributes. Our God is unique, and there is no one like him (Isaiah 43:10; 46:9). Therefore, some of his attributes are incommunicable because he does not share them with anyone or anything else (eternal, self-sufficient, immutable, impassible, omni-present, omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient).

God also possesses communicable attributes, which he shares with human beings (personal, faithful, loving, holy, wise and glorious). Michael Lawson uses thirty-three words to describe the characteristics or attributes of God that can be used to help children understand what God is like: adorable, angry, beautiful, colorful, creative, everywhere, fair, faithful, famous, friend, generous, gentle, holy, huge, invisible, joy, kind, life, light, love, merciful, mysterious, patient, playful, righteous, scary, smart (omniscient), spirit, strong (omnipotent), tender, timeless, a trinity and unique. Ultimately, any human list of divine attributes falls short of completely representing the awesomeness of our God. Nevertheless, such a list is helpful in showing the breadth and depth of God’s personality and being.

The Father as Source

Our God is also a loving Father who instructs and cares for his children. God revealed himself with the term Father, indicating that he is the source from whom everything else proceeds. Gordon Lewis and Bruce Demarest note that, in the Old Testament, Father denotes “God as the creator (Malachi 2:10), founder of the nation of Israel (Isaiah 63:6; 64:8) and the One who entered into a saving, covenantal relationship with his people (Jeremiah 3:19; 31:9).” [Gordon Lewis and Bruce Demarest, Integrative Theology 1, p. 189]

In the New Testament, the term Father is widely used, especially in the Gospel of John. In Christ, believers become God’s children through regeneration and adoption. Consequently, Lewis and Demarest explain that the word Father “signifies the new relation of life and love that Christians enjoy with God (John 14:23; 20:17; I John 2:13; 3:1). The Aramaic term abba, ‘dear Father’ (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6), is a title of special intimacy found on the lips of a young child.” [Gordon Lewis and Bruce Demarest, Integrative Theology 1, p. 193] As God’s children, we should go with confidence to our heavenly Father to learn and to be instructed by him.

The Father as Teacher

Christian education exists because God is the ultimate teacher, as Job 36:22 clearly states: “Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him?” (NASB). Every time God reveals himself to us, he is teaching us about himself and about the way in which we should go (Psalms 32:8; Isaiah 2:3). God anticipates that we will respond to his revelation with complete obedience. This is the simple but indispensable expectation when he teaches us. Obviously, our obedience should come out of reverence and love for the merciful and gracious God of the universe, who is rich in unfailing love and righteousness (Exodus 34:6).

God teaches us in various ways. God teaches people according to their diverse circumstances and is not limited to a singular or a particular teaching method; rather, he uses different ways to communicate with us. For example, God’s creative teaching methodology recorded in the Bible includes the following:

He spoke directly and audibly from heaven.
He wrote on tablets of stone.
He became flesh.
He revealed himself in supernatural beings.
He gave vivid dreams and visions.
He drew on walls of palaces.
He made animals talk.
He voiced truth through human prophets.
He composed poetry.
He provided visual reminders of promises.

God is indeed the model and example of creativity in teaching. Since we have a creative God, Christian educators should imitate him as they help people grow in their relationship with the Lord.

God the Son

God the Son is the Lord of all (Philippians 2:11). He became flesh and dwelled among us in order that we may become children of God (John 1:12, 14). Therefore, as the sovereign God and head of the church (Colossians 1:18), Jesus Christ is indeed King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). The Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) brilliantly summarized the centrality of Christ over creation, our lives and Christian education: “There is not a square inch on the whole plain of human existence over which Christ, who is Lord over all, does not claim: ‘This is Mine!’” [Alvin Plantinga, Engaging God’s World, p. xiii]

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not simply a necessary cliché in Christian education; he is the fundamental person under whom everything finds its purpose and meaning. In addition, Jesus is the model for Christian teaching. The terms teacher and rabbi were frequently used to describe Jesus’s earthly ministry. His followers were called disciples over two hundred times in the New Testament. Jesus was a teacher like many religious leaders, but he was different because he taught with divine authority (Mark 1:21-22). Jesus was a consummate teacher and the only one with the right to be addressed with the title Master Teacher. Christian educators should imitate him and follow his example in order to become adequate representatives of Christ. In fact, they should try to live up to the challenge the late Christian educator Howard Hendricks gave to his students: If you want to be like the Master Teacher, you need to master the Master’s life. Authentic Christian education flows from the words and the example of the Master Teacher. Specifically, Robert Pazmiño proposes viewing Jesus as the master of the context, content and audience of teaching.

Context of Jesus’s Teaching

Jesus’s teaching was always considerate of the social context. Even though he was a teacher sent from God (John 3:2), he was willing to teach wherever the occasion arose – a synagogue, the temple, the seashore, the countryside and in people’s homes. He taught in different regions, from metropolitan Jerusalem to little towns such as Bethany and Chorazin, regardless of their social importance. Christian educators can follow the example of Jesus by willingly adapting to the social and cultural environment in order to teach the good news of the kingdom.

In his teaching, Jesus used common language to reach his listeners. His illustrations connected his teaching with relatable ideas and activities from domains that everyone could understand: home, nature, work, business, social relations, government and national traditions.

Content of Jesus’s Teaching

The content of Jesus’s teaching was grounded in the Scriptures (Matthew 22:29; Luke 4:21; 24:32; John 7:38; 10:35). Christian education honors Jesus’s example of making God and his Word the core curriculum. The purpose of Christian teaching is not just imparting knowledge but also leading students into obedience to the Lord (John 14:15).

Audience of Jesus’s Teaching

Jesus reached different kinds of people without discrimination. He was willing to teach elites such as the Pharisees, scribes, priests and rich as well as marginalized outcasts such as the poor, the diseased and tax collectors. Jesus clearly established that the transformation of lives was the goal of his teaching. He wanted those he taught to become like him: “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40 NASB).

The context, content and audience of Jesus’s teaching provide Christian educators with solid guidelines for their own lives and ministries. As Christian educators, we must aim to consistently become more like the Master Teacher (Matthew10:24-25). All believers are followers of Christ and his disciples. Both teachers and students sit at the feet of the Master and by his grace learn how to become better imitators of him in words and deeds. Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord and the model for and goal of Christian education.

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is essential for the Christian life and for Christian education. As a member of the Godhead, the Third Person of the Trinity is God and shares all the divine attributes (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3, 4, 9; II Corinthians 3:17). The work of the Holy Spirit is fundamental for the transformation teachers need in their lives and the transformation they hope to see in the lives of their students. The Holy Spirit guides believers into God’s truth (John 16:3), reveals God (I Corinthians 2:9-12) and motivates and counsels believers into following God’s truths (John 14:26). This reality reminds us that the Holy Spirit is the only one who can change lives and that we should yield to his leading. We always need the Spirit in our lives and teaching because only the Holy Spirit can reach any person from any generation and life situation. Indeed, Christianity and Christian education are meaningless apart from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit indwells, baptizes and seals all born-again believers (I Corinthians 6:19; 12:13; Ephesians 4:30). Through the Spirit, believers enjoy a personal and intimate relationship with the Father (Galatians 4:6). The Holy Spirit guides God’s children to live lives that please the loving Father (Romans 8:14). As the author of the Bible, God’s written revelation, the Holy Spirit helps both teachers and students to understand God’s message through illumination (Ephesians 1:17-18). The purpose of illumination is to help believers comprehend God’s biblical truths. The Spirit also comforts, intercedes and gives spiritual gifts to God’s children (Acts 9:31; Romans 8:14; I Corinthians 12:7). Therefore, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is fundamental for all spiritual activities. His presence in our lives is vital, and as believers and Christian educators, we should walk by the Spirit in order to please the Lord (Galatians 5:16). Christian teaching involves working in partnership with the Holy Spirit.

Octavio Javier Esqueda, professor of Christian higher education, Biola University