Perseverance in Learning

.

by Joe Renfro, Ed.D., Radio Evangelist, Retired Teacher and Pastor, Box 751, Lavonia, Georgia 30553, 706-356-4173, joerenfro@alltel.net

.

My granddaughter, a first grader at a Montessori school, had as her part in a program a sign with the word, ”perseverance.” She and an older boy described the value of the characteristics of perseverance in living. I don’t recall what she said, and I seriously doubt if she really understood what she was talking about, but it was important for her to start thinking about the value of this concept in her daily life.

Perseverance in learning is a basic calling to all of us in Jesus Christ. II Peter 3:18 brings the command, as it says: “…grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.^” This can be “from”, “to”, “in”, “toward”, and several other possible prepositions in respect to Christ through which this process can take. Maria Montessori, the founder of Montessori philosophy of education in 1935 said: “We must take into consideration that from birth the child has a power in him. We must not just see the child, but God in him. We must respect the laws of creation in him.”

Maria Montessori pursued her educational work with a spiritual consciousness. The Montessori schools openly seek to open the door to free and responsible development as the children cultivate the desire to persevere in learning. Montessori died in 1952. All Montessori schools are not necessarily connected to her personally, but many other private schools as well seek to cultivate perseverance in learning, and feel that faith in God is not anti-intellectual as many in our society want to implant that idea into public education.

There is a connection between growth in knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and godliness. 2 Peter 1:6 can set the stage of true perseverance in learning. It is the central part v. 5-7, that says: “For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and KNOWLEDGE with SELF-CONTROL, and SELF-CONTROL with PERSEVERANCE, and PERSEVERANCE with GODLINESS, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (NIV – emphasis is the author’s) Knowledge holds one hand of perseverance, and godliness holds the other for the glory of God, and opens up to a process of learning “from”, “to”, “in”, “toward”, and “on” in encompassing the knowledge of seeing how it all relates in Christ!

The Greek word or “hupomonen” used in 2 Peter 1:6 is the accusative singular of the word, “hupomeno” and can be translated either “patience, endurance, fortitude, steadfastness, or perseverance,” Different translators use different translations for the word, but I feel the perseverance is especially relevant here.

There is education and there is learning. But they are not necessarily synonyms. But learning is the basis behind knowledge. God uniquely made us to know the learning process. God made us so magnificently to glorify him and enjoy him forever. Several Hebrew and Greeks words covering a wide range of meanings refer to knowledge: intellectual understanding, personal experience, awareness through the emotions, and the understanding and realization of personal relationships.

As we grow in knowledge were are called to realize the self-control that God enables us to have through faith. We are in turn called to persevere, press onward toward godliness in his high calling for each of us. Godliness is not stupidity, but part of it is to grow in all knowledge from the cradle to the grave in all stages of life.

God is omniscient, all-knowing. He is not knowledge in itself, but he knows all in time and space from the domain of all eternity, even beyond. He, the Bible teaches, is the “Being of Being!” Pointing toward the manifestation of God’s kingdom, Isaiah 11:9 states: “…for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Learning and realizing this knowledge is our calling for eternity.

The Reformed doctrine of the perseverance of the saints ties in very much with the command from II Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” I feel that the Scriptures teach that our perseverance is the work of God’s Spirit in us to God’s glory. It is not a creation by us, but a creation in us by God for his glory. It is an important Christian doctrine, as it brings out that we are “his workmanship in Christ Jesus unto good works,” as the Bible states. This perseverance may be defined as ”that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer, by which the work of divine grace that is begun in the hearts, is continued and brought to completion.” Education is an important part of this!

II Corinthians 5:17 states: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In the new life in Jesus Christ God works through our minds, our spirits, and our wills to enable us to manifest the characteristics of being God’s children through Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (I Cor. 13: 12) This is a lifelong process we can realize in degrees now, with the full realization only in eternity, as we grow in grace to become new creations in Jesus Christ regardless of our age or abilities.

.

.