team rtrd a oy) efor a brary of anges Catalin Dat esti cn en nn Dedicated to Wanda Ruth Parmifo, ‘my wile and ie companion42 | God OurTexcher ministry of Jesus Chis and extended to his followers through thelr educational ministries of reconciliation, Sin and God the Spirit ‘The ministry ofthe Hy Spire as described in Joh 167-11 ‘enterson the curricular themes ofsin righteousness, and judg ‘ment. Sinisa necesarythemebecaue the word di not believe In Jesus. The lack of belie in Jesus relates to he fire impli tion that Downs identified: “Unredeemed people cannot under. stand spistual truth.” The work ofthe Holy Spit i essential inthe hearts minds spris, and wil of persons if they are to te drawn to and believe in Jems the Christ. Gea’ holiness and righteousness revealed most flyin Jesus stand in stark con trast with human sin. Human calpabliy and depravity confront persons in relation to thele personal and coxporate sin. Such ‘recognition exposes persons to ther immediate and ultimate vulnerability before a righteous and holy God. Spriual eyes ‘need tobe opened or sucha disclosure, The Holy Spit speaks to the spits of persons across thelr espns in offering new lie that lows fom the Tint. The disclosure of sin dectly relates tothe righteousness of God revealed in Christ and 10 GGo’sjudgment upon sin. Sin maintains stance of autonomy, refusal to recognize God’ authority. Such a stance rests in Spiritual death and ulimate alienation fram God's pusposes for Inumanityand.ll of reation. tn relation wo Christian education, the work of teachers in partnership withthe Holy Spirit t0 ‘confront the reality of sn and to pose the problems presents, This requis ang eno confront he nate an extent ‘The other themes of the Spri’s ministry as desribed by ‘esusinclude righteousness and judgment th relation to righ teousness, teachers are encouraged to educate for responsible action. This challenge ls most explicit in the work of Nicholas Woltestorll. Wolterstort proposcs the best way for Christan values tobe internalized af supported through education. A person parent, teacher, rend) to act lovingly toward a child tnd to combine dicplin and mxleling with the enundation ‘God Despite Us: Sinan Sahation | 43 of moral standard which the child perceives to it the situa tions and on which he or she s willing 1 ac.” The internal laation of values contbutes to works of ighteousness an can Jead to responsible acon in Chisian education. The place of jjgment equiresdiscem mento dstnguss the sense intended Shudgment undersiond as evaluation ieaimed (1 Cor. 2:15) by those who are spiritual, but judgment understood as conden ration prohibited (Mat. 7:1-4; Lake 6:37). The postive aspect ft judgment relates to discernment, which ise a spiritual til, but the condemnation of others involves lack of love and SSollensive 1 God, Education implies the fostering of discern- ‘ment, and spsital education implies che fostering of spiritual ‘scetnment The work ofthe Holy Spirits essential for encour ging spiritual discernment sine the Spirit discloses the gaps ‘hetween God's offer ofife and aspects of human existence. In elation to sin sprtual iscerament can point tothe Christian hope of a remedy. Sinful patents need not remain as they ar, for God's resources are made salable in Jesus Chis. Alterna tives ae posible Because God's grace operates at the links of Inuman possibly, Thisis wort celebrating and sharing. Cris tian teaching can witness to God's ansformative power made Available through the Holy Spin. God works despite us, despite hhumen sin in corporate and individual fe wo bring reconeila- tion, healing, and wholeness. Sin and Teaching ow does sin impact the ministries of teaching? One obvi ‘ous way is that when persons are involved. sin isa given. Any periect teaching setting changes when Tam present because L ftma sinner, Beinga sinner and interacting with others sinners, Tam aware of the potential fr sinful patterns 1 emerge that ‘can elt in the oppression of others. The extent of oppression Can vary greatly acording to the levelsof dysfunctional pes ‘nt The challenge forthe teacher anal pariipansisto reduce the potential for dysfunction and to encourage a berating ot transformative edveatonal experince forall Nevertheless, the441 God Our Teacher potential for misunderstanding. offending, oF squelehing pe ‘Adependence upon the operation of God's grace is essential a every stage ofthe teaching process. Those stages Include preparation, lnsireton, and evaluation.’ Sin emerges in fall Ingo accompli Goa's purposes or will in any ofthese stages. Diligence is required ofboth teachers and students ifthe impact ‘of sin isto be minimized and the salvificblessings of Chis’ ministry applied, One Old Testament mode! for such diligence is Ezra, who serves asthe scholar/priet ative inthe ife ofthe community. The complementary tesching ministries of the Levies support his teaching ministry as described in Nehemiah Their combined ministries result a renewal of the entire com "munity eetuning fom eile The lay ministry of Nebr i Selfsupported the community in its eturn to Jerusalem. Ez ‘instr served san example odiligence, dedication and devo tionas described in Ea 7:10. F2ra dedicated himscftothe three tasks of studying living and teaching God's Word in the fe of the faith community. Eza’s example ls noteworthy and appr: Palate for those who serve under the new covenant of Jesu Iministy andthe priesthood he initiated (I Peter 2:1-10), The mater of sn dteclytelates to the inevitable tension between freedom and form In teaching. Because of sin and its potential, form is required wo provide discipline and con- ‘rol in an educational seting. Real limits exist, and to bene: fit trom the teaching opportiity, a certain level of contol required that assures the well-being and protection of al par ticipants. I extreme, such control can restrict freedom and squelch learning. If appropriate, the conttol of internalized discipline enhances expression and creativity in teaching, The ‘maturity and eaines of participants influence the level of is ciple required or even the need for expe intervention to {assert the authori of teachersas gatekeepers forthe teaching learning process. The level of creativity fostered in the teach- ing itself affects the need for external nits or constraints, The ‘other dynamic operative teaching kth paticiption of sta ents in seting ground rules or limits, which again is subject twrtheirlevel of maturity: Beyond the question of maturity, ny od Despite Us Sinand Salvation | 45 teaching situation is served by dartying the underlying form. {mn onder to restrain or constrain sn ‘The complement toany discussion ofform s these offre: dom or livetaton. Freedom in teaching and learningshould 90t Tea to Hcense, ba to full articpation nthe invitation implied in teaching. Te invitation isto discovery dialogue, and even drama. Discovery isthe potential for participants ro consider their interests, questions. and needs. Dialogue makes posible the sharing of questions, issues, and insights in the comm earch for truth and wisdonn. Drama is possble as persons sume ther oes in bath the immediate setting and in the larger pareatvesoflife, These lange narratives induce the family, com- munity and wider society, The ultimate narrative embraces ‘Go's story, wich for Chrisans indies the redemlon story." Drama makes posible the honoring of varius gifts bestowed tapon the parcipans and the trying on of new roles. I also lots space forthe presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit so lea te teaching encounters in new and unexpected ways, Tntheir discussion of sn, Gabriel and Dorothy Fackre iden tify the issues of Idolatry, arrogance, and apathy." Idolatry relates to the matters of purposes and goals in both education {nd Ife. To what ends ate Burman energies devoted? What tslacatonal outcomes gue participants? From a Christian perspective the ultimate purposes are the glory and enjoy: ment of God, Penultimate purposes include the discovery of truth and the encouragement of love or care BY contrast var fous idoatres focus upon the created instead ofthe creator fad other purposes that can bein conflict with Go's wl. tn relation to idolatry, Christian teachers consider confrontation nd the proposal of alternatives, “Arrogance involves “lording It over” others and set righteousness atthe expense of others." This abuse of power Stands in contrast to the cooperative and supportive relation- ‘Ships modeled formant in the Trinity sdscussed in chap {er Christian teaching cllfora veachable spirit and the val Ingo others in adakion to onesell. The Apostle Paul descibes tha sprit in Pillpplans 2:34: “Do nothing from selfish ambi- tion or conceit, but in humility gard exhers as better than yourselves Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interest of others “Apathy and variows forms of escape into sensually are pat tems ofthe human landscape." Apathy i lek of care and Contrasts with the care Got intends fr the content persons, Shu context of teaching. The misuse of feedom and the poss ble misdirection of motivation can be educational ssues. Chi tian teaching can serve to fort persons fr responsible free tlom an dretion inthe lives, Fist John 2:15-19 describes the choices Doro vei marie en ew ne i trl dese fhe sy Un desea the eye the pie Inches omes ot om he ater br fom the wo An the word ands dese ae posing sway, hone wo dthe ‘The “word inthis case refers tothe world system that stands In rebellion against Gx and contrary to God's wll and purposes. ‘The choice posed is between love ofthe creator and love ofthe ‘reated, Prophetic Christan eaching may pose choices for per Sons in terms ofthe Ife offered by God and the ulate death Felted tthe dest ofthe flesh, she desire ofthe eyes. the pride Inlehes (or the pide of Ife). Word, Nes, desire, and pre fre associate ith sn ait consequences inthe human sit tution, Christan teaching Mentifiesaltematives and encour ges responsible choees. Related to sin and teaching are the matters of temptation, guilt, consclence repentance, and fogvenessin Chrstan the ‘logy. Temprotion fa reality with the potential fr sin in ynuman life. Teaching provides an opportunity to help persons ‘veil temptation in response tothe prayer “lead us Hot into temptation” Moral education can provide an incentive toast persons in thle esponses to temptation by exploring alter ative responses that fll God's purposes and will, Gut i Fecognizing one's esponsibility before God and othersin rea tion to sin and ts expression, Chistian teaching ean ass per Son to dstinguiss eal guilt om false gui. The place of con: science and ts development is amaterin the formative dimen- ‘Non of education, Raising the consciousness of sin relates (0 oth the persona and corporate areas off, A corporate cn ousness of sin cls forthe recognition of those who have teen stoned against. Inthe recagition of sn comes the cal for repentance in christian teaching and the offer of forgive Mos ade possible through the provision of Jesus Chilst. Related to repentance are the ise of restitution and restora Salvation: God For Us, Despite Us Despite the reality of sin and its pervasive affects, G stone for us prevails: e prevails inthe offer of salvation that [he Trinity avails wo all of creation and humanity. The co. ction between salvation and edueation explored through MSaheme proposed by Lawrence Richards to guide creative dune aching twit one adtlon, Richards proposed a ook Doo fork, and ook sehenve 10 guide lesson planning. Many ‘aucators have used this method over the years, most recently {a verne Tolbert" The hook san approach 1 a teaching Ws ‘Bn tat draws in and interests the pteipants The boots the Presentation of a biblical story theme, or concept. The fook the exploration of the materials implications and applic tons forthe lives of the partiipants The 108s the SUREES tion of and commitment 10 actual responses on the part of participants in the light of what has been learned oF discov Pred. The addition I make to the orders cook: hok. Bok, ek ‘Sok and wok!" These five teaching movements are parallel saith he five theological categories associated with salvation: Dreventent grace justiflaton,sancifeation,eieaton, and {lonficaion. The resulting paired connections are: preven. feat gracehook, Justification —book, sanctification look. ‘Sifinloncook. and glorification—took These psngs pro ‘ide one means by which to connect salvation to teaching Dttce forms of analysis are possible including James Lode's proposal fo logic ofthe Spe but these five connections {nec ink theological insights vo actual weaching48 | God OurTeacher Prevenient Grace—Hook Prevenient grace efersto the gracious drawing of persons to saving ath betor their conscious embrace of Jesus Chest. The oly Spit works subuly and mysteriously in the hears minds, And afections of persons to bring awareness in, righteous ‘ess, and judgment (loa 16:7-11) The Holy Spirit provides foretaste ofthe salvation offered in Jesus Christ thru con ‘act with Chistian persons who evidence anew life. The Sit also uses the preaching and teaching of Scripture 1 awaken 3 Spiritual hunger that will nly be satisfied by encountering the living Christ As the reat North African teacher Augustine sug gested, our ears are restless until hey find ther est in God. The prayersof believers helpto foster an openness hat can hook persons in imperceptible ways. G's Spirit works to cnliven the Spins of those who remain insenskive to spit matters, The operation of prevenent grace relates to Down's fist 0 Inmpiatons that lowe from Gots hones: “unredeemed peo ple cannot understand spel rth" and “there mist be super hatural intervention in out ministry for vest be touched” Preveniemt grace relers tothe requisite sspematural interven. tion for the understanding of spiritual truth. God graciously