“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
(Hebrews 10:23)
In general, it is not a good practice to assume that something is true or acceptable! But when the writer to the Hebrews urges us to “hold fast the confession of our hope,”it is assumed that we know what is meant by ‘the confession of our hope.’ It is assumed because the ‘confession of our hope’ has been the very subject matter the Holy Spirit has been communicating for the nine chapters leading up to these words.
The purpose of Christian Education is to make known and teach into the heart that which is the hope of our confession. Whether it be worship services or Bible Classes,Sunday schools, Confirmation classes, or Christian Day School, in each case the goal of Christian Education is to build up and build upon the faith granted by our gracious God at the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
The purpose of Christian Education is stated by the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians: “…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the
love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness
of God” (3:17-19).
Those verses show why Christian Education is so vital. If we fail in mathematics or struggle with history, we will hardly suffer eternal consequences. On the other hand, if we do not know Christ by faith, do not cling to Him and place our hopes for the future in Him and what He has done for us, then there are eternal consequences.
Christian Education’s goal is to help the person better to know Christ and to hold fast to Him and His promises. Notice why the Apostle urges us to hold fast the confession of our hope: “…for He who promised is faithful.”
So often ‘guarantees’ in this world aren’t worth the paper they are printed on. But God who promises us forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Christ always follows through on what He says. Nothing strengthens our hope more than realizing the unchanging fact of God’s faithfulness. Our hope of future glory—eternal life—does not depend upon us and our doing but upon the promises of God and His faithfulness.
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
That closing reminder is one more reason why Christian Education is such an urgent matter. We don’t know the day and hour of Christ’s Return in glory. It could be at any time, since the signs that Christ said would occur before His glorious reappearing have already occurred.
If Christ returns tomorrow, it won’t matter if we’ve mastered algebra. It won’t matter if we’ve been a star high school athlete. It won’t matter if we graduated from school with honors. We can learn and know many things, great and small, but most important of all is knowing Christ by faith.
It is important to use to God’s glory the gifts He has given us…but when the Day of Christ’s coming in glory arrives…all that matters is that we know Christ by faith, and that He knows us.
This is the ultimate goal of all true Christian Education.