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Source and Aim of True Education
11
God’s Glorious Purpose
In order to understand what is comprehended in the work of
education, we need to consider both the nature of human beings and
the purpose of God in creating them. We need to consider also the
change in their condition through a knowledge of evil, and God’s
plan for fulfilling His glorious purpose in the education of the human
race.
When Adam and Eve came from the Creator’s hand, they bore,
in their physical, mental, and spiritual natures, a likeness to their
Maker. “God created humankind in His image” (
Genesis 1:27
,
NRSV), and it was His purpose that the longer men and women lived
the more fully they should reveal this image. All their faculties were
capable of development; their capacity and vigor were continually to
increase. Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the
field opened to their research. The mysteries of the visible universe—
the “wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge” (
Job
37:16
)—invited their study. Face-to-face, heart-to-heart communion
with their Maker was their high privilege.
If they had remained loyal to God, all this would have been theirs
forever. Throughout eternal ages they would have continued to gain
new treasures of knowledge, discover fresh springs of happiness,
and obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the wisdom, power,
and love of God. More and more fully would they have fulfilled
the object of their creation, more and more fully would they have
reflected the Creator’s glory.
But by disobedience this was forfeited. Through sin the divine
likeness was marred and almost obliterated. The physical powers of
human beings were weakened, their mental capacity was lessened,
their spiritual vision was dimmed. They had become subject to
death. Yet the race was not left without hope. By infinite love and
[11]
mercy a life of probation was granted. To restore in men and women
the image of their Maker, to bring them back to the perfection in
which they were created—this was to be the work of redemption.
This is the object of education, the great object of life.