General Studies (cont.)
Liberal Arts Required for Spiritual Success?
Some Christians argue that a Bible college is the only place for a young person to prepare for vocational ministry. Some would go as far as to say that a Christian has no business studying anything besides the Bible and whatever career skills he needs.
Scriptural Examples
While it is true that God does not need His servant to have a liberal arts education in order to use him, Scripture is full of examples of men with liberal arts training that God used in special ways.
- Moses, God’s chosen leader, “was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds” (Acts 7:22).
- David, the man after God’s own heart, was an accomplished musician and poet (Psalms 1–42).
- Two of Daniel’s qualifications for service in the Babylonian court were that he was “skillful in all wisdom” and could learn “the tongue of the Chaldeans” (Daniel 1:4).
The New Testament also demonstrates how God uses general studies to further His work. Paul, the great missionary, was a scholar. He wrote letters in Greek, spoke to his countrymen in Aramaic and wrote his appeal to Caesar in Latin. He cited Greek poets (Acts 17:28, Titus 1:12) along with mentioning warfare, farming and the athletic games (2 Timothy 2:4–6).
But the greatest examples of the use of the liberal arts in ministry are the parables of Jesus. Our Savior referenced plants, animals, farming and construction. He mentioned current events with the same ease that He commented on ancient Hebrew history. He knew the fine points of the language of the Hebrews (down to the jots and tittles), and He knew the culture and traditions of the people (sociology). In all of His references, Jesus used human experiences to explain divine truth. His illustrations built bridges to the farmer, the soldier and the builder. He talked about physical life so that He could address the soul.
