Dan Olinger

"If the Bible is true, then none of our fears are legitimate, none of our frustrations are permanent, and none of our opposition is significant."

Dan Olinger

Chair, Division of Bible,

Bob Jones University

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How Successful People Operate by Biblical Principles, Even If They Don’t Believe It

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In my work as a college professor I’ve taught a number of courses online, and I’ve designed a few online courses as well. I like the experience.

Because my university has encouraged my professional development in the field, I recently joined several colleagues at a conference addressing online coursework. Just the other day I received a newsletter from the sponsoring organization, and the lead article caught my attention. It’s about characteristics of leaders in rapidly changing fields, of which online education is certainly one.

I was struck by the fact that these characteristics are solidly grounded in biblical principles, even though a great many researchers in the field—most likely a great majority of them—have no commitment whatsoever to the Bible as authoritative.

Here’s the list, with my comments embedded in italics:

  1. Taking radical responsibility.  You take full responsibility for your life and help others do the same.

This concept is a direct consequence of the image of God in man, which includes dominion. The Bible reminds us that we will be held personally accountable for our exercise of that dominion. Jesus identifies the second great commandment as loving our neighbor as ourselves.

  • Learning through curiosity.  You view every opportunity, whether positive or negative, as a time to learn about yourself and others.

Through general revelation we learn about God by observing the entire cosmos and all that it contains, as well as current and past events and developments, or providence.

  • Feeling all feelings.  You commit to experiencing your feelings through to completion.

Our personhood in the image of God includes our emotional makeup. Although our emotions are tainted by sin and thus are not authoritative or reliable, they still reflect God’s image in a limited way and thus are worthy objects of study.

  • Speaking candidly.  You commit to speaking the truth and allowing others to do the same.

As God is truth, we are to speak and hear the truth.

  • Eliminating gossip.  You commit to ending gossip, as an active and passive participant.

We just talked about that, didn’t we?

  • Practicing integrity.  Your personal integrity enables you to meet your commitments and take responsibility for your actions.

Of course. Living a lie, or hypocrisy, the Scripture roundly condemns, as it violates the character of God.

  • Generating appreciation.  You live in a space of appreciation, able to express it and also receive it.

Thankfulness is a key element of proper worship, as demonstrated in the Psalms and often elsewhere. As God receives our thanks, so we should imitate him by receiving the thanks of others.

  • Excelling in your zone of genius.  You live in your full magnificence and empower others to as well.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and believers are gifted and empowered for service. God has providentially placed us where we can glorify him by accomplishing his will. Despite the fact that this point likely springs from a humanistic mindset, it is still grounded on biblical truth.

  • Living a life of play and rest.  You have a life of play, rest, and enjoyment.

As Ecclesiastes notes.

  • Exploring the opposite.  You recognize that your story is simply your story and is as right as the stories of others.

Nope. Not this one. Truth is not relative, and our perceptions are not in fact reality in all cases. There is absolute truth, which springs from outside of us, and we are successful only as we recognize and orient ourselves toward it. 

  • Sourcing approval, control, and security.  You know you are the source of the three most basic human needs of approval, control, and security.

Not the primary source, of course. But humans are designed to help and provide for one another, under the guiding hand of their Creator.

  • Having enough of everything.  You are content with what you have.

That’s pretty much a direct quotation of Heb 13.5.

  • Experiencing the world as an ally.  You believe that everyone around you is here to help you learn and grow.

Within the church that is certainly true.

  • Creating win for all solutions.  You spend the time creating a “win” for everyone involved.

In the providence of God for his people, that is exactly the outcome (Gen 50.20).

  • Being the resolution. You see problems as an invitation for you to create a solution.

Again, in the providence of God, certainly.

The Scripture is clear that all humans are in the image of God (Gen 1.26-27) and that the image persists even in fallen humans (Gen 9.6; Jam 3.9). Everyone has God’s Word written on his heart (Rom 2.15). I think this has at least 2 consequences:

  • It demonstrates the power of God’s image, in that it shines through regardless of the fall, even in people who may well reject the biblical God and his Word altogether.
  • It can strengthen our outreach by providing common ground for conversations about the basis for agreed truths.

The opportunities are endless.

Photo by madeleine ragsdale on Unsplash

How Atheistic Educators Teach Theology in Spite of Themselves 

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Photo by NASA on Unsplash

Every day in every school, millions of schoolchildren are learning about God. In every subject. 

Don’t think so? 

Watch. 

If there were no Bibles, we’d know a lot about God. For starters, we could just look around. If God created the world—and he did—then it’s a piece of art. And art tells us a lot about the artist. Just a glance at Picasso’s work tells us that he distorted the female form. Hmmm. I wonder if he had issues with women. Turns out he did. 

So when we study the cosmos, the created universe, we’re studying the work of God—and we’re consequently studying him. In school we call that science. And for some reason we’ve gotten the idea that science and religion are in conflict. 

Nope. It’s all about him. 

What can be known about God is plain to [mankind], because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Rom 1.19-20). 

But there’s more. When God created the universe, he used a design language—a coding language, if you will. There are relationships between the parts of the universe. In school we call that language math.  

Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and read the letters in which it is composed. It is written in the language of mathematics, and its characters are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures (Galileo). 

I would suggest that math is the most intimate look we get at the mind of God outside the Bible. It’s theology writ large. And we didn’t invent it; God did. He was counting before there were any humans around (Gen 1.5). 

Even more. When God created humans, he made them, as Scripture puts it, “in his image” (Gen 1.26-27). That means that when we study mankind—when we study the humanities—we’re studying God too. Language. Literature. The fine arts—music, speech, art. It all reflects the creative impulses of mankind, and in so doing it reflects the creative God who created us. It’s theology. 

And the sourcing doesn’t end with creation. Theologians call creation God’s first work, but they recognize another one as well. Since day 1, God has been directing in the affairs of men, telling a story that he has written from eternity past. 

He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place (Acts 17.26). 

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings (Dan 2.21). 

And what do we call that in school? 

Theologians call it providence, or more specifically, government. Schoolteachers call it history. 

Every school subject is about God. Science, math, language, literature, fine arts, history. All of it. 

And no surprise, because it all comes from him. 

It’s a shame more schools don’t recognize that. And it’s ironic—downright comical—that thousands of educators are teaching about the God they deny without even realizing it. 

He who sits in the heavens laughs. 

And I like to chuckle right along with him.