True education helps one be a real success
Is success just random or do to good luck?
No.
Are there things you can do to become a real success?
Yes.
In 1 Corinthians 13:8, the Bible teaches that: “Love never fails.”
Hence, attaining love is success.
Notice something that the Apostle Peter was inspired to write how to attain Philadelphian, that is brotherly, love:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:2-11)
Notice that the Apostle Peter was showing how to be a real success.
While there are many things that help one be successful, let’s focus on one that he mentioned, knowledge and that comes from true education.
The Book of Ecclesiastes adds “wisdom brings success” (Ecclesiastes 10:10).
So the right knowledge and its use–wisdom–brings success.
True education helps lead to that.
Actually, that is one of the functions of the ministry:
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
Proper hierarchical church governance provides true education. Those “independent” of it, are carried about by improper winds of doctrine, including false prophetic understandings (see also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?).
Last century, in his booklet, The Seven Laws of Success, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following:
The Vital Second Law
And so, if you are to arrive at SUCCESS in LIFE, you must first set the right goal, and then comes the PREPARATION to achieve that goal.
So, the SECOND law of success in time sequence, is EDUCATION, or PREPARATION.
How can one expect to accomplish his purpose unless he acquires the know-how?
One thing we need to know about life—and many do not—is that humans do not come equipped with instinct.
To this extent, the dumb animals have a certain advantage over us. They do not have to learn. They never need weary their brains with book learning.
The new born calf does not have to be taught how to walk. It starts immediately to get up on its somewhat infirm and uncertain legs. It may fall down on the first or second attempt, but in a matter of a few moments it stands, even if a little unsteady at first. It does not require a year or two—not even an hour or two—the little calf starts walking in a few minutes! It does not need to reason out any goals. It requires no textbooks, nor teaching. It instinctively knows its goal—dinner! And it knows, also instinctively, the way. On its own four legs it proceeds immediately to the first meal!
I have repeated so many times: birds build nests—by instinct. No one teaches them how. Five generations of weaver birds, isolated from nests or nest-building materials, never saw a nest. When nest-building materials were made accessible, the sixth generation, without any instruction, proceeded to build nests! They were not crows’ nests or eagles’ nests. They were the same kind of nests weaver birds have built since creation. They had no minds to think out, imagine, design, and construct a different kind of nest.
Of course dogs, horses, elephants, dolphins, and some other animals can be taught and trained to do certain tricks. But they cannot reason, imagine, think, plan, design and construct new and different things. They do not acquire knowledge, perceive truth from error, make decisions, and employ WILL to exercise self-discipline according to their own reasoned wisdom and decisions. THEY CANNOT DEVELOP MORAL AND SPIRITUAL CHARACTER.
But humans have it not quite so easy. Humans have to learn, or be taught. Humans have to learn to walk, to talk, to eat or drink.
We don’t come to these basic accomplishments instinctively and immediately like the dumb animals. It may take a little more time. It may come a little harder. But we can go on to learn reading, writing, and “rithmetic”!
Then we can go further, and learn to appreciate literature, music, art. We can learn to think and reason, to conceive a new idea, to plan, design, construct.
We can investigate, experiment, invent telescopes and learn something about outer space and far-off planets, stars, and galaxies. We invent microscopes and learn about infinitesimal particles of matter.
We learn about electricity, laws of physics and chemistry. We learn to use the wheel, construct highways, and roll over ground faster than any animal. We learn to fly higher, farther and faster than any bird. We learn how to take nature apart and make it work for us. We discover and utilize nuclear energy.
But we have to LEARN—to STUDY—to be EDUCATED—to be PREPARED for what we propose to do.
One if the first things we need to learn is –that we need to learn!
Once you have learned enough to CHOOSE A GOAL, the second step toward successfully accomplishing that goal is to LEARN THE WAY—to acquire the additional education, training, experience, to give you the know-how to achieve your goal.
Most people fail to set any definite goals. Having no specific aims, they neglect the specialized EDUCATION to make possible the attainment of their purpose.
The Bible shows that education and preparation are important for those who should follow God:
14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.
18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:14-20)
The Bible teaches that Christians are to be kings and priests:
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:4-6)
And kings and priests need education and training to properly handle those roles. Kings rule and are to make wise judgments and priests are to teach.
You do NOT have to have a lot of “formal education” to be educated in true knowledge.
Notice also the following:
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”
30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this:
“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. (Acts 8:26-35)
We need teachers now, but notice something about the millennium:
20 … Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore,
But your eyes shall see your teachers.
21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:20-21)
The teachers above are resurrected Christians. The more you are educated in the ways of God, the better you will be able to teach.
Now also consider that the Bible is clear that children need to be trained:
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
In addition to moral and biblical instruction, in this world, insomuch as possible, people need to learn how to read, write, and understand basic mathematics.
My wife, I, and two older sons have college/university training and degrees.
Of course, in this age of “woke” colleges and universities, yes, caution is advised. And for some, technical school training may be a better way to go for vocational learning than a university.
That said, do not think because there may only be a decade or so of this age left that you do not need to be concerned about that.
If you are young, you may end up living into the millennium and your education may benefit you then.
If you are older, your spiritual education may be used in many ways.
Understand that Christians, who are the begotten children of God (1 John 3:1) are to be trained.
Should not Christians be noble like the Bereans and search/study the scriptures daily?:
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:10-11)
Christians are to grow in grace and in knowledge:
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:17-18)
Christians should be prepared enough to allow them to answer questions from non-believers:
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. (1 Peter 3:15-16)
You cannot be ready to give an answer if you are not prepared.
And while that ability is needed in all ages, notice the following end time prophecy:
32 … the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. (Daniel 11:32, ESV)
33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; (Daniel 11:33)
The old Radio Church of God taught:
Daniel prophesied: “The people that do KNOW their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Dan. 11:32). Such a statement could refer only to God’s people. Now notice what follows: “And they THAT UNDERSTAND among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days” (verse 33). Here is a very brief summary of how God’s Church has been persecuted down through the centuries.
Some commentators has incorrectly applied this to the Jews. But it could not refer to the Jewish people of our day! The Jews do not KNOW their God, nor do they UNDERSTAND, nor do they instruct many in the ways of God.
This prophecy concerns GOD’S CHURCH. (Neff L. Beware of False Brethren! Good News, January 1960)
Sadly, many have forgotten this prophecy–or at least what to do about it–even though it is to be fulfilled within the next decade or so.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. (Hebrews 5:12)
Paul is disappointed that the Christians he was communicating with had not grown more in knowledge. Notice that Christians are supposed to be able to be teachers–yes that ability to instruct is also a New Testament concept. Those who learned as they should have are subject to being used by God to instruct many.
When Jesus returns, His people are called volunteers:
2 The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!3 Your people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power; (Psalms 110:2-3)
Do you want to be one of the volunteers of Jesus?
You should.
Isaiah teaches that God’s people are to be His witnesses:
10 “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, (Isaiah 43:10a)
29. But Peter and the apostles answered and said, “We are obligated to obey God rather than men. 30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree. 31. Him has God exalted by His right hand to be a Prince and Savior, to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel. 32. And we are His witnesses of these things, as is also the Holy Spirit, which God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29-32, A Faithful Version)
How can Philadelphian Christians be witnesses, take action, and instruct many if they are not prepared?
First, notice that Jesus also says that the Holy Spirit will assist:
18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (Matthew 10:18-20)
9 “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Mark 13:9-13)
So does that mean you have no part to play?
No.
The Holy Spirit will bring to mind things you have studied, and will assist you with your wording as Jesus also said:
25. I have spoken these things to you while I am yet present with you. 26. But when the Comforter comes, even the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in My name, that one shall teach you all things, and shall bring to your remembrance everything that I have told you. (John 14:25-26 AFV)
You need to be prepared as the Apostle Peter wrote to be able to give answers to those who ask.
The Apostle Paul wrote the following:
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV)
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV)
The Bible is the word of truth. Christians need to study diligently, which includes not only reading the Bible and paying attention to sermons, but also to read church literature.
One of the reasons is that parts of the Bible are not always easy to understand, as the Apostle Peter pointed out:
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation – as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:14-16, NKJV)
Notice again one is to be ‘diligent’ so one will not be moved by untaught and unstable people.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, (1 Corinthians 1:4-5)
Christians need to be enriched with knowledge.
And if you are, God may use you–not just for friends, but potentially to “instruct many” as prophesied in Daniel 11:33, and possibly as Jesus said you:
12 … will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. (Luke 21:12-15)
Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit would “bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).
Meaning?
The Holy Spirit cannot “bring to your remembrance” things you did not learn. Therefore, you should be educated.
So, yes, we need physical and spiritual education to be the type of success that God wants us to be.
In this Laodicean era, are you truly diligent? Are you so satisfied with where you are at that you do not feel that you need to change or not learn much? Jesus warned against that type of complacency:
14 And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked– 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19).
Do you love your neighbor enough to learn to help them more?
Do you truly have the Philadelphian-era love and support of God’s work?
UPDATE 06/08/25: We just uploaded the following related video:
Are Successful People Just Lucky?
What does it take to be truly successful? Is it just luck? Is true success just the “luck of the draw”? Could it be that true success is just a series of random events that could happen to anyone? Or is true success the result of planning, education, drive and determination? In this video Dr. Thiel shines the light of the true knowledge contained in the Bible on what it takes to be truly successful. Dr. Thiel lets the light of the Bible answer the question of what the characteristics of a truly successful person are. Is love a part of the formula for success? What does God say? No matter your station in life; can you become truly successful? Is education important to success? In Daniel 11:33 God says, “the people who understand shall instruct many”. Do you want your children to be successful? Success goes to those you prepare. You can prepare your children for success. God tells us how. And Dr. Thiel shines the light on the verses that shows the way. Watch this video as Dr. Thiel uses the word of God to help us and our children become truly successful. And when we have achieved that success, we will then be able to show Philadelphian love to many of those around us that are looking for instruction.
Here is a link to our video: Are Successful People Just Lucky?
True education can help you be a success that way. True success is not a matter of luck.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? If you would like to watch videos covering subjects of this article, you can click on the following links: Why YOU? Why Do YOU Suffer? and What is the meaning of your life?
What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There are also two YouTube video related to this: Living as a Christian: How and Why? and Living as a Christian: Pure Milk of the Word.
Living as a Christian: Strong Meat Can you handle solid spiritual food? A related sermon is available: Strong Meat: James 1-2 and Strong Meat: James 3-5.
Priorities and the Most Broken Commandment Which commandment is broken the most? Which one is most involved with what should be your top priority? Here is a link to a related sermon: The Most Violated Commandment and Priorities.
What are Your Priorities? The late evangelist Dibar Apartian wrote this.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage and rive to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Christian Success Does the Bible teach that Christians are to be successful? Are there at least seven laws of success that Christians should follow? How does the Bible teach we are to become successfully spiritually? Does the Bible really teach that Christians should be successful physically? This video answers these questions and more from the Bible. An outline of some of the scriptures used is here: Christian Success Outline.
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