Math is a gift from God and by its very nature, enhances our appreciation for God and His irreplaceable and gracious gifts to us.  Because all wisdom, knowledge and instruction come from the mouth of God (Proverbs 2:5,6), this simple sum, spoken into existence, can only be fully grasped through an understanding of God Himself.

Math has an absolute nature that reflects the absolute truths of God.  A teacher can evaluate work and say that one answer is right and all other answers are wrong, without disagreement from the students.  Each is aware that there is a true and right answer and that it can be achieved when following the correct process.  So it is in our spiritual lives.  To make definite conclusions, to possess clear judgments, requires knowledge of what is right and wrong.

Present-day society declares that there is no truth, that right and wrong are relative to the situation and that an evaluation of another person’s life would be impossible (or worse yet, intolerable). Now this may seem realistic and acceptable to some, but just imagine the effect on math if a similar situation occurred.  As soon as 1+1=2 becomes debatable, as soon as the answer is relative to the situation, the math collapses and can be discarded.  Take away the absolutes and the possibility of any real solution is gone.  Because God has created 1+1 to equal 2, any attempt to argue otherwise would be absurd.  The same is true of Christ’s claims. To deny that Christ is the only Way, the Truth and the Life is equally foolish.  To say that Christ wasn’t speaking determinately and open to interpretation is the same as saying that 1+1=3.

Why is this a difficult concept to grasp?  Man constantly looks for exceptions; we are more the comfortable grays that patently avoid judgment.  But God established the truths of existence. The essential truths that guide and which we can measure our lives by.  They are impartial, they are objective, they are true, the are universal, and they are irrefutable.  This is a gift that is often spurn or simply ignored.

The second major way that mathematical reason can glorify God is when it is used as a tool to appreciate the highly logical ways that God works and in our world.  The existence of beautiful patterns, of stunning architectures, rightfully invokes a state of awe within us and our inevitable conclusion is this: there must be a Creator.  This reasoning is accessible to any and all who can observe this glorious universe, and because of this, there is no one with an excuse (Romans 1:20).  “The heavens [1+1=2] declare the glory for God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge… (Psalm 19:2).

From where did the relativism of God’s absolutes come? We see it early in the Garden Eden, when Adam asked, “Did God really say..?”  Humanity still struggles with same question.  On the other hand, math is another reminder that we live in an absolute world that God has given to us a gift for our good.  This ought to lead us to a humble appreciation of God’s mighty works and His mighty Word.

The Excitement of Christian education then, is that it affords Christians the opportunity to teach their children, in spite of the constant denials of modern education, that God’ truth is the sure foundation on which all of life rests.