Philosophy

The Bible was written by men, given by the Holy Spirit to human writers, and is God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, truth without any mixture of error in its original texts, and salvation for its end.  All Scripture is totally true and trustworthy and pertains to all things regarding life and godliness. 
Ps. 19:7-11 | 2 Tim. 3:15-17 | 2 Pt. 1:3

There is one and only one living and true God who is sovereign, and the creator of all things.  He eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each of these persons is fully God and are united as one.
Gen. 1:26 | Dt. 6:4 | Mt. 28:19 | Ps. 45:6-7

God is called Father because He is the Father over all creation. He is also Father by intimate relationship. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the Father of all who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Eph. 3:14, 15 | Ps. 103:13 | Eph. 1:3 | Jn. 1:12

Jesus Christ has always been fully God, and became fully man in one person, and will be so forever.  He created all things with the Father and has existed always.  He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He perfectly fulfilled the divine law by His obedience to it, and in His substitutionary death on the cross, He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. In His bodily, historical resurrection, He overcame death and sin for all who believe.
Lk. 1:35 | Jn. 1:1 | Jn. 1:14 | Jn. 3:16 | Jn. 3:34, 35 |Jn. 14:31 | Jn. 11:25

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, a fully divine person of the Trinity.  He exalts Christ. He manifests the active presence of God in the world, and especially in the church.  He convicts men of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.  He indwells the believer and leads the church in worship, discipleship, and service.
Is. 59:21 | Jn. 14:17 | Jn. 14:26 | Jn. 16:8

God created human beings, male and female, as His unique and crowning work of creation.  By mankind’s own choosing, he rebelled against God and brought sin into the human race.  The value, worth, and sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, we believe that every person possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Gen. 1:26, 27 | Rom. 5:12 | Jn. 3:16

We believe that the essence of the gospel is an understanding that we are more rebellious against God than we can ever know and also more loved by God than we can ever comprehend.
We also believe that the gospel of Jesus is demonstrated through His life, death, burial, resurrection, and teachings.  He taught that He will redeem us, He will renew us, bring us into obedience, and ultimately He will restore us to His eternal dwelling place. He chooses us to join Him in inviting all others to follow this same pattern that He set forth.
Mk. 16:15 | Jn. 12:32 | Jn. 14:6 | 1 Cor. 15:1-4

The resulting work of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross brought salvation to the world, and is a gift of God redeeming us from our sin and reconciling us to our God.  Jesus came to earth and accomplished salvation for all who would believe.  All who turn from their sin and believe in Jesus receive this gift of salvation.  As a result of this faith, all His followers will seek to be like Jesus, live like Jesus, and love like Jesus. 
Jn. 5:24 | Jn. 8:31 | Rom. 5:9, 10 | Eph. 2:9, 10

The church is both local and Universal.  The Universal Church is the community of all true believers for all time. The local church is a faith filled community of worshipers who are united as an intentional community of disciples under the headship of Christ and godly servant-leaders.
Acts 2:42 | Heb. 10:25 | Eph. 5:25 | Rev. 5:9, 10 | Heb. 12:23

Baptism is the public declaration of a believer’s faith, pursuing obedience to the teachings of Jesus, and sharing in Christ’s burial and resurrection.  We believe it symbolizes death to your old life and announces your new life in Christ, which celebrates your inclusion into God’s family. 
Mt. 28:19 | Acts 8:36-38 | Rom. 6:3, 4

The bread and cup of Communion remembers and celebrates Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection, instituting a New Covenant with all believers.  We look inward by examining our own heart in light of the cross and look forward to drinking the cup new with Him in His Father’s Kingdom.
1 Cor. 11:23-26 | Lk. 22:17-19 | Mt. 26:29

We believe all followers of Jesus will commit to His instructions, by living intentionally in their participation of the mission of Christ to make disciples who in turn make disciples of all nations.  We believe Christ sends us primarily to those who have not yet heard the Gospel. God desires the unique worship of all cultures; therefore, we believe that authentic relationships that honor culture and customs advance the Kingdom. We believe the Bible instructs Jesus’ disciples to model Christ’s love, humility, and mercy, which demonstrate the gospel with our words and our lives.
Rev. 5:9, 10 | Mt. 28:19, 20 | 1 Thess. 2:8 | Rom. 15:20 | Rom. 10:15

We believe the family is unique in its ability to communicate many of the attributes of God.  The family was created by God for the benefit of man and communicates the intimacy, nurturing, obedience, and permanency of the relationship that we have with God.  Man was given stewardship over it and is the essential building block of human society.
Gen. 2:24 | Is. 54:5 | Eph. 1:5

Marriage is the union of one man and one woman who will live bound not by contract alone, but by a commitment in His love that should not be broken.  We believe that men and women are opposite and equal to each other, and that marriage is before God, your family and all the main institutions of society, with a promise from each other to be loving, faithful, and true.  The marriage union is a permanent promise that extends into the future.
Gen. 2:18 | Gen. 2:24 | Mt. 19:8 | Eph. 5:31

We believe the family is unique in its ability to communicate many of the attributes of God.  The family was created by God for the benefit of man and communicates the intimacy, nurturing, obedience, and permanency of the relationship that we have with God.  Man was given stewardship over it and is the essential building block of human society.
Gen. 2:24 | Is. 54:5 | Eph. 1:5

Marriage is the union of one man and one woman who will live bound not by contract alone, but by a commitment in His love that should not be broken.  We believe that men and women are opposite and equal to each other, and that marriage is before God, your family and all the main institutions of society, with a promise from each other to be loving, faithful, and true.  The marriage union is a permanent promise that extends into the future.
Gen. 2:18 | Gen. 2:24 | Mt. 19:8 | Eph. 5:31

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female and that gender is determined by one’s biological makeup at birth.  These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological gender or gender identity is a rejection of the image of God within that person
Gen. 1:26-27 | Romans 1:26-32 | 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

The second coming of Jesus is the hope and reminder that God is faithful, and that He has ultimate control over all things.  Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly, and Christ will judge all men in righteousness.  We believe that God will fulfill all future promises and prophecies regarding the second coming of Jesus.
Rev. 19:11-16 | Jn. 14:3 | Zech. 14:4

God loves justice. He commands His children to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.  Additionally, He chooses to accomplish His justice through the awareness, advocacy and action of His children, who work for justice in actively loving all vulnerable, marginalized and afflicted people.
Is. 61:8 | Prov. 31:8, 9 | Prov. 24:11,12

At Calvary Murrieta Christian School our philosophy of education is based on the primary convictions contained in our “Statement of Faith.” The following statements identify principles that apply to the educational process when viewed through the perspective of faith.  The basis of our philosophy is belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ our Savior, the Holy Spirit, and God’s Word – the Bible. We believe in the authority and reliability of the Bible as the complete and final revelation of God concerning all matters of faith, truth and practice.

We believe that our priorities and those we teach should be in the following order:

1. Commitment to Christ
2. Commitment to Family
3. Commitment to School

• Education is focused on truth, of which God is the ultimate source. He reveals himself to us in nature (General revelation); in His Son; and in the Bible (Special revelation), the only inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient rule for faith and practice (Psalm 8:2-4; Hebrews 1:1-3; II Timothy 3:16, 17)
• The goal of Christian education is to develop students who will serve God and impact their community and the world by thinking and acting biblically in all areas of life (Romans 12:2, see our value ‘HANDS & FEET’).
• The Lordship of Christ and the sovereignty of God are all-inclusive; therefore, all areas of life and learning are regarded as sacred (Romans 11:36).
• Christian education is the result of all knowledge being tested against, and integrated with, a biblically based view of God and the world (Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:3). Biblical integration is the method by which God’s Word is infused into every aspect of the school program. All academic disciplines and extracurricular activities alike must be aligned to biblical principles and commands. Therefore, no teaching, theory or policy which contradicts the teaching of Scripture may be presented as true, practical or beneficial (Col. 2:8, see our value ‘SOUL’).
• The primary responsibility for the education of children rests with parents (Deuteronomy 6:7, 8; Genesis 17:7; Proverbs 22:6). We recognize that education begins in the home and is advanced in the Christian school as an extension of parental authority. However, the Christian school and the church provide complementary roles in educating students for lives of fellowship with God and service to others (Deuteronomy 11:18; Psalm 78:4, 5 see our value ‘LIFE’)
• Service to others inside and outside the classroom contributes to the development of each student’s talents and abilities (I Corinthians 12).
• The Christian teacher, empowered and inspired by the Holy Spirit, guides and nurtures students through instruction, admonition and personal example. The Christian teacher seeks to encourage the spiritual development of students since this is the foundation for their academic, social and personal growth (Colossians1:28; Proverbs 1:7).
• Christian education occurs as the Holy Spirit works effectively in the hearts and minds of the students. Through general revelation students learn of God and His world (Acts 14:17; Romans1:18-20). Special revelation and regeneration are regarded as essential components of Christian education because a personal relationship with Jesus Christ provides students with the ability to view life from a Biblical perspective (I Corinthians 2:14, see our value ‘HEART’).
• Christian education involves training the whole child and encompasses the study of his or her whole world. God has created all students with unique talents as well as particular developmental growth patterns. Therefore, the learning process is enhanced as teachers utilize varied teaching strategies and instructional environments (Psalm 139:13-15; Romans 12:4-8, see our value ‘MIND’).
• Excellence in the quality of education offered to children brings glory to God and provides a compelling witness to our neighbors (Philippians 1:9-11).