“ ANYTHING DONE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST SHOULD HAVE QUALITY STAMPED ALL OVER IT.” PAUL DIXON BY THOMAS WHI TE THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE Since 1979, these words have set the standard for Cedarville University. But our motivation for pursuing quality and excellence in everything comes from a different source than other institutions of higher learning. Our motivation flows from our deep faith. THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD The nature and character of God define and display excellence. Quality and excellence describe something good — like a commendable virtue or a well-made product. Excellence describes the nature and character of something. The very nature and character of God shows us what is good, perfect, holy, and excellent. We see this both through God’s creation and through God’s revealed Word to us. In creation, we see the imprint of a thoughtful design. We all know that excellence and quality don’t happen by accident. As we admire creation, we see these qualities in a majestic sunset. We look up in the night sky to behold the countless stars. We discover established natural laws set in place by the Creator, such as the orbit of the earth around the sun to create our seasons and the gravity that holds it all together. We study and admire the beauty of the monarch butterfly as it emerges transformed from its cocoon. We learn about the intricate details that allow a giraffe to drink water without passing out due to blood rushing to its brain, details that allow a bombardier beetle to create an explosion as a defense mechanism without destroying itself, and details that allow a woodpecker to create incredible force with every blow yet survive. The more we examine the human body, the more we learn of its complex DNA and immune system. God’s creation demonstrates excellence. By observing the quality of the creation, we learn something about the nature of the Creator. God has revealed to us that while creation began good, mankind introduced sin to the world through the fall in The nature and character of God define and display excellence. Cedarville Magazine | 3
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