The Case for Christian Education
Deut. 4:9-10 “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; [Specially] the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and [that] they may teach their children.”
Deut. 6:7 “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
II Timothy 3:15 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
From these verses and many others, it is plain to see that God takes the teaching of His word serious and nowhere in the scriptures do we find God instructing His people to leave the training of their children to the government or any other public entity. God explicitly gives that responsibility to the parents.
Unfortunately, many parents have turned to the public school system for help in this area without being informed as to what is being taught in schools across America. Contrary to it’s many inconsistencies, along with it being totally opposite of the truth of the scriptures, children are being taught evolution as a fact. We have spent the last several decades telling children that they are animals then wonder why they act like they do. I have been told that a child in many schools in America can be expelled for bringing aspirin to school under a "no tolerance policy" yet school officials can take young girls to have abortions without ever notifying their parents. The distribution of Gospel tracts and literature is discouraged yet school officials can distribute means of birth-control. God, the Bible, prayer and the Ten Commandments have all been expelled from schools where homosexuality and lesbianism is not only accepted, promoted, and in some places even made mandatory study.
In Daniel chapter 1, we see the wicked king Nebuchadnezzar besieging Jerusalem and taking away "certain of the children of Israel...whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans". This is typical of what has been going on in America for many years. The government has besieged our homes and taken our children to teach them the ways of the world. May we be like Daniel and purpose in our hearts not to defile ourselves with the world’s humanistic, animalistic, anti-Christian ways but to give ourselves to prayer and Bible study and instill godly principals into the hearts and minds of our children.
Mostly because of materialism and covetousness, parents are forced to work long hours which has led to the neglect of our children’s education. The emphasis in many Christian homes today is on material wealth and the education and training to secure it. What is most often compromised is our children's spiritual training. Why is it today that so many of our children drop out of church when they "come of age" and show no interest in ever coming back? Could it be that parents have trained their children to despise the Word of God and the Lord's church by making secular education and wealth top priority in their lives? This is, not always, but often the case.
Almost every true Baptist church has in her church covenant the phrase “We engage to… religiously educate our children” of which many will answer, “We have our kids in Sunday School”. Having your children in Sunday School for an hour a week has little impact when they are under the teaching of worldly influence for 8 hours a day.
Psalms 1:1 "Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Too many parents are insensitive to the importance of their child’s spiritual training.
Ps. 127:4 “As arrows [are] in the hand of a mighty man; so [are] children of the youth.”
Pro. 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Parents see that their children are trained in all the ways of the world; in all the things they consider essential to live and prosper in this life; they don’t want their children to lack anything in this regard. While these things are good in their proper place, what about the eternal spiritual education and the spiritual prosperity of our children? Is spiritual education secondary to the carnal? Is God and His Word any less important than history, math, or science? Some will say “you can’t get a good job without a good education” or ‘I only want my child to be successful”. I would prefer my child be a laborer and be saved and faithfully serving the Lord in His church than to be the president of The United States and be out of the Lord's will.
Ps. 84:10 "For a day in thy courts [is] better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness".
Wanting the best for your child is commendable but what are we willing to sacrifice to assure their success. I would rather leave the success of my child to the Lord.
Matt. 6:31-33 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Others will argue that “children need to develop social skills”. Much of the social interaction that children receive in the public school systems is not good and wholesome to their proper upbringing and social development.
Many of the curriculum in public schools teach sinful lifestyles and sexual perversion as acceptable and some who teach are involved in these lifestyles and often promote their wicked ways. Furthermore the public school system is not the least bit concerned with your child’s morality and Godly character but is motivated by tax revenues that they can receive by having children pass state mandated test.
We place our children in every program coming and going, ball teams and all other kinds of community organized functions, many times even at the expense of missing out on activities of the church. If social development is what you desire, make sure you child attends church every time the doors are open, attends Sunday School, VBS, church camp and all of the other activities that the church provides for your children. There is no better place to gain godly social skills than with God’s people.
Some will say “Christian children need to be in the public school so they can be a witness to other children”. This sounds good on the surface, but how often do we see the exact opposite. Many unsaved children are bent on pressuring our children to practice their ungodly ways; to speak their ungodly words; to listen to their ungodly music; to smoke their ungodly dope; to take their ungodly pills and to lose their virginity for sensual pleasure. How many young people have turned to the ways of the world.
Many say “you can’t shelter your kids forever”. No, but I will shelter them as long as I can and as long as they will listen.
Ps. 127:1 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it…”
Ps. 127:3 “Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit… of the womb [is his] reward”.
Luke 18:16 “…Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Still others will argue that the teachers in most Christian school are not qualified, that they are not certified, that all depends on who you recognize as the authority. What better certification than that of the Lord's Church or whose authority is greatest, government or Gods. Teachers in GOOD Christian schools are selected by the church and meet a higher standard than that of secular teachers. Children will not remember everything that they are taught in school, but will most likely remember their teachers. Character does matter!
In a good Christian School, children will learn their subjects. More importantly, they will learn about God, be taught how to study the Bible, learn all the favorite Bible stories, memorize scripture, and most importantly they will be taught about the one who loves them - Jesus Christ.
I know of good Christian people who work in public schools and have a sincere desire to help children, and know of the sacrifices that they make and can appreciate them. Maybe they should take their gift and use it in a Christian school capacity, in a system not developed by bureaucrats but by Jesus Christ Himself. I am not necessarily Anti-public school but, Pro-Christian education. I believe it to be mandated by our God.
Six things to consider
1. God will hold parents accountable for the upbringing of their children.
2. Salvation and Christian service are more important than the “best” education.
3. Spiritual training is more important than secular training.
4. Christian parents should be training their children to serve the Lord.
5. Our love for the Lord and His word should be paramount.
6. Love for our children is sufficient motivation to sacrifice our time, energy, and resources to provide our children with the best possible upbringing.
Is our love strong enough to sacrifice our all for the most precious gift that God has put into our trust - our children?
Pastor Michael Wilder
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