Quite a number of years ago I sent this letter below to a brother in Christ concerning the education (discipleship) of Christian children. He and I had been wrangling about it for some time together, but it had gotten to a boiling point (unfortunately, but Providentially) where he was actually encouraging people close to him and myself, that were struggling with homeschooling, to simply quit and send their children to State schools. He did this because he believed there was no difference between the two approaches to speak of, and that it was adiaphora, or “things indifferent” that the Bible never addressed. I firmly disagreed and decided to get it all out there in writing so we could both contemplate this topic clearly and concisely together.
Why I send this out here on my blog is because I’m still seeing this activity among the evangelical and/or Reformed community and it concerns me deeply. By this I mean the abandonment of homeschooling and shipping the kids off in the big, orange kipnapper to State schools. It grieves me everytime I hear of it, and so I’ve been thinking about some way I could perhaps encourage anyone that’s considering such a thing to stop, reconsider, and take it by the Spirit to the Father in prayer.
What I came up with is this idea, and so I send this letter I wrote out in that spirit, praying it’ll build up and bless any of you out there who are weary with teaching your children. I hope it’ll aid you in seeing afresh the vision of discipling your children for Christ and that your drooping sails may be filled with a firm, cool breeze.
I’ve abridged the letter a bit and taken out the name and some personal, side comments, but the remainder is as I sent it. It’s pretty straight forward and I didn’t mince any words, so please don’t be alarmed. It is my belief that we should communicate to those in Christ in serious matters such as this with clear, unambiguous, confronting, grace-filled language. What is not needed is vague, equivocating little pleasantries that can be understood in any which way so that everyone involved can “feel good” (dreadful phrase) after all is said and done. That isn’t Christ-centered agape and we truly need to purge that leaven from among Christ’s Household.
That said, this is one of those very crucial subjects – the discipleship of our covenant children – and it should never be taken lightly just so we can all “get along” (to where?). As Jesus told us, “It would be better for a person to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear _________ ,
So here is the heart of the issue/disagreement as closely as I can determine: you believe that a disciple of Christ can send their covenant child to a State school and not be in sin, and that the Word of God does not ostensibly address this issue, thus it is principally in the realm of “Christian liberty” or adiaphora. Further, in your opinion, there is no evidence – extreme or otherwise – to indicate that the teaching and environment of state schools is so antithetical to the Law of God that a Christian parent would be acting unfaithfully if they exposed their children to such an environment.
Now, on the other hand, I believe...
...that the Scriptures speak simply and plainly throughout concerning the comprehensive education (i.e. discipleship) of a covenant child and thus issue binding commands that leave no room for the Christian disciple-parent to entertain their Christian “license” in the sphere of the nurture and instruction of their child. Thus, I am doubtlessly convinced a Christian parent is in sin when they voluntarily send their child to a State school (unless perhaps under extreme and/or bizarre circumstances). Moreover, evidence is ample and undeniable that the education system of the State is fully hostile to the Church and completely anti-Christ in its very nature and teaching.
So, where do we start? I think we must begin by defining some terms of this disagreement. First, so we’re on the same page together, let’s set down the definition of education: it is the means, or process, by which one’s heart and mind are intentionally shaped and informed to view and understand the triune God, ourselves, others and Creation.
Next, the question must be asked, what do we as believers in Christ hope is accomplished through this process of instruction for our children? In other words, what is the goal of covenant education? It is my belief that the Word of God teaches that the goal of covenant instruction is: to manifest the glory of Yahweh, the triune God – Father, Christ and Holy Spirit – by coming to love and serve Him with all one’s heart, mind and strength, and to enjoy Him forever, body and soul. (“…whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10.31 – “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11.36 – “Hear, O Israel
I believe the Westminster Confession of Faith supports that vision as well because the instruction of the heart and mind are part and parcel to “the chief end of man”, and this instruction/discipleship, cannot be done without the Scriptures, which the Confession states is the “only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him” (WCF Shorter Catechism Q2).
True maturity in heart and mind for a covenant child cannot occur without being founded in “Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2.2-3) and saturated in the instruction of the Scriptures. The Bible is THE principle tool given to us to direct our children as to how they are to learn to glorify and enjoy Him with their whole existence. So then, to neglect the counsel and instruction of the Word leads one to having no way of knowing one’s purpose as to how to glorify and enjoy Him with all their mind, heart and body. As the Word tells us, “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9.10).
What this ultimately means is that all realms of study and discipleship must find their unity and starting point in the Creator, and they must be – indeed only can be – properly understood in and through the light of the Word. Therefore, if Christian children are attending the State’s schools and the instruction they are receiving is not founded in the Word and training them to love and serve Christ with all their heart, mind and strength in all disciplines of study, then it follows that true, biblical education is not occurring and hence no child of the Covenant should be attending.
This unfortunately is what’s happening in our public institutions of learning. We have been duped into reducing “education” to the mere absorption of random, unrelated, empirical facts so we then can go to college, then get a “good” job, acquire personal peace and affluence, and then upon our death be absorbed into the cosmos. Our most precious covenant children are being subversively inculcated with these godless, self-centered, idolatrous ideas, and there is no doubt as to the reason why these ideas are being taught to America’s children. That reason is because the State’s education system has intentionally set itself up against the one true God. How so? By declaring God unimportant, even irrelevant, in human affairs and thought. This anti-Christ system has comprehensively and systematically omitted God and His revelation entirely from its teaching and worldview, and has forced its teachers to either comply or be released. This is pure, unadulterated atheism, and the school system that ignores who God is, what He’s done and what He requires of His creatures, teaches its pupils who have been rendered to it to do the very same thing. We know the Word tells us “The fool says in his heart ‘There is no God’”. How much more can the same be said for an institution that teaches and proclaims that there is no God in heaven! This, my friend, is a religion commonly called secular humanism – as you well know – and it is totally incompatible with the teaching of the Logos and His Church.
The State school system has, and is, methodically and intentionally liquidating our most cherished beliefs, one child at a time, one generation at a time. It matters not if one can or cannot site extreme, sensational examples of pure evil in the public school classrooms. This overt and hostile atheism should be reason enough for you to never condone any Christian under your authority and care sending their child to a state school.
For we are commanded to rear our children in the nurture and instruction of Jesus, the Lord, and this cannot be faithfully accomplished by sending one’s child for five days a week, eight hours a day to a place where Christ’s Lordship is rejected, repudiated and said to have no place or consequence in ones study. My brother, this is not in the realm of “liberty” of ones conscience!! To send a child – which the Scriptures portray as being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, and folly being bound up in their hearts – into such an environment and life-system where these heretical doctrines and concepts are held in highest regard, is nothing less than to willingly allow one’s covenant child to be proselytized by missionaries of an alien faith!
It’s not as though our children are going to State schools to learn physical skills and dexterity of limbs so that they can accurately replicate over and over again a given task. No, they are going for the specific intention to soberly, solemnly and submissively develop their hearts and minds. The one drills a muscle or sense-organ with a mechanical end, the other trains the soul for a moral purpose. This means intellectually focusing one’s mental strength on ideas and concepts, with the hope to know how to live in this world aright. In short, they’re going to be trained in, and given, a worldview.
Finally, though, let’s look at this topic of inculcation from another angle: we would never, as Christian parents, never even conceive of sending our covenant children to a Muslim(!) or a Buddhist(!) or a Mormon(!) school; and yet, ironically, our minds have been so trained and molded by our upbringing in public education humanism that we can’t even see clearly how biblically inconsistent and unrighteous even our nominal acceptance of the State’s claim to be ethically “neutral” really is!
Secondly, you should not only reject public school instruction for covenant children because it is atheistic and antagonistic to Christ and His Church, but too, Scripture clearly portrays the State’s role to be limited to the protection of it’s citizens and the punishment of evildoers (Romans 13.1-4) and does not extend to compulsory taxation of it’s people for the education of other people's children. The education of one’s child is plainly stated in Scripture to be the responsibility of fathers (Dt 6 and Ephesians 6) and not the State’s. When the State does such a thing it is setting itself up as The Father of all children and will soon – as it has done increasingly in this country – come to believe all children are it’s responsibility and that it is to provide in every way for every one of it’s “kids”.
This isn’t just a minor note either, because on this biblical teaching alone – apart from State school humanism – you should reject the idea of supporting parents sending their children to State schools. When we freely send our children to have the State nurture and develop them, we are only buttressing and encouraging the State’s idolatrous “messianic” view of itself and it’s encroaching role in our families lives.
This sacrificing of our covenant children on the altar of secular humanism simply cannot continue to be tolerated within the Church. No excuse can be offered, nor imagined, that can justify sending the baptized children of King Jesus under the submission and catechism of such an idolatrous, anti-Christ institution; and not only that, but an institution that is being unbiblically – no less unconstitionally – directed and bankrolled by the State through coercion on the backs of taxpayers!
As our Lord said, “He that is not with Me is against Me.
In conclusion, I plead with you _____ to reject and forsake this idea of State education being Christian liberty. For if by now I’ve been able to persuade you of the enormous implications of this subject and how crucial one’s stance on it is, I believe you absolutely must, as befitting a baptized man of Christ, repudiate any fear of man, thunder forth the counsel of almighty God and, placing your hand to the plow, not look back…
For I am, along with you, a sinner saved only by grace,
Corey
No comments:
Post a Comment