The Biblical Mandate for Christian Education Part 3
by Fred Di Lella
What characteristics must exist in this mandatory Christian education?
- First, a Christian education must fully assent to the absolute truthfulness of the Bible and teach every discipline of study in submission to it. Since the Word of God is absolutely true and since the Lord Himself is truth, an education that does not intensely focus upon and subordinate itself to God and His Scriptures will not be teaching truth to its students and, therefore, will not truly be Christian (e.g., Pss.19:7-14; 119; John 17:17; 2Tim.3:16, 17).
- Second, Christian schooling must fully acknowledge the God of the Bible as the Creator; the Lord of Providence; the King; the Redeemer; the Author of the infallible, inerrant Scriptures; and, therefore, the One who has absolute authority over the teaching and lives of the instructors.
- Third, a Christian parent must view a Christian education as an absolute and essential requirement for every Christian home. A Christian parent must never view Christian education merely as an alternative to or an escape from the poor academic training of the public school system. Even a highly literate and motivated education, if it ignores God and His Word, interprets and paints the world falsely for its students. Such an atheistic method of training definitely does not possess a Biblical world life view and must never serve as a legitimate or proper choice for the Christian parent. As the Lord Jesus declared: “He who is not with me is against Me.” Thus, a God neglecting educational system is in opposition to the Lord and should not be an option for Christians.
- Fourth, in light of the above points, the Christian educator should realize his tremendous responsibility (Deut.6:1-9; 11:18-20; Psa.78:4). His job is indispensable, essential, crucial, and mandatory. He is to instruct his pupils concerning God, His truth, and His world (God’s creation of it; His providential workings in it; His ownership of it; His authority over it; His laws governing it; and His purpose for it).
- Fifth, Christian education is a ministry. True Christian education serves to train young people in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It functions to prepare children for a truly successful life (godly living) in the real world (God’s world). In Hosea 4 God declared how His people perished for lack of knowledge. Their lack of knowledge led to many grievous sins not only among the parents, but also among their posterity. Their lack of knowledge led to apostasy, the abounding of heinous sin, and the fearsome judgment of God. A love for the Lord, an indebtedness to His grace, a knowledgeable and unreserved submission to His perfect Word, a zeal for obedience to Him, an intense passion for God’s glory, a Biblical fear of Him, a desire to promote His truth, and a deep concern for others should be the characteristics of a Christian education.
- Sixth, each Christian teacher should heartily hearken to the message of Deuteronomy 6:1-9:
- The Christian instructor must himself be committed to the Lord. He should know the God of the Bible (i.e., the only God, the Living and True God). He must also love the Lord His God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.
- He must also diligently commit the true religion to his children. His instruction will prayerfully and eagerly strive to show young people the veracity, authority, and pertinence of God’s word to each subject and every life situation each and every day.
- He must be consistent in his commitment to the Lord and in his committing of God’s truth to others. He must be industrious in his own study of God’s Word and all its applications to each area of subject matter (not just in Biblical studies, but also in Math, Science, English, and History). He must also be assiduous in his study of God’s Word in order to be an obedient servant of the Lord and a godly example to his pupils. He must constantly and prayerfully be working toward “bringing into captivity every thought (including his own) to the obedience of Christ (2Corinth.10:5).”
Christian education is a must.
Christian education is indispensable. It is MANDATORY! Societies crumble without it. Ignorance of God and His truth can only produce tragic consequences: RAMPANT SIN and FEARSOME JUDGMENT (e.g., Hosea 4:6; Amos 7:17). The Lord Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life… Any education that is not founded upon Jesus Christ is an education being built upon lies. (The devil is the father of lies.) The Lord Jesus declared that anyone that is not with Him is against Him.
God commands the Christian education of our children. Therefore, we must give all diligence to providing a truly Christian education for our posterity.
“I am much afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures, and engraving them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one place his child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not unceasingly occupied with the Word of God must be corrupt.” …Martin Luther
Rev. Fred Di Lella is pastor of Covenanted Reformation Church in TX which is part of The Biblical Reformed Synod of Christ the King.
