Executive Producer -- HomeSchool Channel
I recently heard you on the radio talking about how Christian parents are acting against Biblical principles by sending their children to public schools and not home schooling. I heard you use a verse from Proverbs that didn't actually apply to the situation. Have you considered that God has not given all Christian parents the ability or opportunity to home school their children?
I do not recall the verse in Proverbs that I may have used on the show, but here is my normal line of biblical thinking on the subject.
1. We should use verses that God gave us about educating our children (and knowledge and wisdom) to decide how we educate. Verses on other subjects (witnessing, etc.) are of secondary importance in this context.
2. The Bible does say that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both wisdom and knowledge. This is found repeatedly in Proverbs and is probably what I said on the radio show. This proves (to me at least) that the core of any knowledge and wisdom I offer my children should be based on my fear of the Lord. Any system of knowledge that systematically excludes God would appear to be out of bounds for Christians.
3. Romans 1 tells us that where people "do not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God" God turns them over to a reprobate mind and they repeat a list of terrible sins. The public schools, by federal court order, do not retain the knowledge of God. A careful reading of the list of sinful consequences in Romans 1 would seem to closely follow what is happening in the nation's public schools.
4. The most important command in Scripture (according to Jesus Himself) is the Deuteronomy command (Deut. 6:4-5) to love the Lord our God with all our hearts. Two verses later, the Bible tells parents to teach their children to love God by spending time with them throughout the course of the day.
My wife and I have arrived at the following conclusions based on these scriptural passages.
1. Public schools are out of bounds for our children because they systematically exclude the knowledge of God and the fear of the Lord.
2. Home schooling, for my wife and I, seems to be the best way for us to fulfill the command to spend time with our children. Throughout the course of the day we teach our children to love God.
3. While the Bible doesn't say, thou shalt home school--I have a hard time figuring out how to obey what it does say any other way.
My biggest desire for parents is that they would seriously study the Scripture to determine God's standards for education of their children.
Blessings,
Mike Farris
Executive Producer -- HomeSchool Channel
I would have to disagree w/ you on it being a "sin" to send your children to public schools. The only time it would be is when God, specifically, tells you not to do so. Public schools once taught from the Bible and encouraged prayer, until Christains fell asleep and let the world have its way with our school sytem. According to 2 Chronicles 7:14, if we confess our sins, ask for God's forgiveness, humble ourselves before Him, this land can be saved. Unfortunately, the church as gotten weak in its beliefs, fallen away from worshiping the One True God, and followed the ways of the world. My child was in public school and the reason why she is not today is due to the fact she needs to be "in the greenhouse" a little longer to be able to stand firm in the world out there.
There are many conservative, Christain teachers out there in the school system doing their best to reach others for Christ. They desperately need our prayers and support.
The following is my reply:
My column does not say that public schooling is inherently sinful. I said this is how my wife and I apply Scripture FOR OUR FAMILY. I believe people should make decisions about all important issues in life based on the Bible.
If others make decisions about the education of their children based on the Bible, it is not my business to tell them they are sinning. That's between them and God. But so many Christians make the important decision of how their children are educated based on cultural pressures, not biblical principles.
I have preached II Chronicles 7:14 for years and I don't believe it is an education verse. Rather, it is a verse about prayer and believers getting their hearts right with God. I don't see a direct link between this verse and guidance for a parent on how they should decide to educate their children. I see plenty of implications for political action In II Chronicles 7:14, but no direction to me on how to educate.
I commend you for thinking about Biblical rather than just cultural issues. I encourage you to continue to keep your focus on the Word of God and the direction it gives to parents.
Blessings,
Mike Farris
