Keeping Covenant with God in
the Education of Our Children
By Greg L. Bahnsen, Ph.D.
The
Bible exhorts all of us to educate
our Children in His ways - “These commandments that I give you today are to
be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you
sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you
get up” (Deut. 6:6-7, NIV).
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The period of the Judges in Israelite history shows us the consequences
that result when parents shirk their duty of impressing the law of God
on
For too long, Christian parents have entrusted their children
to a godless government school system, established on the belief that
God’s existence is immaterial to math, science, and the arts. God is
Lord of every area of life, and education about every area of life should
reflect His Lordship.
The Lord has appointed to parents, not the government, the responsibility
and final authority to secure, guide and control the education of their
children, that they might be trained regarding this world and in all
areas of life to think God’s thoughts after Him and walk in all His
ways.
Man was created, as God’s likeness and for God’s glory, to study,
subdue and develop the world in which God placed him |
 Dr. Greg Bahnsen |
(Gen. 1:26-28). Naturally, from
the very beginning, it was a task which belonged to parents to instill this
perspective in their children and help them to pursue it.
Ethical rebellion against God has resulted in a curse on mankind (Gen. 3:17-19) which is experienced not
only spiritually (Rom. 8:5-8; Eph. 2:1-4) but also intellectually (Rom. 1:21-22; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 4:17-18), and which introduces an unavoidable antithesis
between those antagonistic to God and those who belong to the promised Savior (Gen. 3:15).
The
task of pursuing proper knowledge of the world and developing a God-glorifying
culture therein thus encounters tremendous obstacles and distortions, making it
imperative that parents educate their children within the perspective and power
of God’s revelation and grace. The redemption which Christ has secured for us
not only spiritually saves us from the wrath to come, but also delivers us from
intellectual futility and foolish reasoning in our methods and learning about
the world in which we presently live.
Genuine
knowledge of any subject whatsoever begins with reverence and submission to God
(Prov.
1:7), particularly the fundamentals and
philosophy
which adhere to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than the fallen world or human
traditions (Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6:20). It is the word of God which
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sets
apart His people in the truth (John
17:17). Thus neutrality in education is not only impossible (Matt. 12:30), but immoral (Jas. 4:4). Accordingly, the aim of Christian
parents must be to encourage their children to “bring every thought
captive to the obedience of Christ” (2
Cor. 10:5), “in whom are deposited all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge” (Col.
2:3), Only if they are first disciples of Christ will they know the
truth and enjoy real freedom (John
8:31-32).
Therefore, from the very beginning of history, then especially
with the introduction of man’s rebellion against God, and as well in
light of the fundamental nature of any genuine knowledge, it is a parental
duty to train and educate their children, regardless of the subject
matter, in the nurture of the Lord and the light of His revelation (Eph.
6:4; Prov.
5:1-2; Ps. 36:9; 119:105,
130).
The responsibility rehearsed here has been part of the confession
of faith of God’s people from the |
a central element in what it means
for those who are saved to keep covenant with God: “And these words which
I command you this day shall be upon your heart, and you shall teach them
diligently unto your children” -- constantly and consistently, in every time
and place, covering all the spheres of human thought, activity and living
(Deut. 6:6-9). Note is taken that this responsibility
has been assigned directly by God to parents, rather than any other institution
of society.
Regardless,
then, of whatever children learn -- from math and science to history, social
studies, literature and the arts -- parents have a God-given duty to see to it
that their children learn it, as much as is possible (given the resources and
opportunities available to their parents), with the perspective and application
of the Christian worldview as derived from God’s revelation.
Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen,
(1948-1995), was an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a
full-time Scholar in Residence for the Southern California Center for Christian
Studies. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Southern
California, specializing in the Theory of Knowledge. He previously received a
B.A. (Magna Cum Laude, Philosophy) from Westmont
College, and then simultaneously earned a M.Div. and Th.M. degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary. Dr. Bahnsen lectured to a broad range of evangelical groups at
many colleges and conferences. He was an experienced apologist and debater, a
clear and cogent teacher of the Christian worldview who was devoted to training
believers in understanding and applying the Christian faith to every area of
life. He published numerous scholarly articles, a number of well-known books,
and has over 1,500 recorded lectures and sermons. Dr. Bahnsen
died on December 11th, 1995. To read more articles by Dr. Bahnsen
visit www.straitgate.com/bahnsen.