by Tony Smart
After a person has learned the value of biblical truth he must not neglect to pass it on to his children. Along with your Bible you should accumulate a library with books that address various social issues that will influence your young people. As your child’s ability to reason develops you must then know how to explain to him or her the doctrinal basis of your faith — why you believe the way you do and the implications of such belief. Tell them why the Biblical Christian Worldview is the correct one. Neo-pagans are operating in the secular educational system and if your children are taught their philosophy they may come to believe that their parents’ faith is nothing more than an ‘alternative’ belief system. They may be led to think that the faith of their fathers is a preference based on their cultural upbringing instead of what Jude said in his inspired epistle:
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. – Jude 1:3
If belief in Jesus is ridiculed or made to seem equivalent to belief in Buddha, or even belief in self, then your child will not have any reason to contend for his faith. Since one cannot please God apart from faith {Hebrews 11:6} your child’s education could conceivably be the method that is used to neutralize the teaching he receives at your church. Yes, faith can be damaged, weakened, and rendered useless in the minds of people by false teaching, bad leadership, and indoctrination. This is the reason Jesus taught the following in the Gospel of Matthew:
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 18:6
There are many good reasons to home school a child or send him to a Christian School, but the most compelling reason is so that he can receive information as part of his education that his parents WANT him to know. This way his decision making in life will be anchored by the principles of faith taught him by his parents who loved him dearly. Certainly, sons and daughters may be influenced by other social factors and literary input that will have an impact on their worldview, however, if your goal is to safeguard the child’s faith in the eternal truths of God’s word that they might live a free and triumphant life adorned with virtue, honor, courage, and wisdom then this recipe is the way to go.
by Tony Smart
Original article can be found at http://vbctampa.org/index.php/corner/the-family-under-god