Chapter 7 The Biblical Mandate
Part 3 Parent’s Biblical Responsibility
Introduction to the Parents Biblical responsinmbility
Foundations of Wisdom & Knowledge
The Beginning of Knowledge Proverbs 1:1-7
The Enticement of Sinners Proverbs 1:8-19
The Call of Wisdom Proverbs 1:20-33
Gaining and Teaching Wisdom & Knowledge
Teaching Your Children
Introduction to the Parent’s Biblical Responsibility
Now that we’ve looked at the clashing foundations in education and the insidious nature of the Humanist base of US education we now explain every Christian parent’s responsibility to educate their children as described in the Bible. If God has given you children, they are a gift from Him, and you are responsible for their spiritual development. The Bible makes many promises to you as a believer and describes actions you are to take living “in Christ.”
Early in my Christian life, I lived in Greenville, SC. I was in a Bible study on Tuesday mornings and this particular Tuesday most of us were not working because of a Holiday, so we sat around having a second cup of coffee. One on the men asked the leader: “Dean, can you give us some Spiritual Nuggets?” Dean thought for a moment and then began to sing the children’s song, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so…” We all joined in. After we had finished singing, he smiled and said: “But there’s second very important part of being a Christian. It’s from a chorus of a very familiar Hymn, and he sing ‘Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.'” When he finished, the room was silent for several minutes as we contemplated his wisdom. As a Christian, God has given you and all humankind instructions on living in the light of your salvation and His revelation, the Bible. Jesus said: “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15. In working to understanding our responsibility to educate our children, as believers, we’ll look at three areas:
Chapter 7 The Biblical Mandate. What does the Bible say about your parental responsibility to educate your children?
Chapter 8 Fulfilling the Biblical Mandate. How do we fulfill our responsibility in light of our personal and cultural situation?
Chapter 9 A Christian Parents Education Choices. What are the legal and political mandates in the US and how do we conform to them and still fulfill our Biblical responsibility? What are my choices to educate my children?
The Biblical Mandate
We begin with, “What does the Bible say about our parental responsibility to teach our children?” Here, we’ll look at what the Bible says about wisdom and knowledge, how they are different and, as believers what we are to do to profit from them. We’ll then look at how we acquire wisdom and knowledge and then how we are instructed to teach our children. Before we look at Scripture, I want to differentiate between two kinds of knowledge. The Knowledge of God, His ways, His laws and His person brings real understanding and results in the development of one’s wisdom. The Knowledge of the World’s, science, literature, etc. does not have the same value but may still have positive results, but not with any certainty. There are brilliant people, who deny God and therefore are “so smart they are stupid.” As believers, we are to strive after the knowledge of God, so we become wise. As you read the verses in this next section look for the definition of wisdom and the contrasts God makes with worldly knowledge.
Foundations of Wisdom and Knowledge
1 Kings 10:24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. (Solomon is the author of most of the Book of Proverbs)
II Chronicles 1:7-12 God appeared to Solomon, and said, “Ask what I shall give you.”
And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David, my father, and have made me king in his place. O Lord God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?”
God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.”
Proverbs 1:1-33 were written by King Solomon
The Beginning of Knowledge – Proverbs 1:1-7
“The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
The Enticement of Sinners – Proverbs 1:8-19
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their blood; they set an ambush for their lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.”
The Call of Wisdom – Proverbs 1:20-33
“Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates, she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand, and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproofs, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof; therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
Here are additional five verses from Proverbs and one from Ecclesiastes that deal with wisdom and knowledge.
Proverbs 9:9-10 “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
Proverbs13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the comanion of fools will suffer harm.”
Proverbs 16:16 “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver”
Proverbs 28:26 “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint but blessed is he who keeps the law.”
Ecclesiastes 7:12 “For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.”
Gaining / Teaching Wisdom & Knowledge
Before we teach our children, we must learn wisdom ourselves. Your wisdom source, as a Christian, is the Bible, so careful study to increase your knowledge of the nature and character of God is essential to prepare to teach your children. Note that in many verses the gaining of wisdom, sometimes also called knowledge is a cycle of teaching and learning. It requires effort! Romans 12:1-2 emphasizes the renewing of the mind.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
You must take your thinking and bring it from the sinful self to apply the knowledge of God in our daily lives to change your behavior. This transformation will gradually change us more and more into the image of Christ. It is by building a foundation of our spiritual depth that we can then instruct our children. In many of the verses below, you will see the combination of our effort combined with faith in the Scriptures brings us greater wisdom. We can only teach what we know and understand so the more we are aware and understand God the greater our ability to impart wisdom/knowledge to our children. Remember it’s not just what we teach it’s more how we live. Our actions often speak louder than our words so we MUST let the truth transform us. Do not say to your children: “Do what I say not what I do!” Say to them: ”Watch me and do what I do!” Then we must do as Paul tells Timothy:
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
It may be that your children will be able to exceed the learning and understanding of you, as their parents. God the Holy Spirit will teach them, and He knows so much more. A living example has far more influence than actual teaching. If God gave you children, then he also gave you responsibility for their instruction. Many have read this before:
Sow that people have rights and you will likely foment a revolution, however sow that people have responsibilities and the foundation for a reformation is laid. But only if the responsibilities are to God our creator. IF God is not the creator of everything, He cannot be Sovereign. And if He is not Sovereign, He cannot be our Savior.
As a parent, your children’s education is your PRIMARY responsibility. We’ll look at that in detail in the next section but before we do, read these verses carefully several times!
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction
Psalm 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.
Ecclesiastes 28:9 “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast?”
Proverbs 4:13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
These apply to all the people in Israel, including those that were not saved. We should also apply these to all of the population, for they are wisdom. If a non-Christian would allow Bible reading of or to his children, the Holy Spirit can teach those that will someday become saved. In spite of the lack of faith of the parents.
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ
2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Chris
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (KJV uses “study to show yourself…”)
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Teaching Your Children
In this section of: “What does the Bible say about our parental responsibility?” we look directly at the charge to parents to educate their children. Children of believing parents are given to them to instruct them from birth in God’s Truth and Word. When the parents have faith, the children that are part of the faith household and are to be instructed in God’s ways. In Paul’s qualifications for elders, he says: “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” Also describing adult responsibility, he says: “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.” Note also the described instruction is a continuous process, not just a quick lesson.
A great idea I got from one of my mentors was his daily review of the TV newscasts with his children. In the early evening his children would be sent to do homework, and he would watch and videotape the news of the day. He would pick out several stories and note the times on the tape. The four children, ages 12 to 16 would come down for the family time each night about 7:00. They would spend about 20 minutes reading Scripture and prayer. Then he would play one of the stories from the tape and ask each child what Gods Word said about the content of the news report. This interaction with the current news was a great learning time both because of his instruction but also the peer-to-peer interaction between the four children. He often created contention by asking “loaded” questions to get them to think about real spiritual issues. Questions like: “Is it OK to steal bread if you are starving?” Several of the children were doing a summer project reading “Les Misérables, ” so this question resulted in six days of evening discussions! He shared one particular video news case with me. The story was about a home invasion where the homeowner shot and killed the intruder. They all got into a lively discussion that lasted more than 2 hours. The question they debated became: “When and if is it justifiable to take another person’s life.” Years later the then 12-year-old would tell his father that story was a life-changing discussion because he realized for the first time how precious God views every human life.
The first passage below from Deuteronomy 6:1-25 is the best Biblical description of our parental responsibility to educate our children. I’ve included all 25 verses because I believe it is essential to know what we MUST do for our children! I suggest you read several times before going on.
1 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear, therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.”
4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
10 “And when the LORD your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, 12 then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— 15 for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
16 “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. 17 You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. 18 And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers 19 by thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has promised.
20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘we were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’
Here are more passages of Scripture that give us more instructions of how to educate our children.
Deuteronomy 11:19 “You shall teach them to your children, talking about them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Psalm 78:1-8 “Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.”
Proverbs 4:1 “Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,”
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it./
Proverbs 23:15-16 “My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad. My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right
Isaiah 54:13 “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.”
Luke 17:2 “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.”Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
James 3:1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
