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by Mike McHugh
The first Psalm states the following in verse one, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” This verse instructs us that the pathway of blessing involves a commitment to holiness – a deliberate attempt to remain separated from anything that is not in harmony with the standards of God’s Word. Sadly, judging by the moral condition of America’s youth in the twenty-first century, it would appear that a significant number of Christian parents in the United States have failed to take Psalm one seriously.
Perhaps the most profound example that can be given to illustrate this point, is that millions of Christian parents are continuing to permit their children to be educated by individuals who have little or no regard for the things of God and who can only rightly be termed “scorners”. In light of the inspired words of Psalm one, is it any wonder that American families are experiencing a severe shortage of God blessed children?
It is vital for those who name the name of Christ to have a clear understanding of the primary reason why so many Christian parents have been persuaded to permit their children to stand in the way of sinners. Although some would cite misguided economic priorities as the chief reason why so many professing Christian parents decide to send their children to the “free” secular government schools; it is more likely that the true reason centers upon the fact that many parents have embraced the false notion that biblical morality is not binding upon non-Christians or non-Christian institutions. It is this erroneous belief, that ultimately causes Christian parents to tolerate unbiblical educational philosophies and institutions because, after all, “Christians have no right to expect society to follow the commands of the Bible.”
In contrast to this common view, the Bible tells us that “the law of God was not made for the righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers …(1 Timothy 1:9b). Many Christian parents today have been deceived into believing that it is proper for them to acknowledge and passively tolerate a double standard for truth and morality in the area of their children’s education. It is precisely this wholesale acceptance of unlawful and immoral educational standards that has placed so many Christian families on the road leading away from God’s blessings.
To illustrate this point, let me pose this question. What do you think would happen if a group of parents were sending their children to a local Christian school where it became known that several of the teachers were regularly taking God’s name in vain and refusing to let students pray or talk about God? Well, we all know what would happen! The majority of Christian parents would demand that the immoral teachers be dismissed, and would seriously consider removing their children from the Christian school. Why? Because these parents are convinced that teachers from a Christian school have a moral obligation before God to deal in a righteous manner with their children.
The ironic thing is, these same parents would very often turn around and place their children into a secular government school and never once openly complain about the ungodly standards present in the curriculum or teaching staff. It is a strange quirk in sinful human nature, that permits it to tolerate evil when it becomes institutionalized in secular institutions. Blasphemy against the name and person of Christ, the promotion of sodomy as an “alternative” lifestyle, and the teaching of atheistic evolution are always intolerable to Christian parents --- that is unless these things take place within the confines of a secular government school.
In Matthew 4:4, it was Jesus who quoted the Scriptural directive, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” This simple, yet profound, declaration of Christ clearly reveals the fact that Almighty God has only one standard for moral living and that biblical standard applies to all manner of men, regardless of their religious disposition. Many false teachers in our day would prefer, however, to narrow or blunt the application of this biblical command by rendering it, “Christians shall not live by bread alone…”. Nevertheless, Christ declared “… Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
The Bible commands Christian parents, and indeed all parents, to “train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) The Word of God also warns parents of the consequences of ignorantly exposing children to evil on a regular basis. Proverbs twenty-two and verse three states “A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”
Oh to God that more parents in America would come to realize that their children are standing in the need of prayer, and should not be standing in the way of sinners.
Copyright 2007 Michael J. McHugh
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