Parents Must Be Engaged in the Education of Their Children - A Biblical Perspective - 2004

June 16, 2011

7 min read

Constitution

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One of the greatest challenges that faces any parent is the education of their children. All too often, this critical component to growth and development is delegated to the public school system or private schools.

Is this wrong? Does it meet the requirements that God gives to parents? The answer to both of these questions is, no. In an ever changing, and complex world, it is not without reason that parents need help teaching their children. That help can come from a variety of sources that can expand the process. However, the responsibility for the educating and the direction of that education is placed directly on the parents.

Psalm 127:3 speaks of children as being a "gift" and "reward" to parents, "Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward." (1) Their growth and development, in every way, should be of the utmost importance to those to whom God has entrusted these precious lives.

One of the most often quoted verses relating to the teaching of children is Deuteronomy 6:4-7:


4 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is 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 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up."


This passage clearly indicates that the primary responsibility for teaching children belongs to parents. Parents should be diligent to know what goes into their children's minds. The mind is the center of our thinking and is the place where our basic worldview will develop. If bombarded by misinformation and not counterbalanced by truth it can lead to flawed thinking as the child grows.


To be able to do this with any integrity the parents will have to know what is going on in their child's classroom. Textbooks should be reviewed, teachers interviewed, philosophy of education of the administration examined and lifestyles being promoted - all these things must be scrutinized by the parent who wants to see their child effectively educated.


There are many options that are available for parents who find that a particular portion of the curriculum at their child's school does not coincide with their value system or religious beliefs. One of these is simply to have the student "opt out" of an objectionable class or unit. This tactic is used successfully by many parents to control parts of their child's study that they would prefer to handle themselves. Sex education from a secular and value-neutral approach is a good example of this.


Others will choose to either put their children in private Christian schools or home school their children. For many this is not an option due to the expense or inability to handle the task themselves. Some states are beginning to develop a system of vouchers that will allow parents to reclaim some of their tax money that goes to the public education system and apply it toward a non-public school of their choice. This choice can include a religious-based school.


For many people this is the only way they feel they can have freedom to educate their children in the manner that they believe to be important. However, it must be remembered that this does not reduce the parent's responsibility for being directly involved in the education process.


But if parents choose to put their children in a school environment, public or private, do they still need to be involved directly in the education of their children? Yes, of course they do. In Psalm 78:1-8 the writer of this psalm gives some direction in how we must be teaching our children.


1 Listen, O my people, to my instruction;
Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us.
4 We will not conceal them from their children,
But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers
That they should teach them to their children,
6 That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,
That they may arise and tell them to their children,
7 That they should put their confidence in God
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments,
8 And not be like their fathers,
A stubborn and rebellious generation,
A generation that did not prepare its heart
And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

There are several important things that we can glean from this passage of Scripture.

First, all education begins with God. Verse 4 instructs us that we should tell our children about God's strength and all His wondrous works in order that they might learn to praise the Lord. This means that various "theories" that would deny His power and creative acts should be discussed with our children in light of what God says is true. In some cases this might mean pulling the child out of a class or school; but in most cases it can be done in the home as we simply build the Word of God into our children.

Second, we find in verse 5 that the Bible proclaims God's truth. God established the testimony and the law and it is the absolute truth. No matter where your child attends school he will be deluged with the philosophy of relativism which basically says that there is no such thing as truth that is absolute - everything from the world's perspective is based on viewpoint or opinion, not God established testimony. We must teach our children that while they are to respect others and their opinions, all ideas are not equal and all ideas must be filtered through God's truth.

Third, in the second part of verse 5, the psalmist makes it clear that the primary calling of parents is teaching their children. What are we to teach them? All that God has taught us in His word - the Bible. Paul in Ephesians 6:4, tells fathers to ". . . bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord". The key word here is "instruction" and we are to instruct them in the teaching of the Lord.

Finally, verse 7 says that we are to teach our children to put their confidence in God. That is the key to really educating our children - teaching them the Word and truth of God in such a manner that they can face any challenge without losing confidence in God. Ultimately the parent will never be able to know every challenge that their children will face. Parents must so instill a trust in God's truth in their children that they will be able to face the challenges and be willing to stand alone, if necessary, knowing that God alone is their defense.

Bill Haynes
Senior Policy Analyst for
Cultural & Worldview Studies

1. All Scripture quotations from the New American Standard Bible