“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/jhn.17.3.LSB
Brothers, in our role as fathers we are ultimately responsible for our children’s education (Deut. 6:4-9, Eph. 6:4). So, what is the foundational aim and purpose of education? I pray we develop a philosophy of education from the scriptures (John 17:3). I pray we cast a vision and lead, teach, and provide for our wives for the role they take. I pray we support and provide all that they need to meet the challenge.
John 17:3 philosophy of education
“Harvard College, chartered in 1636… set forth what was expected of every student seeking a higher degree at that premier institution: ‘Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3), and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning. And seeing the Lord only giveth wisdom, let everyone seriously set himself by prayer in secret to seek it out of Him (Prov 2:3). Everyone shall so exercise himself in reading the Scripture twice a day that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein.’ … Well into the twentieth century, this remained the practice of state universities-a practice that was simply the continuation of the original John 17:3 philosophy of education that had caused America to become the most successful and prosperous nation in the history of the world.” The Founders’ Bible, NASB 1995, Copyright 2012, Shiloh Road Publishers https://thefoundersbible.com/
Is it the state’s responsibility to educate children and young adults?
“When governments extend themselves beyond this very narrow calling to which God has tasked them [Rom. 13:3-4]… then the church with its prophetic voice must call its own magistrate back from its desire to ever expand its influence. A good example would be the role of a ‘department of education.’ Is it the state’s responsibility to educate children and young adults? According to Romans 13, that does not seem to be included. Therefore, Christians should not be silent on such matters.” “A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13: A Biblical Case for Lawful Subjection to the Civil Magistrate and Dutiful Resistance to Tyrants” Timothy L. Decker, Founders Press 2023. https://press.founders.org/shop/a-revolutionary-reading-of-romans-13/ emphasis added
A Timely Legislative Exhortation to Homeschoolers Throughout the Midwest and the Nation as a Whole
“If freedoms are lost, they take generations to recover. Why is this important to remember? Our government, any government, has a predisposition to be the fifth thing that never has enough: Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.”—Proverb 30:16 (ESV)… Once government cracks the door, its very nature is to seek to widen that crack… I share all of this to remind us that freedom is not free. From various studies, I estimate there are some 30,000 homeschooling households in Illinois. If push ever comes to shove again, we should all, every individual family, take responsibility and respond in mass by descending upon Springfield and by calling our state legislators until it overwhelms their phone system. If you think you are busy as a homeschooler now, wait until you must fill out reports like other states do. If you get frustrated now, wait until a state officer knocks on your front door, questioning your methods or curriculum or why your children are outside playing at 1:00 in the afternoon… America has more than its fair share of complainers, yet in the 2020 presidential election, roughly 81 million eligible voters did not show up at the polling booths. Depending upon how they would have voted, America could look a lot different than it does now. Americans forfeit their right to complain when they forfeit their responsibility to get involved. As homeschoolers, may we never complain in the future when we didn’t take necessary action today. Please know that the ICHE Legislative Task Force and other sister organizations are working on your behalf. Will you be there when needed to do whatever it takes to keep homeschoolers free in Illinois?” https://iche.org/resource/blog/timely-legislative-exhortation-homeschoolers-throughout-midwest-and-nation-whole
Ideologies, Influences, and Agendas of the Public Schools With Alex Newman
“Homeschooling is growing as parents are taking control of their children’s education. Alex Newman joins me today to discuss the importance of homeschooling in light of the dangers of government-controlled education. We’re covering the history of public schools and the ideological agenda behind them. It is imperative that we get as many kids as possible out of the current system, and we’re here to help you do that.” Show Notes: http://heidistjohn.com/blog/podcasts/ideologies-influences-agendas-public-schools-alex-newman – Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gAi4pqZ7J0l68fSs8bGp2?si=vBPX_v-mT7iD0350ZihsIg
Civic Duty Principles https://ministry.family.blog/2024/07/13/civic-duty-principles-2024-07/
Proverbs 1:5 (NASB) 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
Proverbs 2:3-6 (NASB) 3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
““Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one! You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak 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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as phylacteries between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.4-9.LSB
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/eph.6.4.LSB
THE GOOD NEWS
There is a God that created the heavens and the earth. We humans are created in His image.
We are sinners, we have rebelled against Him, our Creator. Our rebellion has brought “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice… envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness” to the world. Romans 1:29-31 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.29-31.ESV
Therefore we justly deserve our due punishment of death and damnation, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.3.10-12.ESV
But good news! God is merciful and loving. Jesus is God the only begotten Son and He took our punishment upon Himself in our place. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death and securing the hope of our salvation.
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.15.3-8.ESV
““Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”” Acts 2:36-38 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.36-38.ESV
We need only repent and believe it. Repent: turn away from our sins, proclaim Jesus is lord and savior, and we will be forgiven our sins and have life ever after! “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”” Romans 10:9-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.10.9-11.ESV
There is hope. Believe in Jesus! ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.3.16.ESV
It doesn’t matter who you’ve been or what you’ve done, God stands with arms wide open, ready to forgive you. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.1.9.ESV
Dobra Family Ministry 