Forbidden Alliances

“Observe thou that which I command thee this day: Behold I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee.” Exodus 34:11-12

The Christian family is established by Divine Covenant. This is a fundamental principle common to all the children of God. Because the family is ordained and established by God, He claims sovereign ownership over it. He also engages the family to be solely accountable to Him in strict accordance with His Holy Law. This accountability, within the confines of the Covenantal relationship, binds the Christian to responsible action according to the Law of Righteousness.

By setting the standard of Righteousness in the Scriptures, God expressly instructs and commissions the Christian parents as to their stewardship over the family’s education:

“And these words (the Scriptures) which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shall teach them diligently to thy children and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou riseth up.” Deut 6:6-7

The Scriptures were to be the primary focus in the daily education process of the Covenant Children.

In this specific commandment we are hard pressed to find any reference to another system of education other than Biblical Education. Yet, today the majority of orthodox Bible believing Christians have disregarded and rebelled against the clear commandment of God by allowing the education of their children to be controlled by a pagan institution. Whatever the excuses parents make, they can not deny that the American Education process is anything but Christian. In fact, it is blatantly anti Christian, and actively seeks to destroy the validity of God and His Holy Word.

It was not very long ago when every aspect of education was taught in light of God’s perfect revelation. In primary and secondary schools the religion of the Scriptures was regarded with the highest honor. Acceptance in the Universities was contingent upon the reverence of the Holy Scriptures, and the religion of The Lord Jesus Christ in particular.

In 1636, Clergyman John Harvard contributed his personal library, and a large portion of his property, for the founding of the first American College in Cambridge Massachusetts. His desire was to train a literate clergy. He wrote:

“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, 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 every one seriously set himself by prayer in secrete to seek it of Him.”

Likewise, Yale University ‘s charter strongly supported the importance of the Scriptures:

“Every student shall consider the main end of his study. To wit, to know God in Jesus Christ and answerably to lead a Godly and sober life.”

Princeton University, also, held fast to the Scriptural Standards when it concerned education. In fact, the implications of their charter was common among most American educators: “Cursed be all learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ.”
(Princeton University Charter)

These are bold and definitive statements. Yet, they are representative of the days of fidelity to the Word of God.

In those days, God’s people understood the importance of observing the precepts of Holy Scripture. They understood that to deny the relevant importance to God’s Word, and the practical application of it in daily life, was to set themselves up for apostasy and destruction. They also understood that to rebel against the Word was to rebel against God, and to rebel against God was to bring judgment upon the nation.

Today’s public education system has snared and enslaved the community of the saints. By deceit and tyranny, it has systematically corrupted the foundations of the Holy Scriptures, and brought the entire nation to its knees before the pagan gods of secular humanism. The Scriptures warn, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do.?” Psalm 11:3

By supporting the public education system, Christian parents have effectively made a league with the gods of the heathen. This ungodly and forbidden alliance has brought severe consequences to the family, the church, and the nation. Consider the admonition of Exodus 34.

God explicitly directs the people of the Covenant to observe and to do the things which God speaks. Yet, in today’s Christian Society, the precepts of Scripture are neglected. A “pick and choose” mentality exists. There is no longer a hunger to do that which is right, but what is convenient. Daily life functions according to personal ethic and persuasions, not Biblical Ethics and Scriptural Conviction. Christian Parental standards for their Children’s education is at an all-time low, and the Bible is merely a companion booklet, not the Sovereign Standard of practice.

Verse 12 of Exodus 34 continues with a particular warning: “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee.” The warning is painfully simple. Make no forbidden leagues, or agreements, with the pagan nations. If this is done, then they will absolutely be a snare to you. God is clear. He is not stating that these may be a snare, but rather they will be a snare.

Furthermore, God identifies these pagan influences as being “in the midst” of the people of God. “In the midst” denotes an intimacy. Ask yourself the question: How much of the public education system dominates your life? It is, by far, one of the most debated and heated topics. Yet, for all its controversy, and ideas for its betterment, it continues to wage war against all Righteousness. The public Education system has actively, and systematically, sought to destroy the Biblical foundation of all knowledge, the Holy Scriptures. If Christian parents continue to confederate themselves with this insidious plot to root out Christ from the daily lives of our children, then destruction will be imminent.

In 1537 Martin Luther declared: “I am much afraid that schools will prove to be the gates of hell unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures, engraving them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place their child where the Holy Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not increasingly occupied with the Word of God must become corrupt.”

Additional issues of "The Reformed Analysis"

The Reformed Witness

09/02/05