Torch, Winter 1978

"" I . statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy son " God further gives us a formula for transmitting truth from one generation to another in Isaiah 38:18: "The father to the children shall make known thy truth." With this basic information, the Lord gave to Israel a personally designed framework for educating children God's way. WHAT JS THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION? Isaiah gave us the purpose of education in Isaiah 38:19-"to make known thy truth." But what is truth? We find the answer in John 14:6 where Jesus declares that He, Himself is truth. Scripture further defines truth in Colossians 2:3 where it states, "In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The purpose of education, then, is to teach truth, the truth-Jesus Christ in whom is hidden God's wisdom and God's knowledge. This gives us a clear direction for the content in God's educational process. If we are to educate God's way we must be involved in teaching God's wisdom and God's knowledge (Deut. 4:6; Prov. 4:7) . Wisdom can be defined as knowing and thinking God's thoughts. Understanding is the ability to respond to life as Christ would respond-Christ-like action. The purpose and content of education, therefore, is to make known wisdom (God's thoughts) and to inculcate understanding (God's ways). The process of education is complicated because man's natural thoughts and man's natural responses to life situations are just the opposite from God's thoughts and God's responses (Isaiah 55:8). This helps us to understand the tremendous responsibility that is given to the family in training a child's natural, rebellious thoughts to think God's thoughts. This can only be done through studying and memorizing God's Word, for the Word is an understandable revelation of God's wisdom. The family must also train a child to turn from his natural rebellious responses to life to responding to life in a Christ-like way. This is done through obedience to God's commands and in patterning a life around the character qualities of Jesus Christ. HOW DO WE TRANSMIT TRUTH? The Christian family often tries to take short cuts in this educational process. Many parents will try to adopt or parrot the standards and convictions of another Christian family. Some parents feel if they send their children to church and a Christian school, their job is complete. Othedamilies will either thoughtlessly follow or react to the patterns set forth in their childhood by their own parents. It is also easy to let the contemporary Christian community dictate our convictions and standards. Often we will turn to professional advice and counsel both secular and sacred. Many of these ingredients end up being the trimmings of the bun. Our responsibility is to build a life based directly on the standards of the Word of God. God has given us three key steps to follow in transmitting His truth. They can be found in Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go . .. he will not depart from it." Step 1-Family Priorities The word "train" could be translated "to dedicate" which speaks to the issue of ownership and priorities. What is important in your life? If you were to honestly list your priorities, what would be included and in what order? If we were to fulfill God's requirements for educating a child, we must follow God's priority list. Such a list of priorities can be found in Ephesians 5 and 6, where the list develops from most to least important: first, God (5:18-20); second, Mate (5:21-33) ; third, Children (6:1-4); fourth , Vocation (6:5-9) ; and fifth , Service (6:10-18). Are your children in their proper place of priority? Do they know that they are first in your life, after the Lord and your mate? God is looking for parents who are willing to dedicate themselves to making their mates and children the most important human priorities in their lives. Step 2-Family Values The word "train" could also be translated "to educate or train as one is trained in a catechism class." This speaks of educating by precept and by example.The key to training God's way not only includes priorities but it also includes personal values. There are two value systems in our world: temporal and eternal. Everything that will not last for eternity is temporal, or bounded by time. Only two things will last for eternity, God's Word and 5