Homeschool Intro Seminar Mar. 17,'07
Today we had the monthly homeschool intro seminar. The topic was "The Way."
"The way" is one of the most important metaphors in the Bible. The Lord called himself "The Way."
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Proverbs 4:14-18, 25-27
14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
We see the antithesis between the way of the wicked and the way of the just. We see the antithesis between the Christian worldview and the non-Christian worldview. This is the starting point of home education. Unless we see this antithesis, we cannot set the goal of our home education. We are demanded to take the way that leads to eternal life.
These are some causes for our failure to take the right way:
1) Relativism
Relativism denies absolutes. The modern world is plagued with relativism. But we see incoherence in relativism when people say "I'm absolutely sure there can be no absolutes." This is like a man who says, "I always tell a lie." Can you believe him or not? Unless we have the absolute value, which is revealed in the word of God, we cannot do anything.
2) Allowing neutrality
If we allow neutrality between the just and the wicked, we fail to walk in the way of the Lord. Between Christians and non-Christians there can be no neutral zone ethically and epistemologically. This is the foundation of Christian education.
3) Lacking the understanding of the significance of the Law of God.
The Law of God shows us God's will, and is for the walk of believers. This is called the third use of the Law. [ cf. Ralph Swanson, The Law of God (Scripture Truth Publications: 1978)P.30 ]
4) Compromise
When the antithesis is clear, we tend to fear confrontation with the opposing pressure from the world, and compromise. This happens quite frequently in Japan.
Matt 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
5) Procrastination
We tend to procrastinate when we face the situation in which we have to make important decisions. The Bible is full of examples of failures caused by procrastination such as seen in Acts 24:24-25, Luke 9:57-61.
On the other hand, we see the wonderful example of the disciples of the Lord.
Matt 4:18-22, 9:9
6) Failing to see the consequences.
Whenever we make decisions, we always have to take its consequences into account.
7) Lack of vision.
Unless we have vision, we cannot do anything.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18
Finally, we shared the command of our Lord.
Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Deut 30:15-19
15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;
18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
We have two courageous families who took their children out of the public schools recently, to obey the commandment of the Lord. They are thinking about homeschooling them. Since they receive negative reactions (sometimes persecution) from surrounding people including educational bureaucrats, they need lots of encouragement and prayer. We had a wonderful time of fellowship and encouragement.
