The Doctrinal Basis for the Daily Instruction of our Children

The privilege of having our children educated and taught in our own Christian schools is evidence of God’s goodness and faithful care over us and our families. This, although it is a great privilege, is also a weighty responsibility. May it be our constant prayer that the Lord who has graciously provided us with these means also grant an undeserved blessing upon the instruction given, giving the necessary strength, desire, wisdom and love to perform the labors both in and for our schools. We should also be fully cognizant of the main purpose in having our own schools, and consider fully the scriptural basis upon which this instruction should be given.

I recently reread the constitution of the Franklin Lakes/Clifton Netherlands Reformed Christian School Association adopted in 1975, and amended in 1975, 1976, and 1986.

In Article II, PURPOSE, it states that, “The purpose of this school association is to maintain a school for the daily instruction of our children, based on sound Reformed doctrine.” This doctrine is further explained and affirmed in an appendix of fourteen articles, where it states very clearly what is meant by sound Reformed doctrine.

It should be evident that we read first of all that our doctrine is founded upon the infallible Word of God, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Confession of Faith, and the Canons of Dordt. Undoubtedly this general statement is found in the constitution of many Christian schools.

Do we, however, really know what is contained in these creeds and confessions? Are we fully aware of the dangers of Remonstrantism today when it is often portrayed in evangelical apparel?

Do we really emphasize the sovereignty of God, the one-sided work of salvation, and faith as a gift of God and not a human activity while fully maintaining the responsibility of man which increases daily as we live under the truth and receive Christian education? Do we know this ourselves experientially? Several statements from the above-mentioned fourteen articles deserve further mention.

Article 1states further that we use the infallible Word of God as found in the King James Version because this translation is more reverent than any other. It is important that we believe the scriptural instruction about such matters as homosexuality, the place of women in the church, Christian lifestyle, also our hairstyle and clothing. These subjects are not “time-bound” and are also applicable to our life-time. Do we really know why we must stay with the King James Version, and are we able to prove this?

In Article 3we read that we and our children, teachers as well as students, “lay under the curse of sin through our covenant head Adam” (Psalm 51).

We should not be afraid to teach this clearly. Our students need to hear and know this. The second Adam can never receive His right, His well-deserved, place in a human heart, whether adult or child, if we have not learned experientially what we, in Adam, did in Paradise. The great Curse-bearer will not become necessary and precious to us if we have not seen and felt, with deep sorrow and humility, our curse and our hopeless condition of being unable to deliver ourselves.

Article 4states clearly not just that we are fallen creatures, but also whatthis fall means. We all need to know not only that my sins and miseries are great, but howgreat my sins and miseries are, and howI may be delivered from them, and howI shall express my gratitude. And I know, this howcan only be revealed and taught by the Holy Spirit. For this God uses means such as biblical instruction—which also has to be given at our schools. This instruction should try to explain, although no human words can express the depth of it, what our fall meansand what our total depravity really is.

It is right therefore that in this article something is expressed of the depth of our fall. It states that we have turned away from God voluntarily.“There is none that doeth good, no not one” (Ps. 53:3). We are become the children of the devil. Dare we say this to our children in our schools? Because of this we are subject to a threefold death— temporal, spiritual, eternal—and have no power of ourselves to come back in God’s favor, yet we are responsiblecreatures.

Do we really view our children, our students in our schools, in this light? For only then will we have a deep compassion for them to warn and call them sincerely. Or…do we view them optimistically, but not realistically, as students with a presumed faith,a presumed new heart? We have lost the image of God and have become image-bearers of Satan, have broken the covenant of works (Gen. 3), and changed our glory into shame; yet God is unchangeable and requires back from us His image as we had before the fall. I consider this to be clear language, and thiswe need to expound in our churches and our schools.

Article 5states: “That only a personal calling of Codthrough the working of the Holy Spirit can convertus.”

We should explain the value and preciousness of the external calling, but we should also emphasize the necessity of the internal calling and explain what this calling is, what it works in us, and what the evidences of it are. Our youth needs to hear this more than ever, because they see so little of it in our dark days. Students must know

and hear from their teachers what the marksof true, biblical conversion are.

This article further states “and therefore salvation is a one-sided workof God.” Blessed are they who may understand and know this also for their own young hearts.

In Article6 we read “that Christ cannot be taken as our Savior through any of our duties or through our own power, because we are unwilling and therefore unable to do any good. Christ must be revealed and given unto us as a gift of the Father, out of sovereign grace, without any act or help from our side.”

That sounds different from forcing people to just go to Jesus and to accept Him without knowing why they need Him. Although we are called to flee from the wrath to come unto Him who is the only hiding place, yet by nature we say, like Pilate, “What should I then do with Jesus?” What a wonder of grace it is—as we read in this article, “But God overpowers them, for ‘Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power’”(Ps. 110:3).

Article7 rejects universal redemption. It states: “That the elect only shall be saved; that Christ did not die for all mankind, only for those who are given Him of the Father as a reward for His mediatorial work.” This is a doctrine which may not be neglected. Election is a stumbling block and an offense to the natural heart, but a source of rich comfort for a poor, unworthy soul which has as its only hope the atoning death of the good Shepherd who laid down His life, not for friends, but for enemies.

It is interesting what we read in Article 8,that “God has commanded us to acknowledge Him in all our ways” (Prov. 3:6), and therefore “there is no ground to be insured” (Lord’s Day 10). Although we may not rule over each other’s conscience, it would be good if our youth might hear some practical examples out of the lives of children of God who could not and dared not lean upon the gods of Ekron, and were not put to shame. Where is the practice of our confession today? Oh, our poor youth see so little of true godliness and walking in the tender fear of God’s Name! Where are the God-fearing, humble, loving role-models for them? May God grant that they may see them in the home and in the classroom. And let us not forget, in all our educational endeavors, what Article 9states: “Our doctrine is nota doctrine of understanding (comprehension), but of believing.”Let us show reverence for the holy truths of God’s Word, and realize that we cannot rationalize all truth without detracting from the great mystery of truth. Let us rather emphasize that God is great and we know it not, and therefore it is fitting that we approach these holy things, with the awareness of our limited understanding, with holy awe and admiration. Let us not promote a type of intellectualism which will make us proud, high-minded, and rich. May we emphasize the essential difference between a historical knowledge and a sanctified, experiential knowledge which is obtained at the Master’s feet, like Mary. This is a knowledge which humbles man, and exalts God who alone is worthy of all honor and praise.

Students must know and hear from their teachers what the marks of true, biblual conversion are.

The relationship of our children to the covenant is discussed in Article77 where it states: “that we make a definite distinction in baptism between children who are under the covenant, but that the elect only are inthe covenant.”

It is necessary that this distinction between an outward relationship—which may not be minimized—and an internal relationship, be clearly explained. God has a right upon us and our children. Great are the privileges entrusted unto us, but this is insufficient for eternity and will increase our punishment if we remain in a state of unbelief. Also for ourchildren a divine wonder is necessary—a quickening of the dead, a new birth. Please tell our children that they must be converted as God converts all His people and explain what this means.May they see in you, parents and teachers, what it is.

Finally, Article74 is a very practical and experiential one, as it states “that God’s people are weaned from this world—mostly by afflictions—to bring them down to their unworthiness, so that Cod may receive all the honorand man be abased to the lowest.”

This should be our main purpose, our prayer and longing, that God might use the instruction given in our schools, at home, in church, in catechism classes and Sunday schools, to raise a generation that understands this language and experiences it in their own life. For this is the way wherein the Lord leads His Church, also today, through this valley of tears into the heavenly Canaan. “In the world ye will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

They must be weaned from the world, because they are also out of the earth, earthy. God will prepare them also by way of afflictions, in order that they may be loosed from their attachment to the world and be humbled and dependent on Him; that they may flee unto Him for help and strength, be taught who they really are and also who God is in His faithful care over them. He causes them to long for heaven, to be with the Lord without sin, and to glorify Him also for the ways of wisdom and faithfulness wherein He led them.

May those lessons be taught to us at His school of grace, and may we receive heavenly, spiritual education, to our salvation and that of our children.

Rev. C. Vogelaar is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

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