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When you look at the history of government, with the exception of a real theocracy, where God ruled Israel, it seems like you see five types: some form of one man rule, the rule of the so-called “elite,” the rule of the majority, no rule at all, or the rule of law. You can eliminate one man rule, because that is either one man ruling for the elite, an oligarchy, or it is some transition to no rule, total anarchy. You can eliminate no rule, because that is usually the reaction to some form of on man rule or rebellion against the rule of law. The rule of the majority is a mob rule that turns into no rule or the rule of the few. In the end, there are two enduring forms of government that are interchange with one another, the rule of the few elite, an oligarchy, or the rule of law, some form of representation under the rule of law, a republic. Our founding fathers designed a republic. The threat to our government is an oligarchy, which will manifest itself in various ways, one of which is corporatism, where a few rich people make sure their candidate is in power. The threat proceeds from the denial of absolute truth. In the absence of faith in natural law, the revelation of God’s will to man, history shows the fall of a nation that will start with some form of oligarchy. God is displaced by man. Men submit to this form because of its accession to their own lusts.
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In Luke 13:4-5, Jesus posed a question related to a tower falling with many deaths, “Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Fifteen years ago today, my wife woke me to say that terrorists flew a passenger plane into one of the World Trade Center buildings. 2,996 people died with 6,000 others injured by those attacks. On September 11, 1683, the combined forces of the Holy Roman Empire defeated the Ottoman Turks in their siege of Vienna, halting the Moslem advance in Europe. 20,000 Turks died in the attack. Everyone is going to die. The more important question is, where will you spend eternity? Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Jesus used a tragic event to bring a crucial reminder concerning the punishment of sin. Everybody dies and everybody deserves to die. On this anniversary of 9/11 there are many things we should never forget. We should never forget the still real potential of a terrorist attack on American soil. However, even more we should never forget the eternal punishment we will face without genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 17:30, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”
When you say “church” to most people, they don’t know what it means. You hear a lot out in the world. You hear “building,” a church building is a church to many, even though it isn’t a church. It’s often a denomination, like the Lutheran Church, which isn’t a church. Some call “church,” organized religion. Church isn’t organized religion. The people who say that don’t want anyone to be in charge of their lives: they often want all the good things that God gives without having to submit to Him, which occurs through the church. To many, church is a social structure that is meant to meet physical needs, like food, and then help people out of other physical problems, like drug addiction. “Church” is an assembly of immersed believers, having New Testament ordinances and officers, and gathers together for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. “Church” is the body of Christ. Christ is the Head of the church. Each body part submits to the Head, and Christ rules believers through the church. Is Christ ruling you through this church or are you somewhat influenced in your own ideas about what church is? It isn’t a club that you join to bring a certain quality of life for you. You’ve been given everything already, and through the church, you can give to God. You could never repay Him, but you can serve Him, worship Him, in light of His goodness to you.
Ephesians 6 commands fathers (parents in essence) to “bring them [children] up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” In the age in which we live, this is making your child a disciple of Jesus Christ. The public school would not make that impossible, but based on biblical principles, it would make it exceedingly difficult. The school system would provide a battle against obedience to the command in Ephesians 6 and the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission with children. Bringing children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is bringing them up in the truth. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). God deposited His truth with the church for keeping (pastoral epistles), that is, believing, obeying, and teaching. He didn’t give the truth to the state. He didn’t even give it to the family. He gave it to the church, so “the nurture and admonition of the Lord” occurs within the church. Timothy is delivering that command to the church. It is very, very unlikely, if not impossible, to fulfill the command in Ephesians 6 without a church (Christian) K-12 education. No truth can be truthfully understood outside of a biblical (Christian) perspective. That is the true story about the world. I’m saying a Christian school is required. It’s important we keep it going here and do what we need to do for our church and with the view to help others.
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