The Church And Christian Schools -- Church Support Of Christian Schools?
The writer is fully in sympathy with our Christian schools. He is a graduate of David Lipscomb College and Abilene Christian College. He has spoken many times in behalf of Christian education. He has served for seven years (since the beginning of the school) as Dean of Athens Bible School and is now serving as Vice President of that school. Let no one therefore misunderstand the purpose of this article. The issue is not whether we should operate and support schools in which the Bible may be taught. The issue is shall the church establish and support these schools from its budget?
The Church Is Not To Be Burdened With Duties That Belong To The Individual
Everybody knows that there is a certain amount of overlapping in the duties of the church and the home. Yet there is no denying that there are fundamental differences in their works. There are works that are right for the Christian to do privately, individually, or through the home that are wrong for him to do through the church. A few examples are cited.
It is right for a Christian woman to teach a man privately in the home, but wrong for her to teach him in the church. "But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more accurately." (Acts 18:26) Priscilla was active in teaching this man in her home. But to the church at Corinth, once Priscilla's home, Paul wrote, "Let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law. And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church." (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)
Instrumental music is perfectly in order in the home and perfectly out of order in the church. The idea that is now being put forth by some of our church-school advocates that one can do anything through the church that he can do as an individual will either sweep the mechanical music into the church unrestricted or bar it completely from our entire lives. If not, why not?
Washing the saints' feet is a "good work" in the home, but completely out of place in the church. "Well reported of for good works; if she hath brought up children, if she bath used hospitality to strangers, if she hath washed the saints' feet, if she hath diligently followed every good work." (1st Timothy 5:10) The theory that anything that is right for the individual Christian to do is right for the church to do will either put the foot-washing ordinance into the church or stop us from washing feet altogether. If not, why not?
It is right for a Christian, privately, individually, or through the home to take care of his dependent relatives, but as long as he is able to do this it is wrong for the church to do it. "If any woman (A.V. any man or woman) that believeth hath widows, let her relieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." (1 Timothy 5:16)
Here is a good work. It is a good work for the Christian. He is commanded to do it. He would be sinning if he failed to do it. "If any provideth not for his own, and specially his household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever." (1st Timothy 5:8) Yet the command is specific. The church is not to do this work. "Let not the church be burdened." We have duties and responsibilities as individual Christians that the church does not have.
It is my responsibility as a Christian to provide for my own household. As long as I am able to do this the command is definite: the church is not to do it. "Let not the church be burdened."
On the other hand it is the duty and responsibility of the church to "relieve them that are widows indeed," to take care of those dependents who have no relatives to care for them.
Since the education of children is undeniably included in "providing for his household" it is to be taken care of by individuals and not by the church. Since school children are dependent upon their relatives the principle expressed concerning the widows in 1st Timothy 5:16 will apply to them. Let their parents or other relatives provide for them. Let not the church be burdened. Let the church provide for widows, orphans, and others who have nobody to provide for them.
The church should not support Christian schools because the education of children is the responsibility of the individual or the home, and the church is not to be burdened with that responsibility.
Supporting The Schools Will Keep The Church From Doing What The Lord Has Commanded It To Do
The Lord has commanded his church to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15) Saddle upon the church the enormous burden of educating the children of those who are able to "provide for their own" and it will not be able to carry on the work the Lord has entrusted to it.
This is the reasoning of the apostle in 1st Timothy 5:16. The church has the responsibility of relieving "them that are widows indeed." Those who are able to support their own widowed relatives are commanded to do so, "and let not the church be burdened, that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." The principle will certainly apply in the matter of education. If anyone has children let him provide for their education, and let not the church be burdened, that it may do the work God has commanded it to do.
It Is Not The Mission Of The Church To Teach Reading 'Riting, And 'Rithmetic
An education in the secular subjects is today almost as essential as food, clothing and shelter. It is included in the teaching to parents that "if any provideth not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever." Providing for their own household is the responsibility of parents as individuals. It is the responsibility of the church to carry the gospel to the whole world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19), to edify the church (Matthew 28:20; Ephesians 4:11-16), and to provide for those who are not able to help themselves and who have no relatives on whom they may depend. (1st Timothy 5:3-16; James 1:27; Acts 11:29-30) Building and supporting schools of secular education, regardless of the place of the Bible in those schools, comes under neither of these classifications.
(To be continued)