|
POISON on the Christian Campus
Many of you may send your children to a private Christian school
thinking that this will provide for an environment free from the
most grotesque and lewd spiritual influences often common in secular
society. I commend you for your working extra hours, scrimping and
saving money in attempt to place your children in a wholesome
educational environment. However, there is something that you need
to be aware of regarding Satan’s attack that is launched even
against children on the Christian campus.
Satan has a diabolical hatred for any institution that sets itself
up with the purpose of providing a means in which to assist the
family in nurturing young people to become godly adults.
Fortunately, in many provinces, governments have created laws to
prevent those who do Satan’s bidding from simply walking onto
Christian campuses with explosives and blowing up buildings as
terrorist individuals are known to do in certain places. Even where
there is less legal protection for Christian enterprises and the
threat of terrorism is real, Christians are still bravely
persevering to make a positive impact on their communities.
But, Satan has another strategy that he is using effectively on
Christian institutions of learning: It’s called: Working From the
Inside. Satan and his demons are always searching for someone they
can use to promote their ideas and ways of thinking. And, he
especially loves to use those associated with holy endeavors to try
and dissuade them from their holy mission. Satan doesn’t care if one
professes Christianity, necessarily, if he can just plant his seeds
in a person’s mind; seeds of ideas that are against God’s will.
One of the memorable instances of this tactic recorded in the Bible
is Matthew 16:21-23
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how
that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders
and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again
the third day.
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far
from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan:
thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that
be of God, but those that be of men.
Where did Peter get the idea to try and convince Jesus that he would
not die (the sacrificial death that would be bring hope to all
humanity)? Jesus knew that the only chance people could ever have of
being free from the bondage and judgement of sin and receiving a new
and holy life in God would depend on Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Bible scholars have said that it was Satan who planted an idea in
Peter’s mind to rebuke Jesus and attempt to dissuade him from the
purpose for which Jesus was born.
Satan who was cast out of heaven for his rebellion, hates God and
hates God’s beloved creation (mankind). Satan does not want us to
live holy lives in fellowship with God. Satan, in his perverted
mind, wants all humanity enjoying and promoting sinful behavior in
order to spite God and cheat people (created in God’s image) out of
the holy life promised in Christ Jesus. Thus, this explains Satan’s
intense hatred for any institution that would take small children at
the earliest ages and begin to introduce them to Jesus and his love
and the holy and satisfying life that can be theirs if they accept
Jesus into their hearts and follow the Holy Bible.
One of the things that we must understand is that even educators
inside Christian institutions are at times tempted by Satan to
embrace his ideas, (ideas that would work to lead one away from how
Christ would have us to live).
But, you ask how can Satan attempt to influence someone who is well
informed regarding how God wants us to live and cause them to
embrace ideas that oppose God’s will.
All we have to do to see an early example of this is to turn to the
third chapter of the book of Genesis and observe how Satan speaking
through a serpent deceived Eve.
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which
the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God
said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Satan questions may seem harmless, but let’s look further?
Genesis 3:2-3
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of
the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,
God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it,
lest ye die.
Eve understands that she is supposed to simply stay clear of this
particular tree. But, Satan is not dissuaded by Eve’s understanding
that she should stay away from this tree. Satan seduces Eve into
disobeying God’s will by appealing to her desire to experience
something new and exciting.
Genesis 3:4-5
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satan’s trick is to convince the woman that God is holding something
back from her that will make her life better; that she can disobey
God and everything will still be just fine. (Satan today is still
tricking people today into arrogantly thinking that they can,
without God’s displeasure, take part in things that God’s Word says
not to).
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to
make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave
also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Note that because Eve saw that there was pleasure in taking of the
tree, she rationalized it must be okay to do what God said not to
do. Dear friends, please understand that there can be some pleasure
(i.e. fun) in things that are ungodly; but the thing you must
consider is whether you are prepared to suffer the consequences and
judgement one must reap by disobeying God’s will and the forfeiture
of the rewards reserved for the obedient children of God.
Hebrews 11:24-26
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with
the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures
in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
It is not enough to love God, but one must have faith enough in God
to believe God’s Word the Holy Bible, and obey it, despite the
sinful pleasure and fun that the ungodly world uses to entice
Christians away from obeying God.
Also note that those who disobey God’s often desire company in doing
wrong. Satan knows well that by getting Eve to disobey God’s will
that she would influence Adam to join her in disobedience. This
failure to obey God in such a simple command caused the human race
to be cursed with a sinful nature; and spiritual death (separation
from beautiful fellowship with God); and physical death entered the
human world.
If we Christians today are drawn away from the holy life that Christ
has made possible, you can be sure that we will die spiritually and
will exhibit the same attitudes and actions of the ungodly in our
community. Any ideas and concepts that oppose how God has told us in
the Bible we are to live, will tempt us away from living a holy
life, if we don’t immediately reject such ideas when they are
presented to us.
James 1:14-15
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and
sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Thus, any concepts that that do not promote obeying God, but promote
ungodly deeds are poison.
Satan may attempt to poison godly educators already employed on the
Christian Campus. Or, Satan may send key individuals (whom he has
already poisoned with bad ideas) onto the Christian Campus who, all
the while, still claim that they believe the Bible is God’s Word and
that we must live according to the Bible’s standard of holiness .
They know all the right Christian phrases and may even be able to
spout sound doctrine, but these individuals will eventually show the
fruit of the spiritual poison that they have been drinking.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Satan is devilishly cunning.
He may not send just one poisoned educator into a Christian school;
he will sometimes send multiple persons and place them in key
faculty positions. These groups of individuals may not immediately
attempt to get the entire school to join them in embracing their
poisonous ideas. But, when they feel they have enough influence to
evade receiving any severe discipline for promoting ideas they have
embraced, they will begin to invite others to drink their poisonous
ideas.
Now, lets look at some real incidences where a poisoned educator is
operating on the Christian campus.
Case# 1 (Smoking Dope)
While sitting in a gathering of adults and school children, I
witnessed a founder of a Christian School, in a discussion, defend
the practice of Christians drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco.
This Christian educator went further to grant that it might be okay
for Christians to smoke marijuana.
The thing that we need to understand is that getting
drunk/inebriated/high through use of any recreational mind altering
substances displeases God, regardless of whether the substance is
legally purchased, regardless of whether the substance is eaten,
drunk, smoked, snorted, or injected with a hypodermic needle. God is
not trying to be mean and cut off peoples’ “fun.” It is just that we
are much more likely to behave in a manner that is unholy in such an
altered state of mind; and, need I speak of the addiction these
substances cause. And, there are the injuries and deaths caused by
people under the influence of these substances. Many of the deaths
are those of innocent people (e.g. someone who may have been
crossing the street when a substance user ran them over with their
vehicle).
Ephesians 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with
the Spirit;
I Corinthians 6:10
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Yes, I know that there are some that say that they can use alcohol
in moderation and still be able to function (e.g. teach Bible class,
go about there normal routine, preach a sermon, drive a car, and so
on). The question one must ask is why even risk becoming drunk and
displeasing God. If you are truly obeying the Bible and are filled
with the Spirit of God, why are you depending on a bottle of booze
to get your joy, your happiness, your peace. I submit to you that
you need to examine whether indeed you are filled with the real
Spirit of God if your are depending on a bottle of booze to get your
joy.
There are so many scriptures that call for us to be sober and
clear-headed; yet, in this country, we are plagued with an abundance
of drunkards and drug addicts, many of which who claim to believe
the Bible.
Should our “Christian” educators really teach children to flirt with
the use of alcohol? And that is exactly what they are doing when
they promote the practice of drinking alcohol.
Note: Bible scholars have indicated that in biblical times even
unfermented grape juice from freshly squeezed grapes was called
wine. Obviously, we are not advocating in the discussion above that
one abstain from drinking plain grape juice (fresh juice that is not
fermented).
Case #2 (Pop Star)
The following is a true story.
A “Christian” educator boasted of a major production that was
created by the Christian school where she served as principal. A
number of the students at this Christian school performed in the
drama/musical that was developed and rehearsed under the direction
of the drama/music department, as a tribute to a famous pop star.
It just so happens that this Pop Star to whom the children paid
tribute,
is reported to have paid an undisclosed large sum of money to hush
up the family of a little boy who identified the pop star as having
committed sex acts on the little boy.
This same pop star was found (by the police) to have pornographic
material depicting youths young enough to be his grandchildren.
By the way, how can God be pleased with our paying tribute to
someone who promotes ungodly themes in their music? And, will not
children be confused as far understanding what proper human sexual
behavior, when they find that the pop star (introduced to them by
the “Christian” school as someone to imitate) is actually a known
sexual pervert.
Satan smiles with glee when the Christian campus is used to
introduce kids to music by persons widely known for their vile
behavior. Satan is all to happy to have such poisonous influences
sprinkled on the minds of our unsuspecting children.
By encouraging the school children to emulate even the least harmful
of the music and performances of this pop star, the children’s
appetite will only be wetted for more of this pop star. This Pop
star’s performances have evolved over the years to include
frequently grabbing his crotch and gyrating his pelvic area in an
extremely lewd and sexually suggestive manner. This is poison for a
“Christian” school to encourage kids to admire a sexually perverted
exhibitionist.
Godly educators want only to encourage people to follow God and
exemplify the holy nature He has birthed within us.
Ephesians 5:1-2
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given
himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a
sweetsmelling savour.
God wants us to have no part in promotion of fornication (i.e. sex
outside of marriage).
Ephesians 5:3-4
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not
be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are
not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
We must accept the fact that sex outside marriage is a serious
matter. God wants us to know that if we persist in enjoying acts of
sexual impurity, that we have no part in His Kingdom. God warns his
children not to be deceived (tricked) into thinking that He is not
going to punish those who live sinfully. God’s wrath is really hot
regarding all of the sexual lewd acts being promoted by the ungodly
(regardless of how much fame and money they have).
Ephesians 5:5-6
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these
things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
We are not supposed to identify with these ungodly performers; it is
not God’s will that we have children recreate any of the
performances of those known for their ungodly stage acts.
Ephesians 5:7-9
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:
walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
and truth;)
A real Christian is supposed to learn and demonstrate what it is to
live holy and thereby teach the world the difference between a godly
life and an ungodly one.
Ephesians 5:10
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
We are not supposed to participate in the sinful deeds of the world;
nor are we to encourage others to commit sinful deeds; and we are
not to teach children to imitate and “play act” these sinful deeds.
On the contrary, we are commanded to reject ungodly things and
expose them for what they are.
Ephesians 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them.
Have you heard how some Christians speak of their past life of sin.
Some of the them speak so longingly of their past deeds that it
sounds like they would almost turn their back on holy living and go
back to their former riotous partying ways. You have some grown
adults professing salvation who are fond of thinking lustily about
the favorite love singer who they idolized “back in the day” before
they came to Christ. They are unwilling to reject their former
sinful ways, or the sinfulness of the celebrities whom they
idolized.
We should be ashamed to speak of our past sinful life and the sinful
deeds of the ungodly except to reprove these deeds, but never as an
encouragement for others to emulate.
As for the major production that was created by the Christian school
to pay tribute to a certain pop star, need I go on to tell you that
this pop star has long been associated with at least one cult. Is
this the type of person a real Christian would want children to
follow after?
Before describing the next case, let me highlight a few of the
objectives that the school in this particular case (Case #2)
officially claims to have:
- they claim that their purpose is to be an extension of the
Christian home to assist parents in training their children. And,
they claim to want to do outreach to introduce students to Jesus
Christ and the
Christian way of life.
- The school claims it wishes to work with home and church to
instill in each student moral strength, and spiritual insight, among
other things.
- The school claims to integrate
biblical scriptures and principles
throughout their curriculum.
Case #3 (Disco Dancing)
Please help me understand how the “biblical scriptures and
principles” are integrated “throughout” a dance production performed
by a Christian school as a tribute to dance songs that were popular
during the height of the Disco era.
Yes, you got it; this “Christian” school came up with some sort of
performance as a tribute to the music played in dance clubs during
the 1970’s. One of the top tunes that this Christian school
performed was a well known song by an openly homosexual male group
that promotes this wicked lifestyle.
Satan smiles with glee when the Christian campus is used to
introduce kids to music by a group that openly promotes
homosexuality. Satan is all to happy to have such poisonous
influences sprinkled on the minds of our unsuspecting children. Are
we so shocked that homosexuality is taking such a hold in the
Christian community when certain in the Christian community are
allowed to promote homosexual groups.
Case #4 (Rock Star)
Christian school puts on a production using the songs of a famous
Rock & Roll artist from the past. This American Idol from way back
is known for his womanizing and drug abuse. His performances would
include pelvic and leg motions that would drive the lusting women in
his audiences into a frenzy, to the point where women would be
screaming wildly at the tops of their lungs.
A parent concerned about such music being used for a “Christian”
school event approached the principal. On a side note, it is a good
practice to bring such matters to the attention of the leader of an
institution, just in case the leader is unaware of the issue. The
parent in question wrote to the principal explaining such things as
Rock & Roll’s negative elements such as pervasive promotion (in the
song lyrics and/or artists’ behavior off-stage) of sins such as
fornication (sex outside marriage) and illegal drug use.
God will meet out appropriate judgement to the Rock & Roll artist
who is known for his womanizing, drugs use, and most notably his
sexually titillating stage performances. However, it is also a
dangerous thing to admire and have pleasure in mimicking the stage
performances of such persons (and teaching children to do so).
Let me share just a little bit of a couple of scriptures not taught
often enough in many Christian circles:
Romans 1:28, 29a, & 32
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are
not convenient;
29a Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication...
32 Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure
in them that do them.
Do you see God frowns on us when we enjoy (have pleasure in)
watching and imitating the performance of rock stars and their wild
and sexually provocative antics?
Oh yes, and the principal of the school responded to the parent’s
concern about the school production promoting the Rock & Roll artist
described above. In brief, the principal tried to rationalize the
use of ungodly songs by describing them as a legitimate way to draw
the community. Basically, they were advocating promoting ungodly
songs made by artists who promote all sorts of sin, in order to win
the community to Christ. If this is a legitimate form of drawing
people, I guess we may soon hear of “Church folk” trying to justify
giving out weed bags (marijuana) to everyone who makes it to prayer
service on time; the ungodly rationalization for such action being
that the church always has a full house for prayer when weed bags
are given out, so they must be effectively winning people to Christ.
But, this is all absurd; God hates unrighteousness and will not
approve of it even when we rationalize promoting unrighteousness in
some perverted attempt to draw the unrighteous.
What this “Christian” school is inadvertently saying is that “the
end justifies the means.” On the contrary, in God’s eyes, it’s not
just the result that matters, but how we achieve the results.
Consider Christ, who is our king; yet so many 100s of millions of
people around the globe still don’t fully recognize his reign.
I believe that Satan knows that Christ intends to establish his
kingdom with a reign that will never end (Revelation 11:15 “And the
seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”)
Satan having at least some notion what Christ intends to do, tries
to tempt Christ to achieve his goal throw an easier path than giving
his life.
Luke 4:5-8
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto
him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and
the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever
I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan:
for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only
shalt thou serve.
Christ refused to establish his kingdom through ungodly means, by
bowing to Satan and conforming to his “easy” way to get a kingdom.
What a pitiful CHRISTian we are if we don’t reflect Christ’s
attitude of how to support his kingdom. What makes us think that
Christ wants us to teach children to bow down and idolize pop stars,
who are operating according to Satan’s rules. We cannot effectively
help rescue people from the power of darkness while we dabble in and
promote infamous icons of ungodliness.
Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
If we are copying the same ungodly songs of the world, if we are
trying to be like the world’s ungodly singers, if we are doing the
world’s dances (instead of letting the Holy Spirit inspire us to
dance), we are conforming to this world.
For those of you that yet continue to copy the deeds of the ungodly
and think you can excuse such deeds by saying that your “heart is in
the right place, regardless of what I do”, please consider I
Thessalonians 5:22-23
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God
your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Case #5 (Profanity)
The “Christian School” above puts on another production which was to
highlight historical persons and events. This “history” production
included young girls, according to the program schedule, who danced
the “Boogie Woogie.” One of the most horrible things about this
production (and there were many ungodly horrible things) was a
recitation of a speech that one of the “Christian” teachers had her
child perform. The speech was originally created by a violent
radical from the sixties. The child recited the speech that called
for people to band together and beat the ____out of those who are in
power (I have omitted a word because the word the child used is
profane when used in the particular way he used it. This word is not
profane when used to describe the rich man’s destination in Luke
16:23).
You would be amazed that this school actually professes to be
evangelical in nature. Among the schools many godly published
doctrinal beliefs is the statement that the school believes in the
sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit; they say they believe that by
the Holy Spirit a Christian is able to live a holy life.
Conclusion:
A school may profess to be Christian; the school may publish
beautiful marketing literature that claims the school wants to help
students become godly and pure citizens.
You may even meet some of the school’s staff who are truly
Christian.
However, you should never assume that you can stop keeping a close
watch of what is going on at your child’s school. If you don’t stay
vigilant you may end up like a friend of mine: she was horrified one
day to find that her son, confused by unbiblical and ungodly
doctrines being taught at his private religious school, had been
deceived into thinking that Mary is some sort of mediator between
mankind and Christ.
Let me suggest some things to help keep you vigilant.
1) Of course you should read all of the literature concerning the
school’s objectives, programs, rules, and etc. before you even make
the final decision of placing your child in a particular school.
2) You should talk with faculty and seek out other parents in your
community to ask questions about a school before placing your
children in a school.
3) Review information sent home by your child’s school to help you
stay abreast of what is going on.
4) If at all possible, volunteer for fieldtrip or special event
chaperone duty.
5) Attend events at school such as Open-House.
6) Keep a regular daily dialog with your children about what’s going
on at school (both the good and the bad happenings at school).
7) When you first see the school exposing your child to ungodly
influences, be swift to discuss this with the teacher; if necessary,
escalate to whatever level of authority to have the matter
addressed.
8) Suggest godly alternatives to the ungodly items being promoted by
the school.
9) Definitely, always pray over your children that God would protect
them from physical, emotional, and spiritual harm.
10) Communicate with other godly parents regarding positive and
negatives at the School.
11) Pray for the school.
12) If the School persists in poisoning your children, you may need
to pull them out of the school until the matter can be resolved. Or,
you may need to find another school altogether; or home-school them.
Yes, I know these 12 suggestions can be a lot of work. But, sending
our children to what we think is a good school and then just
forgetting about our children is not the answer .
We must stay involved, else we wake up one day surprised that our
children have been taken over by poisonous and ungodly beliefs.
|