Home Educators: Guard Sound Doctrine

I do not often engage with this group, but with the desire to be faithful to the one who saved my soul, I commented:

‘I guess my concern would that a new believer could come on this page and ask for advice about (for example) a gender or sexuality issue within the parameters of home education, because they believe it is a Christian group. The person who gives advice might not acknowledge Jesus is God, might not believe the Bible is inerrant, and might not believe that God’s Word speaks to these matters. There is a strong danger of a weaker brother or sister being led up the wrong path – and this is extremely serious in God’s eyes. Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are not Christians – they deny the uniqueness of Christ (they teach he is a created being).’

 

I was careful not to use Scripture to support my point since I know this is against group rules (strange rule for a Christian group). My comment was removed within a few minutes and I was muted from the group for a couple of days (so much for inclusivity!).

 

 

Because of the title of the group in question, UK Christian Home Educators will probably arrive at it early on in their journey. What they are unlikely to know is that Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses who have been admitted as Christians are on hand to give advice. Moreover, if a concerned parent encounters a tricky situation involving (for example) a transgender child in their home education group and seeks counsel, they cannot work with the base assumption that advice will be given by somebody who holds to a biblical view of gender (Genesis 1:27). Indeed, group members are prohibited from using Scripture to help make a point.

 

Paul writes that the saints are equipped for ministry in order that,

‘We may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:14-15)

 

There is a tremendous responsibility in assuming the label ‘Christian’ and no integrity in abandoning sound doctrine for the sake of ‘unity’ in order to make unbelievers and misguided Christians feel comfortable (cf. 1 Timothy 6:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1).

 

Obviously, I can do nothing about this particular group except perhaps urge them to act with integrity and drop the word ‘Christian’ from their name (of course I have no expectation that this will actually happen!). However, since I know that at least a few people read what I write, I want to visit three particularly pertinent doctrines to which UK Christian home educators in 2022 must cling, whatever Facebook says:

 

 

Heretics have always attacked the deity of Christ. Arianism, a heresy of the fourth century stated that Jesus was not God but instead ‘the first and greatest of created beings.’ The Nicene Creed, adopted in 325, was in part to deal with this false teaching and stated that the Lord Jesus Christ is, ‘very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made.’

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Christ was a created being, and thereby not God. Mormons believe that Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer. They say that he was brought into the universe by our ‘Heavenly Father’ and ‘Heavenly Mother.’ To think that Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons can be Christians is at best extremely sloppy and at worst rank heresy. I accept the argument that we cannot know exactly how individuals stand before God (Jeremiah 17:10). There will be some horrible shocks on the last day (Matthew 25:31-48). Nevertheless, Jesus told us to make righteous judgements and said that we can recognise false teachers by their fruits (see John 7:24; Matthew 7:15-20).

 

If a requirement of salvation is a confession that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9) and if somebody belongs to a cult that fundamentally denies the deity of Christ, we show no love when we include them in a group as if they are a believer.

 

The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians about accepting a Jesus that is different from the Jesus proclaimed by the apostles (2 Corinthians 11:4; cf. Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1, 11; James 2:1; Hebrews 1:1-3). There is no compassion demonstrated in removing the critical doctrine of the deity of Christ and smoothing down the path for unbelievers to head towards a Christless eternity.

 

‘If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.’

 

Where does the battle rage today? I would argue that one of the major battles is over gender. I have had the privilege of spending time with several faithful and godly mothers who removed their children from the school system exactly over this issue. The Bible is explicit about gender; there is no room for argument:

‘So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’ (Genesis 1:27)

 

The claim of neutrality by Christians over this issue shows a particularly callous lack of love to the next generation. The world will clap children on their way to clinicians who will mutilate their bodies at an age when young minds are not mature enough to understand the long-term implications. It is simply not good enough for a group that says it is Christian to allow the propagation of the view that gender is not fixed, whilst at the same time disabling faithful believers from bringing up Scripture.

 

To deny the original goodness of creation is to deny the seriousness of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12; 8:22). To deny Adam and his sin is to deny Christ’s work of redemption of its true power (Romans 5:19; Colossians 1:20). Moreover, many of the beliefs this group claims to be neutral toward find their roots in the first chapters of Genesis.

Think about these doctrines:

1. Marriage is a life-long covenant between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24).

2. Gender is fixed (Genesis 1:27; Mark 10:6).

3. Men are to have church oversight because Adam was created first and then Eve (1 Timothy 2:13, Genesis 2:7, 18, 22).

4. Christ is the Redeemer (Genesis 3:15; 1 John 3:8).

 

 I wonder whether now is the time for another Facebook group where Christian home educators might be able to find support and advice as they launch into the daunting world of teaching their children at home. I confess that I have thought about starting one on and off over the years, but I am currently ‘at capacity’ in terms of service to the wider home educating community. Perhaps a brave person who has made it to the end of my long (!) article might even start praying about whether this is something God is calling them to at this time.

 

We have had some teaching at our church recently that said ‘when groups are wide, doctrine is low.’ I do not expect perfect doctrine on Facebook, but it is reasonable to assume that the label ‘Christian’ is accompanied by a basic understanding of the Lordship of Christ and the perfection of his Word.

 

 Calling to mind the great sacrifice the Lord Jesus made on that cruel cross for sinners, I know that I must contend for the faith, and even if the world laughs at me and professing believers mock me, I will not put down my sword…the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

Made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me…’ (The Valley of Vision)