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“See to it that nobody takes you captive by philosophy…”
When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church at Colossae, he was a prisoner in Rome. By this level, he had confronted each doable opponent. He may subsequently survey the pagan Roman Empire and know all the assorted challenges confronting the younger church buildings.
Though overt persecution by the Jews was paramount, Paul acknowledged there have been rising mental forces that sought to undermine the Biblical-philosophical foundations of Christianity. He knew they have been very harmful.
Whereas outward bodily oppression was making an attempt, it usually resulted in strengthening the religion of these being persecuted. This was not the case with false mental concepts. As an alternative, they acted like a gradual poison within the soil of Christianity, ultimately killing all development. One want solely take a look at the historical past of the West in Europe and the USA to see its outcomes.
Why is that this?
Not like different religions, Christianity rests on a historical-philosophical basis. Most Christians immediately don’t understand this; however simply take a second to contemplate the Apostles’ Creed: it makes very robust historical-philosophical statements concerning the nature of the God, Jesus Christ, the world, redemption, and far more.
If you happen to can remodel the concepts represented by these statements, or take away the philosophical floor on which they stand, then perception turns into troublesome if not unattainable.
It was this hazard that was dealing with the brand new church at Colossae. Paul subsequently opens his letter with a staunch protection of the mental foundations of Christianity, telling the Colossians to “see to it that nobody takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, in response to human custom, in response to the fundamental spirits of the world, and never in response to Christ.” (Col 2:8)
Though non-Christian philosophy has grown extra refined over the previous 2000 years, the method to preventing it has not modified. It’s the identical battle immediately because it was within the first century—with the identical dire penalties for individuals who select to disregard it.
Listed here are six methods you may assist preserve your college students from being taken captive by the deceitful philosophical concepts of our day —or any day.
1. Educate them the Bible
That is greater than realizing Bible tales. As an alternative, college students want to know the whole Bible, having learn it from cowl to cowl not less than as soon as. The Previous Testomony must be used to know the New Testomony, and vice versa. If this appears like numerous work, it’s—however the good factor is that it may be executed slowly and incrementally. I like to recommend two issues:
First, each scholar must utilizing a conservative Research Bible with notes, cross-references, maps, and introductions. The ESV Pupil Research Bible or the NASB Research Bible are good choices. You must personal an grownup Research Bible your self; they’re wonderful references. College students want the Bible to be put in historic and grammatical context; if not, it’s simply disconnected from actuality.
Second, you have to be studying by way of the Bible as a household and speaking about it on the dinner desk, within the automobile, or everytime you’re collectively. While you’re studying by way of most books, there will probably be rather a lot to speak about. However the notes and charts can even assist you get by way of extra obscure books equivalent to Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and the Prophets.
Learn, learn, learn – there’s no different path to realizing the Phrase of God. Paul, in truth, begins his letter to the Colossians by reminding them to recollect what they “have heard earlier than within the phrase of the reality, the gospel, which has come to you, as certainly in the entire world it’s bearing fruit and growing…” (Col 1:5-6)
2. Educate them Theology
Understanding the Bible is step one, however the Bible should be interpreted as an entire to see how every little thing suits collectively. That is the position of theology. It has at all times been important to the church, beginning with Paul’s letters and persevering with by way of the primary centuries, to the Medievals and Reformers, and as much as the current day.
There are lots of methods to show theology. Our theological forefathers wrote confessions and catechisms that specify theology in a systemic method. Among the most well-known are the Westminster Confession and Catechisms (Reformed), the Augsburg Confession (Lutheran), The Baptist Confession of 1689 (Baptist), amongst quite a few others. These are older paperwork, however nonetheless very helpful.
Newer books on theology embrace systematic theologies and books on doctrine. Clearly there are totally different Christian traditions, so you may ask your pastor or somebody you belief if you happen to’re unsure the place to go.
Listed here are a number of that I’ve discovered helpful: Important Truths of the Christian Religion by RC Sproul and Abstract of Christian Doctrine by Louis Berkhof. You may learn a piece at a time and discuss it as a household. You’ll be shocked at how a lot youngsters are eager about these subjects.
3. Educate them Worldview & Apologetics
Francis Schaeffer was one of many first Christians to popularize fascinated about Christianity from a worldview perspective. He defines a worldview because the grid by way of which we see every little thing on the planet, from tradition to science to ethics to training.
This method, nevertheless, has roots that return to Paul. He reminds the Colossians that “all of the treasures of knowledge and information” are to be present in Christ and that “all issues have been created by way of Him and for Him.” In different phrases, the reality of the created order can solely be understood in its relationship to God. Paul tells them this “so that nobody could delude you with believable arguments.”
Apologetics is the method of familiarizing oneself with arguments for and in opposition to a Christian worldview in order that one can present a protection for the reality. Francis Schaeffer’s movie sequence How Ought to We Then Stay is an efficient place to begin as a result of it places a Christian worldview into historic perspective, bringing it shut sufficient to the current day to disclose the continued risks of Marxism and Statism to Christianity.
However there are additionally some wonderful books that may be learn on this matter, relying in your scholar’s instructional degree. Now we have put collectively an inventory of 12 Books to Construct a Christian Worldview.
4. Educate Them Philosophy
As soon as somebody understands the overall historical past of concepts, it is very important go deeper and study the precise philosophers and philosophies that influenced the currents of historical past. For this reason concepts are way more harmful than weapons: they kind the constructions of our day by day lives, whether or not it’s the State, Tradition, Training, Work, or the Household.
When college students come face-to-face with essentially the most influential concepts in historical past, it’s nearly like pulling again the curtain on the Wizard of Oz—what appears menacing is definitely man-made and mundane.
As an illustration, when one reads Nietszche and sees what he thinks concerning the world by way of dominance and destruction, his nihilism is much much less engaging. When one reads Marx and sees what he thinks about individuals by way of battle and battle, his materialism turns into way more harmful. Moreover, one realizes their concepts have led to widespread destruction and dying — and but they’re nonetheless getting used to govern individuals immediately.
But philosophy will not be at all times straightforward to know. That’s why we’ve developed a philosophy class that mixes the wonderful video instructing of RC Sproul, Christian commentary by John Body, and studying alternatives from the philosophers themselves.
Why is that this so vital?
John Body explains: “My complete concept is to reveal the truth that the historical past of philosophy and theology is nothing lower than religious warfare within the lifetime of the thoughts….I need to put together college students for the religious warfare because it exists in their very own time, with out neglecting the background of this battle in earlier instances.” (Preface, A Historical past of Western Philosophy & Theology)
This is a crucial class for understanding the concepts that we see in tradition immediately, from relativism, to sexual liberation, to political extremism, to atheism. You may strive some pattern classes right here.
5. Educate them the Penalties of Worldview in Historical past
There’s a cause why the Greeks created the story of Pandora: as soon as a harmful concept emerges into the world, it’s inevitable that it’ll do severe hurt to individuals. On the identical time, when a good suggestion is carried out, it’s inevitable that it’s going to deliver nice profit to individuals.
One of the simplest ways to see that is by a examine of historical past from a worldview perspective. For this reason we’ve developed an extremely insightful historical past sequence with Dave Raymond. The brilliance of Dave’s instructing is that he combines ethical precept and narrative story. In different phrases, he exhibits how totally different worldviews work themselves out within the lives of actual women and men.
Most significantly, he exhibits how a Christian worldview is important for civilization to really flourish. It’s no coincidence that he begins with American Historical past and divulges how Christian ideas have been the premise of liberty, freedom, and prosperity.
With Modernity, he goes deeper into the damaging outcomes of non-Christian concepts, such because the French Revolution, Darwinism, and Statism, all of which led to the best century of bloodshed and dying: the twentieth.
He then goes again in time to look at the 2 competing strands of Biblical faith and Pagan faith rising aspect by aspect in Antiquity. Lastly, he’ll end the sequence this 12 months with Christendom, displaying how the Church reworked the West and offered it the muse to create trendy civilization.
There are additionally many wonderful books that present how worldviews work themselves out by way of historical past. The most effective is The One and the Many, a rare examination of the implications of concepts from the earliest days to the current.
6. Educate them to Stroll within the Reality
In closing, our kids are rising up in a technology that seems to be returning to paganism. That is the battle of our lives: pushing again on pagan concepts in order that Christian fact can triumph. It’s why Paul reminds the Colossians that Christ “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open disgrace, by triumphing over them in Him.”
After making ready ourselves mentally, what ought to we do then? Paul tells the Colossians:
“Placed on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and endurance, bearing with each other…And no matter you do, in phrase or deed, do every little thing within the identify of the Lord Jesus, giving because of God the Father by way of him.”
In different phrases, pondering proper ideas about God and His world leads us to doing proper actions towards God and others. It isn’t a straightforward calling these days, however it’s the solely calling that may result in fulfilled lives underneath the reign of Christ.
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