The Christian Arsenal
Exposing the Liberal Lie
Chapter 13: A Child Without Wisdom
Exposing the Liberal Lie:
What the Bible Says About Political Correctness
by Jim Alexander
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000. (see text)
Chapter Thirteen:
A Child Without Wisdom
Judges 2:10-15 -- After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger because they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In His anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as He had sword to them. They were in great distress. (NIV)
If one had to select one factor which, more than all others, has contributed to our culture's fall in the second half of the Twentieth Century, it has to be this. The surging influx of violent crime, teenage and illegitimate births, adultery, divorce, dishonesty, irreverence, slothfulness, abortion -- all stem from just one sin, namely, the failure of parents to raise and instruct their children properly in the ways of the LORD their God. Another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel.
Granted, parents are up against the best -- or rather, the worst -- of false teachers: the media, in glorious, truer-than-life Technicolor, vomiting forth its own, seemingly irresistible brand of godless, morally relativistic hedonism, has hypnotized the vast majority of our youth -- and indeed, a considerable portion of adults, as well -- into believing the rubbish it so splendorously represents as truth. With the libertine gods of License and Entitlement at their side, they fearlessly champion all that is contrary to God while shamelessly ridiculing all who dare oppose their meretriciously pagan self-indulgences. Two words are all that matter: Me and now; all else is inconsequential.
Our society, with its legislature and judiciary brazenly manipulated by the media, actually prides itself that it has managed to raise at least one -- possibly two or more -- generations entirely devoid of any type of morally-imposed, ethical restraint. Indeed, in its own eyes, such achievement is meritorious of praise and acclamation. So well has it achieved its goals that no amount of its own, self-proclaimed, quick and easy "fix-it-all-with-more-federal-funding, new and better schools, programs for this, and programs for that" now matters in the least. As long as we allow our children to be taught that society (particularly the government) owes them a life, license and multitudinous good times, and that morality, chastity, hard word, self-denial, compassion kindness, meekness, patience and obedience to God are things to be ridiculed, we don't stand a chance of stemming the already, seemingly-irreversible tide of godless immorality that's sweeping our nation and culture into the sewer.
If left on its present course, I've no doubt that by the time the children of today reach their middle age (the unfortunate few actually cursed to live that long in the society that awaits them), they will have experienced a declension into the depths of depravity, the likes of which cannot be imagined -- even today. Little less than the animals liberals imagine we've descended from, they will eat, sleep and procreate at will in a world entirely void of morality, responsibility and restraint. Concepts like marriage, earnings and private property will have likely dissolved into distant memories no more relevant to that day than nickel matinees and two cent postage.
If anyone doubts this, they need only look at life just four decades ago, and compare it with today. One needn't have accumulated a dozen PhDs to recognize the trend and the geometric intensification by which it's grown. Offenses which, only four decades ago, would've incurred the indignation of the population and the ostracism of the offender, are today not even recognized as offenses. Today, school children are better armed than their adult, pioneer ancestors of centuries past. Their schools, where it is illegal to read from God's word, distribute condoms and illustrate methods of deviate intercourse to teens.
We've already seen what happened to the generation that grew up apart from the knowledge of God in Judges, chapter two. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. (Judges 2:19)(NIV) Clearly, their parents were at fault for not having properly instructed them in the ways of the LORD, and unlike today, they had no godlessly immoral media culture to compete with.
Deuteronomy 32:46-47 -- (Moses speaking) "Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you -- they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess." (NIV)
Parents are to command their children to obey carefully all the words of [God's] law, not "present them with options, from which they can make informed decisions". Note that the words suggest and recommend do not appear in the passage above, nor indeed, anywhere else in all of Scripture, relative to God's laws, precepts and decrees.
Proverbs 22:6 -- Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Two passages from epistles of Paul further commend parents -- specifically fathers -- to neither embitter nor exasperate their children, but rather to bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (chiefly Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:21). This, by no means, denigrates parental discipline as clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture, but merely seems to infer that fathers exercise fair and consistent judgments in dealing with their children, so as not to discourage them from their training and instruction in the Lord.
Several passages from the book of Proverbs plainly teach that biblically-sanctioned, parental discipline not only permits, but strongly encourages the use of a rod (Hebrew: shebet, meaning stick, rod, scepter or staff). Specifically how and where this rod is to be applied cannot be construed from these passages, but that it should be applied is never in doubt.
Proverbs 13:24 -- He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
Proverbs 19:18 -- Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
Proverbs 22:15 -- Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
Proverbs 20:30 -- Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart.
Proverbs 23:13-14 -- Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.
Proverbs 29:17 -- Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
Proverbs 29:15 -- The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
Today, the notion that parents should, in any way, actually strike their children is abhorrent to many. Of a liberal persuasion, these tend to be the same persons most adamantly opposed to any form of punishment to anyone for anything. Indeed, when someone mutilates, murders, rapes or robs they will generally blame parents, spouses, society, or virtually anybody and everybody but the perpetrator of these ghastly acts for the perpetration thereof. But, the word of God relates a different view of accountability and justice -- both to adults and children (the Bible's views of accountability and justice will be dealt with at greater lengths in chapters seventeen and fourteen of this volume, respectively).
I Samuel 3:11-14 -- And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family -- from beginning to end.* For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.'" (NIV)
* chiefly I Samuel 2:27-34
Here, Eli, the priest, is also held accountable for the sin of his sons**, as his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. (** Neither Hophni nor Phinehas escaped punishment for their sin; see I Samuel 4:11.) This is clearly demonstrative of a parent's higher degree of accountability where it concerns the discipline of their children. Because Eli had failed to restrainhis sons in their sin against the LORD, he too was held responsible and made to bear a portion of the punishment (chiefly I Samuel 2:31-33). This concept of a parent's added responsibility toward the discipline of their children can also be found in the law of Deuteronomy, chapter twenty-one.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21 -- If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is profligate and a drunkard." Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid. (NIV)
I can only imagine how the liberal, children's rights advocates of Moses' day reacted to this required lapidation of their stubborn and rebellious children. No doubt, they reacted much as their counterparts of our day do at the mention of corporal punishment for children. Granted, a smack with a rod is far less permanent that a stoning to the death; nevertheless, both are incorporated into God's word as methods for dealing with rebellious children -- one an admonishment, the other a command. And, as with every other passage of Scripture, the word of God minces no words: You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid. Indeed, I become fearful myself at the thought of my parents having had, not the option, but the command from God to stone me to death had I been profligate or a drunkard (the Hebrew words used here are zalal and cobe'). I guarantee, it would've only had to happen once and a whole community would be kept in line for a generation.
Today, it seems we've gone to the opposite extreme, as parents who discipline their children can easily find themselves dragged into court, facing charges of abuse. I know God's word forbids children from striking their parents, but I'm aware of no divine regulation prohibiting the reverse. Contrarily, as already illustrated throughout this chapter, the word of God encourages the rod of correction, and even occasionally -- in extreme instances (according to the law God gave Israel through Moses) -- demands the lapidation of the profligate and drunkard.
Exodus 21:15 -- (the LORD speaking) "And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."
The Hebrew word here translated as "strikes" is the word nakah, meaning to strike or beat. But, striking or beating one's parents isn't the only infraction for which children were to be put to death according to God's law to Israel.
Exodus 21:17 -- (the LORD speaking) "And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."
Leviticus 20:9 -- (the LORD speaking) "'For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him.'"
The word translated here as "curses" is the Hebrew word qalal, meaning abate, make bright, bring into contempt, curse or despise. Clearly it is not in one's best interest to curse one's parents. "'His blood shall be upon him.'" And, in passing, it's interesting to note that the Lord Jesus quoted this law Himself in Matthew fifteen, verse four, where He's at odds with the Pharisees for invalidating the word of God with their tradition. Apparently, Jesus did not think this law "too harsh", or some "oversight" on God's part from the past (see Matthew 15:1-9). Many today (Christians included) would, no doubt, like to rewrite these and many other difficult passages from God's word which are contrary to their presuppositions of a lenient God. They would rather choose to ignore them altogether, claiming that "God didn't know what He was talking about. After all, we're much more enlightened today. We don't go around stoning our children anymore." We burn, sever, cleave, hack, mangle and mince them in the womb -- and even expect the government to pay for it. We allow all manner of vile, abusive, murderous vermin to walk the streets entirely uninhibited, without even the slightest hint of guilt or remorse. We have more fornication, adultery, blatantly unashamed homosexuality, illegitimate births and sexually transmitted disease than ever before in our history. There is rampant increase in the number of child perpetrators of violent crime, animals living safer lives than many humans, and epidemic sloth -- as evidence by the current breed of welfare parasite who neither toils nor spins, living at the expense of those who must stressfully labor for every cent they get. Welcome to contemporary America. This is enlightenment! No, we don't strike our children anymore!! (Can't you tell???)
Exodus 20:12 -- (the LORD speaking) (paralleled in Deuteronomy 5:16) "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you."
"How unenlightened can one get? Children today know far more than their parents ever did (evidenced clearly by the lower scores in every area of academia). Come on. Get with the times!"
Ephesians 6:1-3 -- Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."
Colossians 3:20 -- Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.
"These passages are so embarrassingly outmoded. Doesn't the Bible contain anything more neoteric to our present age of enlightenment?"
Isaiah 3:4 -- "I will give children to be their princes, And babes shall rule over them."
"At last! A sign of contemporary enlightenment!" If I didn't know better I'd say this was a prophecy being fulfilled in the halls of Washington as this very moment (at the time of this writing). Nonetheless, if one were to look at this passage in light of the actual context, it's easily ascertainable that such is not a sign of enlightenment, but rather divine wrath and judgment upon an arrogantly rebellious and disobedient people. (I've already covered this somewhat in chapter seven with my comment on Isaiah 3:12. The same is applicable here, as well.)
But, having now touched upon the instruction and advice God's word gives to parents, does the Bible have anything to say to children?
Proverbs 1:8-9 -- Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. (NIV)
Proverbs 13:1 -- A wise son heeds his father's instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
Perhaps some of the best advice ever given from parent to child anywhere can be found in David's words to Solomon in I Chronicles 28:9 -- "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever." (NIV)
Apparently, Solomon had been paying attention somewhat, as his own paternal advice -- as found throughout the book of Proverbs -- is right on the mark (see chiefly Proverbs 4:1-27 and 23:19-35). That some of David's children (Solomon included) -- and for that matter, some of Solomon's children, as well -- didn't turn out all that well, indicates that perhaps the rod of correction may have been employed all too sparingly in the royal households of David and Solomon. Whatever the case, the advice is worthwhile for those who will heed it.
Proverbs 15:5 -- A fool despises his father's instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent.
Hebrews 12:5-6 -- And have you forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."
The passage above from the twelfth chapter of Hebrews is a quotation from Proverbs 3:11-12 in reference to God's discipline of those who are His children.
Hebrews 12:7-9 -- If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
Apparently, things were different in the First Century, where everyone underwent discipline, and fathers who disciplined their children were respected (not locked away in jail) for it. How sadly we've fallen from an "unenlightened, outdated" concept as this. Instead, we are governed by children, living in a society that's relinquished control of the nest to the nestlings. As in Isaiah 3:4, such can only be viewed as a presage of doom. Our society, on the precipice, willingly abandons its only lifeline to safety, to embrace the lies of a godless tomorrow. We pride ourselves in the multiplicity of our achievement, yet perilously ignore the lessons so arduously learned by those who've come before us. Like them, we too will be swept into the abyss from which there is no escape. If we continue to pursue this course we've chosen, we damn not only ourselves, but successive generations, as well.
The way to salvation is true; its lifeline secure. We neglect it to our own peril, and that of the children who follow.
Psalm 78:1-8 -- (of Asaph) O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old -- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, His power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands. They would not be like their forefathers -- a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him. (NIV)