The primary purpose of education should be to train the whole person for lifelong, obedient service to God, just as it was in Bible times (home was the center for education then). God never changes. He still has the same desire for us to know Him.

Our first goal must be to teach our children God's ways and His paths. We homeschoolers cannot be so worried about fractions or spelling that we skip the one needful thing: sitting at the feet of and learning from our Master through Bible study and prayer. We can prepare our children to move in a direction where their gifts and talents lie; however, God may take your child in another direction. Christians who are truly striving to find God's Will for their lives need to be equipped in the important Christian traits, prepared for anything in life.

Knowing the facts and scoring high on achievement tests is not a formula for success. The education required by the state is not true education. Christians' questions should not be What score did my child get on the achievement test? or What job or college is my child prepared for? The questions should be,

Is my child prepared to use the gifts and talents God has provided to carry out His Will in my child's life? Is this child seriously directed toward holiness, right relationships, and fruitfulness?

Definition of Education

A look at the different definitions of education from different sources can be quite revealing.

Webster's 1828 Dictionary
This was the original dictionary by Noah Webster, reflecting the thoughts and values of the early American Christian culture.

EDUCATION, n. [L. education.] The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations. To give children a good education in manners, arts, and science is important; to give them a religious education* is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.

ED'UCATE, v.t. [L. educo, educare; e and duco, to lead.] To bring up, as a child; to instruct; to inform and enlighten the understanding; to instill into the mind principles of arts, science, morals, religion, and behavior. To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians.

*To know what is meant by "religious education," one must examine the definition of the word religion.

RELIGION:
1. Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of His will to man, in man's obligation to obey His commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God...
2. ...the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men, in obedience to divine command, or from love to God and His law. [The phrases "divine command" and "His law" are synonymous with what is contained in the Bible.]

God's Word was an essential part of American education in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Three vital elements contained in the 1828 Webster definition were:

1. The future station (occupation or calling) of the child
2. Religious training
3. Parental responsibility

Compare the 1828 definition to today's Webster's Dictionary (the name Webster was kept, but the new dictionaries bear no relation to Noah Webster):

Today's Webster's New World Dictionary

EDUCATION:
1. The process of training and developing the knowledge, skill, mind, character, etc., especially by formal schooling 2. knowledge, ability, etc. thus developed
3. formal schooling at an institution of learning
4. systematic study of the methods and theories of teaching and learning.

Today's definition is totally void of the three principles listed above.

When Jesus told Martha she was worried about so many things, when there is only one thing that is needful, He was not saying that Martha should never tend to housework, any more than we are suggesting we should ignore basic skills. We are simply stating that the basic skills are a fraction of the weight on a scale compared to what Jesus said is the one needful thing: sitting at His feet learning the paths of God-the one thing our children need to prepare them for life!

Christians are commanded to be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:6). Achievement test and standards are only tools. Proper use of them will allow us to better evaluate our children-as long as we keep the right perspective.

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