Comments for The Christian Educator

Comment on Capital Punishment: What is Your Decision? by KMPrice

KMPrice — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:58:31 +0000

Well said Joel. I should like to add a bit to your thesis by commenting on the passage in Genesis you brought to our attention, and then to quote some New Testament scripture to support your position.
First, in Genesis chapter nine, it plainly states that God has given man the sacred duty of execution for the crime of murder because “in the image of God, made He man.” Man is made in the image of God, so that makes murder an indirect assult on God. He takes it personally and commands that the perpetrator be executed. It is His vengence, not mans’. We should take no delight in it. Also, it deters crime since the dead man cannot kill again, and parents will more likely raise their children in the fear of God, to avoid such an end for their own offspring. But THAT IS NOT THE INTENT OF THE LAW. It is to punish, not deter crime.
Second, two writers of the New Testament also agree with you. They are the apostles Paul and John. Paul was being accused by the Jewish leaders before Festus and said in Acts 25:11, “If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is true whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.” Taken from the ASV. Paul admits that there are crimes worthy of death.
Next, John in his first epistle; 1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request. Taken from the ASV. The beloved Apostle John says there is sin unto death.
Stand firm Joel, you’re in good company.

KMPrice

Comment on Is America Still Blessed? by Mark Dove

Mark Dove — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:59:25 +0000

To avoid confusion I want to point out that the essay is not mine. This essay was submitted by one of our high school students for an essay competition.

Thanks for the additional thoughts KM.

Comment on Is America Still Blessed? by KMPrice

KMPrice — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:55:24 +0000

Hi Mr. Dove. I’m sure you realize the flaws and sins of America(ns) are many more than you have pointed out. One in particular that angers me is that our government schools are teaching children to accept and consider the ALTERNATE lifestyle we know as homosexuality. This error, as explained by Paul in the first chapter of Romans, leads to utter godlessness that results in a reprobate mind that God gives up. I think God is angry with those who lead youngsters down that path.
Another source of Americas’ demise is the entertainment industry. Movies and television are godless for the most part. Young impressionable people are being taught humanistic thought and values that fan the flames of sin and the flesh.
We can go on, but for brevity I shall stop there. What America needs are strong uncompromising preachers who proclaim Gods’ Word.
Thank you sirs for the opportunity to share my thoughts.
KMPrice

Comment on Ehud ben Levi by Pastor Calvin

Pastor Calvin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:18:28 +0000

Good point, Mark. Sadly many Christian parents think that math and science are ‘neutral’ subjects that have no ultimate worldview behind them.

Comment on Ehud ben Levi by Mark Dove

Mark Dove — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:36:38 +0000

And Mom, even the science and math isn’t taught truly. They say trees emerged from slime, that global temperature is rising, and that the nation spending more and more money will create wealth (I think the calculation they put up on the board was 10-5=15).

Comment on The Foundation of God’s Word by KMPrice

KMPrice — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:54:15 +0000

Indeed Mr. Calvin. The better we know the scripture, the more we know the will of God and thus more equipped to serve Him correctly and accurately, thereby enjoying His blessings. May I add the instruction Paul gave Timothy in His second letter;
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH. I fear this is sorely lacking in many pulpits today.

Thank you for your service to our Lord.
KMPrice

Comment on Before and After by KMPrice

KMPrice — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:34:38 +0000

Thanks Mr. Hovde. I’m 52 now and wish I had been home schooled. My own mother wishes the same, and is fully supportive of our home schooling our two boys.

KMPrice

Comment on You Live in Rome by KMPrice

KMPrice — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:07:44 +0000

Yessir Mr. Beuligmann, so very true. I expect Christians in the USA to begin feeling more heat in the near future. That is IF they remain faithful. I also think we would see more persecution if Christians began acting upon their convictions.
I suspect men in the pulpit have added to the moral decline in our nation by neglecting words like ’sin’ and ‘repent’ from their ‘talks’. I dare not refer to them as sermons. It’s funny, since the His Majesty’s preaching was prominently ‘repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Thank you for your service to Him
KMPrice

Comment on The Foundation of God’s Word by arsc1997

arsc1997 — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:34:36 +0000

I totally agree that we must continue in the scriptures. The Bible is still the most important book in the history of mankind and will always continue to be as long as we Christians remain strong in the faith. Only the help of God through his word can help us defeat the evils thrown at us each day in this world of sin.

Comment on The Basis for Home School Rights by Mark Dove

Mark Dove — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:20:10 +0000

Thanks for joining in the discussion KM, and welcome. Your kind words, though directed to Mike, are a blessing to me. I won’t presume to speak for Mike, but I wanted to throw out some thoughts.

We must be careful not to put words in God’s mouth. Men have stated that God granted to men the “rights” of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Yes, the Declaration and Supreme Court pronouncements are men stating something about rights, just as you and Mike are also both men stating something about rights. But the working assumption is that we understand these statements have their foundation in biblical thought. Why did these people believe what they believed about liberty? What is the belief system behind the encroachments to liberty we see more and more? Why is it that you and I pay more taxes and find ourselves more and more encumbered by an ever encroaching civil magistrate? Is it possible that the less biblically grounded we become as a nation, the less liberty we experience? Freedom, whether from sin or from man’s tyranny (a result of sin), is a gift from God.

Can Mike point to a verse in scripture that repeats the wording of the Declaration of Independence? No, but this gets the question backwards. It is the Declaration of Independence that is repeating concepts of scripture. Where does the right to life come from if not from God who says, “Thou shalt not kill?” Where does the right to property, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness come from if not from God? It is He who says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”

Sin works its way outward. Men seek to control other men. Men make themselves gods who create their own growing lists of “Thou shalt nots.” So we get greater and greater government control and coercion. When deliverance from sin and death occur shouldn’t we expect to see liberty and freedom working its way outward?

Scripture speaks much of liberty. Sometimes it is liberty from sin with which it is concerned, sometimes the earthy reality of slavery and oppression. But in working through what scripture says in this regard I think we see that spiritual and physical liberty are very closely related. The God who is concerned about liberty from sin is also concerned about liberty from oppression.

Romans 13 shows us that the legitimate role of the government is to be a terror to evil. Think of the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that God promises us if we would submit to His wisdom in this regard and elect only those who understood these boundaries.

Note God’s warning in 1 Samuel 8. The civil government taking just 10% from the people was considered a burden and curse. We should understand that moving toward burdensome government is something we should hate, and something God warns us against.

And of course, more specifically to Mike’s point on education, Proverbs instructs the parents to train up their children. Deuteronomy 6 shows us a fairly comprehensive training schedule comprised of all segments of the day, leaving little room for the state to enter. Where is it that we find a scriptural injunction to the state to educate, abrogating this liberty of ours?

Righteousness trumps freedom.

Indeed. But doesn’t freedom follow righteousness?