“The highest course in college or university is the classical; and this course derives its title of “classical” from the fact that the literature of Greece and Rome is the predominant element in the course. This is true, even with those who are studying for the ministry of the gospel of Christ. But how the study, for years, of literature which is essentially Pagan can be a preparation for the preaching of the gospel which must be wholly Christian, no one has attempted to explain.” The Place of the Bible in Education – A.T Jones Page 38
What if an infidel author writes something that upholds God’s principle?
In order to obtain an education, many think it essential to study the writings of infidel authors, because these works contain many bright gems of thought. But who was the originator of these gems of thought? It was God, and God only. He is the source of all light. Why then should we wade through the mass of error contained in the works of infidels for the sake of a few intellectual truths, when all truth is at our command. {MH 440.2}
What are the works on which, throughout the most susceptible years of life, the minds of the youth are led to dwell? In the study of language and literature, from what fountains are the youth taught to drink?–From the wells of paganism; from springs fed by the corruptions of ancient heathendom. They are bidden to study authors, of whom, without dispute, it is declared that they have no regard for the principles of morality. {Ed 226.3}
When in our education, we include infidel authors, what are we drawing others away from?
Those who claim to be Christians, who profess to believe the truth, and yet drink at the polluted fountains of infidelity, and by precept and example draw others away from the cold, snow-waters of Lebanon, are fools, though they profess themselves to be wise. [Jeremiah 10:1, 2, 10-16.] {CE 103.2}
In our education, what has God instructed us not to learn of?
Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
What is “the cold, snow-waters of Lebanon”?
Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Note: As the snow cometh down from heaven and watereth the earth, God says “so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth”. Snow is a symbol of the inspired Word of God. “The Bible is the greatest educational book in the world, and should be used in every school.” {RH, August 13, 1959 par. 13} Proverbs 25:25 also said, “As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” The word gospel means good news. When we include infidel authors among our textbooks of education we “by precept and example draw others away from the cold, snow-waters of Lebanon”, the gospel which is taught in the Bible. Then we wonder why our youth have so little interest in the everlasting gospel and Biblical things.
When God’s people forsake “the cold, snow-waters of Lebanon” what paths do they stumble from?
Jer 18:13 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
Jer 18:14 Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
Jer 18:15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
Note: The “cold, snow-waters of Lebanon” “cometh from the rock of the field”. Who is that rock? “That Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthian 10:4) “Israel hath done a very horrible thing” in that they have forsaken “the cold, snow-waters of Lebanon” which has “caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths” which Jeremiah 6:16 calls “the old paths, where is the good way” that you should “walks therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” In (Mat 11:29) Christ quoted Jeremiah by saying “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Christ is inviting you to learn of him who is old paths, the good “way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Where is it that one goes to learn of something? School. If Christ is going to teach us how to be “meek and lowly in heart” that makes Him a Teacher, and Educator. Here Christ is introducing ‘the school of Christ’. But many after “absenting themselves from the school of Christ, they have forgotten the sound of the Teacher’s voice, and He cannot direct their course.” {CT 410.1} If we are not getting more and more acquainted with the voice of Christ as our teacher, through His word, day by day, this means we are instead listening to and hearing the voice of a different teacher. Dear reader, in the strongest words of love, I appeal to you, if you have absented yourself from the School of Christ and taken the textbooks of ungodly literature to at once put these books out of your home, your library, your education, and take up the study of the Word of God like never before. “You who in heart long for something better than this world can give, recognize this longing as the voice of God to your soul.” {SC 28.2} “I needed help, and I found it in Jesus. Every want was supplied, the hunger of my soul was satisfied; and now the Bible is to me the revelation of Jesus Christ. Do you ask why I believe in Jesus? Because He is to me a divine Saviour. Why do I believe the Bible? Because I have found it to be the voice of God to my soul.” {SC 112.1} You too can have this experience if you enroll in the school of Christ today!
What well does the streams of Lebanon spring from?
Son 4:15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.
Note: In John 4:10 Christ is offering to all the “living waters”. Later in John 7:37-39 He identifies the living waters to be the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is to “teach you all things” (John 14:26). “The greatest Teacher is represented in our midst by His Holy Spirit.” {FE 363.1} “God can teach you more in one moment by His Holy Spirit than you could learn from the great men of the earth.” {TM 119.1} When infidel authors are included in the education of our youth we are drawing them away from Christ and we are grieving “the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30. Furthermore, Jeremiah 17:13 says “O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.” If we “have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters” our names will be “written in the earth”. Jesus said you should “rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20). Only “they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” are allowed to enter into the heavenly city (Revelation 21:27) but “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15). By replacing the Bible as the textbook of our education with infidel authors we are leading the youth by our own word and actions to have their names “written in the earth” and will thus be found outside the gates of heaven.
Are not the teachers in our schools in danger of blasphemy, of charging the Holy Spirit of God with being a deceiving power, and leading into fanaticism? Where are the educators that choose the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field, or the cold, flowing waters that come from another place, instead of the murky waters of the valley? {SpTEd 28.1}
When the word of God is laid aside for books that lead away from God, and that confuse the understanding regarding the principles of the kingdom of heaven, the education given is a perversion of the name. Unless the student has pure mental food, thoroughly winnowed from the so-called “higher education,” which is mingled with infidel sentiments, he cannot truly know God. Only those who co-operate with heaven in the plan of salvation can know what true education in its simplicity means. {CT 15.2}
There is no time now to fill the mind with false ideas of what is called higher education. There can be no higher education than that which comes from the Author of truth. {RH, July 3, 1900 par. 17}
There is no education higher than that to be found in the lessons that Christ gave. When these are discarded for the teachings of men, it is time that God’s people became converted anew and learned from Christ the simplicity of true godliness. {CT 400.1}
The Classics
In the colleges and universities thousands of youth devote a large part of the best years of life to the study of Greek and Latin. And while they are engaged in these studies, mind and character are molded by the evil sentiments of pagan literature, the reading of which is generally regarded as an essential part of the study of these languages. {MH 443.3}
Those who are conversant with the classics declare that “the Greek tragedies are full of incest, murder, and human sacrifices to lustful and revengeful gods.” Far better would it be for the world were the education gained from such sources to be dispensed with. [Proverbs 6:28 and Job 14:4 quoted]. Can we then expect the youth to develop Christian character while their education is molded by the teaching of those who set at defiance the principles of the law of God? {MH 443.4}
Pro 6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Jas 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
Jas 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
…The only education worthy of the name is that which leads young men and young women to be Christlike, which fits them to bear life’s responsibilities, fits them to stand at the head of their families. Such an education is not to be acquired by a study of heathen classics. {MH 444.3}
Note: If it is not leading young men and young women to be Christlike it is not worthy of the name Education. Therefore it is no education at all.
Myths and Fairy Tales
In the education of children and youth, fairy tales, myths, and fictitious stories are now given a large place. Books of this character are used in the schools, and they are to be found in many homes. How can Christian parents permit their children to use books so filled with falsehood? When the children ask the meaning of stories so contrary to the teaching of their parents, the answer is that the stories are not true; but this does not do away with the evil results of their use. The ideas presented in these books mislead the children. They impart false views of life and beget and foster a desire for the unreal. {MH 446.3}
The widespread use of such books at this time is one of the cunning devices of Satan. He is seeking to divert the minds of old and young from the great work of character building. He means that our children and youth shall be swept away by the soul-destroying deceptions with which he is filling the world. Therefore he seeks to divert their minds from the word of God and thus prevent them from obtaining a knowledge of those truths that would be their safeguard. {MH 447.1}
Never should books containing a perversion of truth be placed in the hands of children or youth. Let not our children, in the very process of obtaining an education, receive ideas that will prove to be seeds of sin. If those with mature minds had nothing to do with such books, they would themselves be far safer, and their example and influence on the right side would make it far less difficult to guard the youth from temptation. {MH 447.2}
We have an abundance of that which is real, that which is divine. Those who thirst for knowledge need not go to polluted fountains… {MH 447.3}
Which teacher teaches there is a wonderful knowledge to be gained apart from the Word of God?
Satan works on human minds, leading them to think that there is wonderful knowledge to be gained apart from God. By deceptive reasoning he led Adam and Eve to doubt God’s word, and to supply its place with a theory that led to disobedience. And his sophistry is doing today what it did in Eden. Teachers who mingle the sentiments of infidel authors with the education they are giving, plant in the minds of youth thoughts that will lead to distrust of God and transgression of His law. Little do they know what they are doing. Little do they realize what will be the result of their work. {COL 108.1}
A student may go through all the grades of the schools and colleges of today. He may devote all his powers to acquiring knowledge. But unless he has a knowledge of God, unless he obeys the laws that govern his being, he will destroy himself. By wrong habits he loses his power of self-appreciation. He loses self-control. He cannot reason correctly about matters that concern him most closely. He is reckless and irrational in his treatment of mind and body. By wrong habits he makes of himself a wreck. Happiness he cannot have; for his neglect to cultivate pure, healthful principles places him under the control of habits that ruin his peace. His years of taxing study are lost, for he has destroyed himself. He has misused his physical and mental powers, and the temple of the body is in ruins. He is ruined for this life and for the life to come. By acquiring earthly knowledge he thought to gain a treasure, but by laying his Bible aside he sacrificed a treasure worth everything else. {COL 108.2}