My children have attended a Christian school from preschool until present. My oldest is now in a secular college and doing just fine. When I think back to my high school years, I used to say that I would not send my children to a Christian school because I basically did not like the attitudes of my peers who attended the Christian school. In general, they seemed to be content with the culture of Christianity instead of having a real relationship with the Lord. They seemed to look to each other for their convictions instead of looking and asking the Lord. They acted a lot like my children and their friends today who attend Christian school.
I have had plenty of years to think about this…especially during reenrollment each year. I think the cultural thing does have more to do with being a second generation Christian. While reading Deuteronomy 11:2, Moses said, “Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm…” First generation Christians experience a different revelation from the Lord as they know the difference between their life of bondage and God’s outstretch arm to save them personally from it. The first generation Christian has habits, thoughts and patterns to still overcome as they are too familiar with the ways of the world and now changed by the Lord. The second generation Christian tends to be more refined in behavior and seems to act more in line with good Christian behavior.
From God’s point of view, He looks at the heart. We tend to judge by mere appearance and attitudes and lifestyle choices. We have to remember that God honors the man who cannot lift his head to heaven because of the guilt and shame over the self-made religious man who is thankful that he is not the other man. It all comes down to humility in heart. The Lord does not ask us to humble ourselves before man but before Him. That humility starts with salvation and continues through the sanctification process. Repentance remains for the rest of our lives. Repentance is not a one-time thing. I really believe that we will be surprised when we see who God allowed into heaven and I am very thankful that I am not in a position to judge!
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